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Meera Mohanty

New Delhi, May 23 Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? will make its online debut on Indiagames. The television property currently on air on Star Plus will be extended to mobile, DTH and even arcade gaming. “This is the first time a television licensed show has gone beyond television to multiple formats, and is reaching out to consumers through so many touch points,” said Ms Nanette D’Sa, Senior Vice-President (Licensing and Merchandising), Star India.

Star and Bulldog Entertainment, the India license owners of the Mark Burnett Productions format, are extending the brand through a host of merchandise. “Paanchvi Pass Licensing and Merchandising is one of the largest licensing programs around a television format,” said Mr Akash Sharma, CEO, Bulldog Entertainment.

About 30 products have been licensed to various partners, including quiz and knowledge books with Popular Prakashan, a board game with Funskool India and a ‘Paanchvi Pass Ice-cream’ from Baskin Robbins. There are more partnerships for children’s books around the quiz format with the retail chain Depot, a card game with Parksons, gifts with Buddyz and an interactive CD game with Portos.

The show was a little overshadowed by the Indian Premier League coverage, but a rise in audience interest is expected once the finals of the cricket league is over on June 1. The show will be on air for a month and a half at least after that. “It’s unfair to say the show hasn’t done as well. Paanchvi Pass has in fact raised the viewership of the slot by more than 150 per cent,” said Mr Prem Kamath, Vice-President (Marketing and Communication), Star India.

The show also has a lineup of celebrities who have been sporting enough to take the school test in pairs. Stars from the channel’s serials Bidaai and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi have already been featured. “We’ve also shot an episode each with Saif Khan and Kareena Kapoor and Karan Johar and Rani Mukherjee. The Saif-Kareena episode is tentatively slotted to be on air in mid-June. We are yet to fix a date on the Karan-Rani episode,” said Mr Keertan Adyanthaya, General Manager and Vice-President, Star Plus.

Irrespective of ratings, which the channel insists has been good, merchandise plans take on the strength of the brand. “We see sales of products continue till the end of the year on the back of the brand, a full season of airing, and the stupendous promotion and the equity of Shah Rukh as well. Nach Baliye licensed product is still selling at retail, and the show aired around six months ago,” said Ms D’Sa.

“Licensing and merchandising is done with the objective of providing an experience beyond television and is dependent on whether the show lends itself to products,” she added.

Internationally, the game sold best during Christmas, according to Ms D’Sa who believes it will find a place of its own among classic games like Monopoly and Scrabble.

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Paanchvi Paas on mobile, DTH and gaming medium soon

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