When your favourite celebrity is on the line

TV channels are now getting stars to lend their voice to phone calls encouraging viewers to tune into the newest shows

May 03, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:33 am IST

Do not be surprised if you hear the voice of celebrities over mobile phone asking you to tune into television shows.

This seems to be the new method employed by television channels to promote their shows. The latest such promotion was for an episode of the game show ‘Genes’ on Zee Tamil channel for which director Venkat Prabhu was a celebrity guest.

In the show, celebrities have to identify members of the same family who are in the audience by figuring out resemblances. Actor Premgi Amaren, Venkat Prabhu’s brother, who participated in the launch said, “It was a fun-filled and challenging show. I have done few television shows so far. I enjoyed the photo shoot where I posed as a detective for the launch of this show.”

A part of the promotion, many residents received calls in which Venkat Prabhu invited them to see the episode. “Some of my friends too said that they heard a voice promo of my brother over phone,” said Mr. Amaren. The show is telecast on Sundays.

If you have ever spent some time with those living in a home for the destitute or heard about their experiences, you will be able to appreciate DD Podhigai TV’s latest mega serial - Nizhal . The in-house production is being aired on all weekdays for half-an-hour from 9 p.m.

The scriptwriter, K. A. Rajapandian has woven the story around the lives of the inhabitants of a home called Anbu Illam, where aged people find shelter. The writer has tried to dispel the stereotype of such a place being full of sadness and has tried to bring in elements of romance, love and, comedy.

The serial, directed by Syed Rafeeq Basha, senior programme executive, Doordarshan Kendra Chennai, stars Srividya and Desika of Azhagi fame on Sun TV and Sridhar of Kolangal and Sivan Srinivasan among others. “The storyline reflects the importance of family values. It also shows how the characters triumph in life against all odds,” said Mr. Basha.

(Reporting by

K. Lakshmi and

Deepa H. Ramakrishnan)

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.