MUMBAI: Colors is experimenting with the social thriller genre with the launch of a fiction show, Chhal - Sheh Aur Maat.

Depicting betrayal and mystery, the daily show will go on air on 19 March at 9 pm. It will add to Colors? programming lineup representing dramas, romantic comedies, sports entertainment and scripted reality.

Produced by 24, it will air from Monday- Friday.

Colors fiction head Prashaant Bhatt said, "This is the first time we?re exploring the social thriller genre and we are happy to have Abbas Mustan supporting our first step. Chhal in our way is a tribute to their kind of film making which forces audiences to think and keeps them on the edge of their seats."

Chhal - Sheh Aur Maat is the story of a newlywed bride who is entwined in a situation where her life changes dramatically. While on honeymoon, a strange man stakes claim on her as his wife leaving behind a mystery on her marriage and life ahead. The story takes the viewers through the trials in the girl?s life as she tries to demystify the truth.

"It may sound like a simple story of a newly-wed bride, but on the contrary, it will take you through twists and turns that have been carefully woven to create the web of mystery and thrill," said Bhatt.

24 Frames producers Bhairavi Raichura and Nandita Mehra added, "Chhal?s story involves a lot of action, where audiences can expect to see an interesting combination of suspense, thrills and daredevil stunts. It is a story that will force you to think and make you question whether what you see is really the truth. While discussing the script, we constantly tried to think like the audience to ensure that the story was not getting predictable at any point."

PUNE: Marketing has always been the biggest challenge for real estate developers but a better understanding of the end-consumer will ensure better returns. Such was a consensus agreed to at a round table conference about the challenges faced in the real estate industry. The conference, organised by Star news and Indiantelevision.com, was held at hotel Vivanta -by Taj.

Comprising an elite panel that included Amanora Group COO Jai Bhosale, Kohinoor group director Vineet Goyal and DS Kulkarni Group marketing head Gauri Patil, the discussions commenced with a contemporary scenario analysis of Real Estate in India.

Bhosale expressed that finding a suitable land is one of the biggest challenges for a developer and confines people from widening their affordability horizons of owing a house. "Bottom line is never achieved, and this is one main reason for consistent acceleration in real estate prices," he said.

However, he sounded optimistic when he mentioned that the Maharashtra government is taking initiatives in this regard and was of the opinion that public private partnership (PPP) model will definitely be a trump card in times to come.

Expressing pertinent views about development, Goyal emphasised that Pune, being education and IT hub, is a preferred destination for many. Therefore, real estate enjoys a prominent and viable target group. The issue is connectivity in areas like Hinjewadi. "Demand-Supply gap being the main reason for high prices," Goyal said. "There are more people who want housing but developers cannot meet their growing demands."

He shared the voice with other panellists that government sanctions, service and construction taxes, and lack of one window processes take tremendous time, and this not only accelerates price but also acts as a deterrent for FDI in the sector.

Discussions finally boiled down to marketing, the biggest challenge in the industry. Patil said that all kinds of media platforms are used but more effectiveness is required. Goyal, terming buying a house as an extremely emotional decision, opined that although word-of-mouth is extensive in the sector, 10 per cent of his sales are generated online. "Online platforms ensure ROI and are cheaper than other mediums. Niche portals on internet serve as a bridge between buyers and developers," he said. Terming online as very effective, he also mentioned the role of exhibitions to reach the customers. Emphasis was also laid upon big sponsorships for branding, like the DLF-IPL.

Bhosale emphasised on branding more than marketing, and said that getting associated with brands like Armani, equity with media groups, environment tie ups, malls - all help in covering the 360 degree aspects of marketing. Discussions regarding electronic media participation were also a point of focus, to which all the panellists responded that lack of awareness of models in the media and agencies acts as a deterrent to involve TV for advertising. Bhosale added that mass reach is not at par with class conversions, which are generated through newspapers and personal relationships.

Patil mentioned that 25 per cent of their budget is dedicated to mass advertising like Radio and TV only but ROI is still a concern.

Other models of marketing like sponsoring musical shows, organizing competitions were also discussed. The summit ended with an active question session from the audience, to which all the panellists openly responded.