MUMBAI: 'Catch 'em young' seems to be the current mantra at Zee.
In its bid to strengthen the kids programming, the channel is all set to launch two new shows Jooth Bole Kauwwa Kaate and The Magic Make- up Box on Sunday, 7 September.
Earlier this year, Zee had planned to introduce kids' and family programming blocks. Although the first launch Kanhaiyya is still languishing in the court, the next scheduled launch XYZ debuted on 13 July. The channel now plans to unveil a complete entertainment block dedicated to kids programming. Branded as the Masti Band, the section promises to deliver all that kids want action, fantasy and comedy.
First to roll out is a fantasy show Jooth Bole Kauwwa Kaate, which will air at 10 am every Sunday morning. The show is produced by Gulshan Sachdev under the banner Film and Shots production and directed by Rajeev Bhatia. Incidentally Film and Shots had produced Kanhaiyya, which was embroiled in a plagiarism suit with Sundial Communication.
Starring the cute Shreya, who was initially supposed to make her television debut with Kanhaiyya, the show is based on how kids can say darnest things putting the parents in embarrassing situations.
Shreya is a precocious five-year-old who is always up to some mischief. On her father Anand's instistence, she promises that she will never lie. Little to her father's knowledge, she inadvertently blurts out family secrets and truths that lead to further pandemonium.
Being the apple of her grandmother's eye, she has Nani who refuses to believe that angelic Shreya is the cause of all the trouble in the house. Bearing the brunt of all the mayhem is Shreya's uncle Mohan who is the target of Shreya's pranks. Yet another scapegoat for Shreya's antics is Pinto whose mother Nanda is forever complaining about Shreya. While the parents Ritu and Anand are dumbfounded on how their bundle of joy can be such a brat.
Besides the star of the show Shreya, other prominent cast members include Rohini Hatangadi as Nani, Jiten Lalwani as Anand, Lata Sabharwal as Ritu and Deven Bhojwani as Mohan (Dholu Mama).
The next show to launch is joint venture of In House production and You n Him production's The Magic Makeup Box, which will air every Sunday at 10:30 am. The show revolves around the fantastic, strange and comical adventures of a curious young boy and his friends who by chance discover a magical make-up box that helps them transform into any character be it of past, present or future. Directed by Himanshu Khurana the show stars Gufi Paintal as Brithari, Shweta Makdee Prasad as Maya, Dhairya Oza as Abhay and Aditya as Sikander.
The protagonist Abhay is a 10 year old orphan living with his Mausi and an alcoholic Mausaji. An inquisitive, ambitious and imaginative kid who can with the help of a swipe of a brush transform himself into an ace fighter pilot, super cop, army general who wins war single handedly, heroic engine driver, fire fighter or WWF wrestler.
With the success of Star Plus' Shakalaka Boom Boom, show where a child can invoke the powers of any hero from the past, present or the future seems like a good kiddie show.
Be it Shivaji Maharaj, Jhansi ki Rani, Bhagat Singh, Sumo wrestler or even Tendulkar, Abhay can transform himself into anybody with the swipe of a brush, an unspoken wish, a fervent prayer. Abhay is joined by his friends Maya and Sikandar in the strange and comical adventures with huge help from the Magic Magic Make-up Box and its maverick keeper, Brithari, a magician.
The show is all about how they tackle difficult situations using Magic Box, the fun they have along the way, the comical situations, and their victory against wrong-doers forms the essence of a multi-episodic story.
Set in a contemporary urban setup, middle class locality with its own character and colour, the characters of the show are normal, everyday people carrying the baggage of biases, beliefs, problems, joys, sorrows.
With XYZ slotted in the 11am, the one and half hour back to back kids slot has a potential of developing into a viewing habit.
