MUMBAI: Looks like the big fat Indian wedding with its diverse facets is becoming a strong subject for channels. Last year Discovery's lifestyle channel Travel and Living had kicked off its localisation plans with The Great Indian Wedding.Now news channel BBC World is inviting applications from soon-to-be-married Indian couples for its forthcoming programme on Indian weddings. The programme scheduled to air in the summer will focus on the business that Indian weddings generate, in addition to the traditions and mystique.

BBC World will telecast the wedding of one Indian couple, across the world. Produced by Pulse Media, this programme will give a couple who are scheduled to get married in March, an opportunity to have their wedding featured on the channel. The short-listed entries will be chosen on the basis of their profiles and auditions will take place in Delhi.

BBC World commissioning editor Narendhra Morar says, “With this innovative series we plan to exhibit an Indian wedding from a business perspective which we believe will be a revelation to audiences across the globe. From the bridal trousseau to the banqueting options and the wedding planners, Indian weddings provide a commercial opportunity across many industries. By showcasing a real wedding, we believe BBC World will be able to effectively capture the fascinating customs while at the same time accessing the financial intricacies of modern-day marriage in India”.

The entries for BBC World’s wedding series auditions are open until 14 January 2007 for Indian couples getting married in March 2007. Filming will take place that month. Profiles and pictures of candidates can be emailed to [email protected] or BBC World Audition, c/o Pulse media Pvt. LtdT 95A, CL House, 3rd Floor, Gulmohar Enclave, New Delhi 110049. BBC World will contact short-listed applicants on an individual basis.