The Hindu Business Line : SAB TV inks pact with Lanka channel

Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network (SABTNL), a content provider for television and satellite channels, has entered into a 50:50 joint venture agreement with Sri Lanka's TV channel Sirasa TV, part of the Maharaja group.

Under the agreement, it will provide concepts and technical expertise to produce content jointly with Sirasa TV for the latter's channel.

The five-year deal requires Sri Adhikari Brothers to supply seven hours of weekly programming. "This works out to approximately 2,000 hours of programming," the company said in a news release quoting Mr Markand Adhikari, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Sri Adhikari Brothers.

As part of the deal, the company has offered some of its popular television programmes. While the concept will remain the same, these programmes will be remade incorporating the local flavour. "We have started work in a phased manner over the past three months, and have begun with remaking Suraag, Khauff and a daily soap," the release said.

New programmes

Sirasa began with Nunna Varuni Mahata Varuni (Shriman Shrimati - Comedy), Damini (Damini - Drama), and is now offering Samma vena sir (Yes Boss, Comedy), Makara dadayama (Suraag - Detective Thriller) and Dawala Rathiya (Khauff, Supernatural). The last two has been introduced in a one-hour format as a telefilm, which is again a first for Sri Lankan television.

"The first success for our channels came through Shriman Shrimati and Damini, which SABTNL produced in Sri Lanka in Sinhala language. SABTNL's re-entry to this market with us with a portfolio of new genre programmes will undoubtedly write a new chapter in the TV industry of Sri Lanka,'' the release said quoting Mr R. Rajamahendran, Chairman & Managing Director, Maharaja Organisation, Sri Lanka.

Deals with other nations

Following the Sri Lankan deal, Sri Adhikari Brothers plans to replicate this model by getting into similar deals with television channels from regions such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Gulf and so on.

"The move is expected to help SABTNL harness the potential of its existing-library. The company currently houses a library of more than 5,200 hours, which encompasses popular programmes in various-languages-and-genres,'' the release said.

The company had reported a net profit of Rs 6.57 crore and a total income of Rs 41.48 crore for the year ended March 2006.

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