&TV pulls out all stops for new weekend shows

&TV is leaving no stone unturned for the launch of its two new mega weekend shows, which kick off in September.

As BizAsia revealed earlier this month, ‘Deal Or No Deal’ and ‘Agent Raghav – Crime Banch’ kick off on Saturday 5th September in the 20:00 and 21:00 slots respectively.

Produced by Endemol Shine India, ‘Deal Or No Deal’ is adapted from a renowned international format, a game show that will see the biggest twist in its Indian edition. 26 family members, 26 briefcases, 1 Banker and 1 crore to be won! The format attempts to bring back the flavour of family game shows in India where one of your family members help you inch closer to your dream. In its true sense, Deal Or No Deal is an Asli family game show that will see the popular, inimitable actor and a favourite with every household ��� Ronit Roy take on the mantle as the host of the show! Snapdeal is the title sponsor of Deal or No Deal and the show is powered by PayU Money and supported by Syska Total Security.

The next weekend blockbuster – a never seen before fast paced crime-mystery thriller titled��’Agent��Raghav�ʉ����Crime Branch’ from the house of Contiloe marks another strategic step by &TV to build its weekend programming slate. With a contemporary look and international appeal, the show is certainly the channel�۪s entry into the crime genre with popular actor Sharad Kelkar in a completely different avatar ��� that of Agent Raghav Sinha. An expert of body language, mind reading coupled with exemplary observation and deduction skills, ‘Agent Raghav’ solves the most complex cases that may seem hard to understand. Agent Raghav ��� Crime Branch is co-powered by Quick Heal Gadget Securance and Quikr Cars.

Announcing the launch of &TV�۪s new weekend properties,��Rajesh��Iyer, Business Head, &TV said,�ʉ��Our flagship show The Voice India made &TV a strong weekend destination. With the launch of Deal Or No Deal and Agent Raghav ��� Crime Branch, we are further strengthening our weekend prime time to bring in more and more viewers with a varied taste in our fold. Deal Or No Deal marks the comeback of family game shows on television and we are certain that it will engage families. With Agent Raghav Crime Branch we foray into a new genre – a crime show which is fast paced, high on action and thrill. Both these shows are differentiated and true to our promise of offering a diverse mix that complement our programing slate.�۝

Mr. Deepak Dhar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Endemol Shine India said, ���Deal or No Deal is a hugely popular format internationally and has aired in almost 130 countries. We are glad that &TV is bringing the show back on Indian television which will be more entertaining and have tempting deals to earn cash prize up to 1 crore. Designed as a family entertainer, the reality game show can be watched and enjoyed by the whole family. A high ���energy family game show like this will definitely keep the audiences hooked.�۝ ����������

Expressing his excitement of hosting DEAL OR NO DEAL,��Ronit Roy��said,�ʉ��Deal Or No Deal is fun-filled, light-hearted and a refreshing game show that can be enjoyed with the entire family. It�۪s quite a change for me as a person, because I will not be in character. I will be seen as myself, Ronit Roy, interacting with the contestants on the show and their families ��� which I haven�۪t done so far! I am certain that the audience will enjoy watching the family dynamics as much as I am enjoying the game play with them.�۝

Mr. Abhimanyu Singh, CEO – Contiloe��said, “Crime thrillers have always excited us as a genre. Having done shows such as Ssshhhh… koi hai, Adalat and Fearfiles, Agent Raghav ��� Crime Branch will help us foray deeper into the crime genre. Agent Raghav will basically solve murder mysteries along with his team at the CBI crime branch. What makes him unique is his ability to read people and look beyond the obvious. We are looking forward for the audience to have an adventurous time with Agent Raghav and his team”

Speaking about his character Agent Raghav,��Sharad Kelkar��said,�ʉ��I�۪m a big fan of the crime genre, and an avid follower of some of the best crime shows in the world. I was very excited to bring alive the dynamic character of Raghav, on screen, as this was my first experience essaying such a role. It�۪s been a great experience so far and I am sure the audience will appreciate our efforts.�۝

With an unconventional approach and slick set-up,��’Deal Or No Deal’ and ‘Agent��Raghav’��will find��favour��with the new-age Indians “&dians”��who are always yearning to be thrilled with an exclusive and never-seen-before experience. In��’Deal Or No Deal’, one can see the host��up the ante and raise the bar a notch higher making it an absolute family entertainer, while��’Agent��Raghav ��� Crime Branch’��will gratify the appetite with a dose of intriguing entertainment.��&TV will be aggressively promoting the new shows, rolling out a 360 degree marketing plan with activities across mediums.