Sahara One’s new TV channel, FIRANGI due to be launched Febraury 25 is already creating waves about its content and USP. To put in short, the channel will be first of its kind in India as it would bring programmes from different regions of the world, which would be dubbed in Hindi.
Firangi would be an addition to the ever growing genre of General Entertainment Channels flooding the India television space. To carve a niche of itself in the competitve space, would be a tough job for the channel, especially when Indian family audiences won’t be able to identify themselves with foreign characters.
The target audience for channel is aimed at 20-40 year olds residing in northern and western India. It would be a departure from the commonly shown soap operas with similar story lines but would instead show sitcoms (situational comedies), short stories, adventure series and even movies. Most of the serials would be of one hour duration unlike Indian serials which are normally of 22 minutes playing time.
But the key to success of Firangi shall be the quality of dubbing. As has been seen in many English movies being released in India, poor dubbing often mars its commercial prospects. The viewers can only associate themselves if they get dialogues at their reception pace.
The shows that will be aired would last for maximum 6-8 months and would not be more than 2 years old, even some of them would be running currently in their respective countries.
For the channel to become commercially viable, it would be important to first get the concept adapt to Indian viewers and rope in advertisers, which would be only possible if shows have proper content with proper dubbing.
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/india/corporate/firangi-tv-foreign-programs-in-local-language-is-there-anything-new-to-it/2305/
Tags: movies, sahara, television, Corporate, India
Reader Comments
Dubbing television shows will definetly create a viewership across all age-groups.A good programming content with a quality dubbing will garner more eyeballs than any local show.
Media Movers, Inc
Written by Media Movers, Inc. on 02.20.08
will firangi tv be available on tata sky…??
Written by Kanika on 02.25.08
will FIRANGI TV be available on the DISH TV, TATA SKY OR OTHER DTH
Written by amit on 02.28.08
pls advise late night adult movie avaliable at this chanel if yes then pls advice the timing
Written by Raj on 03.07.08
Some of us find the term ” Firangi” profoundly derogatory. It was another thing to use the Firangi refrain during India’s freedom struggle in the last century but to use it now suggests nothing but stoking racism and humoring foreign cultures and societies. It’s a shame we don’t still have an ombudsman for the electronic media in this country; one that would step up to the plate of policing a reckless electronic, and to a lesser degree; a print media.
How would we feel, if tomorrow ITV or Granada were to launch a channel branded “Paki” showcasing Bollywood flicks, Indian and Pakistani soaps and dubbed in English for a home viewership base ?
It isn’t too late to re-brand this channel as ” Ajnabi”,” Humor us TV” or somesuch, for what it’s worth. I have to also say the dubbing is sub-standard and the one male one female voice -over formula makes for some achingly staid viewing.
Further and more, given our national penchant for sounding and seeming foreign in our own country wouldn’t it have been altogether better having English sub-titles, just so we could get the touch and feel for a smattering of Spanish etc. Also, why not call it “Spanish TV,” given that there are more Spanish language programs on air than any other?
In short order, it is slip shod as-it-can-get packaging from Sahara. Deja vu anyone ??
Written by Thamer Sabek on 03.08.08
Man i like the stuffs shown on this channel, Second Chance, Lalola, America, This channel is not available in all part of the country or with Dish Tv or Tata Sky i guess, but this channel is gonna rock Tv world and we might see other channel’s copy this concept, The best thing is that it something different then the regular saas and bahu drama on the TV which we are bugged of, we dont want no love or a lady villian in a series, Firangi is a brand new rocking concept and i already started loving it,, keep it up and there are many more new stuff coming up on Firangi so guize please watch it you gonna love it..
Cheers and keep rocking Firangi
And yes there is nothing wrong with the name Firangi,, its a foreign channel and foreigners are called firang in hindi,, so nothing wrong with the channels name Keep rocking sahara..
Written by Ameet on 03.13.08
Correction code : Foreigners are called Pardesis or Ajnabees in Hindi not Firangs. Firangi is simply an allegorical reference to colonialists.
It is just as demeaning to call all foreigners – “Firangis”, as it is for us to be called Pakis by them.
Written by Anonymous on 03.23.08
firangi is a urdu word which means people with different coloures and appearance….specially white english people.
anyway, whatever meaning firangi is..it dosent matter much…what is important is the quality of programmes on it…and no doubt, that is really excellent ! & we love it.
Written by ainy on 06.04.08
I am a media planner and have seen firangi channel’s performance…….firangi needs to consider expanding their TG to low SEC like C,D/E as well. SEC A and B will mostly prefer non dubbed versions of these serials.if its in english or english dubbed serials or movies. the best example is FRIENDS Programme, just imagine if friends was in HIndi!!!
Firangi also has a lot of DIstributon problems not every household gets it. just suggestion take it or leave it. this message is to the head of firangi. thx
Written by sanz on 06.24.08
i want to give my voice in hollywood movies for hindi dubbing… so tell what will i do for this,,,,,,,, plz tell me sir
Written by ashiesh rajput on 08.06.08
though not an avid tv watcher, i find myself hooked to the firangi channel. the serials are superb and offer a variety of stories. however the saturday film ‘inheritance with a catch’ was not completed.irequest the channel to air its remaining portion
Written by ruchira on 08.17.08
Although dubbing is inferior. Firangi is no doubt a new concept. Name the soaps in Hindi, use separate voice for different characters, give attention to the sentence formation (the sentences should be formed as spoken in hindi) and you’ll create the most exiciting channel in Indian Television History.
Written by Sandeep Bhatnagar on 08.20.08