Re-energized and refreshed, the new avatar of SONY SAB unveiled

 The New Logo of SONY SAB

Ludhiana, June 14, 2017 ( Karan Singh ) :- Underlining its purpose of flipping every frown and turn it upside down, SONY SAB, India's only family humour channel, has launched its a new brand identity. The're-energized' channel will see a new line up of comedy shows, lively packaging and vibrant visuals aimed at providing an enriching and revitalised visual experience to its audiences. The new brand expression underlines the channel's conviction "if you are not laughing, you are not living". SAB's new creative expression encompassing new logo, tagline, brand films and new shows is aligned to its goal of making SAB the comedy icon of India.

The new logo features happy colours including bright orange and yellow symbolising vibrancy yet comfort and warmth with a little oomph in the purple. Varun Dhawan has been roped in as a Happiness Ambassador for SAB. Varun brings in the desired youthfulness, fresh of wave energy and contemprariness to the brand. The channel promise of Haste Raho India is being brought alive through a series of brand films anchored by Varun against a fresh and energetic foot tapping music track. The new brand personality is aligned to changing aspirations of new India.

The laughter movement is being driven by a line of shows with refreshed flavour of comedy, while keeping the core of the content intact. Recently launched 'Sajjan Re Phir Jhoot Mat Bolo' along with upcoming line up of shows like 'TV, Biwi Aur Main', 'Tenali Rama', 'Shankar Jay Kishan, 3-in-1' and 'Aadat Se Majboor' will herald a youthful, contemporary and relatable feel.

NP Singh, ‎CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India, said that for over a decade, SAB has emerged as the most distinctive channel in GEC and built a sizeable loyal audience. The new, re-energized SAB is all set to deliver on the promise of Haste Raho India as its mission is to be recognized as the 'frown flipper' for Indian audiences. The essence of this new Avatar will be reflected in SAB's new identity and show line-up.

Neeraj Vyas, Sr. EVP & Head, SONY SAB and MAX cluster of channels, said that the re-energized SAB further strengthens our core proposition through a reinvigorated language of humor and a compelling purpose of making more than a billion Indians laugh more, every day. The new brand identity along with a range of new shows offering more laughter, modernity, relatability and variety, will help us strengthen the connect with our core audiences as well as attract newer audiences to the channel.

Varun Dhawan, Happiness Ambassador for SAB, said that as SAB's Happiness Ambassador, he is excited to partner with the channel to spread laughter and joy amongst millions of Indians. Having always enjoyed SAB's distinctive content, he looks forward to its fresh range of shows lined up. This refreshed flavor of comedy from SAB, will certainly kick-start a happiness movement.

SAB TV Launches New Comedy Drama "TV, Biwi Aur Main"

Karan Veer Mehra as Rajeev and Shruti Seth as Priya in Sony SAB's upcoming show TV, Biwi aur Main.

Ludhiana, June 09, 2017 ( Karan Singh ) :- What happens when one cannot differentiate between reel life and real life? What happens when the drama that unfolds on the television screen also becomes the drama of your life? Caught in-between reality and fiction is television serial producer and protagonist Rajeev Gupta (Karanveer Mehra) in Sony SAB's new comedy drama TV, Biwi Aur Main. The show will take the audience through the daily wonders and blunders of the television industry. Premiering on Tuesday, 13th of June, every Monday to Friday at 21:30 hours, TV, Biwi Aur Main will present a fresh perspective on a producer's stressful yet amusing life.

The plot revolves around the daily struggles of a 32-year-old daily soap producer Rajeev Gupta, played by Karan Veer Mehra. Rajeev lives with his educated, modern and practical wife Priya, played by Shruti Seth. Together, they have a son Gappu, played by child actor Siddharth Dubey. Priya strongly dislikes 'saas-bahu' dramas and believes them to be regressive and a waste of time. On the other hand, his mother played by Madhuri Sanjeev, lives and breathes television and its daily soaps. She is very proud of her son, whom she considers a big celebrity and ever-so-often likes to flaunt his photographs which appear in the tabloids.  So immersed is she in the world of make-belief that she tends to live her life in accordance to the TV shows. In addition, Rajeev's mother also enjoys dominating her husband, played by Ashok Lokhande and her daughter-in-law Priya.

Rajeev is the producer of the popular TV show 'Bindiya, Shringar Ek Suhagan Ka' where the lead character of Bindiya is played by the on-screen actress, Naina Sharma.  The role is essayed by actor Tanvi Thakkar. Naina/Bindiya is the typical sanskaari-bahu pretty, well-maintained, and a melodrama queen! She is India's favorite bahu and the ideal daughter-in-law for all eligible bachelors. The male lead of the daily show is Kushal essayed by Karan Goddwani and Naina cannot tolerate him. She leaves no opportunity to make it obvious that he is the replaceable one in the show and not her.

Bindiya's greatest fan is Rajeev's Amma. She watches the show so religiously that she is convinced of Bindiya being a real person. She and her friends treat her as the epitome of all daughter-in-laws and very often gives lectures to her real bahu Priya to behave like her. No matter, how much, Priya tries to make her believe, that Bindiya's not a real person, she always discards her opinion by saying, that she's obviously jealous of Bindiya. This camaraderie between mom-in-law and daughter-in-law will leave the audience in splits.

Neeraj Vyas, Sr. EVP & Head, Channel SAB and MAX cluster of channels, commented that TV, Biwi Aur Main reveals a very different perspective of an Indian television producer's life. It shows the daily struggles of our protagonist as he manages to juggle between his professional and personal life our endeavor at SAB is to present fresh, novel concepts in the comedy genre through our shows. Stealing the real and integrating it into reel always makes for a multitude of lighter moments.

Sumeet Mittal, Founder and Director of Shashi Sumeet Productions, that this show is very close to me as in a way it's going to show the life TV producers such as himself, of course in a fun way. It's a fresh story coming first time on Indian television and Indian audience is eager to know the life on the production sets. We have tried to bring that out in a very simple and entertaining way. He is thankful to Sony SAB for making such a fresh show.

Coca-Cola and its Partners to Contribute USD 1.7 BN in Agri Ecosystem

L-R- Mr. Ashok Jain, Chairman, Jain Irrigation, Mr. T. Krishnakumar, President, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia and Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, CM, Maharashtra

Ludhiana, June 06, 2017 ( Karan Singh ) :- The Coca-Cola Company, its bottling partners and its fruit suppliers and processors in India, will contribute USD 1.7 BN+ in the agri ecosystem of the country over the next 5 years, spanning the entire supply chain from Grove to Glass through a unique concept called the Fruit Circular Economy. Close to USD 800 MN of this contribution would be towards the procurement of processed fruit pulp and fruit concentrate for The Coca-Cola Company's ever increasing portfolio of juice and juice drinks and carbonated drinks with juice products in India and the remaining would be invested towards creating the required infrastructure. The Company will further expand its juice product range with the launch of Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi, today. An estimated 200,000 farmers will benefit from this 5 year roadmap of sourcing fruit pulp and fruit concentrate derived out of 2.10 MN tonnes of fruit.

The choicest of Indian Mosambi fruits have been locally sourced from Jalna in Maharashtra for Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi. The beverage contains Mosambi juice and additional pulp which provides a refreshing taste of juice to quench thirst and delights the taste buds, while the pulp can be chewed to relish a fruit-eating experience. Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi will be available across the country in 250 ml, 400 ml and 1 litre pack sizes affordably priced at INR 20, INR 30 and INR 70 respectively.

Handing over the first bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi to a farmer who grew the fruit for the beverage, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said that the agriculture sector in the country is undergoing rapid transformation with the focus on adoption of technology and scientific methods of farming across the value chain. In line with our commitment to the overall development of farmers, we are encouraging investments in the agriculture sector to substantially enhance productivity and farmers income. He is particularly happy today as long-standing demand of the farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada is being fulfilled. It was a long cherished dream for them. We are happy with this commitment of significant investments in the agricultural economy which will play a key role in developing the agri sector in Maharashtra and help us in making the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji's vision to double the farm income by 2022.

Coca-Cola in India is working on a transitional journey focused on creating a virtuous Circular Economy of sustainable agriculture (horticulture) by using a variety of Indian fruits in its beverages under the juice and aerated drinks categories. Through this initiative The Coca-Cola Company owned bottling operation in India – Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages; 13 other independent franchise bottlers and fruit processing companies – will invest around USD 900 MN on manufacturing lines, juice bottling infrastructure and fruit processing plants and equipment and agriculture interventions over the next 5 years to support the demand and the growing range of the Company's non-carbonated drinks portfolio. Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and Jain Irrigation are already invested in Project Orange Unnati and Project Mango Unnati that promotes good science and technology like Ultra High Density Plantation (UHDP) and Micro Irrigation System for enhanced produce.

T Krishnakumar, President, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said that we have already expanded our Minute Maid juice range from 1 variant in 2007 to 11 variants in 2017 and if we are to realize our portfolio ambitions of being a Total Beverage Company, we must invest in the agri ecosystem. The launch of Minute maid Pulpy Mosambi marks the beginning of this transformational journey towards creating a sustainable Circular Economy with Indian fruits. More than 1,800 MT of the Mosambi fruit has already been sourced from Jalna in Maharashtra for the first phase of the Minute Maid Pulpy Mosambi production. The investments announced today by Coca-Cola will further catalyze economic growth and create new opportunities for farmers and local suppliers.