Zee World, which brought viewers soapie hits such as Married Again and Laali, turned 1 this month and according to Harish Goyal, the chief executive of Zee TV South Africa, fans can expect more drama as well as new food and reality shows.
He said Zee World, launched on February 3, had done tremendously well not only in South Africa but in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mauritius.
It is currently available in 44 sub-Saharan countries and is enjoyed in eight million households, half of them in South Africa.
The channel, he added, was created “for Africa and Africans”. About 80% of the viewers were either black, coloured or white and the remainder were Indian and South Asian. The black viewership is 50%.
He said that although it was perceived that Indian serials and Bollywood movies were enjoyed only by Indians, research had shown they were enjoyed by all race groups.
According to Goyal, Destiny, which traces the trials, tribulations and joys of the Garodia family, will be replaced by another family entertainer, The Vow, next month.
Although he would not divulge too much, Goyal said viewers could look forward to new food and reality shows.
Asked what some of the more popular serials were, he said: “The best was Married Again, which we had to bring back due to public demand.
“We brought one of the characters, Yash Sindhia (played by Gurmeet Choudhary), to Johannesburg and Durban last year.
“The response from fans was fantastic. Some gave him Rolex watches and expensive gifts. It was difficult to get him from the airport to his hotel.”
Goyal said other popular soapies included Laali, about a poor teenage girl, which they are considering re-broadcasting, and Destiny.
But why are these serials so popular?
“Television is aspirational. When viewers watch soaps, they identify with the stories and characters. The life lessons are the same.”
He continued: “There is so much American content on television, but people want wholesome family content.
“We provide content which can be enjoyed by three generations.”
Zee World is available on DSTV on Channel 166.