Four days into Zee Television's journey to reinvent itself and the news is good for the Subhash Chandra-promoted channel.

According to Partha Sinha director-marketing Zee Network, its new interactive programme was "Aap Jo Bolein Haan to Haan, Aap JO Bolein Naa to Naa" captured 90,000 calls on Day 3 (Wednesday) despite clogging of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd's exchanges. This was even after the phone lines were substantially enhanced.

An obviously elated Sinha said that such was the demand on Day 2 that people were using STD lines to Mumbai because it was easier to get through. The show debuted on Monday with a staggering 50,000 calls. Zee estimates indicate at least four times that number failed to get through. Speaking on this Sandeep Goyal Zee Network's Group broadcasting CEO was quoted as saying: "We are thrilled by the success of the show. We have a sure winner on our hands."

Touted as India's first audience participation fiction show, the daily live drama on morals, ethics and emotions has had executives from rival channels admitting that Zee may well be onto a good thing. Produced under licence from GloboTV of Brazil, it is called "You Decide" in its English avatar.

All in all, a show which appears to have potential. So long as good scripts are maintained. One complaint though. The anchor, Sohail Seth, hasn't got quite the as enthusiastic a response as the show itself.

Because of the sheer number of shows on offer some have called the new line-up a "Gujarati Thali" and how the rest of the package has been received has not been ascertained as yet. But even if four or five of the 24-show lineup hits bulls-eye then the current top gun channel Star India may well have a dogfight on its hands.

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