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Another Marathi channel launched
Prabhat, a new satellite channel with completely digitalised 24-hour telecasts and wholly wedded to original Marathi programmes was launched recently with the beaming of Swarayadna consisting of devotional songs.

Marathi film star, Ajinkya Deo, who is also the executive director of Prabhat Entertainment TV channel, said that the channel at present covered the whole of India and would reach Australia by the end of December. It would eventually cover UK and USA by May 2000, he added. The channel, which is being beamed through THAICOM-3 is being financed partially by an NRI.

On being asked whether the new channel could face up to the competition from channels like DD-Marathi and Zee’s Alpha Marathi, Anant Rangaswami, the marketing director, said that the channel does not view the two channels as competition.

In addition to those who watch Marathi programmes today, the channel is also targeting the Marathi-speaking viewers who are watching Hindi programmes on STAR Plus, Zee TV and Sony by offering to those viewers quality programmes in Marathi on Prabhat.

On the question of attracting advertisements, the channel chiefs believe that the satellite TV market is not limited and said that right from day one, they had advertisements on their channel. They hoped that it would take four years for the channel to break even. The software for the channel will be supplied by Needs Media India.

The Board of directors of Prabhat Entertainment TV comprises Ravi Agrawal (chairman), Deepak Agrawal (managing director), Ajinkya Deo (executive director), Charuhas Satam (creative director), Anant Rangaswami (marketing director) and Anil Shetty (director).

According to Deo, for the time being, the channel will beam original daily programmes in Marathi for eight hours with repeat telecasts twice during the next 16 hours. Prabhat will also air either a film or stage play in Marathi on a daily basis, he added and went on to explain that taking into account the craze of Maharashtrians for dramas and stage-based programmes, the channel will give more time and preference to them.

Swarayadna is a daily half-hour programme which is now being beamed at 6.30 in the morning and marks the commencement of telecasts for that particular day. It is followed by Pravachan and Ram Ram Mandali, each being of 30-minute duration and also being aired every day. The three programmes are being produced by Ramesh Deo Productions. While Swarayadna is being directed by Aarti Deo and Lekha Ranjit, the other two are directed by Sanjay Upadhyay.

A 30-minute programme titled Thet Bhet will feature eminent personalities from all walks of life. It will be aired once a week on Sundays at 9.30 a.m. Another programme on the channel is Gappa Tappa, a daily stand-up comedy featuring leading comedians at their hilarious best, produced by Rajeev Ranjan Singh and directed by Kiran Advikolanu.

Among the major programmes on the channel is Deepastambha, a 52-episode weekly serial substantially cinematographed in London, revolving around a giant political figure and his family. It is the story of strategies, egos, betrayals and vengeance, with Vikram Gokhale in the lead role.

It also stars Yatin Karyekar, Utkarsha Naik, Sukanya Kulkarni, Vivek Lagoo, Sudhir Dalvi and Kuldeep Pawar. Written by Vinod Hadap, it has been directed by Prathmesh Sawant.

Other programmes on the channel include Phirki Phirki a serial written by Gajendra Kore and directed by Bharat Tandel, Manasi written by Rohini Ninave and directed by Kumar Sohoni, stage-based Rangamanch and Ekankika, Chingu Chingum Bubli Bubblegum written by Vijaya Lad and directed by Vinay Lad, Jallosh, Shahir, Ali Mili Gupchili, Punha Punha Prapanch, Koham, Chulijawal and the music-based Shabda Suranchi Naati. l

Pandit Shimpi