(18 September 2008 4:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Zee Marathi is set to launch the second season of Hasya Samrat, a comedy talent hunt show, from 26 September.

The reality show will air on Fridays and Saturdays, from 9.30 pm to 11 pm.

Says Zee Marathi deputy vice president Nikhil Sane, “This is our own effort to dig out the comic talent in Maharashtra. It is an attempt to boost the confidence of the hidden comedians by giving them a platform through which they can reveal their talent in front of the entire state of Maharashtra.”

Bollywood singer, comedian and mimicry artist Sudesh Bhosle will judge the second season along with Marathi cinema actor Makrand Anaspure. This is for the first time that Bhosle will be seen as a judge in a comedy show on a regional channel. Earlier, Bhosle was seen as a judge for the music realty show K for Kishore on Sony Entertainment.

Sane added, “Sudesh Bhosle is one of the best standup comedy artists in the Indian entertainment industry. It is an honour to get him as a judge for the first time on Marathi screen."

The new season of Hasya Samrat will once again see Jitendra Joshi as the host while 40 contestants will fight out to be the “Hasya Samrat” (king of comedy). The channel has selected these 40 participants out of 5000 aspirants.

The channel has roped in Idea Cellular as title sponsor and Dabur as associate sponsor for the show.

The first season of Hasya Samrat, which was launched in July last year, was aired on Wednesday and Thursday at 10 pm. This slot has now been reserved for big-ticket dance reality show Eka Peksha Ek by Zee Marathi.

Also, the 9:30 pm-11 pm slot for Monday and Tuesday has been fixed for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.