Television industry gears up with new shows

If you thought that your romance with television would end with the cricket season, think again! Televsion channels are making sure they lure in viewers and have the recipe in place.

Zee television is coming up with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs, season 4 – this time called Music ka Gurucool – with musicians Kailash Kher, Adnan Sami and Javed Ali as the judges and singer Alka Yagnik as the mahaguru. Another new show titled Shobha Somnath Ki will be replacing the ongoing Jhansi ki Rani.

The date for its launch, however, is yet to be decided. Also packed in is a light-hearted family drama called Mrs Kaushik ki Paanch Bahuyein, which revolves around a strict mother in law on the lookout for the perfect bahu. Sa Re Ga Ma… will give way to another reality show on Zee titled Jaanbaaz – a reality stunt show – which will be hosted by actor Sunny Deol and will involve stuntmen of the film industry. The year end will see the third season of Dance India Dance too.

Sony TV too has a good mix of shows in place. The channel will kick off the much awaited X Factor on May 29. The show features singers Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Bade Acche Lagte Hain – a fiction show is one of the biggest launches for the channel which brings back on the small screen actors Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar. “We have very thoughtfully charted out an eclectic mix of shows for the rest of the year,” says Ajay Bhalwankar, Programming head of Sony entertainment. Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega, Kaun Banega Crorepati 5 and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa are some of other upcoming shows. With Hrithik Roshan debuting on TV with the reality show Just Dance, Star Plus seems promising too. Also in line is a love saga, Is Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon. Besides, the channel will be launching Surivor India and Master Chef India Season 2 towards the year end. Sister channel Star One has a dose of a reality TV to offer with Sach ka Saamna, season 4 – hosted by actor Rajeev Khandelwal. Colors promises some nail biting stunts with Khatron ke Khiladi, hosted by Akshay Kumar.

And balancing it will be a fiction show Hamari Saas Leela.
Imagine has Ratan ka Rishta with Hiten Tejwani as host. Dwaarkadheesh and Preeto are other shows in the fiction category.