'Ravivaar with Star Parivaar is a fresh & innovative format in the non-fiction space'

'Ravivaar With Star Parivaar', Hindi GEC Star Plus' latest bet in the non-fiction space, has worked out well for the broadcaster. The game show, which features popular characters from Star Plus' existing fiction shows, has scored well on the engagement front and has attracted 111 million viewers to date.

Kevin Vaz, Head of Network Entertainment channels, Disney Star, spoke to exchange4media about the growth of the property and what makes it click with the audiences and advertisers alike.

Edited Excerpts 

Can you share the insights that went into launching ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar'?

We are fortunate that our shows and iconic characters are loved by millions of viewers, and with ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar’, we wanted to celebrate them and their enthusiasm. Our viewers look forward to setting their calendars to every Sunday and see a fresh side of their favourite characters Anupama, Sai, Imlie and Preesha. We understand the pulse of our viewers and know that fans are keen to watch the characters on-screen every day. ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar’ is an attempt to serve something delightful to the women of the house on Sundays and offer a dose of family entertainment that everyone can enjoy together.

What sets 'Ravivaar with Star Parivaar' apart from other non-fiction properties in the Hindi GEC genre?

‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar’ is a format that is fresh and innovative in the non-fiction space. The biggest stars on our channels are our home-grown characters and this show is a platform to present them in a way never seen before – the fun, frolic and competitive side that our viewers look forward to watching.

When it comes to non-scripted shows, most broadcasters tend to go back to tried and tested formats. What then gave you the confidence to try a new format like 'Ravivaar with Star Parivaar'?

We at Star Plus believe that our core strength has always been in delivering relatable and iconic characters who viewers grow to trust and love. When there is so much audience eagerness to see more of these characters, beyond the Monday-Saturday stories, why not give viewers what they want.

How receptive has the audience been to this property, can you share some data on this?

Viewers are our North Star, and we will continue to offer compelling content to meet their entertainment needs. We are thrilled with the response received for the show, it has pulled in a total of 111mn viewers to date (Source: BARC, India U+R 2+, O+R, SD+HD, TV+OOH, W’24-32 2022). We look forward to entertaining our viewer’s week on week.

Since this property has teams that comprise characters from each of your fiction shows, how has it helped you to cross-promote other shows and leverage the popularity of these shows?

We believe that the strength of the show lies in our iconic characters who command top-of-mind attention. What can be more exciting than bringing India’s four most loved fiction women characters together in one show (Source: Ormax Characters India Loves Hindi July 2022). ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivar’ has only helped forge deeper emotional bonds between the characters and their fans.

Was this show launched to engage with a particular audience segment/geography or is it targeted at the entire universe?

Our focus has always been to offer high-quality content that appeals across demographics. With ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar’, we have witnessed engagement and viewership across all age groups.

How many brands are sponsoring/advertising in the show?

We currently have nine active sponsors across categories including FMCG in foods, personal care, paints, apparel, auto and auto- ancillary. We also have active, ongoing discussions with several other advertisers.

The non-fiction format allows for a lot of brand integrations. What kind of innovations have you done to allow brands to do clutter-free advertising?

The power of our content and iconic characters help create value-driven opportunities for brands to connect with consumers across ages in unique ways. For ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar’, we have created multiple opportunities for advertisers. Some of these include branded rounds, wall of fame, special brand act and more.

What kind of RoI has the property delivered to advertisers and are they satisfied?

Brands see immense value in what Star Plus offers. We have developed strong relations with key advertisers thanks to the RoI they have witnessed year-on-year across our shows and properties. ‘Ravivaar with Star Parivaar’ is yet another addition to our robust content offering and its amazing performance only fosters more.