MAM
‘Gurukul’ contestants get viewers’ patronage in new ad campaign
MUMBAI: Students are now down to eight in the school, whose activities the entire nation has been following. We’re talking about Sony’s Fame Gurukul, where the plot becomes thicker due to cut throat competition with each passing day.
Viewers have always been an integral part of this reality soap opera and have had a hand in the future of the contestants by way of votes. Keeping this factor in mind, Sony has now unveiled a new advertising campaign, wherein viewers have pitched for their favourite contestants.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, SET vice president marketing Nina Jaipuria said that eight ads have been rolled out where eight different viewers are vouching for a contestant. Fame Gurukul has a tagline of ‘Iske Liye Kuch Bhi Karega’ and the ads stay true to the same.
While the contestants are ready to go to any extent to win the coveted title of the ‘Fame Jodi’, now its the viewers’ turn to go to any extent to make sure that their favourite contestant wins.
“Qazi na jeeta to mooche saaf kar doonga,” says a man with ‘Veerapan-style’ mustache.”Chocolate ki shart lagi, mera Sandeep hi jeetega,” says a small boy who loves chocolates.
An old man, who is a couch potato pledges that he will stop watching television if Arpita loses. A lady from the ‘chawl’ says she would keep a fast for Monica. On the other hand, a social activist says that she would go on a hunger strike if Arijeet doesn’t make it to the ‘Fame Jodi.’
Mumbai boy Rex has a young girl vouching for him by saying, “Rex ke liye har darga pe dua karungi.” A college girl, on the other hand, wishes that she could give 100,000 votes to Shamit. A housewife, who is trained in classical music pitches in for Rooprekha pledging that she would stop practicing music of she loses.
Such is the new campaign of Fame Gurukul, which has managed to cut across gender, age and social status by having opinions ranging from a young boy to an old man. Jaipuria says, “It’s now a matter of time when the Fame Jodi will be announced and there is a lot of drama happening among the contestants, faculty and the judges. The new campaign talks about the viewers’ perspective and brings their views in.”
The outdoor campaign was rolled out in 12 cities across the country on 5 September. Apart from this, television commercials have also been on-air, which take off from the theme of the outdoor campaign.
This campaign has been conceived by Euro RSCG. The agency’s vice president (creative) Ashok Karnik says, “While on other reality talent hunts, it is mostly the judges who decide on the winner, Fame Gurukul is a different kind of reality show, where they viewers more or less decide the fate of the contestants every week. Hence, we decided to roll out a campaign keeping that premise in mind. The show has reached its climax and it is at this point in time that the viewers are most involved. Obviously people have their favourite contestants and we wanted to communicate the same with this campaign.”
“The tagline of ‘Iske Liye Kuch Bhi Karega’ is very vital to our campaign as people are shown willing to go to any extent to make sure that their favourites win,” Karnik adds.
MAM
Sameer Nair steps down as CEO of Applause Entertainment
Veteran media executive exits after a decade at the Aditya Birla Group-backed studio.
MUMBAI: After a decade of calling the shots, Sameer Nair is taking a bow from Applause Entertainment. The veteran industry leader and CEO of the prominent content studio is stepping down from his role, according to sources familiar with the development. This marks a significant leadership transition at one of India’s key players in the television and digital content space.
Applause Entertainment, part of the Aditya Birla Group, has built a strong reputation under Nair’s leadership for its high-quality adaptations of international formats and a slate of original series across OTT platforms. Nair, who joined the company a decade ago, was instrumental in shaping its growth and positioning it as a notable force in India’s evolving streaming landscape.
Prior to Applause, he held senior roles at major media organisations, including Star India, where he played a pivotal part in the launch of the iconic show Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. He also worked with Balaji Telefilms and NDTV Imagine.
It remains unclear who will succeed Nair or what his next professional move will be. Queries sent to Nair did not receive a response, and Applause Entertainment declined to comment on the matter.
His exit comes at a time when the Indian content ecosystem is undergoing rapid changes, with streaming platforms recalibrating investments, focusing on profitability, and adjusting content strategies amid shifting viewer preferences and increasing competition.
Industry insiders suggest the transition could signal a strategic reset for Applause as it navigates the next phase of growth.
In the fast-paced world of Indian entertainment, where hits can fade as quickly as they rise, Sameer Nair has enjoyed a remarkably steady and influential run. As he steps off the stage at Applause, the spotlight now turns to what comes next for both the executive and the studio he helped build.
