ZEE jumps on Bollywood talent hunt bandwagon

Just weeks after Channel 4 and BBC screened their versions of Bollywood talent searches, ZEE Network- India’s most popular Asian TV network has launched its own in the form of India’s Best-Cinestars Ki Khoj. ZEE TV recently successfully completed the on-ground activities.

The channel’s officials explain that these activities themselves were done on a large scale. These activities include a huge talent search in various cities around India including Mumbai and Delhi. ZEE TV captured and developed the action into capsules, the shows which are ready to go on air from this weekend.

Explaining this, Sunil Khanna, President, ZEE Telefilms says, “We have created 20 episodes of the activities that we executed in 20 cities for zeroing down on the first batch of 80 contestants from these cities. Beginning on ZEE TV UK on Saturday 26th June, 2004, we will air these.” India’s Best-Cinestars Ki Khoj will be screened on ZEE TV UK on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 16:30.

All 80 contestants of the activity are in Mumbai currently. The channel has arranged grooming sessions for them. The channel plans to air these as well. Khanna explains, “In these grooming sessions, we will reduce the number of participants from 80 to 32.

Following the airing of the on-ground activity sessions, we will telecast four episodes of the grooming sessions.” Khanna explains that this will then translate into the talent show that ZEE has planned. The talent show will have various rounds that will reduce the number of participants by two culminating finally when the channel has its two stars.

ZEE has managed this event without any glitch and that in itself indicates the planning that has gone in the event. We knew what we wanted from the activity and we were ready with the action plan long before,” Khanna remarks, “We have put in our best and the kind of reactions and feedback that we have received in various cities is very encouraging.”