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MUMBAI: Hungama TV, which was acquired by Disney in India, is set to beef up content
on the channel with three live action series to be rolled out, starting with fantasy
adventure Zoran. This will be followed by two more shows, the second slated
for launch during Diwali this year and a third by October 2008. As
the first local kid's television channel in India, the key focus is on original
productions. In order to strengthen this, the channel is also looking to introduce
locally produced animated television series and feature films. For
starters, Hungama TV is in talks with three to four production houses in the South
for acquiring animated television series. Highlighting
the value of home grown animated series to the programming mix of the channel,
Hungama TV director production programming Aparna Bhosle said, "The addition
of Indian animation is key to our localization strategy." Currently, the
ratio of animated content to live action on the channel is 60:40. In
essence, this combination of live action and animated programmes to be added will
increase the bulk of Indian content and strengthen its proposition as an Indian
kid's television channel. | 
Meanwhile,
the channel is upbeat about its latest weekly (Monday to Thursday) offering Zoran,
slated to kick off on 2 July at 7 pm. This show replaces Shakalaka Boom Boom
in the evening prime time slot. Zoran is the tale of an outlaw banished
from his native land and follows him and his friends on their adventures to different
kingdoms. He is accompanied by a kid called Chota Rana and a sidekick dwarf Gustakh.
Like every other fantasy, there is also a pretty princess to add a touch of romance
to the narrative and ofcourse an evil villain plotting against the trio.
