Hindi Hai Hum

This March, viewers will have one more choice of channel. Alva Brothers Entertainment and Turner International have joined hands to get Real. That is the name of the new player in the general entertainment category that will start beaming in early March.

“Real would offer a mix of fiction and non-fiction,” said Sunil Lulla, director, Real Global Broadcasting, after the channel’s launch on Tuesday. “It is designed for urban neo-Indians who are progressive and seeking an alternative from stereotypes.”

This means there will be no mythology and no saas-bahu. The channel marks an entry into Hindi general entertainment for Turner International (which beams CNN, Pogo and Cartoon Network), and broadcasting debut for Alva Brothers Entertainment, a sister concern of Miditech, producer of shows like Indian Idol.

The name Real draws from the channel’s aim to “reflect real people and real situations”. Despite so many channels vying for eyeballs, the authorities believe they have the content to break through the clutter. The following shows were launched on Tuesday.

Vicky Ki Taxi

Poker Face: An internationally successful quiz-game show where a participant will take away Rs 1 crore in seven days. For the first time in a quiz, it does not matter how many answers you get right; you can still be in with a chance of winning the jackpot if you can keep a Poker Face. It marks the TV debut of Sharman Joshi.

Vicky Ki Taxi: A drama show where unusual stories unfold in a taxi. Through Vicky, the taxi driver, the viewer gets a glimpse into the lives of these ordinary people with extraordinary stories. Whether he makes them smile, helps them locate a lost loved one or lends a sympathetic ear to their woes, Vicky touches their lives. Each weekly one hour show deals with a mini-story. Pawan Shankar essays the role of Vicky.

Hindi Hai Hum: A drama which brings to the fore the underlying spirit of unity amongst India’s youth. Hindi Hai Hum is the story of Bubbly, the innocent yet confident tourist guide from Nahaan, a small town in Uttaranchal. Spurned by a suitor who wanted an English-speaking bride, the story traces Bubbly’s journey to Mumbai to learn English. In the process, she meets other students from different parts of the country and here begin their personal journeys. Despite differences in language, community, and religious beliefs, it is India that unites them all. The role of Bubbly has been played by debutante Ridhi Dogra.