MUMBAI: Humour and current affairs channel Sab TV has gotten into an over-drive with a launch planned for nine new shows. The first four will hit the tube 24 January onwards and the next five will be unveiled 14 February onwards.
This time round the comedy channel has experimented with themes across all the comedy genres targeting family, kids and male ensuring a piece of comic relief for everybody.
The first of the lot which will be unleashed on 24 January is Sabse Bada Rupaiyya to be aired every Monday and Tuesday at 9 pm and 10 pm. Mondays will also see a show called A Mad House which will air at 8:30 pm. Starting 26 January is a show titled Masti every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 pm.
February will see another slew of fresh programming. Starting 15 February with Platform No 9 to be aired every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8:30 pm. Say na Something will debut on 17 February every Thursday and Friday at 8:30 pm. From 18 February onwards Fridays on Sab TV at 9:30pm will see a show titled Power Man.
Apart from this, the current affair segment will also see the entry of a new programme called Zimedaar Kaun? The slotting of this show is yet in a stage of finalisation.
Sab TV executive producer Anita Varma says, " The decision to revamp the 8 -10 band firstly is to provide some freshness and give relief to the old as well as to break the perception that Sab TV only airs reruns. Also with these new shows we have experimented with all genres of comedy sticking to our positioning of being a comedy and current affairs channel."
With the entry of nine new shows, the channel will be taking off Carry on Shekhar and Shree Sifarishilal.
The last time the channel launched a number of shows was five months ago with four new programmes Humse Hain Zamana, Jasoos 005, Chupke Chupke and WahWah.
Coming to the specifics of each show, Masti revolves around an uncle surrounded with four of his mischievous nieces and nephews who make his life miserable. The show is targeted at families and kids.
Sabse Bada Rupaiyya is a story of a family left with lots of wealth but no written will. So, who will get the major share in the property? This show promises doses of laughter with the brothers and wives trying every trick in the book.
Chamcha in Chief - a political satire is a story of a chamcha who gets a chance to come to the rescue when chief minister is jailed and his wife is made the acting CM in a hurry.
A brand extension from the very popular Shrimaan Shrimati is a more contemporary Aaj ke Shrimaan Shrimati. The sitcom will weave in modern characters and brand new situations.
Catering to the youth is A Mad House, a story of relationships between three young girls, three young boys and an old bachelor and their day-to-day stepping on each others toes.
Power Man is a new age programming entailing a mix of animation and gizmos while an idiot fond of experimenting stumbles on super power which acts as a central theme of this comedy.
Say na Something, focussed on kids is being brought back on the channel by popular demand. The difference here is that Tabassum will now be hosting the show replacing Anupam Kher.
Platform No 9 showcases a railway platform which mirrors different cultures, people and their day-to-day life. Rakesh Bedi will play a plethora of characters out of real life with a twist of smile.
The last out of the lot is the current affairs show called Zimedaar Kaun? which will take up issues that are of relevance and will examine the issue further.
Sab TV for sure has decided to get into the aggressive mode in 2005. This new initiative also rides on the hope for the channel's TVRs being spruced up. It is important to bear in mind here that Sab TV commands a steady viewership with it being the only channel that is male skewed.
