Music and Youth
MTV Nishedh: International family & sexual health series’ Indian version starts in ’18
MUMBAI: Viacom18 and MTV Staying Alive Foundation are bringing MTV Shuga with localised Indian content in 2018. The announcement was made in London at the Family Planning Summit 2020.
At the Family Planning 2020 summit in London, Viacom18 announced its intention to launch MTV Nishedh , a localized format of the critically and commercially acclaimed drama series MTV Shuga, in India. The summit, which was co-hosted by UK Dept. for International Development and UN Population Fund, in association with USAID and Global Affairs Canada, saw Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) announce its plans to expand MTV Shuga with two new localized versions in India and Egypt by 2020.
At the heart of it, MTV Nishedh will be the centrepiece of a MTV Shuga styled mass media behaviour change campaign in India, aimed at increasing knowledge and generating positive attitude towards contraceptive use, gender violence, HIV prevention and child abuse. MTV Staying Alive Foundation had pioneered MTV Shuga, its most successful behaviour change campaign till date, in Nairobi, Kenya in 2009 with a long-running drama TV series and multimedia campaign that follows the lives of young people on the African continent.
“Education and awareness must form the backbone of liberation – be it economic or sexual. With just 15% of the total youth population having being exposed to any form of sex education, as a society we have allowed social stigma to overpower our responsibility to educate and empower our future.”
Observed Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats: “‘Entertainment’ is our business, ‘engaging’ consumers, our strength and ‘enriching’ their lives, a responsibility. These 3 E’s together form our legacy, that of a network with a humane purpose. With MTV being the country’s most resonant youth brand, we are optimally poised to dial up the reach of sex education in our country, through MTV Nishedh.”
“We know that storytelling has the power to catalyse positive social change, and have seen that first-hand in Africa with series like MTV Shuga,” said MTV Staying Alive Foundation ED & MTV International SVP – social responsibility Georgia Arnold.
“By bringing this format to new countries and new continents, we are committed to challenging misconceptions and inspiring our audiences to talk openly and honestly about their sexual health, encouraging more young people to protect themselves.”
With a drama series at its core, MTV Nishedh will take a 360 ‘edutainment’ approach that incorporates multiple touchpoints for promoting sexual and reproductive health beyond the TV screen — including content on digital and social media platforms to reach an estimated audience of more than 281 million young people.
Music and Youth
TLC launches ‘World On My Plate’ with Shipra Khanna
New travel-food series premieres 29 March at 7:00 PM.
MUMBAI: Shipra Khanna just packed her bags and her flavours because when a celebrated chef takes you on a global plate tour, even the couch starts feeling like first-class. Warner Bros. Discovery India has announced the launch of World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna, a new travel and food series set to premiere on TLC on 29 March at 7:00 PM. Hosted and curated by the popular chef and television personality, the show blends food, travel and culture through an intimate and immersive lens.
Across three visually rich episodes, Shipra journeys to global destinations to explore not just what people eat, but why they eat it, uncovering the stories, traditions and human connections behind every dish. The series opens in London, weaving its iconic landmarks with diverse culinary scenes, before moving to Spain’s vineyards, olive orchards and coastal kitchens.
Warner Bros. Discovery head of advertising revenues for South Asia Tanaz Mehta said: “At TLC, our focus has always been on bringing authentic stories that reflect how people live and connect. World On My Plate builds on this by using food as a lens to explore shared traditions across geographies. We’re excited to collaborate with Chef Shipra Khanna, whose perspective brings both depth and relatability to these narratives.”
Shipra Khanna added, “Food has always been my way of connecting with people and understanding cultures. With World On My Plate, I’ve had the opportunity to step into new worlds, learn from incredible individuals, and share stories that go far beyond the plate. This show is very special to me.”
The series promises strong visual storytelling, meaningful interactions and a fresh perspective on global cuisine celebrating flavours alongside the emotions and traditions that shape them.
In a world where travel shows often feel like distant postcards, Shipra Khanna is serving up something far more personal: a passport to cultures through their kitchens, proving that the best way to understand a place is still through the plate. Tune in to World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna starting 29 March at 7:00 PM on TLC.
