COLORS’ Unveils its Programming Line-up

-- ‘Rahe Tera Aashirwad’

-- ‘Bandhan Saat Janmon ka’

-- ‘Balika Vadhu-Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishte ’

-- ‘Jai Shri Krishna’

-- ‘Jeevan Saathi’

-- ‘Mohe Rang De’

-- IDEA Presents ‘Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi’

-- ‘Sajid’s Superstars’

Launches on July 21st 2008, 7:00 pm onwards

COLORS, the Hindi General Entertainment channel by Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd (a joint venture between Viacom Inc and Network18), today unveiled its power-packed line-up of eight new shows showcasing an entire spectrum of emotions. These range across genres – fiction-based social family dramas, fun-filled chat shows, high-voltage action reality shows, and blockbuster Hindi movies. ‘COLORS’ will be launched on Indian television screens on July 21st 2008, 7.00 p.m. onwards.

The programming line-up on ‘COLORS’ includes an explosive combination of Bollywoods ultimate action hero Akshay Kumar’s reality based show IDEA Presents Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi to a fantasy drama ‘Rahe Tera Ashirwaad’. From, Krishna’s childhood glory in the epic tale ‘Jai Shri Krishna’ to a gripping new drama ‘Balika Vadhu’ a first ever on Indian television enlightening the social evil of child marriage. Presenting the journey of a bride in ‘Bandhan Saat Janamon Ka’ to a romantic tale of love that triumph against all odds in ‘Jeevan Saathi’ or Rajbir & Kranti evoking patriotism in the period drama of ‘Mohe Rang De’. And If that’s not enough, one can catch the most talked about celebrities as they let their hair down and be at their candid best in Sajid Khan’s first ever talk show- Sajid’s Superstars.

Announcing the launch Rajesh Kamat, Chief Executive Officer –‘COLORS’, said, “I am delighted to announce that as planned, COLORS will beam into millions of Indian television screens on July 21st from 7:00 pm onwards. Our differentiated content, coupled with disruptive scheduling and peppered with some of the biggest blockbuster Hindi movies, will help us deliver on our promise of ‘cohesive viewing’.” He further added, “The wide spectrum of emotions covered in our programming offers something for everyone and everything for some. We are confident that every household in India will have some member or the other watching ‘COLORS’ between 7 and 11 p.m., to begin.”

‘COLORS’ has partnered with the country’s leading production houses to offer the very best in Hindi entertainment to its viewers. The channel’s production partners include Endemol India (for Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi), Meenakshi Sagar Productions (for Jai Shri Krishna), Shakuntalam Telefilms (for Bandhan Saath Janmon Ka), Playtime Creations (for Jeevan Saathi), Sphere Origins (for Balika Vadhu- Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishtey), JayPranlal Mehta (for Rahe Tera Aashirwad), Wizcraft Television (for Sajid’s Superstars) and Deepti Bhatnagar Productions (for Mohe Rang De).

Talking of the programming line-up, Ashvini Yardi, Programming Head, ‘COLORS’ said, “We have partnered with industry heavyweights & the finest production houses of the country to showcase a line-up that is contemporary, fresh and with a universal appeal. Through our basket of shows, ‘COLORS’ will also present to Indian TV viewers some of the most exciting new talent.” She further added, “ One of the highlights of most of our shows is the music that boasts of title tracks composed and sung by Bollywood’s most renowned names- Alka Yagnik, Anand Raj Anand, Neeraj Shridhar, Suresh Wadekar, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Shreya Goshal amongst many more.”

COLORS also announced its acquisition of some of India’s latest blockbuster Hindi movies like Singh Is King, Bhootnath, Heyy Baby, Om Shanti Om, One Two Three, Dus Kahanniya, Sunday amongst many others that will further strengthen its offering to its viewers.

Speaking on the marketing campaign roll-out, Rajesh further added, “’COLORS’ on-air launch will be aggressively supported by a 3600 marketing campaign that will showcase ‘scale’ and ‘innovation. Starting July first week ‘COLORS’ will be omnipresent across multiple platforms.”

SHOW INFORMATION

DRAMA

-- Rahe Tera Aashirwad is a sublime saga of deep devotion. A blessed girl Bhakti is born and orphaned on the same day due to the evil deeds of Bali & Bukhandi. By the grace of Mata Vaishnodevi, Bhakti manages to escape and find her way to an orphanage in Haridwar. But Bali returns once more to make her life miserable. Will her implicit faith in Mata Vaishnodevi help her emerge victorious. Join Bhakti in her fight against the evil forces of Bali and Bukhandi

-- Bandhan Saat Janamon Ka’ is an emotional drama, set in Lucknow. It is the tale of Jhanvi Aggarwal, an intelligent, mature, simple girl. In order to get married she gives up her dream to pursue higher studies. However, what follows after the wedlock is a nightmare. Follow the journey of Jhanvi as she tries to moves courageously beyond the inviolate happiness of the wedding and the social evil of dowry

-- Balika Vadhu- Set in rural Rajasthan; ‘Balika Vadhu’ narrates the story of a child bride Anandi. Having been married at the tender age of eight, to an equally young Jagdish, she enters a new world which is at once alienating and confusing. Torn away from the merriment of childhood, and her family, she has to accept and accustom herself to this new family of strangers, new relationships and accept her roles as friend, lover, wife, and mother as she forges her way in matrimony.

-- Jai Shri Krishna is a joyful story of God Krishna’s childhood adventures. A multi-layered, magnificent epic tale of this universal God will trace natkhat gopal’s journey right from his birth under dire circumstances to being taken to Gokul and being nurtured by his surrogate mother Yashoda and finally leading to the killing of his sinister uncle Kans

-- Jeevan Saathi- Some love stories are for eternity and some have to stand the test of fate!! Set in Gujarat- Mehsana the show depicts the struggle of inter-religious relationships of Viraj, a young Hindu girl who falls in love with a boy from a different caste. However, her father strictly forbids the relationship and Viraj finds herself torn between her true love and honoring family traditions. Will love conquer over family values and age-old traditions?

-- Mohe Rang De- the story of two different individuals Rajbir and Kranti who have different ideologies. A period drama set in the backdrop of 1942 – during the Quit India Movement, the show witnesses the upheaval of a country trying to achieve its freedom. These two people meet and their life takes a new course. Rajbir changes his whole life to be with the woman he loves and Kranti finally finds her family

REALITY/FORMAT SHOWS

-- IDEA Presents Fear Factor- Khatron Ke Khiladi - Hosted by Bollywood’s ultimate action hero Akshay Kumar, the show takes the game to the highest level of physical and mental challenge, making it more gritty and edgy than ever before. Another attraction of IDEA Presents ‘FEAR FACTOR- Khatron ke Khiladi’ is going to be the 13 Bollywood beauties, which’ll compete with each other, to be the last-one-standing. Yaana Gupta, Aditi Govtrikar, Pooja Bedi, Sonali Kulkarni, Anita Hasnandani, Meghna Naidu, Tapur Chatterjee, Tupur Cahtterjee, Nethra Raghuraman, Anjana Sukhani, Dipannita Sharma, Vidya Malvade & Urvashi Sharma.The show has been shot in the exotic locales of South Africa.

-- Sajid’s Superstars – Comic actor cum Bollywood director Sajid Khan’s first ever talk show on television brings together the most talked about celebrities who let their hair down and be at their candid best. The show’s impressive line-up will feature Anil Kapoor, Farah Khan, Ritiesh Deshmukh, Viviek Oberoi, Vidya Balan, Shahid Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun & Dia, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Malaika & Arbaaz Khan, Deepika Padukone and Akshay Kumar.

About ‘COLORS’

‘COLORS’ is Viacom18’s (a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) and the Network18 Group) flagship brand in the entertainment space in India. A combination of ‘emotions’ and ‘variety’, COLORS launches on 21st July 2008 and promises to offer an entire spectrum of emotions to the viewers. From Fiction shows to Format shows to Reality shows to Blockbuster Movies – the basket contains all ‘Jasbaat Ke Rang’. ‘COLORS’ is dedicated to promoting ‘Cohesive viewing’, through programmes –Rahe Tera Aashirwaad, Bandhan Saath Janmon Ka, Jai Shri Krishna, Balika Vadhu- Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishtey, Jeevan Saathi, Mohe Rang De, Fear Factor- Khatron Ke Khiladi, Sajid’s Superstars. COLORS will be an encrypted Pay with a Free to Air Window.

About Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd.

Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. is a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B, world’s leading entertainment content company, comprising brands like BET, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures) and the Network18 Group, (one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content & allied businesses, comprising brands like CNBC TV18, CNBC Awaaz, Newswire18, moneycontrol.com, CNN-IBN, IBN 7, Homeshop18 and E18 amongst others). The joint venture includes leading brands across television, film and digital media to build one of India’s leading multimedia entertainment powerhouse. Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. includes the vibrant youth brand - MTV, the fastest growing kids channel - Nick, India’s only International Music & Lifestyle channel - Vh1 , Studio18, a new-age motion picture brand that produces, acquires and distributes Hindi films and ‘COLORS’ the new Hindi general entertainment channel launching from July 21st,2008. COLORS will introduce a new genre of television programming to Indian audiences. Keeping in mind the viewer ship fatigue of the existing general entertainment channels, COLORS will enthuse their audiences with an explosive combination of Fiction shows to Format shows to Reality shows to Blockbuster Movies to lure viewers.

Viacom18 brings together the unique strengths of two formidable partners, thus forming an entertainment conglomerate that will have a competitive advantage in serving the needs of both viewers and advertisers.
Source: COLORS
Thursday, July 03, 2008 04:30 PM IST (11:00 AM GMT)
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