Zindagi Brand New Pan India Hindi GEC Ready to Serve !

Imran Naqvi, Pakistani TV star interacting with bloggers

Zindagi, a brand new channel from stable of Zee Group will be beamed across India from 23rd June 2014, and it is not just in the Hindi-speaking markets , initially featuring mostly syndicated content acquired from Pakistan. The group has already acquired 4,000 hours of content from prominent Pakistani TV  producers. It will create a subcategory within the Hindi GEC space as the Group have a feel  that this kind of  contents of Zindagi will  suit taste of  ‘progressive mindsets’ cutting across markets.

This is just a beginning, after Pakistan, the network will turn to countries like Turkey, Egypt and Latin America for content acquisition says  Punit Goenka, the network's  CEO. He further elaborate  ‘firstly, we identified content which culturally suits this market, and therefore, the audience will accept it. The idea is not to get foreign content for the sake of getting foreign content. It plan to  import from markets having affinity with the Indian people. That includes Pakistan, Turkey. We have identified Egypt as another such market and maybe Latin America, as we move forward.’

Talking about the future plan, he further says that the  channel will also tie up with production houses in India and abroad to create fresh content for the channel. Industry experts agree that there is a fair scope for differentiated content in GECs.

Zindagi signals a new stage in Zee's life as well. The network has axed some channels and a few more are likely to face the same fate. It has taken off air the fashion and lifestyle channel, Zee Trendz, and the Punjabi entertainment channel, ETC Punjabi, in the last quarter. Goenka indicates that there will be more channels that will follow, depending on their commercial viability.

Zee is pulling out all stops to distribute Zindagi aggressively, targeting 95 per cent availability on the first day itself.

Facing the twin industry challenges of digital subscriptions and 12-minute ad cap, the launch of a new GEC will help Zee increase its ad inventory. ‘The market share of GECs has increased from 34 per cent in 2008 to 40 per cent in 2013. Last year, when we launched Zee Anmol in the FTA (free-to-air) space, it expanded the FTA share within Hindi GECs from 6 per cent to 8 per cent, as other networks followed. Research conducted across cities for Zindagi has revealed that the audience wants alternative content, as has already been demonstrated in film-viewing, and we aim to bring this fresh alternative to our viewers on television,’ says Goenka.

Zindagi is targeted at the urban female viewers, and its programmes are geared to resonate with them on issues that are relevant. Zee intends to fragment the audience, since its research shows that there is a sense of disconnect with the content on existing GECs among younger, urban women (.  The content acquired for Zindagi, is recent dramas inspired by novels. In the early stages, stories by authors like Umaira Ahmad, Saadat Hasan Manto and Sameera Fazal will be telecast. As many as 45 serials including Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Aunn Zara and Kitne Girhain Baki Hai have been chosen for the initial airing.

All these  shows have definite storylines and so won't go on forever, which is by and large complaint from the urbanite educated high income group woman.

Apart from ZEEL CEO Punit talking with all major publication about the Game Plan, the Group has taken another innovative route for marketing and promotion. They roped up Indi Bloggers which boast to represent best bloggers in the country. Indi bloggers organized two simultaneous events at Taj Manshingh at Delhi and The Leela at Mumbai yesterday to promote the channel . It was more than 400  popular bloggers invited at the event. The bloggers were asked to write a blog about a emotional journey with the event hashtag. This has created a lot of buz in the Indian Blogging space.

Next came the blogger event. Delhi group was handled by Nihal and Mumbai was by  Anoop, both are veteran Indi Bloger anchors. For almost two hours they tried to engage and engross the bunch of bloggers through debate and discussion that every body like and prefer his own environment but still response to emotions is one and the same. weather to the street food, Mumbai easily stood above Delhi. Bloggers of Mumbai acted smart and grabbed most of the bounty. After all the fun , the core team behind Pakistani contents took over. The team presented Imran Abbas, model turned actor from Pakistan who has long list of daily soaps including  Koi Lamha Gulaab Ho, Mujhe Apna Banaa Lo, Raaste Dill Ke, Abhi Abhi, the sequel to Mere Paas Paas, Malaal, Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan, Deewangi, Agar Tum Mill Jaao, Vasl, Noor Bano, Kabhi Aaye Na Judaai, Fahad, Mera Khoon Hua Tha, Khuda aur Mohabbat, Mera Naseeb, Akbari Asghari, Pal Mein Ishq Pal Mein Nahi, Tere Bina, Teri Meri Dosti, Dil – E – Muztaar, Main Manto, Danyal Khan etc. He was very enthusiastic about Pakistani dramas officially telecasted in India. He told that Pakistani dramas are more tight gripped as they conclude in 24 – 25 episode and get more time and energy for brushing and polishing. The challenge of India soaps is very big, every day the writer has to give an episode, it is shot on the very next day. Another difference is good music in the Pakistani dramas. Imran shared his joy of his upbringing in a culture which has common roots in India as well as Pakistan. Despite of political differences and turmoil, the artists across the border kept on collaborating.     

The promo of Zindagi  which had some glimpses of Pakistani Dramas appears to be promising, may be this change our own style of story telling !  Many people on this side of border have already  watched some of the dramas through YouTube or DVDs brought from Gulf or smuggled from Pakistan. Sultana is owner of Hum TV Channel in the Male dominated Pakistani society. She also joined video conference via real time link. She has taken some time off from her business schedule and directed a TV drama Zindagi Gulzar Hai after a long gap of eleven years. This will also be shown on Zindagi channel.