MUMBAI: Colors, the flagship Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) from the Viacom18 stable, which is lagging behind Sony Entertainment Television (Set) in the numbers battle, is now strengthening its weekend programming to add more eyeballs and attract more viewers to the channel.

The channel is launching two new shows on 25 February, and will be airing special ?mahaepisodes? of fiction shows during weekend primetime.

The channel, which earlier used to air multiple movies, sometimes with one-break, in the weekends, has decided to curtail its dependency on the films.

And with Viacom18 deferring its plans of launching a Hindi movie channel, Colors offloaded many of its major titles in a bulk deal to Star Network.

?Viacom18 was on a movie acquiring spree, which was justified given the plans for a Hindi movie channel. However, when Star and Zee also entered in the fray aggressively, the business model went kaput. So, it was obvious for the company to defer the launch plans and to sell some of the movies to other players. What it also means is, that Colors will not have as many titles in the library to fill weekends,? a media observer said.

Colors is launching two non-fiction properties on 25 February. The first is the third season of its home-grown kids? comic reality show Chote Miyan while the second one is Zindagi Ki Haqeeqat Se Aamna Saamna.

Chote Miyan Chapter 3, as it is named for this season, will air every Saturday and Sunday at the 7 pm slot while Aamna Saamna takes the 10 pm slot.

Aamna Saamna will feature real life stories that harass the average man: issues like parents dealing with a child?s suicide, sibling squabbling over property, emotional torture faced by housewives dealing with greedy in-laws.

Colors had launched a sports entertainment reality show Ring Ka King on 28 January at 8 pm slot. Being aired every Saturday and Sunday, the show is slated to run for 13 weeks. Though it opened with 2.2 TVR, the show is averaging around 1 TVR.

Colors, since few months now, has been airing ?mahaepisode? (one-hour specials) of its fiction dramas on Saturdays. But, starting 25 February, the channel has assigned the 9 pm slot on Saturdays and Sundays for airing the fiction show?s special episodes only.

This week it will air special episodes of Balika Vadhu on Saturday and Parichay on Sunday.

Also, the channel will be airing one big awards show/ event every month. In January it aired Colors? Screen Awards; in February it aired Umang while in March it will be airing Apsara Producers Guild Awards.

Traditionally, Set leads the weekend slot followed by Star Plus. Zee TV and Colors have been chasing for the third spot in the weekend programming ratings. It has been seen that Colors has seen a peak in GRPs (gross rating points) in the weekend by airing either movie or special programmes.

MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting?s Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) Imagine TV is launching a new fiction, Jamuna Paar, on 27 February.

Produced by Rajan Shahi?s Director?s Kut, the show will air Monday-Friday at 9 pm.

Star Plus? Diya Aur Baati Hum is leading the slot with 5.49 TVR. Jamuna Paar will also be competing with Zee TV?s Pavitra Rishta that ranks 11th in the GEC list and clocked 2.87 TVR last week.

The story of Jamuna Paar brings to light the differences, challenges and compromises that a couple faces to sustain love through their contrasting personalities, lifestyles and families.

Turner International India chief content officer Vivek Bahl said, ?While shows about girls forging ahead in their careers seem to be the flavor of the day, Jamuna Paar?s Vidhi herself makes a choice to give up her career in fashion design to become a successful housewife all for love. We are hopeful the show will stand out for its refreshing focus on romance, and give out a message on how love itself can transform and empower people.?

The show captures the difference that lies between two prevalent cultures in Delhi, each vibrant and lively in its own way but markedly different from the other. The show traces the love story of a fashion designer, Vidhi and Bijju who is part of his family business of weaving.

Shahi said, ?We are excited to partner with Imagine TV as it adds interesting stories on its daily line-up of shows. Jamuna Paar with its refreshing and honest storyline is sure to enchant the viewers and hopefully will make them fall in love all over again, knowing what it truly means in life.?