MUMBAI: Hungama TV and Colgate have joined hands for the launch of Colgate’s Oral Health Month, which has lots of exciting initiatives to educate children about oral care in a fun filled manner.

One such initiative is the Colgate Muskurahatein 2005 contest. Through this unique initiative, Hungama TV and Colgate have provided a platform to children to turn their stories and dreams to life.

In the Colgate-Muskurahatein story writing contest, children from class VI- X across around 450 schools in 14 cities were asked to write their stories on the theme ‘Spread A Smile’.

These stories could be their dreams, imaginations or be based on real life. More than 35,000 children participated with their stories and twelve stories are being short listed from these.

The 12 winning entries are being converted into a tele-serial for children – Colgate Muskurahatein. The 12-episode serial will be aired on Hungama TV at 8 pm on Saturdays and Sunday from today (8 October).

Hungama TV programming head Zarina Mehta said, "Through Muskurahatein children have got an opportunity to participate in a contest that allows them to turn their dreams into reality, only on Hungama TV."

Colgate Palmolive India Ltd EVP marketing Vinay Hegde says, "Muskurahatein- Spread A Smile has been the signature theme of the Oral Health Month program that we launched in 2004. The idea is to get children to inculcate the right oral care habits and practices through initiatives that get their whole hearted participation. Last year we had conducted a song writing contest and this year we extended the theme to a story writing competition, which culminated into the tele-serial Colgate Muskurahatein. We are pleased that Hungama TV has partnered us this year to make it a grand success."

The winners of the Colgate Muskurahatein 2005 contest are: Himanshi Yadav, Sreerupa Chowdhury, Shreya Shetty, Nidhi H Bakshi, Sharmil Joseph, Archana Singh, Shatabdo Pal and R Jaganathan.