Factual
‘OMG! Yeh Mera India’ returns to HistoryTV18 with season 7
MUMBAI: This Holi, viewers of HistoryTV18 are in for a colourful treat. India’s longest-running hit factual entertainment series, OMG! Yeh Mera India marks its return to TV screens with a vibrant new season starting Monday, 29 March at 8 pm.
In its fifth year and seventh season, the series has gone from strength to strength, reaching millions of viewers on television and digital platforms. Its biggest win, though, lies in its impact beyond the screen and on the lives of people featured in various episodes. Not only have they been widely recognised and celebrated for their talent or record-setting feats, but some have also been honoured with the prestigious Padma Awards, including Pankajakshi Amma and Meenakshi Amma from Kerala and Teejan Bai from Chhattisgarh. Some stories from the series have even inspired cinematic works by filmmakers. Stories such as those of conservationist Dr Prakash Amte or octogenarian sharp-shooter Chandro Tomar have become the subject of popular films. On social media, stories from the show have been viewed, liked, loved, and shared by millions, including actors, sports stars, public figures, influencers, and thought leaders.
OMG! Yeh Mera India S7 builds on the wonder and magic of earlier seasons, celebrating an India where ordinary people make history every day, doing extraordinary things. The new season of the show serves up fascinating curiosities, exceptional talent, and modern-day wonders, with a dash of the strange and unusual. Season seven also presents inspiring stories about individuals and their creations driven by a mission to make a positive impact on lives and the world at large. For instance, viewers will be able to see a unique energy-saving ‘solar boat’ and also find out how a ‘nano jeep’ could prove life-changing for people with special needs. This season also features an impressive range of stories, people and places bound within the show’s original promise – to showcase and celebrate India in all its vitality, ingenuity, and diversity. Now, perhaps more than ever, as India emerges from a global crisis, the likes of which has not been encountered in over a century, there is a need to shine the light on the great and the good. To move forward with renewed optimism. For no matter the odds, we are made of sterner stuff. It’s a time to celebrate the triumphant human spirit. A spirit that is evident in India every day, defining our resilience as a nation. To borrow from the show’s fun title track: “ye desh ajab hai, yahaan log gazab hain!” Famous playback singer Benny Dayal has lent his voice to OMG! Yeh Mera India’s new, foot-tapping title song.
As each season breaks fresh ground and sets new benchmarks, the one constant has been actor and TV presenter Krushna Abhishek as the show’s host. With the seventh season of OMG! Yeh Mera India premiering on HistoryTV18 on 29 March, an excited Krushna shares, “A new season of OMG is like returning home for me! I feel thrilled and blessed that I’ve been a part of this hugely successful series. I’m constantly amazed by our incredible country and the amazing talent its people possess. I can tell you that season seven will entertain you like never before!”
Network18 A+E Networks | TV18 MD broadcast CEO Avinash Kaul expects the show will continue to set new standards and build a loyal fan base. He says, “When we launched OMG! Yeh Mera India, we were sure it would be an instant hit. Not only is it extremely well-produced and compelling content, but it also showcases the most fascinating and often untold, unseen stories from across the country. People have told me that just watching the show makes them feel proud of being Indian. Season after season, the show has performed beyond our expectations. This season, production continued through the turmoil of the pandemic, and I’m confident that it will win over audiences. I would like to thank the entire team and the viewers for making the franchise such an incredible success story.”
Link for Show Promo-
DUBLIN: Ireland is betting big on reality television. In a move that has Hollywood scouts scrambling for their passports, Dublin has unveiled Europe’s first tax credit dedicated solely to unscripted programming—think The Traitors rather than Game of Thrones.
The scheme offers producers a juicy 20 per cent rebate on qualifying expenditure, capped at €15 million ($17.5 million) per project. It’s a cultural credit with strings attached: programmes must pass a test proving they genuinely promote Irish and European culture. No word yet on whether Love Island derivatives need apply.
Ireland tánaiste and minister for finance Simon Harris says the incentive will cement Ireland’s reputation as a “centre of excellence” for audiovisual production. His colleague, minister for culture, communications and sport Patrick O’Donovan, insists Ireland has “the talent, creativity and production expertise to lead” in unscripted television. Bold claims for a nation that has spent decades exporting scripted drama.
The timing is canny. Unscripted production costs have soared globally, making Ireland’s existing infrastructure—and now its tax breaks—increasingly attractive. Fox Entertainment Studios already churns out shows like Beat Shazam and The Floor from Irish studios. Whether these American productions will pass the cultural test remains to be seen.
Producers must secure an interim cultural certificate before filming begins, allowing them to claim credits during production rather than waiting until wrap. A final certificate follows completion. The European Commission has blessed the scheme through December 2028.
Minimum thresholds apply: productions must cost at least €250,000, with eligible expenditure above €125,000. Only one season per project can claim relief in any 12-month period, though producers can juggle multiple projects.
Britain, take note. The UK industry has clamoured for similar support for 18 months, but Westminster has dithered. India’s ministry of information and broadcasting pay heed. Its incentive scheme for co-productions excludes unscripted television. To what end, no one knows! Ireland, meanwhile, is already rolling out the red carpet—or should that be green?
The message from Dublin is clear: when it comes to backing reality TV, Ireland isn’t messing about. Lights, camera, tax action.
