MUMBAI: Calling fashionistas in town. MTV is back with season 2 of India's Next Top Model (INTM) which begins airing on 10 July. The show will air every Sunday at 7 pm.
Like season one, season 2 of INTM will see 13 contestants living together in a house in Mumbai for 10 weeks, under 24x7 camera surveillance. The girls will meet leading experts from the fashion and modelling industry who will teach them the skills necessary to be a professional model.
Bulldog Media & Entertainment, which holds the rights for the Indian franchise, is excited about season 2.
"We had an amazing response for season 1 with extremely loyal viewers. What surprised us is that the show was not only popular in India but also had tremendous following in International markets like the US, Middle East, UK. Season two is going to be bigger and better and is backed with some outstanding talent," says Bulldog Media and Entertainment co-founder and executive producer Akash Sharma.
The 12 episodic (tentative) show has retained the same judges and host for this season. The difference: Dabboo Ratnani and Lisa Haydon will continue as judges through to the last episode, with the latter also donning the anchor's/host's hat. On the other hand, Anusha Dandekar and Neeraj Gaba will become mentors to the contestants as the show progresses, even as they judge the first few episodes.
"We will follow the format of America's Next Top Model with extreme challenges and photoshoots. Broadly, the framework will follow the international format though the creative elements will change," elaborates Sharma.
While Sharma was loathe to disclosing any figures relating to production costs, industry experts pegged the per episode bill to be between Rs 1.2 to 1.5 million.
Being a fashion and lifestyle show, INTM has managed to lassoo Livon Serum as the title sponsor, while Lakme and Airtel have hopped on board as co-presenters, and fashion portal abof.com has been signed on as powered by partner.
"According to what we have been hearing we believe that the title sponsorship went at about Rs 8 million, whereas the copresenting sponsors have been finalised at Rs 5 million each," opines a media planner. "Our estimate is that a 10 second spot buy on an MTV show could be anywhere between Rs 8,000 to 10,000 for the first run. But considering that this is a premium high aspirational programme, the rates could be about 30 to 40 per cent higher."
Another media planner adds that premium MTV properties such as Roadies have wrapped up title sponsorships at around Rs 22.5 million whereas powered by partners have paid up Rs 12.5 million each. So indiantelevision.com's guesstimate is that the sponsorships could have been done at around Rs 15 million, and Rs 9 million each and Rs 6 million for the three different levels.
"I am excited to have India's Next Top Model on MTV India. They are the longest running reality franchise channel with a diverse reach. We have raised the bar with this season. It will have an International appeal maintaining the local flavour," adds Sharma.
Considering that its US parent, America's Next Top Model has recently moved to VH1 in the US, after completing a successful 22 season or cycle run on The CW network there, its quite likely that Sharma is going to be excited about the Indian edition for many more years to come.
