ZEE TV to launch new weekend comedy show

ZEE TV is foraying back into the comedy genre with the launch of ‘Bh Se Bhade’, which launches on the channel in a weekend slot, starting later this month.

Having created successful comedy shows in the past such as ��Filmi Chakkar�۪, ��Gubbare�۪ and ��Hum Paanch�۪, ZEE TV has been concentrating on soaps for a long time. It is only recently that they have decided to fortify their weekend programming by adding comedy to the list.

��Bh Se Bhade�۪ will launch on Saturday 26th October and will be telecast on Saturdays and Sundays in the 20:00 slot (excluding UK). ZEE TV hopes that this would make the weekend primetime stronger for the channel, especially since ��Bh Se Bhade�۪ would be followed by its popular dance reality show ��Dance India Dance�۪ Season 4, which also launches on the same day.

���On a weekend we need to have content which is differently created and that is why ��Bh Se Bhade�۪ is the best bet right now. Around 15 episodes have already been shot out of the 52 episodes which will make the first season for this show,�۝ said Ajay Bhalwankar, Content Head, Hindi GECs, ZEEL.

The show revolves around a common man, Mr Bhade, who has a super power of taking other people�۪s troubles from them through touch. He might decide to take away someone�۪s tension, someone�۪s fever, someone�۪s headache, etc. What ensues is a hilarious situation in his life and family.

���If you see the viewership trends, you will notice that viewership changes from weekdays to weekends. While on weeknights the control of the remote may be in the hands of the women, on weekends the other members of the family might have a bigger say. So we wanted a show which is predominantly light and the audience could be anybody. After a lot of time we got to do something very, very different. The genre allows you to do a lot of new things,�۝ added Bhalwankar.

���This show has taken a lot of time and we have put in a lot of effort. It is very important for a comedy show to have a good journey because if you enjoyed the process, you will enjoy the product. Each episode will be like a film, of an hour each, and will have one story for that day. We have also mixed experienced and fresh actors to build a great cast,�۝ said JD Majethia, Producer.

The show will be produced by Majethia�۪s Hats off Productions and will star Deven Bhojani in the title role. His wife would be played by Sucheta Trivedi while Sarita Joshi will play the mother-in-law. Well known actor Atul Parchure will be essaying the role of Bhade�۪s boss.

The channel has decided to use ambient media marketing to establish the character of Bhade. The primary targets are places like sabzi mandis (vegetable wholesale markets), colleges, transit media, etc. The vegetable section of Big Bazaar will have placards with wacky one-liners such as ��We cannot reduce the price hike of onions, but we will take away your problems�۪. Auto rickshaws will have ��We cannot reduce the price of petrol but we can take away your problems�۪ written on them. Similarly, bus panels and pole kiosks will have lines addressing the increasing fares and mind-numbing traffic. Other than this, out of home screens at railway station ticket windows, CCD outlets, McDonald�۪s outlets, colleges, malls, residential areas will be used to promote the show.