The Dheeraj Kumar-promoted production house Creative Eye has recently created a new programming cell headed by Roopa Das, former senior executive producer of Sony Entertainment Television.

Das was one of a large number of executives at different levels who quit Sony to join the Manoranjan Aur Kya (MAK) Network, which never got off the ground. She has been appointed as vice-president, programming at CEL. The company has announced that will be inducting more professionals shortly in the newly constituted programming cell. Among those who have already been inducted is Mahesh Badal, who has earlier worked with CMM and STV Enterprises. 

The cell has already started working on various genres of programmes including social, suspense thriller, comedy sitcom, an official release states. CEL has commenced the shooting of three new programmes. CEL plans to produce at least six new programmes with the active association of its newly formed programming cell for Doordarshan and satellite channels during the third quarter of 2002-03.

The company, which was one of the major content providers to Doordarshan earlier, but had shifted its focus to satellite TV over the last year due to high telecast fees, has now decided to supply more content to DD again. Creative Eye also recently announced its intent to produce three Hindi feature films in the current fiscal. The company has so far produced more than 1,700 hours of programming that includes social, suspense thrillers, historical and mythological programmes. According to an official release, the current eight hours of programming per week on Doordarshan will be increased to 16 hours in 2002-03.