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SAB shows set to make a comeback
After the World Cup, SAB will be back on the airwaves with its array of existing and new shows on April 30. Vikas Bahl, Sr VP and Business Head talks about his plans to bring the channel on track...
What kind of preparations are you making for the relaunch?
It's not a relaunch. You can call it a comeback or a process of consolidation. It's basically a season II of all our existing shows which include Mohalla Mohabbat Wallah, Left Right Left, Yes Sir and FIR. We are also launching two new interesting shows Anurag Basu's Love Story and Sanjay-Benaiffer Kohli's Four.
Season breaks are a worldwide phenomenon, it's only in India that it's not practiced. In any case, we had left most of our shows at an exciting phase where the viewers will want to come back for more. The last episode of Left Right Left ended on a gun shot filmed on three key characters Naina, Rajveer and Shweta. Nobody knows who's been shot of who has shot. Also the spy who entered the Academy has been identified. Mohalla... was left at a point where a new girl has entered the colony, while the old girl Neeru who was the centre of attraction and wooed by all the mohalla guys, has left.
Now, the question is whether the guys will chase the new girl or be heart-broken over Neeru's exit? FIR and Yes Boss are weekly sitcoms which will continue. Will Rajeev Khandelwal and Shweta Salve continue to be a part of Left Right Left?
Yes and there will be new surprises in it. Tell us about Love Story and Four?
Love Story is a fast paced, new-age romance with a thriller element in it. It's something you have never seen on Indian television so far. It's about this boy and girl who fall in love in college and the ups and downs they face when they come out of college. Four is a story of four friends who have to face the toughest phase of their lives after they graduate and how their friendship endures through the turmoil. What is your marketing strategy?
Initially, we launched the teaser campaign 'Buddha hoga tera baap' . The next campaign will be about where are our shows leading to? These will be aimed at everyone who's young at heart. We are using outdoor, print and radio for our promotionals. The channel is aimed at the 'Progressive New India'. So much TV has been regressive that you will find the mindset of viewers watching a show like Left Right Left completely different. We are catering to the 15- 34 age group and have a heathy mix of programming with 20 per cent devoted to comedy.
It fluctuates between No. 3 and No. 4 but we are running neck-and-neck with STAR One.
