MUMBAI: Hindi GEC Dangal TV, a part of Enterr10 Television, is all set to entertain viewers with its latest offering, Prem Bandhan. Produced by Balaji Telefilms, the show stars Chhavi Pandey and Manit Joura as the protagonists. Prem Bandhan is a story about an independent girl who has the responsibility of her family on her shoulders, how she comes to a crossroads and ends up marrying a businessman with a mysterious past. The show has a very optimistic outlook on how one can convert a disadvantage into an advantage. Prem Bandhan will debut on 30 November 2020, and air Monday to Saturday at 7:30 pm only on Dangal TV.
It is directed by Vikram Ghai, while Nikita Dhond and Sambhav Khetarpal are the screenplay writers. The story is written by Srinita Bhoumick and the director of photography are Dinesh Sinha and Alamghir Sheikh.
Dangal TV programming head Prashant Bhatt was of the view that now is the best time for the channel to come up with original content. The idea of the show was conceived by Ekta Kapoor. She was keen to create a story where disability is not looked down upon by society and how a person emerges stronger even in trying times. Bhatt shared that his association with Kapoor dates back to 1995. He started his career as a writer for Balaji Telefilms’ Captain House which aired on DD Metro. Once again collaborating with Ekta Kapoor for Prem Bandhan was like working on home ground for Bhatt.
For Prem Bandhan, the channel has formulated robust marketing initiatives to drive the brand experience across locations. The show will be simulcasted across the network.
Enterr10 Television marketing communications head Vishesh Verma added, “We have an integrated marketing plan in place that will further push the show in the right direction and amplify its reach. While we are strong in our digital space, we will also be looking at other mediums as well. We will also focus on innovative communication given the current scenario to maximise reach and drive engagement.”
Social media will play a key role in creating more buzz around the show.
Verma has clarified that the network is not cutting down marketing budgets for marketing and promotional activities. However, considering the pandemic, the channel will not look at OOH medium for promotions. Instead, it will utilise the network’s strength and seek help from Enterr10 Television’s regional channels to create buzz. “Most of the innovations will happen through promos and our radio spots will be unique,” he added.
As far as content strategy for the channel is concerned, Bhatt revealed that data and surveys just act as a guiding tool but what really works for him is gut instinct. The main focus is to create an engaging story that reaches out to the masses. It has to strike a chord with the audiences. According to Bhatt, more than consumers or viewers, broadcasters should refer to them as people, who have their distinct lifestyles and viewing patterns. It is very important to understand the person behind the viewer and that is what Dangal exercises. The basic strategy is about showcasing a story about the country and the people of that country.
A major chunk of Dangal’s audience belongs to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and the dedicated target audience is 15 to 35 years old including both male and female. He shared that the channel’s recently launched show Devi Aadi Parashakti is witnessing an upward trend, whereas Aye Mere Humsafar – which lies in the very competitive time slot of 7 pm – is also doing fairly good in terms of viewership.
“Amidst all the challenges, Dangal has positioned itself quite well in 2020, we have a very enviable reach and a loyal viewer base. We wanted to entertain audiences by providing them original content. The responses for both our shows Aye Mere Humsafar and Devi Aadi Parashakti are very positive. As compared to other broadcasters, we have only two originals. We are taking baby steps but yes, we are moving in the right direction,” concluded Bhatt.