DISCOVERY JEET SET TO STRIKE THE GEC MARKET IN INDIA

To launch with reach of 100 million plus households; First ever channel to launch at this level of distribution

Netflix is the exclusive global OTT platform for the content of Discovery JEET

Discovery Jeet to be available in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu languages.

by Shrutee K/DNS

MUMBAI : Discovery JEET is set to disrupt the GEC space in India starting February 12, 2018. Built on the ethos of ‘Hai Mumkin’, the channel will bring together Discovery’s unmatched storytelling and the best of real-life entertainment through larger than life stories aimed at inspiring millions. Discovery JEET will launch with highest ever distribution, of more than 100 million households, in the history of GECs in India. The channel will be available on all leading DTH & Cable platforms across the country. Discovery Communications India (DCIN) has signed Netflix as the exclusive global OTT platform partner for the content of Discovery JEET. The deal will ensure that Discovery JEET’s content will be available to audiences in more than 190 countries world-wide. Netflix communities globally will be able to binge-watch each series after it is aired on the Discovery JEET channel in India.

“Discovery JEET is the biggest ever attempt with ‘purpose at scale’ in the Indian entertainment space. We have done our research, evaluated India’s zeitgeist and created an entertaining yet purposeful content philosophy which will touch the heart of Indians across the country. The exciting content proposition, the never-before reach at launch, and a disruptive marketing campaign makes us confident about the success of the channel,” said, Karan Bajaj, Senior Vice-President & General Manager- South Asia, Discovery Communications India.“It is heartening to note that the content slate for Discovery JEET is attracting so much interest and attention even before the channel is on air. With JEET’s new home on Netflix, more audiences will be able to enjoy captivating stories with a distinct Indian flavor across more screens and devices than ever before.”

Discovery JEET is aiming to break the clutter in the Hindi GEC arena riding on purpose driven entertainment content. The channel will launch with 5 hours of programming band daily out of which 3 hours will be bespoke, ground-up original programming built on the thesis of underdog winning.  With an aim to be India’s first national GEC, Discovery JEET will be available in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu languages. Sameer Rao, VP-Head of Mass Entertainment-South Asia, Discovery Communications India, said, “Discovery JEET’s differentiation comes from our lineup of dramatic, compelling stories of real, relatable characters presented in a cinematic, larger than life format. Discovery JEET signifies the verve of today’s generation who is optimistic and aspirational in seeking a better future for themselves and their family. It is a representation of a strong emotion of ‘hai mumkin’which is palpable in tier II and III towns across the country.”

Staying true to its core thesis of underdog winning, Discovery JEET’s marketing campaign will focus on the key tentpole properties ‘Swami Ramdev: Ek Sangharsh’, ‘21 Sarfarosh: Saragarhi 1897’ and ‘Mere Papa Hero Hiralal’ capturing the insurmountable odds that the protagonists had to overcome in their lives to achieve success.

About Discovery Communications India : Discovery Communications India, the country’s leading infotainment player, is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its portfolio of 12 channels including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD World, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids, Investigation Discovery (ID), Animal Planet HD World, TLC HD World, Discovery Tamil and a premium sports channel DSPORT. From survival to natural history, wonders of science to extreme jobs, motoring to travel and lifestyle, and the latest engineering marvels to live sporting events, each channel offers distinct must-watch programming to engage viewers across the country.

Discovery Communications India will soon launch a new GEC channel ‘Discovery JEET’. The new channel will be the flagship for the network’s ambitious investment into original local productions in India. Discovery JEET will bring together Discovery’s unmatched story-telling and the best of real-life entertainment through larger than life stories aimed at inspiring millions.

Discovery Communications India is a division of Discovery Networks Asia Pacific (DNAP). For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com

Annexure: Discovery JEET’s show line-up

Swami Ramdev: Ek Sangharsh is a scripted biopic series tracing Swami Ramdev’s never seen before, inspirational journey from a life of anonymity to a renowned yoga guru, business leader and national icon.  Ajay Devgn FFlims and Watergate Production are the co-producers of the show featuring National Award winner Naman Jain as Ramkishan (Young Ramdev) and Kranti Prakash Jha as Swami Ramdev.

21 Sarfarosh: Saragarhi 1897 is a fiction show inspired by the real-life story of 21 brave soldiers of 36th Sikh regiment of the British Indian Army who defended an army outpost at Saragarhi in the North West Frontier Province against an onslaught by over 10,000 Pashtun and Orakzai tribals in September 1897. Produced by Contiloe Pictures Pvt. Ltd, the stellar cast of the show includes Mohit Raina as Havildar Ishar Singh, Mukul Dev as the antagonist Gul Badshah and Luke Kenny as Major Des Voeux.

Mere Papa Hero Hiralal is a moving story of a Lucknow based auto-rickshaw driver Hiralal Tiwari, who driven by the love for his daughter Gungun, is ready to go beyond the ordinary and help her recover from a serious medical issue.  Produced by Viniyard Films, show features Sarwar Ahuja as the main lead Hiralal Tiwari and popular child actor Rivaa Arora as Gungun.

Khan No 1 – Inspired by true events, ‘Khan No 1’ is a lighthearted episodic crime show featuring an array of ‘Bluffmasters’ – men and women who have chosen cons as a solution to their problems.  Inspector Khan is the fictional central character – a ‘Crime Hunter’, a smart, witty, well-experienced cop specializing in solving scams/cases. Renowned film director Rohan Sippy will don the hat of a producer for the first time on Indian television; talented actor Rajesh Sharma also debuts on TV and will play the title role in Khan No 1.

Comedy High School – This non-fiction show is a light-hearted take on society, culture, education and current affairs through a classroom based set up. Comedy High School is a clean comedy show with theme based episodes. The school has teachers from various streams like English, Hindi, Physical Training, Personality Development along with the disciplinarian Principal and the morally uptight Trustee. Lead celebrities will visit the school, every week, in myriad avatars.  The stellar cast includes Ram Kapoor, Gopal Dutt, Paritosh Tripathi, Krishna Bhatt, Jasmeet Bhatia and Deepak Dutta.

Gabru: Hip-Hop Ke Shehzaade –  This fiction show, set in the world of Indian hip-hop music, is produced by Still & Still Moving Pictures and features Amol Parashar as MC Money, Harleen Sethi as Queen B and Chaitanya Sharma as Surf. The show is a mélange of drama, romance and music, with an original hip hop soundtrack.

Anjaan: Special Crimes Unit – a paranormal investigative crime thriller show that allows viewers to dive in to the world of the unexplained events. Produced by Lotus Talkies, Anjaan: Special Crimes Unit features Heena Parmar as Aditi and Gashmeer Mahajani as Vikrant. They investigate crime cases that are connected to the supernatural and bring justice to the ones that can’t be seen, heard or believed by everyone!

Man Vs Wild with Sunny Leone– Sunny Leone will now be showcasing her adventurous side as host of the mega-popular survival series Man Vs. Wild. The iconic series will be telecast in Hindi where the beautiful actor will not only host but also undertake many difficult stunts and adding a dash of humour with her vivacious personality.

Lucha: Dangal Ke Sultanis a wrestling based entertainment show based on the lucha libre style of Mexican wrestling with masked fighters who entertain the audience with their stunts and actions. Each episode contains multiple acrobatic fights with many famous luchadors whose “mythic” beginnings are told in cinematic vignettes throughout.