Star India launches Marathi channel

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 2:10 am

Star India today announced the launch of its Marathi general entertainment channel ‘Star Pravah’, which will go on air soon. Noted art director, Nitin Desai’s Marathi serial ‘Raja Shivachhatrapati’ will be one of the most awaited prime-time show on the new channel.

The announcement of the channel and the show were made at Desai’s N D studios in Karjat this morning. Uday Shankar, CEO of Star India said that with ‘Star Pravah’, the network hopes to touch the cord of viewers and set a new benchmark in multi-genre Marathi content on TV.

“The discerning viewers of Maharashtra are unwilling to accept mundane regular format and are looking forward for realistic, non-melodramatic and meaningful stories,” Shankar said.

Epics like ‘Raja Shivachhatrapati’ promise to change the world of Marathi television viewing and will also bring new levels of diversities and set higher standards in the world of Marathi entertainment, he added.

The ‘Rajya Abhishek’ (coronation ceremony) of Shivaji Maharaj was shot on the grand sets depicting the Raigad fort.

The shooting was witnessed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Shiv Sena Working President Uddhav Thackeray, Chhatrapati Shambaji Raje of Kolhapur, a descendant of Shivaji and historian Babasaheb Purandhare and other prominent personalities.

Speaking on the occassion, Chief Minister Deshmukh said, “the government has sent a proposal to the Archaeological Society of India to transfer back all the forts used by Shivaji Maharaj, which require the frequent involvement of the state government to us.”

Shivaji’s descendant, Chhatrapati Shambaji Raje said that he has sought permission from the Central Government to erect a life size statue of Shivaji Maharaj at the Raigad fort.

Uddhav Thackeray however, lamented that the state needs to take permission from Delhi for every small thing. Meanwhile, Nitin Desai said that a serial on Shivaji Maharaj had always been his dream. He thanked the Chief Minister for helping him with all the permissions to shoot at the Raigad, Pratapgad and Rajgad forts.

“Making an epic on a personality that has left a mark on the hearts and minds of everyone is a huge challenge,” Desai said.

Giving grandeur a new meaning, each element on the set has been carefully crafted keeping in mind the nuances of the Maratha era, he added.

Amol Kolhe plays the character of Shivaji, Mirnal Kulkarni of Jijabai, Avinash Narkar as Shahaji and Neelam Shirke plays Shivaji’s wife Soryabai. The series is being directed by Hemant Deodhar.

Kulkarni said that playing the role of Jijabai was the most challenging role of her career.

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Star India launches Marathi channel

From World:

Todays news from Entertainment News

Advertisement

Email Subscription

Advertisement