Launching more shows means existing ones aren't working, says Aparna Bhosle

Zeel’s flagship Hindi GEC, Zee TV, has recently launched two new shows – Tujhse Hai Raabta and Guddan Tujhse Na Ho Paega – to fill the 8-9pm weekday slot, replacing Zindagi Ki Mehek and Piyaa Albela.

The channel has a strong line-up of shows between 9pm and 10.30pm with leading shows of the genre, Kumkum Bhagya and Kundali Bhagya, along with another high-rated show Ishq Subhan Allah. The channel is now planning to bring viewership up on the other slots too.

Aparna Bhosle, who was previously heading the English cluster at Zeel, has been given the baton to head and drive the network’s flagship channel Zee TV. Bhosle had been in charge of Zee Anmol, the Hindi GEC FTA of the network, and hence has a hands-on experience with the GEC content. Zee Anmol has about 80% content from Zee TV while the rest comes from &TV and other regional content dubbed in Hindi.

Bhosle said, “Deepak (Rajadhyaksha) has already stabilised this channel to a large extent and it doesn’t need a lot of fire-fighting. Even these two shows were planned much ahead of time, before I came into the channel. We have about seven to eight more shows in the pipeline for the future. Zee TV has a clear leadership in the 9 to 10.30 pm slots. Even Aapke Aa Jane Se at 10.30pm is picking up well.”

She added, “The three core parts that we would want to focus next is the 8-9 pm timeslot, when the PUT (persons using television) is quite high. That’s where the new launches come to play. The pre-primetime slot is another area that needs attention. Weekend fiction will also soon see some traction on the channel, along with weekend non-fiction.”

Bhosle said that the thought process is quite futuristic and the channel is gearing up to plan for the next three to five years. The big world TV premieres will continue to appear on Zee TV.

With over seven to eight shows in pipeline, how many will be launched in the coming quarter? She said, “Hopefully fewer, because the more shows we launch means the more of the existing shows aren’t working. We have a pipeline, but it is always good if we don’t have to replace.”

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