"Facilitating 'essential viewing' will be a game changer": Ferzad Palia, Colors Infinity

The new English GEC from Viacom18 will encourage viewers to 'binge watch' popular American shows on TV, by airing three episodes consecutively.

Viacom18 is gearing up for the launch of its English GEC, titled Colors Infinity. The channel, slated to launch soon, is banking on the international trend of 'essential viewing' - an immersive experience of watching three continuous episodes of globally applauded narratives back-to-back.

The experience will be further augmented by the "First Indian TV Premiere" of a new show, every day of the week, that includes critically acclaimed and multi-award winning series like 'Fargo', 'Orange Is The New Black', 'Better Call Saul' and 'The Flash'. As reported earlier, the channel is co-curated by Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt.

Sudhanshu Vats, group CEO, Viacom18, says, "In 2008, Viacom18 scripted the first few pages of its journey to establish its first milestone Colors, thereafter disrupting the genre landscape. In 2015, we once again embark on a journey to recreate history, this time in the English Entertainment space with Colors Infinity. Our first home-grown English entertainment channel for India, through its many firsts, is all set to subvert convention in the genre by providing a consummate viewing experience."

Ferzad Palia, EVP, Viacom18, and head, English Entertainment, comments, "Colors Infinity is set to be the absolute stage for the best in English language entertainment with its handpicked international content and extensive multi-genre offering. Adding to the immersive experience, the innovation of facilitating essential viewing is set to be a definitive game changer through inviting newer audiences and growing the viewership pie."

"We are overwhelmed with the response of advertisers and channel partners who have reposed tremendous faith in Colors Infinity and its proposition of bringing scale to the English genre. Our deep partnerships with eminent global brands like L'Oreal, Greygoose, Renault and Integriti, is sure to add tremendous value to their endeavour of effectively reaching out to their ideal consumer," Palia adds.

According to Johar, India has been viewing a lot of international content; however, what we have accessed so far is just the surface. "Colors Infinity will transform the English entertainment market in India with an unmatched array of content for the globally connected Indian viewer. We are serving up the best of world content that straddles multiple-genre segments and emotions, all on one channel; a destination of infinite choices."

Bhatt believes that the channel has her kind of shows and understands how a new generation of viewers wants it all and wants it now.

Colors Infinity will run programming seven days a week. Showcasing unprecedented scale through 2000 hours of international content, acquired from the popular studios, the channel will bring in the best with over 100 TV series. It will air shows across genres such as Drama, Superheroes, Comedy, Fantasy, Crime and Thrillers, from major studios like Warner Brothers International TV, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Television, Twentieth Century Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, BBC and Endemol Shine.

Besides, upping the ante will be an array of reality television with shows across Dancing, Cooking, Magic, Singing and other lifestyle interests. The channel will also host global live events and award shows, as also premium biopics, mini-series and documentaries.

The channel will be available across DTH and digital cable platforms. It will be aired in SD as well as 1080p HD format with Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound.

The line-up

To start with, Colors Infinity will air original programmes from 8 pm to midnight, starting with cooking reality show 'My Kitchen Rules' at 8 pm. Three back-to-back episodes of 'Flash' will be aired on Mondays at 9 pm. 'Musketeers and Forever Season 1' will be aired in the same format on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 pm, respectively.

Three consecutive episodes of 'Big C' and 'Orange is the New Black'will be aired every Thursday at 9 pm and every Friday at 9 pm, respectively. The weekend line-up will have 'Better Call Saul' (three back-to-back episodes on Saturdays at 9 pm) and 'Fargo' (three back-to-back episodes on Sundays at 9 pm).