Colors announces plans for 2009; UK launch

India’s number two entertainment channel, Colors, has revealed plans for this year with a launch in international territories also on its agenda.

As per earlier reports on BizAsia.co.uk, Colors has been readying a UK launch since last year but was working on international rights for many of its shows. It is also looking at beginning feeds in the US, Middle East and Africa markets.

Rajesh Kamat, chief executive officer, Colors, told TelevisionPoint, “Presently, the reach of Colors is higher than any other channel in its segment, which implies that our plan builds a faster connection with the viewers, if not equal to the leader, and we are expecting for that kind of revenues also.”

The programming basket will comprise fiction and non-fiction shows. In the fiction segment, the channel will launch three shows ��� ‘Is Des Na Aana Laado’ (which takes up the cause of female infanticide), ‘Mere Ghar Aye Ek Nanhi Pari’ (from the DJ stable) and a horror show called ‘Koi Aane Ko Hai’ (produced by Balaji Telefilms). The channel would be wrapping up ‘Mohe Rang De’ soon.

These shows will be launched in a phased manner through the year, with ‘Is Des Na Aana Laado’ being the first fiction show to go on air. Currently, Colors has 21 hours of original programming in a week in comparison to the 38 hours of programming of market leader STAR Plus.

Among the non-fiction shows, the two new launches will be ‘India’s Got Talent’, produced by Synergy Adlabs, and ‘Chhote Miyan Bade Miyan’ by Endemol India. Besides, the next seasons of ‘Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi’ and ‘Bigg Boss’ will also be launched this year.

Colors is also set to air TV premieres of blockbusters ‘Ghajini’, ‘Golmaal Returns’, ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’, ‘Sarkar Raj’ and ‘Kidnap’.