GECs
Zee reschedules three new shows to get more viewers
Two months into its relaunch campaign, Zee TV has shifted around three of its shows in an effort to increase their audience share.
Game show Nilaamghar, hosted by the irrepressible Shekhar Suman, has been shifted from the weekend (Saturday-Sunday 7:00 PM) to a weekly slot – Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00 PM, with effect from 16 October.
Sarhadein has been pushed back from the 11 PM slot on Mondays to Wednesdays, to 10:45 PM on the same days. The change came into effect from 15 October.
Interestingly, the much hyped interactive show, Aap Jo Bole Haan To Haan…Aap JO Bole Na To NA has been cut down from four days a week to two days. Instead of being telecast from Sunday to Wednesday at 10:00 PM, it is now being beamed at the same time, but only on Sundays and Mondays, from 14 October.
Says Zee TV director (marketing) Partha Sinha: “Some changes have been made based on viewer feedback. Eleven PM was considered too late for Sarhadein, hence we moved it back to 10:45 PM” Sinha points out that the network was lining up specials in order to cash in on the Diwali season. “These are at the finalisation stage,” he says. “We are responding to changes at the ground level.”
He also sought to dispel any notions that the network was on the back foot. Says Sinha: “Despite the media’s onslaught on Zee Telefilms’ falling marketshare, the facts are that Zee News has emerged as the numero uno channel in Mumbai. Additionally, Kohi Apna Sa currently occupies the no 12 position as per current ratings. Choti Maa Ek Anokha Bandhan is going along steadily and given another six to eight weeks it should establish itself. Both Nilaamghar and Aap JO Bole…, which are finding increasing audiences should also do well. These are some of the good shows and we expect good results from them.”
That some of its new shows will gain cachet with audiences given time is a tautology and is something that even indiantelevision.com has been advocating for quite some time now.
And whatever may be Sinha’s views on the matter, the channel’s dogged persistence with flop interactive show Aap JO Bhole… and its atrocious host Suhel Seth continues to surprise the industry, including all of us at indiantelevision.com. Maybe there’s something here that we are all missing.
GECs
Vikram and Ajinkya Gandhe win Masterchef India season finale
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor joins judges for emotional MasterChef finale
MUMBAI: The latest season of MasterChef India concluded on a high note, with brothers Vikram Gandhe and Ajinkya Gandhe crowned winners in the grand finale aired on Sony Entertainment Television.
The duo from Nagpur lifted the coveted trophy and donned the show’s signature golden apron after a season that celebrated India’s diverse culinary traditions under the theme “Pride of India”.
This edition of the popular cooking reality show introduced a new jodi format, with 50 pairs from across the country competing in the Masterchef kitchen. Contestants brought personal stories, regional flavours and family bonds to the competition.
The grand finale featured the final three pairs: Vikram and Ajinkya Gandhe (brothers), Saisree and Chanda (mother and daughter), and Anju and Manju (sisters).
The finale was attended by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who joined the show’s judging panel comprising Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar and Kunal Kapur.
Kapoor said the show has long served as a platform to celebrate India’s rich culinary heritage and provide passionate home cooks with a national stage. He noted that the current season reflected a confident India that takes pride in its roots while embracing new culinary ideas.
Judge Vikas Khanna said the contestants’ journeys and the memories created during the season would remain with the team long after the show’s conclusion. Ranveer Brar described the show as a family that continues to grow with every season, while Kunal Kapur praised the contestants’ creativity and determination.
With the finale now concluded, the latest season of MasterChef India once again highlighted how food can reflect identity, heritage and storytelling, inspiring home cooks across the country to pursue their culinary ambitions.
