MUMBAI: Discovery?s lifestyle channel TLC will double the amount of local content this year to four shows as it seeks to fortify its position in India.

The channel has identified the grooming genre as a popular mix for the Indian audiences and is looking at growing it in a big way.

"As India is becoming an increasingly important market, we are introducing a healthy dose of Indian content. We are doubling the number of local shows on TLC. Local shows help improve the relatability of the channel," says Discovery South Asia senior VP, GM Rahul Johri.

On 3 September, TLC will launch the local version of the international format ?What Not To Wear?. Hosted by Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan and Aki Narula, ?What Not To Wear - India? will run for 13 episodes at 10 pm every day.

The first local show launched this year was ?Be Blunt with Adhuna?, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment.

Produced by BBC Worldwide, ?What Not To Wear? took a year to make. A scouting agency was appointed to find out the participants. The show will give a clothing makeover to women and the selected ones will get Rs 30,000 for the exercise.

"There will be a mix of Indian and western clothes showcased. Our aim is to show the diversity of the country," says Johri.

Khan is all praise for the ideas behind the show, after initially doubting if she was the best fit for it. "This is the first time I am doing this. It was an incentive and also terrifying as I had to expose my personality on the screen. But there was strong content behind me. There are women who struggle with style. It could be due to a physical or a psychological obstacle. They need ideas to help them overcome these obstacles," she says.

TLC?s earlier local shows for the Indian market include ?Oh! My Gold?, which explores some of the most distinct jewellery and ornamental styles of India. It is hosted by international actress Lisa Ray. "Each of them are a first of its kind in the lifestyle genre," avers Johri.

According to Johri, 60 per cent of Discovery?s revenue figures in India come from ad sales. With digitisation, he expects the revenue to be split equally between subscription and ad sales."Quality content will come out on top in a digital world. Viewers will choose depending on quality which is why we are investing more in local productions. We are prepared for digitisation".

NEW DELHI: TLC, the lifestyle channel, has roped in Adhuna Akhtar and her brother Osh Bhabani to groom women particular about their hair styles and needing a general makeover.

The six-episodic ?Be Blunt with Adhuna Akhtar? will be aired from 16 July at 10 pm with a repeat every day at 2 pm. The show is being produced by Red Chillies Entertainment.

Each woman who will feature in the episodes will later get to meet a star personality who has been groomed for some film or another by the brother-sister duo who began their career with ?Dil Chahata Hai? with Farhan Akhtar.

?Be Blunt with Adhuna Akhtar? will showcases the transformation of the girls selected from across India into dazzling divas.

The Bollywood stars appearing on the show include Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Abhay Deol, Arjun Rampal, Farhan Akhtar, and Chitrangadha Singh.

Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific SVP and GM- India, South Asia Rahul Johri claimed that a year-long preparation had gone into the show. He said the show could be extended if found popular with the masses. He also claimed that research was done to study what the young audiences who were the niche audiences of TLC wanted to see.

"TLC has successfully presented and entertained Indian audience with the perfect blend of global and India themed programming through a range of innovative formats and unmatched personalities", he said.