STAR Pravah to now concentrate on non-fiction

The channel will launch its music reality show on August 22; marketing budget earmarked at an estimated Rs 2-3 crore.

After firming its ground in the fiction domain, STAR Pravah is now gearing up to tighten its offering in the non-fiction domain as well.

Launched in 2008, the channel marched ahead to eventually find a foothold in the top three bracket, riding on the back of its fiction properties. And now, in a bid to widen its offering, Pravah will bring forth its biggest reality format, the content of which will play in the music genre.

On August 22, the Marathi GEC from the STAR network will launch Aata Hovun Zau Dya, a musical reality show that will occupy the 9.30 pm-10.30 pm slot, from Monday to Wednesday. Pravah has roped in Lifebuoy as the title sponsor for the show, while it's on the lookout for five associate sponsors.

Aata Hovun Zau Dya will contend with the well-established Zee Marathi's musical reality show Saregamapa on Monday and Tuesday, and Fu Bai Fu, a standup comedy show that is aired on Wednesday.

As for ETV Marathi, with which STAR Pravah is in a neck-to-neck competition, the new property will fight with the quiz show High Tension, on Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile on Wednesdays, the show will clash with Gaurav Maharashtracha, a musical talent hunt show for kids.

While STAR officials refused to give away the marketing budget that has been earmarked for the show, industry sources state that the channel is spending close to an estimated Rs 2-3 crore in promoting the property across all media.

Meanwhile, the channel will launch a new fiction property post the unveiling of the musical reality format, to give the programming a push through movies.

"Movies help capture family viewership along with an additional male audience. Therefore, we plan to capture 80-85 per cent of the Marathi blockbuster market since," says Nachiket Pantvaidya, general manager, STAR Pravah.