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Tag: Anup Chandrashekaran

  • Star Network's Kannada GEC Suvarna begins its new fiction show Amrutavarshini on March 19, Mon-Fri at 9.30pm.

    Suvarna’s new fiction show begins today

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star Network’s Kannada General Entertainment channel Suvarna announces the launch of their new fiction show “Amrutavarshini”

     

    The show is about an innocent, docile girl from a poor family who has few expectations in life; she is content with the simple things that her family life has to offer. How her life changes when she gets married into a rich family is the story forward.

     

    The show will go on air from March 19, Monday to Friday 9.30 PM.

     

    Anup Chandrashekaran, Business Head, Suvarna Channel says “All our shows are unique and have a different treatment. We at Suvarna ensure that every fiction show has a strong story plot and an engaging screenplay. This show is unique as this showcases the mother in law – daughter in law relationship with a new lens. The making of this show is exceptional and the story will undoubtedly appeal to the viewers tastes. This show is ideal for the 9:30 pm slot as this will be the immediate program after “Kannadada Kotyadhipathi” which is the biggest show on Kannada Television”

     

    The show is produced by the production house RG Media Stuff which has also produced one of the most successful shows of Kannada General Entertainment “Krishna Rukmini” for Suvarna.

     

    Ravi Garani of RG Media Stuff says, “We have ensured that the production values of the show are not compromised, and the look and feel is of national standard. I am thankful to the Suvarna team for giving me this opportunity to do this show.”

     

    Anil Narang, Head of Marketing & Strategy, Suvarna Channel says “This show will enhance the fiction offering of our channel. The story line will relate well to our core audience. We have ensured that the artists chosen to play the key roles in the show are the best fit to the character values they portray.”

     

  • The Kannada Kaun Banega Crorepati promises to be as big a hit as its counterparts in Hindi and other languages.

    Kannadada Kotyadhipathi locks ads, to air from tonight

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    Kannadada Kotyadhipathi goes on air tonight (on March 12) on Suvarna, and the team behind it has pulled out all the stops to make it a success. The channel has closed on its sponsors which are a mix of both national and local advertisers. The presenting sponsor for the show is Santoor and it is powered by Pepsodent. The telecom partner is Airtel while the banking partner is Vijaya Bank. The associate sponsors for KBC include Confident Group, Bhima Jewellers, Sunfeast, Muthoot Fin Corp, Mentos, Tata Motors. Big FM is the radio partner and Suvarna News is the news partner. It is learnt that in terms of revenues the channel is getting a premium on this property; the average spot rate for this show is three times more than that of a regular show.

     

    It is seen as the biggest property in Kannada and the channel has been promoting the show heavily on its own platform. Besides, there is a complete 360-degree marketing plan to promote the show across ATL and BTL activities. During the launch phase, there was print advertising in all key publications of the state. Radio activity included radio spots and RJ mentions. In OOH, 100 hoardings are up in the state promoting the show and 10000 posters across the state. There was also a mobile canter activity conducting events across 15 towns of the state is on for one month. Bus shelters across key areas of Bangalore were taken besides branding in high-traffic key retail outlets of the state. 10 kiosks in high traffic areas are planned across Bangalore city plus a mobile application with which key info of the show like schedule, pics, videos and a quiz game will be live for Android phones. In the online space, there has been engagement via Facebook and videos on YouTube.

     

    For the sustenance activity, the plan is to continue with print advertising in key publications. Radio activity with radio spots and RJ mentions will continue besides the hoardings and mobile application and online activity. Anup Chandrashekaran, the channel’s Business Head, said, “This is the biggest show on Kannada Television and we expect that this show will break all previous records in terms of performance & revenues. The look and feel of the show and the production values are of international standards.”

     

    “Kannadada Kotyadhipathi is yet another show that stands for wholesome family entertainment. We at Suvarna are happy that Puneeth Rajkumar, the face of the Kannada film industry, is doing this path-breaking show for us. The format of the show is unique as this gives the common people an opportunity to use their knowledge and change their lives. Big Synergy, the production house which produced the Hindi version of KBC, is also doing this version. They are a team of experts and I am happy to be associated with them,” added Mr Chandrashekaran.

     

    He also said other shows are planned to be launched around KBC. He said, “We have lined up an array of fiction shows to come up in the next few weeks. The first show to be on air would be “Amrutavarshini” this show is about a naive girl from a middle-class family who gets married into a rich family. The show looks at the mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship through a new lens. We are also working on a few other fiction shows which fall in line with our channel philosophy of offering differentiated content.”

     

  • With Puneet Rajkumar as host, there's much riding on the Kannada KBC to be a game-changer

    Will Kannadada Kotyadhipati make Suvarna #1 GEC?

     

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    Kannadada Kotyadhipati (KK), or Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) in Kannada, is all set to make its debut on Suvarna, the Star Network’s Kannada general entertainment channel. The show, which will debut in the end of February and will run from Monday to Thursday, is being touted as the biggest format show in Karnataka.

     

    For the channel, the show will play a pivotal role and people behind Suvarna are hoping that the numbers delivered would do the magic of upstaging the leader Udaya TV. Interestingly, what was unthinkable three years ago can be seen as achievable now, going by the way Suvarna is placed today.

     

    Anup Chandrashekaran

    As Anup Chandrashekaran, Business Head for Suvarna explained, “In an IMRB tracking, the perception that came about Suvarna was that we deliver fresh ideas and differentiated content and are seen as a young vibrant channel.”

     

    To reach this level has not been easy, it has taken a strategic shift in the channel’s programming to get newer audience into its fold. This was done by introducing format shows which, according to the channel, is nothing less than social experimentation because of the content of the shows.

     

    “Of late, only 60 per cent of our GRPs come from fiction. While the format shows ensure that we get newer audience to experience Suvarna, we flank these shows with good fiction that resonates with audience. Ours is a holistic family entertainment channel that includes fiction, non-fiction and movies, and shows what Kannada GEC stands for. We have a healthy mix in terms of SEC demarcation. We have reworked our fiction where we got young protagonists and stories that resonate with the Kannada audience. Our production value is of superior quality and there is a freshness to what appears on Suvarna. This change also shows in our numbers,” added Mr Chandrashekaran.

     

    Despite the fall in Kannada GE (KGE), Suvarna has grown by 5 per cent in Q4’11 and by 24 per cent in Q3′ 2011. Also Suvarna contributed 48 per cent of KGE’s growth in Q3’11. (TG :CS 4+, Karnataka market. Data updated till wk 53’11). Also Suvarna was the leading prime time channel inBangaloremarket and beat Udaya TV (CS 4+, Wk day19:00-24:00. Wk 41 – 53’2011).

     

    Even in weekday prime time in Karnataka market, the difference is of 50-60 GRPs and that’s where Suvarna hopes that Kannadada Kotyadhipati will play a major role.

     

    Considering that KBC has been a successful show in Hindi, especially in 2011, Suvarna is hoping the same magic will work in Kannada.

    The channel has roped in Kannada film star Puneet Rajkumar as the show’s host, and is aggressively marketing the show.

    Talking about the marketing plans, Anil Narang, Head-Marketing and Strategy, Suvarna said, “We have planned to reach out to Karnataka markets in 3 phases. The first is the audition phase and the communication is on how you can register for the show. The response has been better than what we expected and got representation from entire Karnataka. We also have a Facebook page to reach out to new audiences.”

     

    Mr Narang added, “In the second phase, we will be launching 100 hoardings across Karnataka to ensure visibility. We also have mobile vans that will cover 13 districts and will have a mock KBC set where people can play KBC with a host who will wear a Puneet Rajkumar mask. The third will be the sustenance phase, once the show gets on air, to maintain that the audience.”

     

    There will be also be print, cinema and TV advertising. The advertising revolves around the idea that ‘knowledge is the key quotient and with basic common knowledge one can win a crore’. The estimated budget could run into Rs10 crore.

     

    Suvarna is also planning to launch a historical soap along with KK.