NEW DELHI: ?Foodistan?, the culinary battle between Indian and Pakistani chefs which commenced telecast on NDTV Good Times on 23 January, is to be telecast in Pakistan from 11 February.

While it is being telecast from Mondays to Wednesdays at 9.30 pm by NDTV Good Times, it will be telecast on Geo TV in Pakistan on Saturdays and Sundays at 7 pm (Pakistan Time). The programme is in English and a smattering of Hindi and Urdu.

NDTV Lifestyle CEO Smeeta Chakrabarti had earlier told indiantelevision.com that the channel had partnered with Geo Channel of Pakistan to get some shots from that country.

This Indo-Pak battle for culinary supremacy is featuring 16 professional chefs in 26 episodes, and their food preparations are being judged by a three-member jury comprising HT Media Editorial Director Vir Sanghvi who has won the Food Critic Award from the Indian Culinary Foundation; celebrity British chef Merrilees Parker, and Sonya Jehanis who is a Bollywood actress of Pakistan and French descent.

All the chefs ? eight each from India and Pakistan ? are already known for their work in various hotels in India and Pakistan. The series is presented by the well-known Aly Khan with Ira Dubey.

Talking about the tie-up with Geo TV, NDTV Lifestyle Vice President - Development Atul Seth said, ?Geo TV is the largest and most respected network in Pakistan hence we decided to partner with them for Foodistan. Very soon the show will be available for the viewers in Pakistan as well. NDTV Good Times? association with Geo TV has been great so far; right now it?s only about them showcasing our content but eventually we might look at a bigger partnership.?

Geo TV President Imran Aslam added, ?Both the countries, India and Pakistan have taste buds that have been nourished over the centuries, we share a common passion for the aroma, the exquisite texture, the palette of colours and the distinctive flavours of the dishes that adorn our dastarkhawn. From the humble street-side dhabas to the resplendent tables of the courts, our food, is always magical. Foodistan will allow half forgotten fragrances to waft across our borders as chefs from India and Pakistan cook up a storm. No matter how many chefs there are on the show, this is one broth, one bhujia, one curry that cannot be spoilt. We, in Pakistan and Geo TV are looking forward to a mouth watering menu which will be a feast for the eyes. Zor ka tarka pyar se!?

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan have been traditional rivals, whether it was in hockey, cricket, or in the battlefield. And yet, the people of these two countries are closest to each other in their cultural and culinary practices.

Taking advantage of this, NDTV Good Times is launching a competition among the chefs of the two countries in a new series called ?Foodistan? from 23 January. The show will air every Monday to Wednesday from 9.30 pm.

This Indo-Pak battle for culinary supremacy will feature 15 professional chefs in 26 episodes, and their food preparations will be judged by a three-member jury comprising HT Media editorial director Vir Sanghvi; celebrity British chef Merrilees Parker, and Sonya Jehanis who is a Bollywood actress of Pakistan and French descent.

All the chefs - eight from India and seven from Pakistan - are already known for their work in various hotels in India and Pakistan. The series will be presented by the Aly Khan with Ira Dubey.

Sanghvi said this was the first reality show of its kind on any English television channel, and the most expensive show on NDTV Good Times.

He admitted that getting visas for the chefs from Pakistan had been a problem and had taken longer than expected.

Contrary to common perception, Pakistani food was not necessarily like Indian food, he said.

NDTV Lifestyle CEO Smeeta Chakrabarti told indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of the show launch announcement that the channel had partnered with Geo Channel of Pakistan to get some shots from that country. The programme is in English and a smattering of Hindi and Urdu.

MUMBAI: Sahara One?s latest musical offering Sur-Kshetra is a face off between two traditional rivals India and Pakistan.

The competition will scout and train top singing talents in the two nations. The two teams will be headed by Himesh Reshamiya (India) and Atif Aslam (Pakistan). The show is produced and directed by Gajendra Singh?s Saaibaba Telefilms which has to its credit shows like Saregama, Voice of India, Music Ka Maha Muqaabala and Chote Ustaad.

The show will premiere in late January and the channel will soon announce the jury for the same.

Sahara One Media and Entertainment assistant director worker Suresh Mishra said, "Even though political boundaries have divided our two nations, music has always fostered a common and harmonious bond. With our new musical show - Sur-Kshetra, we are making an attempt to revive the golden era and to bring forth the best of talents from India and Pakistan for our viewers."

Sur-Kshetra will be shot in Dubai and the auditions for the show begin today with Lucknow and Kolkata in India. A total of six cities in India and three cities in Pakistan will see auditions. After selecting the contestants, they will be trained by the two mentors and will finally compete on the big stage.

Saaibaba Telefilms founder and MD Gajendra Singh said, "Music has always inspired me to explore new avenues. With ?Sur-Kshetra? we aim to touch newer heights and create a new musical world."

MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has entered into a five-year contract for the exclusive rights to broadcast Cricket Australia?s (CA) domestic and home international matches.

The telecast rights are across various platforms including television, internet, mobile and radio covering the entire Asian region.

As a part of this deal, the current Future Tours Program (FTP) sees ESPN Star Sports broadcasting more than 191 days of live International cricket action from Australia, including 27 Test Matches, 44 One Day Internationals and 12 Twenty20 games.

This broadcast deal with Cricket Australia will give ESPN Star Sports rights to showcase two India series. India is slated to play four test matches and a tri-series with England as the third team in the 2014-2015 season. This tri-series, featuring India, Australia and England and scheduled right before the ICC World Cup in 2015. India will visit Australia again for seven ODIs and two Twenty20 matches in the year 2015-2016.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said: ?We are delighted that a telecaster of ESPN Star Sports? standing and class will be putting Australian cricket in front of so many cricket fans. ESPN Star Sports has been a wonderful and innovative partner for a long while and to be able to extend this critical partnership is great news for us all as well as for the cricket loving public.?

Over the next five years, all of the leading teams will be visiting Australia. In addition to the Ashes between arch rivals England and Australia in the year 2013-2014 which, based on the current FTP, will see 5 test matches, 5 ODIs and 3 T20 matches, other top cricket nations including South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies and New Zealand will tour Australia to test their mettle in the fiercely competitive environment of cricket down under.

ESS MD Manu Sawhney said, ?We are very pleased to announce this partnership with Cricket Australia with whom we share a very strong relationship. Australian Cricket has always been exciting and is played with utmost competitiveness in a super charged atmosphere which makes for every fan?s delight. It is therefore not surprising that it is called the ultimate test for any cricket player.?

?This partnership with Cricket Australia is a testament to our commitment to serve our fans with more action packed cricket for years to come. With so many premium international series including two India tours and Ashes along with a robust mix of increasingly popular domestic tournaments, fans in the Indian sub-continent can look forward to top quality action from down under on ESPN Star Sports. Now, with such an enviable line-up of cricket including Cricket Australia, England & Wales Cricket Board, International Cricket Council and Champions League Twenty20, we are pleased to further strengthen our position as the biggest cricket network and the No.1 sports content provider in Asia.?

In addition to the international cricket action, ESS also plans to broadcast Cricket Australia?s domestic cricket over 280 days. This includes popular tournaments such as the KFC Big Bash T20, the 4 day Bupa Sheffield Shield tournament & the Ryobi One Day Cup.

The top two teams from this premier tournament qualify for the coveted Nokia Champions League Twenty20. Star performers also play for various club teams in the IPL.

India?s forthcoming tour of Australia starting December 26, 2011 will feature 4 Test matches, 2 Twenty20 matches and a tri-angular One day series with Sri Lanka as the third team. The tri-series will have as many as 15 one day internationals. All the matches of this series will be televised live on STAR Cricket and STAR Cricket HD and the tri-series will also be broadcast on ESPN.

Next year a lot of boards come up for renewal. ESS has to try and hold on to England which it is expected to do in the early part of 2012. Ten Sports has to hold on to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies. Of course the Pakistan rights value will depend on whether or not India plays its arch-rivals.

Earlier this year Ten Sports had renewed the rights to South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Then there is New Zealand. While MultiScreenMedia has those rights it sub licensed a tour of Pakistan to that country last year to Nimbus. Bangladesh comes up for renewal as well. Those rights are with Nimbus which also has the rights for India cricket.