SET: Calling all the ‘Jassis’ of the country

Sony Entertainment Television is trying to leverage its popular fiction format with a reality show. It is launching a new reality show, which has been inspired from its extremely popular soap, ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’, the story of which dealt with the transformation of the plain Jane protagonist, Jassi, into a beautiful supermodel.

The new show is based on the popular format show named ‘Extreme Makeover’ owned by Buena Vista International Television. SET acquired the license from them and Miditech will produce the show. The name of the show hasn’t been finalised yet, though it is possible that the international name might be retained.

The show will feature makeovers being done on people with flawed looks or deformities, maybe even victims of acid attacks or explosions. Mona Singh, who played the character of Jassi in ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’, will host the show. She is currently urging people throughout India to come up and participate in the show.

“We have been working on the concept for over a year now. We have gathered interesting case studies that will be featured on the show,” says Nikhil Alva, CEO, Miditech.

The channel has tied up with top-notch surgeons, doctors, hospitals and make-up artistes for the show. “We can’t risk anything on the show,” says Anupama Mandloi, senior V-P and head, on-air programming, SET India. She says that the show will be seasonal and will air once a week.

The show will hit the channel some time in November 2006. It is already in the production stage. The channel will continue the call for entries till July 18.

SET is deliberately not going overboard in its advertising for the show. It is running one-minute promos with Mona Singh calling for entries on all the alliance channels and a number of regional press ads. “We are not opting for hoardings, but instead advertising on the local cable channels. We want to retain the credibility of the show. It is a grave issue,” explains Nina Elavia Jaipuria, V-P, marketing and communications, SET India.

The channel is gung-ho about the future of the show, though a few close watchers of the industry aren’t quite as optimistic.

Debraj Tripathi, general manager, Maxus, feels positive about the participation for the show, but he presents doubts on how much of this initial interest can be converted into viewership. “Indians are a lot into entertainment, so one can’t really say if this emotional and serious content will attract viewers,” he reasons.

Some senior media planners such as Kajal Malik, regional director, Optimum Media Solutions, are uncertain about even the participation. “People might not want to come on television and show their problems to the whole country,” she says.

In fact, SET faced a similar problem with its matrimony show, ‘Kahin Na Kahi Koi Hai’, hosted by Madhuri Dixit. The show was a miserable flop.

“Nevertheless, this genre of reality show is very different. It cannot be categorised into any existing genre. It may be called a ‘rational-medical genre’,” she adds. She points out that such stories have been rampant in print (in weight loss and hair loss ads), but not on television, which is why it might well be a concept to look forward to.

Another Delhi-based senior media planner warns SET against airing the show in a prime-time slot as it is a niche programme and will appeal more to a mature age group (married men and women) because it is more rational than entertaining in nature.

Industry experts suggest that the best time to air the show will be on weekends in a non-prime time slot.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!