Extending Mahadev beyond TV

The channel is releasing DVDs of its flagship show in three sets. The first has just been released. An online game might be the next step to bring the character closer to the audience.

Life OK has released the DVD set of its flagship property, Devon Ke Dev, Mahadev, in partnership with Ultra, the content acquisition and distribution company. The show, which has been on the channel since its inception in December, 2011, has created a lot of ripples in the TVR rankings with its special episodes. Mahadev has grown its TVRs from an initial average of 0.8 (December, 2011) to 2.7 TVRs (Week 6, 2013). The show hit a peak of 8.2 TVRs when it featured the wedding sequence of the God (Mahadev) in an hour-long special episode in September last year.

The first DVD set has the re-edited version of the first 200 episodes of the show. It features the story until Mahadev and Parvati's wedding.

The first set is a collection of 10 DVDs with 30 hours of re-edited content with English subtitles, also containing a booklet on Mahadev's journey. These will be available in all major book store chains and music stores as well as on all the online shopping sites.

At the unveiling of the first set of DVDs, Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India; Ajit Thakur, general manager, Life OK and Sushilkumar Agrawal, CMD, Ultra Group were present, along with the cast of the show, Mohit Raina (Mahadev), Sonarika Bhaduria (Parvati), Sadhil Kapoor (Ganesha) and Rushiraj Pawar (Kartikeya).

Uday Shankar says, "Life OK had its task cut out from the very first day and it has lived up to that challenge remarkably well by weaving gripping and inspirational stories with new approaches in production and technology."

Explains Thakur, "The main aim was to extend the brand beyond television through these DVDs. We are not looking at general products because of the lack of relevance. However, the set of the DVDs contains a key-ring, standee and other smaller branded objects. But we aren't looking at commercialising those yet."

The show is already being telecast in two of the south Indian languages and the channel might explore the possibility of syndication in international markets. The brand is also spreading its wings through outdoor activation, Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav (to save the Ganges,) which has been initiated by the channel in Haridwar.

"We joined hands with Life OK and launch 'Devon Ke Dev Mahadev' on DVD because this show is not just an epic but an amalgamation of Indian culture, tradition and values that will continue to be passed on to forthcoming generations," says Sushilkumar Agrawal, CMD, Ultra Group.

The channel says that it isn't yet worrying about profits from this initiative.