GECs
Zee Telefilms to digitise 50,000 hours of content, plans mobisodes
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms Ltd (ZTL) is digitising 50,000 hours of its programming as it plans to exploit the content across all the delivery platforms.
The company is also planning to launch mobisodes (mobisode is a brief episode of a video programme designed to be viewed on a mobile phone) based on its key properties. “We are seriously looking at launching mobisodes. We are identifying our key programming properties for this,” says Zee Telefilms director Punit Goenka.
According to Goenka, the whole process of digitisation would be completed by the end of 2006. The total project cost, for which Zee has partnered with IBM, would be $5-6 million.
“We are digitising 50,000 hours of programming. This would help us to bring out our content on every digital platform available,” says Goenka.
ZTL and IBM Global Services India Ltd. entered into an agreement this August, to develop end-to-end digital media asset management solution using technologies that will optimise the asset acquisition, development and broadcast playout.
The implementation will enable Zee to streamline and optimize the process involved in enterprise content management, deliver content to emerging mediums like IPTV, HDTV, video on mobile and video on demand. This will also help Zee reap the benefits of leveraging intellectual properties to earn additional revenues. ZTL has already released a mobile game based on its primetime thriller Time Bomb.
In India, Star and MTV have already launched mobisodes of their popular projects. While Star One has associated with Hutch to create mobisodes of the successful Star One comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (TGILC), MTV launched mobisodes of its brand new teen soap Pyaar Vyaar And All That this month.
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.
