Zee Salaam presents 'Talaash...Ek Roohani Awaaz Ki'

Media News

Mumbai, February 14, 2011

India's first Urdu infotainment channel, Zee Salaam, announces its first singing reality show Talaash… Ek Roohani Awaaz Ki. The show brings viewers up, close and personal with young, dynamic, talented kids and the challenging and sometimes euphoric process of creating and performing the singing act. The show will premiere on 19th February, 2011 at 8 pm and will air every Saturday and Sunday from 8 pm onwards.

Talaash...Ek Roohani Awaaz Ki, Hamd e Ilahi - Naat e Rasool is a Hamd-o-Naat Urdu singing reality show. It will entertain audiences with a hybrid of religious sentiments and also presents soft entertainment. Hamd is based on mahabbah (love) and ta'dheem (greatness). Hamd is a sincere and true praise, that the Allah deserves and a Naat is a poetry that specifically praises Muhammad. The Hamd or Naat is recited in an artistic and melodious (no musical instruments or drum beats) manner except the use of a duff which is a percussion instrument like tabla. This show has a unique concept that aims to give an opportunity to young, new talented voices from within the Indian Muslim community. Though it targets young audiences from the age 7 to 14 years, the nature of competition connects well with families, friends & the local community. Renowned Urdu genre television personalities Fakhir Adeeb & Shagufta Yasmin are the hosts of the show.

Comprising of 26 episodes, this talent hunt singing reality show has participants in the age group from 7 to 14 years chosen through auditions held across Muslim schools & Madrasas in Delhi and NCR. Eminent Muslim personalities like acclaimed film writer, producer and director Iqbal Durrani, noted Bollywood music director & singer, Ali Ghani, and noted Islamic scholar, Sadia Halima have been appointed as judges. Well known Urdu writer and shayar, Abrar Kirat Puri is the programme mentor. More than 1,000 kids auditioned for the show in NCR. From among them, the Top 100 were short listed for the theatre auditions round and the Top 26 will participate in the show for the final title of singing "hamd o naat". There will be audience poll and SMS voting for the Top 10 finalists.

Commenting on the launch of Talaash… Ek Roohani Awaaz Ki, Zee Salaam - Business Head, Anil Anand says, "After our initial phase of introductory content offering the channel now enters year two with programming line ups that showcases reality content, which is the most popular genre in television programming today. We've chosen Hamd e Ilahi - Naat e Rasool in a bigger format as a similar format Hamd-o-Naat, albeit a sized down version has featured among the top three programmes ever since our launch. This show is in line with our channel positioning Aghaaz-e-Taraqqi. i.e., initiation of development. The huge response of thousands of kids at the auditions reveals how much young talent there is in India."

He adds, "This year will see the introduction of Urdu reality shows for the first time in the genre, coupled with scaled up operations of the current content. Plans are underway to launch one hour LIVE interactive show exclusively for Muslim women. The year also will witness content synergies with International Islamic television content providers."

The top prizes for Talaash...Ek Roohani Awaaz Ki include an album with the winner and the TOP 3 finalists will be brand ambassadors for Zee Salaam. The program will also have repeats every Saturday and Sunday at 2230 hrs, Sunday & Monday at 1100 hrs, Tuesday & Wednesday at 1600 hrs and Thursday & Friday at 1900 hrs.

Zee Salaam, devoted to Urdu language and its rich culture, has a fair mix of entertainment and enrichment of culture and information with family dramas, developmental content, devotional and musical programmes. It also offers talk shows, Mushaira's, Qawwalis and weekly serials.

Tune in to Talaash…Ek Roohani Awaaz Ki from 19th February, every Saturday & Sunday at 8 pm, only on Zee Salaam.

Judges Profiles:

• Iqbal Durrani: He is a noted film writer, lyricist, producer & director. Worked with many Bollywood artists in films like Phool aur Kaante, Dil Ashna Hai, Khuddar, etc. Also a renowned writer, his books are being taught at various film institute's. Currently he is working on a new movie & writing a book on the life of Prophet Mohammed.

• Ali Ghani: He is a well known Bollywood music director & singer. He is a classical singer from Rajasthan who has given his music in many Bollywood movies and have done albums with celebrities like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Roop Kumar Rathore, Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhas, etc. A renowned celebrity of Urdu genre, Ali Ghani is known for his ghazals & qawwallies (check spelling).

• Sadia Halima: She is a noted Islamic scholar and a member of many educational institutes including NCERT. She is an educational trainer and renowned Islamic writer and currently working on a research towards understanding of the holy Quran.

Program Mentor:

• Abrar Kirat puri: He is a noted Urdu writer & shayar. He is one of the biggest Islamic scholar and the most popular Hamd & Naat writer in India. He has dedicated his entire life towards Udru language and Islamic religion and published 5 books on Hamd & Naat, while three more are under print.

Host profile:

• Shagufta Yasmin: Renowned critic and Urdu research scholar. Born and brought up in Kuwait, she is an expert in the Urdu & Arabic language. Working with DD News (Urdu) & all India Radio as producer, anchor & script writer, she was honored to read Urdu Versions of Honorable President Smt. Prathibha Devi Singh Patel's messages on Delhi Doordarshan to the Nation during Independence Day and Republic Day for the last three and half years

• Fakir Adeeb: He is a renowned Shayar & Urdu language anchor known for his typical style of shayari across the country. He has more than 17 years of experience in the genre and has worked with various Islamic organizations and Urdu channels.

For further information, please contact:

Zee Network

Sancha Noranho

Email: sancha.noranho@zeenetwork.com