GECs
Zee TV continues to dominate urban weekend ratings
BENGALURU: Over the past few weeks Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) flagship Hindi GEC Zee TV has been dominating urban viewership during weekends. Programmes such as the world television premier (WTP) of the Aamir Khan starring biographical sports drama ‘Dangal’ and anti-prohibition film Raees; the airing of Zeel’s reality shows ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs’ and the launch of ‘India’s Best Judwaah’ and ‘Fear Factor’, have drawn more urban eyeballs for it than other channels in the genre on weekends.
Please refer to the figure below for Zee TV and its peer Hindi GECs’ weekend performance for the past 10 weeks (between weeks 21 to 30 of 2017). Data in this report has been sourced from Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC), TG: HSM (Urban), 2+
Dangal was a big draw when it was aired in week 21 and then again in week 22 of 2017 as was Raees when its WTP was aired in week 26 followed by a re-telecast in week 28 of 2017. Dangal rated 11.009 million impressions in the three hours 45 minutes slot and the repeat airing on 28 May evening 5:00pm rated 2.963 million impressions, according to BARC data. Aired on 25 June at 12:00 noon, Raees rated 3.850 million Impressions in the three-hours slot, whereas the second airing on 9 July evening 18:00hrs rated 1.714 million impressions in the same duration.
Further, the fresh airing of ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs’ has beendoing well in the urban space andhas been on an increasing trend.As compared to week 21 of 2017 the non-fiction singing reality show has seen a 50 percent increase in viewership in the latest week for which BARC data is available – (Week 30 of 2017).There has been a big jump in ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs’ from week 26 as the channel increased number of repeat airings of the show. Please refer to the chart below:
Another broadcast – that of an event which witnessed good viewership was the telecast of the Zee Gold Awards that honour the best performers in the Indian television industry. These were first awarded in the year 2007 and Emami’s Boroplus has been the title sponsor for the first nine editions of the show. The awards were first aired in 2017 in week 29 followed by a re-run in week 30. The Red Carpet part of the show on 16 July at 17:00 hours rated 1.082 million impressions followed by the main event at 17:30 hours which rated 2.968 million impressions. The repeat telecast of the Zee Gold Awards was on 22 July (Week 30) at 16:30 hours which rated 1.425 million impressions.
Zee TV launched two new reality programmes in the 800 pm and 1030pm primetime slots in week 30 – ‘India’s Best Judwaah’ and Fear Files. Both have performed well in the launch week. How they fare in the coming weeks remains to be seen. Here below are the ratings tables of the two shows.
Zee TV has been performing well. In week 30, the channel was second in BARC’s list of top 10 channels across genre, just behind the Sun TV Networks flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV in terms of rank. In the Hindi GEC (Urban+Rural) market, three of its programmes – two Balaji Telefilms productions – Kumkum Bhagya and its spinoff Kundali Bhagya and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs were among BARC’s top five programmes list in week 30 of 2017.
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.
