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Television - Telly Watch

Screen - The Business of entertainment
 

Zee drops SDCK relaunch plan, goes for reality show

Our Corporate Bureau
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SDCK is past and we are looking at the future and our future is bright
Madhavi Mutatkar, president, Zee TV


Mumbai: Zee TV is ready with its answer to Star Plus's Kaun Banega Crorepati and Sony's Chappad Phad Ke with PoW (Prisoner of War), the first-everreality show on Indian television. The move comes in the wake of thechannel's decision to drop the idea of launching a revamped version ofSawaal Dus Crore Ka, which went of the air, due to poor viewer response.

"SDCK is past and we are looking at the future and our future is bright,"said Ms Madhavi Mutatkar, president, Zee TV.

The concept of reality shows where there are no actors but real peopletrying to do extraordinary things, has caught the imagination of viewersacross the US and Europe. Shows like Survivor, Big Brother, The Mole and TheJailbreak have been phenomenally successful in the West. Sony EntertainmentTelevision has also started airing Survivor for the Indian audience and ithas raised visible curiosity.

PoW will spearhead a Zee's endeavour to introduce a brand new programminginitiative. This initiative encapsulates 17 new programmes to be rolled outin the course of the next couple of months.

PoW, to be directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Zee Network, is ashow based on testing the endurance level of an individual as well as theirability to work collectively as a group. Nine contestants will be chosenfrom across India on the basis on physical and mental strengths and placedtogether for a stipulated period of time in a camp. Based on the principlesof the armed forces a prisoner of war is duty bound to escape. Similarly,escaping from the camp will be the main objective of the contestants. Zee TVis constructing a set exclusively for P.O.W at EsselWorld in Mumbai. Spreadacross 40,000 sq feet, this will be the largest set for any television showin India. The set will be open to EsselWorld visitors when the crew will notbe shooting. "The show will be available both on TV and the Net, making it atruly convergent product," says Mr Partha Pratim Sinha, Seniorvice-president, marketing, Zee TV. The show will be supported by aninteractive Website which will provide streaming content on developments atthe show.




 
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