By GAURAV LAGHATE
Indiantelevision.com Team

(4 July 2008 3:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Zee Marathi is set to launch Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs for kids on 7 July. This is the first time that the kids version of the singing-based reality show will be on Zee's Marathi language channel.

Zee Marathi had successfully run the four seasons of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (two normal seasons, a 'celebrity special' and 'forty plus' age-group season) since 2005.

"Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has given us an entry into the 9:30 and 10 pm slot, which was dominated by Hindi GECs. This has helped boost the channel's ratings tremendously," says Zee Marathi deputy vice president Nikhil Sane.

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs will be anchored by Pallavi Joshi, while Avdhoot Gupte and Vaishali Samant are judges.

The one-hour show will air on Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 pm.

To cope with the pressure of a reality show, the channel is also organising grooming sessions for kids and parents. Amol Gupte with judges will conduct the sessions.

For Lil Champs, Zee Marathi has finalised 50 contestants (38 girls and 12 boys). The contestants are divided into two age-groups. Mondays will see 30 participants from age group 8-11, while on Tuesdays 20 kids in the 11-14 of years will showcase their talent.

The channel has roped in Idea Cellular as the title sponsor and telecom partner for the show. Hindustan Unilever is the co-sponsor while Johnson & Johnson, Lion Dates, Marico and Country Club are associate sponsors for the show.