In a first, Zee Zindagi will bring upgraded versions of Pakistani dramas such as Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Aunn Zara and Kitne Girhain Baki Hai to the Indian audience
Those are interested in stories from the other side of the border are in for a treat. The Zee group has launched a new channel Zindagi which will broadcast some of the most popular programmes of Pakistan. The shows have been upgarded to match the contemporary quality and will be broadcast from June 23. “To begin with, we have chosen six to seven shows which are about life, love and desire. Depending on the response, we plan to bring in more content, not only from Pakistan but also from Egypt, latin America and Turkey,” said Akash Chawla, head, marketting, national channels of ZEEl.
The channel aims to bridge the gap between the two countries. “Most people in Pakistan admire the Indian film and TV industry. They want to start their careers in showbiz here. But the problem is that Indians have limited knowledge about the Pak dramas which are widely acclaimed for their quality,” Chawla says.
The group has researched for months and even carried a sample for viewers in nine cities. “They loved it and want more of it. So we hope to begin with a bang and bring in more stories. I think televsion has the potentional to go beyond the general entertainment and can enhance people-to-people connect. So with Zindagi, we hope to improve relations with the neighbouring nationals,” said Shailja Kejriwal, creative head (Special Project), ZEEl.
The group will spend up to `100 crore on marketing of the channel. “We are aggressively pushing the publicity on social media as well. There are lakhs of people liking our official pages,” said Chawla. Zindagi will be a 24-hour channel and will be available in India on both Analog and Digital (DTH and digital cable) platforms.