Ogo bodhu sundari

STAR JALSA

TRP toppers 2010:
Bou Katha Kou
Ogo Bodhu Sundari
Maa

Launched on: September 8, 2008

Milestones ’09-10: Became the market leader within 32 weeks of going on air. “STAR Jalsa has grown the Bengali TV audience by 32 per cent. We launched with a GRP (Gross Rating Point) of 92, the highest ever for any channel in India. We reached an all-time high of 640 GRPs and have remained consistent at 400-500 GRPs,” says Ravish Kumar, executive vice-president and general manager, STAR India.

Behula

USP: The look and feel, which is on a par with national channels. Fresh, innovative content. “High production values, a robust movie bank and the local programming team are our USPs,” adds Kumar. Dhonyi Meye to Bou Kotha Kou, Ekhane Aakash Neel to Ogo Bodhu Sundari, Maa to Durga... STAR Jalsa soaps are leaders in their slots.

Programming mix: Fiction, in the form of daily soaps, rules the Jalsa roster.

Upcoming projects: A bouquet of fiction and non-fiction properties that will go on air in the next few months. A “ground-breaking non-fiction game” is also on the cards for 2010.

Target audience: Women in the 15-35 age bracket. “But we have risen above segmentation. Jalsa now binds families together,” claims Kumar.

Viewerspeak: “What works for STAR Jalsa is its slick packaging. A lot of thought goes into the sets — something the Bengali soap watchers haven’t come across before. A whole lot of fresh faces is also a plus,” says Jalsa regular Priyadarshini Chakraborty.

Celebspeak: “STAR Jalsa shows stand apart on account of their look and feel. What I like is that the channel has a balanced blend of modern and traditional shows. I particularly like Ogo Bodhu Sundari because it portrays the joint family set-up,” says Chandrabindoo singer Anindya.

t2 verdict - Has changed the face of Bengali entertainment television. And the dream run continues... 8.5/10

Mirakkel

ZEE BANGLA

TRP toppers 2010:
Mirakkel Akkel Challenger 5
Erao Shatru
Agnipariksha

Launched on: September 15, 1999 as Alpha Bangla, Zee Network’s second regional channel.

Milestones ’09-10: Dadagiri, with Sourav Ganguly as show host, turned out to be Bengali television’s Kaun Banega Crorepati. Dance Bangla Dance (which came much before Dance India Dance) and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa too scorched the charts. “The Googly round in Dadagiri was so popular that a book based on it became a bestseller in the Book Fair,” says Sanjoy Chatterjee, the channel’s senior vice-president and business head.

Agnipariksha

USP: There’s no one near Zee Bangla in the reality show segment. Innovative formats, dynamic anchoring and celeb presence — from Shah Rukh Khan to Mithun Chakraborty, Konkona Sensharma to Shantanu Moitra — have established Dadagiri, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Dance Bangla Dance and Mirakkel as Zee Bangla brands.

Programming mix: Between seven fiction and two non-fiction shows, the channel tries to pack in everything from kitchen politics to personal care, mythology to games, food to films.

Upcoming projects: A “never-seen-before-on-Bangla-television” reality show in mid-2010. A Mirakkel DVD is in the pipeline.

Target audience: “Everyone who watches TV. Our aim is to connect to the global Bengali,” says Chatterjee.

Viewerspeak: “When it comes to reality shows, no one can beat Zee Bangla. Dadagiri is almost cult, while Mirakkel is gaining popularity with every season,” says viewer Krishnendu Bagchi.

Celebspeak: “One show on Zee Bangla that I really enjoyed was Dadagiri. I think Sourav Ganguly conducted the show casually and yet with a lot of warmth,” says filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury.

t2 verdict: The undisputed king of reality TV... 8/10

Binni Dhaner Khoi

ETV BANGLA

TRP toppers 2010:
Binni Dhaner Khoi
Lukochuri
Sholo Aana

Launched on: April 15, 2000

Milestones ’09-10: ETV Bangla tried to recover lost ground with a slew of soaps — Binni Dhaner Khoi, Lukochuri, Sholo Aana, Sonar Harin and Kokhono Megh Kokhono Brishti — and the music show Dada Na Didi Gaaner Big Fight.

USP: “The fact that we are aspirational yet rooted,” says an ETV Bangla spokesperson. Mega serials have always been the mainstay of this channel. A smattering of star presence also helped with the TRPs.

Programming mix: An equal dose of fiction and non-fiction shows with the focus on infotainment. Five brand new fiction shows — Sanjh Bela, Bhitor Bahire, Fagun Legechhe Boney Boney, Diba Ratrir Galpo and Bikel Belar Khide — were launched in March.

Sholo aana

Upcoming projects: A host of special programmes to commemorate the channel’s 10th anniversary, reveals the spokesperson.

Target audience: The whole family, from eight to 80 years old.

Viewerspeak: “ETV Bangla has a good line-up of soaps, but it really needs to come up with an engrossing reality show,” says homemaker Mita Banerjee.

t2 verdict: Time to get its act together....6.5/10

Ki Aashay Bandhi Khelaghar

RUPASHI BANGLA

TRP toppers 2010:
Dance Pe Chance
Boudimoni
Samay
Ki Aashay Bandhi Khelaghar

Launched on: August 31, 2009

Milestones ’09-10: The six-month-old channel has made a great start. Dance Pe Chance, which pitted Tollywood against Bollywood, was a smash hit and the sequel, Boudimoni, has Raveena Tandon as jury for the dancing homemakers. Mega serials Samay and Ki Aashay Bandhi Khelaghar are top draws too.

USP: “We try and capture the traditional yet modern outlook of Bengali culture, matching steps with the ever-changing Bangaliana,” says channel producer Sukumar Chatterjee.

Samay

Programming mix: Five fiction, two non-fiction and one cookery show.

Upcoming projects: Though nothing concrete yet, the channel is looking at floating “new shows with big banners”.

Target audience: Women, above 15 years old, across all sections.

Viewerspeak: “I like the look and feel of Rupashi Bangla. Besides, their shows are well conceptualised,” says college student Nivedita Bhowmick.

Celebspeak: “Bangla television is on a real high. There is something for everyone. Though I am not a regular watcher, Rupashi Bangla seems to be quite popular,” says fashion designer Agnimitra Paul.

t2 verdict: The dark horse. Watch out!....7.5/10