The first phase of the marketing campaign was unleashed on 16 August with teaser hoardings all over the country flaunting the question - "Is the Kohinoor diamond still in India?" and "Do the British have the fake Kohinoor diamond?

The second phase of the campaign will hit the roads on 22 August (Monday), wherein the protagonists of show and the launch date will be revealed.

The Rediff 'Kohinoor' blog has interesting postings and have surely got people talking!

The campaign will hit with close to one million posters across 20 cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Kolkatta, Indore, Lucknow, Kanpur, Pune and Surat. Almost 450 outdoor sites in key metros and mini metros will rouse the curiosity of the common man. BEST buses and railway stations across Mumbai have been branded with Kohinoor.

Apart from that, two million flyers have been pasted in 13 cities including Mumbai, Baroda, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Kolkatta, Pune and Surat.

Sahara One will also be conducting a road show across 10 cities (Mumbai, Nagpur, Delhi, Chandigarh, Pune, Surat, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Kolkatta) over 10 days, which will eventually lead up to an on-air contest on the channel. The road show will kick start on 22 August.

And as if that was not all, a special music video has also been created around Kohinoor.

The 'Kohinoor' mystery has spread across town. Seen here is a poster on the Sion Highway in Mumbai

Alongside outdoor, the show will also be promoted across the Internet, cable, print and all radio channels. Cross channel promos on NDTV, Aaj Tak, ETV Marathi, ETV Bengali etc are also on the Kohinoor agenda.

The show will also be promoted across malls in various cities.

Direct mailers to the media fraternity across Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkatta will be sent out via various newspapers and magazines.

A blog on Rediff (http://kahangayakohinoor.rediffblogs.com) has been created, wherein surfers post their comments on what they think about the Kohinoor that is suddenly being talked about.

Promotional activity around the show will also be seen across Yahoo! India from 22 August.

Sahara One Television head - marketing Rajeev Chakrabarti

Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, Sahara One Television head - marketing Rajeev Chakrabarti says, "The idea behind this marketing campaign was to create intrigue and curiosity around the Kohinoor diamond and resurface it by making it the talking point among people."

The half hour show Kohinoor will be aired at 10 pm from Monday to Thursday on Sahara One. Once the show launches on 5 September, the third phase of the marketing campaign will kick start from 6 September. However, Chakrabarti remained tight lipped on what the third phase of the campaign will encompass.

The channel is pitching the show against Star Plus' Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Sony's Ye Meri Life Hai and Zee's Time Bomb (Monday), Rabba Ishq Ka Hove (Tuesday), Rooh (Wednesday) and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge (Thursday).

With television stalwarts like Kahaani... in the 10 pm slot, only time will tell whether Sahara One's efforts around Kohinoor will pay off or not. Till then... the buzz around the show continues.