The festival of lights, Diwali is here, signifying the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.

And as people gather to celebrate, the television channels have a special treat for viewers this Diwali.  

Talking about the big bunch, Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs), Colors will run Diwali tracks across all its shows. The most popular characters Gutthi and Palak from Comedy Nights with Kapil will enter the Bigg Boss house and engage the contestants via a task. The winners/good performers will receive the Diwali gifts that have been sent by their family members. After Gutthi and Palak leave, the contestants will participate in a special fashion show where they will showcase their best ethnic outfits.

In Beintehaa, Zain and Aaliya light up diyas to celebrate their first Diwali together and light crackers. Suraiyya gifts jewellery to her bahus. In Balika Vadhu, Diwali puja will be conducted in Udaipur and Jaitsar homes.

One of the channel’s longest running show, Uttaran will have its own twists and tales. There will be a highpoint wherein Rani while bursting crackers finds herself trapped inside a burning house. When the fire is doused, they realise that Rani is missing. Overall, during Diwali, Meethi finds herself worried about Rani while trying her best to safeguard her from being sent to the brothel again.

In Udann, Chakor ensures that a tempo of sweets and crackers comes to the village so that while she is celebrating Diwali in Lucknow, her parents and other people from her village will celebrate Diwali for the first time.

With the festive season around the corner, Zee TV presents audiences with ‘Saat Din Khushiyon Ke’ - a Diwali special that will air celebratory content across all its primetime shows, giving viewers a chance to celebrate the festival of lights with their favourite actors.

 
While Shah Rukh Khan celebrates Diwali on a special episode of Dil Se Naachein Indiawaale, a double dhamaka awaits one on Neele Chhatri Waale as Bhagwan Das runs into trouble with a jewellery shop on buying gold for his wife.

In the popular show Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, Raj and Avni re-unite and marry each other after a lot of trials and tribulations in a secret ceremony, away from home in Umargaon. On Jamai Raja, watch DD leave no stone unturned in making Sid and Roshni’s life miserable. She gives them the task of cleaning the entire house in preparation for Diwali, as they haven’t been able to pay the rent.

Not to forget the digital side to it. While some will spend quality time with their families this Diwali, for those unable to visit their families back home, Zee gives them an opportunity to wish them on national television!

Viewers can send in their wishes and messages from 23 - 25 October, through Facebook and Twitter and Zeetv.com/Diwali and win a chance to have their messages displayed on television.

Not to be left behind, the sister channel of Sony Entertainment Television (SET), Sab, will telecast ‘Sab Ki Diwali Party’ on 22 October at 9pm. It will see a fantabulous congregation of television artists that celebrate the festival of lights and harmony with great festivity. Bundled with power-packed performances by leading television actors from different verticals, it will witness the Sab family coming together with more actors to create a magnanimous event replete with dance performances and melodious music.

The show is woven into a story where the Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai star-cast invites various celebrities from Sab family and others such as Mouni Roy, Kritika Sengar, child celeb - Akshat and more to usher the Diwali festival together to enhance the joy of this momentous and auspicious occasion.

Moreover, Gokuldham society members (from Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah), are all set to celebrate the festival of lights amongst themselves. The residents get a unique idea to invite the king of Bollywood romance Shah Rukh Khan who comes to promote his upcoming movie - Happy New Year which hits the screens on 24 October.

In celebrating this festival with audiences Big Magic presents the Big Diwali Special, a one hour festive spike on 20 October from 8-9 pm. The programming offering will see artists from across the shows of Ajab Gajab Ghar Jamai, Mahisagar and Raavi come together on the comic caper Uff! Yeh Nadaniyaan ensuring audiences have their dose of laughter during the celebrations.

Adding spark this the festive, popular names like Upasana Singh, Himani Shivpuri, Sumit Vats and Vandana Pathak will be seen rejoicing the Diwali Mohatsav with the Nadaan Family. This extravagant celebration will provide an assortment of fun, entertainment, humour and laughter for all the loyal patrons.

Reliance Broadcast Network COO Lavneesh Gupta believes that Diwali being the most celebrated festival in India and especially across the HSMs becomes an obvious and natural opportunity for us to connect with audiences and marketers.

“Our hour-long Diwali special, is crafted to ensure entertainment sensibilities of our audiences are met, will deliver the perfect blend of entertainment riding on the pegs of humuor and the festive spirit. Adequately marketed, the special is another offering that strengthens connect. ”

If you thought GECs were the only ones in the fray, think again. Movie channels too have added their own flavour of entertainment.

&Pictures looks to give viewers something to dance about with the world television premiere of Mad About Dance on 23 October at 8 pm. This is part of the ‘Mad About Pictures’ Film Festival property that the channel is running.

Zeel deputy business head, Hindi movie channels Ruchir Tiwari states: “We are pleased to premiere the World Television Premier of Mad About Dance, a film that is a complete entertainment package for all and an inspirational film for the youth. With a single-minded thought of bringing families together this Diwali, the film will make it more festive for our viewers.”

Movies OK will reward its viewers with ‘Karo Diwali Share’ contest wherein audience has an opportunity to win Snapdeal e-vouchers worth Rs 10,000 and buy exciting Diwali gifts daily. Similarly, Star Gold too offers a Diwali Maha bonus, giving viewers a chance to daily win exciting prizes like home theatre, microwave, dishwasher, split A/C, refrigerator, bike and more. The grand prize to be won on the 24 October will be a car.

Music channels are not shying away to celebrate the festival of lights in a big way. Vh1 brings to you the biggest contemporary chartbusters with a hand-picked compilation of a golden playlist. The playlist will feature the best international videos to cherish the festive season on 23 and 24 October from 8 am onwards.

9X Jhakaas, the Marathi music channel, is celebrating Diwali in a unique way, with the kids from The Vatsalya Foundation orphanage. To give kids a Dream Diwali experience, it has partnered with actor and comedian, Siddharth Jadhav and Camlin India. As part of this initiative, Jadhav will spend an entire day with the kids spreading smiles with food, games and also some by gifting them super cool merchandise from Camlin India.

Moreover, it will capture these moments and air them on the Channel as a special treat for the viewers, encouraging them to do their bit for the society. These episodes will air on 23 and 24 October at 11 am.

Speaking of this CSR Initiative 9X Jhakaas vice president Rohan Rane says, “This Diwali we have decided to share this festival with the less fortunate kids through our initiative Jhakaas Dream Diwali. Through this initiative the channel is partnering with NGO's to bring cheer and joy to the kids and fulfil their basic requirements or educational needs. We are grateful to our partner Camlin India and Siddharth Jadhav who have made this effort successful.”

9XE will have a Diwali special with Shah Rukh Khan in a special interview with beat boxer Vineeth Vincent.

9X Media chief programming officer Amar Tidke says, “Right from the Channel identity, which has a cool Rangoli treatment, to a Phataka Playlist specially curated to spread the festive spirit, the channel is enhancing the music viewing experience. Our popular animated characters - Bade, Chote, Bheegi Billi and Betel Nuts are celebrating Diwali in their own style by pulling a fast one on each other. Another of our popular features - ‘Do Pal Ka Interval’ a Bollywood parody, is based on the biggest box-office Diwali release.”

The channels catering to the younger audiences doing their bit; Cartoon Network and Pogo bring the team of Happy New Year to the small screen.

Celebrations full of masti had already taken off on 18 October with the entire cast who had featured with Oggy and the Cockroaches in a special titled Oggy aur Indiawaale. It was based on the theme of the movie – life gives every loser a chance to be a winner.

Happy New Year’s Indiawaale also teamed up with India’s biggest superhero Chhota Bheem in a special titled Bade Dilwaale Bheem aur Indiawaale that saw its premiere on 19 October at 12 pm on Pogo. It featured what draws similarities between Indiawaale and Dholakpurwaale and bring out how different people can come together to achieve a common goal for a good cause.

Pogo is also adding sparkles to Diwali with a line-up of movies and specials such as The Adventures of Sinbad, Chhota Bheem ki Baazi, Bheem Tussi Great Ho! and many more from 20 to 26 October at 12 pm.

Moreover, it is gifting kids a chance to be a superhero with Chhota Bheem in his next movie! All kids have to do is participate in the ‘Be A Superstar’ contest from 20 to 26 October at 12 pm and answer the contest questions. There are many more exciting gifts to be won every 15 minutes.

Last but not the least, Nick has something special for kids on Diwali with the release of the movie ‘Motu Patlu Kungfu Kings’ at 12:15 pm on 23 October.