MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television's post -Lagaan offerings are ready and waiting for launch.
Next week the channel launches four new shows which form part of its new signature line Ab Ayega Mazaa. (first reported about in indiantelevision.com on 4 October).
The new serials packaged in the Ab Ayega Mazzaa campaign include Goonj ateet ki , Kali Shakti , Kabhi Biwi Kabhi Jasoos (KBKJ), the new series of Achanak 30 Saal Baad and the sitcom Papa Ban Gaye Hero( PBGH).
"The new shows are designed to strengthen our prime time franchise , which is the (8- 9 pm) band. Our checkerboard programming offers variety, appealing to the entire family across the week and is designed to bring in new audiences," says SET India executive V-P Sunil Lulla.
"PBGH will be replacing the Madhuri Dixit anchored superflop matchmaker show Kahin na Kahin Koi hai. We are revamping the 8 pm to 9 pm band," adds SET's director on-air programming Anupama Mandloi.
PBGH, is a comedy based on an unassuming, henpecked husband played by Vijay Raaz (Mr Dubey of Monsoon Wedding) who becomes a film star. Concentrating on the fact that every individual nurtures a desire to be a hero at some point in his or her life, it brings about humouros situations which the family encompasses while trying to cope with the newly generated lifestyle. The serial's star cast includes Mandira Bedi who plays Vijay's wife, Dara Singh, who plays Vijay's father and Rakesh Bedi playing the role of Vijay's boss.
"We want to venture away from the saas-bahu shows based on rich families as people are getting over such shows.We are concentraing on shows which people can identify with," says producer of PBGH , Sanjay Kohli.
"However , the duration of the show depends on the TRP currency it earns. After delivering hits like Family No. 1 which coincidentally had the same team, we are confident of this sitcom following suit," he added.
PBGH premieres 4 November and will be air on Mondays at 8:30 pm.
Kabhi Biwi Kabhi Jasoos , a comic thriller, is the story of Sushma Jawahar Singh (played by Supriya Pilgaonkar) who, apart from being a housewife, doubles up as a detective. However, her family is not aware of her dual life and this leads to some comic situations as she juggles between her two teen-aged kids, an ultra busy husband and her detective work.
The show premieres 5 November and will air Tuesdays from 8:00 to 9:00 pm.
Goonj Ateet Ki , a weekly soap, is the story of a large joint Nair family in Kerala, which has lived under the spell of a curse for the past 200 years, a spell that afflicts only the male members of the family. A matriarchal society , the story revolves around Amma whose husband has been paralysed for the last twenty years and her four sons and their families.
The show premieres on 6 November 2002 and will air on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm.
Commenting on the new shows slated for the season, SET V-P programming and production , Nachiket Pantvaidya says: "We believe in giving a choice to our audience. We have three other shows which are distinct from what our competitive channels show during that slot. "
