Television
JioStar and Sun Direct take pay TV on the road to woo India’s heartland viewers
The two companies have completed a sprawling outreach campaign across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, targeting households still stuck on free-to-air television
MUMBAI: A branded van, 180-plus tehsils, more than 10,000 kilometres of road, and one simple pitch: pay television is worth it. JioStar and Sun Direct have wrapped up a large-scale on-ground consumer outreach campaign across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, in one of the more ambitious attempts by India’s pay TV industry to drag free-to-air households into a subscription.
The campaign was built on a straightforward insight: if you show people better content on a television screen, they are considerably more likely to pay for it. A Sun Direct-branded van equipped with a live television setup travelled across both states, parking itself in towns and villages and inviting consumers to walk in, watch, and sign up on the spot. On-the-spot subscription offers were available, making the leap from curiosity to conversion as frictionless as possible.
At the heart of the offering was a specially curated Sun Direct pay TV pack designed around the viewing preferences of consumers in these regions, bundling entertainment, films, sports, news and regional channels into a single, value-driven package. Beyond the van, the campaign fanned out further through radio activations in local languages and hyper-local wall paintings across villages and towns, keeping the message alive long after the vehicle had moved on.
A JioStar spokesperson said the ambition extended well beyond awareness. “Our ambition goes beyond awareness; it is about enabling households to discover, first-hand, the richness of content that Pay TV offers and making that transition as seamless and rewarding as possible,” the spokesperson said, adding that partnerships built on a “shared commitment to consumer centricity, like the one we have with Sun Direct, are central to how we continue to demonstrate the value of Pay TV across India.”
Sun Direct’s response was equally bullish. A spokesperson for the DTH platform said the campaign had been “extremely well received across markets, with strong consumer engagement and encouraging conversions,” adding that it had “clearly demonstrated the potential of taking Pay TV directly to FTA households and allowing them to experience the difference first-hand.”
The exercise is a telling reflection of where India’s television market stands. Linear television reaches more than 750 million viewers every week through JioStar’s network and streaming service alone, yet large swathes of the country remain anchored to free-to-air services, untouched by the subscription economy that pays the industry’s bills.
Converting even a fraction of those households is the prize. JioStar and Sun Direct have shown they are willing to drive a very long way to get it.
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.
