GECs
Will Jeena Isi Ka Naam hai be Sandeep Goyal’s KBC?
He seems to have got his charge’s act together this time. After a disastrous Roosevelt-type 100-hundred day relaunch of Zee TV, group broadcast CEO Sandeep Goyal went back to the drawing board as it were and completely reworked his strategy.
He hired a new creative team, which was headed by Tara wiz Vinta Nanda and left her to handle the process of getting Zee back on track while he chose to whiz around globally, making a pitch for the Indian television industry, and projecting himself as the face of Zee TV, marking his presence at many a fora.
Proof that the strategy is working is the show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hain (JIKNH), which marks its third week on air this Friday. If the first two episodes are anything to go by, Zee TV has a winner on its hands. The tide seems to have turned at last.
Goyal and Nanda seem to have done the right thing by plumping for the show. Produced by NDTV for its channel NDTV World, which never got to see the light of day, JIKNH is just what the TV doctor would have prescribed for the ailing Zee.
It has great ingredients: film star celebrities, who while they are adored and swooned over, are little known excepting what appears in film magazines which focus on their extramarital affairs and mistakes rather than their positive aspects. In noted film actor Farouque Shaikh they have a presenter who is pretty amiable. Viewers get to know more about their stars through lesser known people – like you and me – who momentarily, because of their associations with the stars, become stars themselves.
Additionally, the show has the slickness that was missing on other Zee TV shows. Finally, it appeals to advertisers and media planners and buyers in ad agencies, which greatly influences whether they buy or not.
Zee TV also seems to be doing well on the marketing front with good creative and slickly produced
billboards and promos. The creative suggests that we are getting to see the real face behind the star’s mask on JIKNH.
The only disadvantage is that it is a weekly. To generate stickiness for the channel, Zee TV should plug some of its programming properties – throw in a few dailies into this pot – heavily. Six properties – including JIKNH – might just suffice to do the trick. It has its Playwin lottery draw, which because of the jackpot is a property that could build up across the whole network. Then it has Sa Re Ga Ma which has a new anchor in Shaan, who bonds tremendously with the bubble-gum crowd, with his boyish good looks and melodious voice. It needs another three good shows, which will help it ride back into the hearts of viewers.
To Zee TV’s advantage is the fact that Star has not been able to replicate the mind-boggling viewership numbers it used to generate (with its earlier shows) for its new shows. It has a window of opportunity to leap into. Now it’s over to Team Goyal and Nanda.
GECs
Sony PAL to air Sankat Mochan Hanuman from May 4 at 9 PM
Mythological series brings Lord Hanuman’s tale of devotion and courage back to TV
MUMBAI: Sony PAL is set to bring back the timeless mythological series Sankat Mochan Hanuman, with its premiere scheduled for May 4 at 9 PM. The show revisits the legendary journey of Lord Hanuman, offering viewers a chance to reconnect with one of Indian mythology’s most revered figures.
Centred on themes of devotion, courage and righteousness, the series traces Hanuman’s unwavering loyalty to Lord Ram and his fearless stand against evil. With its mix of dramatic storytelling and visually rich sequences, the show aims to deliver both entertainment and spiritual resonance, appealing to audiences across age groups.
The narrative unfolds as a larger-than-life saga, positioning Hanuman as the ultimate protector and a symbol of strength and selfless service. His journey, rooted in faith and duty, continues to strike a chord with viewers, making the series as relevant today as ever.
The cast features Gagan Malik as Lord Ram, Debalina Chatterjee as Sita, Nirbhay Wadhwa in the titular role, and Saurav Gurjar as Raavan. Their performances bring depth and authenticity to characters deeply embedded in Indian cultural memory.
With its return to television, the show is positioned as more than just a rerun. It taps into a renewed appetite for mythological storytelling, blending nostalgia with timeless values.
As audiences increasingly seek content that resonates beyond entertainment, ‘Sankat Mochan Hanuman’ offers a familiar yet powerful narrative, reminding viewers that stories of faith and courage never really go out of style.
