Got Talent Set for Indian Adaptation

LONDON/MUMBAI: Viacom’s joint-venture Hindi general-entertainment channel Colors is set to launch an Indian version of FremantleMedia’s Got Talent format this weekend.

India becomes the first country in Asia to localize FremantleMedia’s hit talent format, which recently wrapped a successful run in the U.K., while a new season just premiered in the U.S. The format, created by Simon Cowell’s Syco, has rolled out to 30 territories. The Indian version is a centerpiece of Colors’s schedule this summer. The channel, launched just a year ago, has quickly emerged as one of the most popular entertainment channels in the fiercely competitive Indian market. It has already been successful with a number of format adaptations, notably Fear Factor and Big Brother.

“India is a country with a rich and vibrant talent that is still untapped," said Rajesh Kamat, the channel’s CEO. "India’s Got Talent is a remarkable show with a never seen before freshness to it and has its roots in the variety genre. Right across the globe, people have been enthralled by the contestants from Got Talent—we were all gripped by the Susan Boyle phenomenon. Now, India has the chance to show the world their talent, anyone with a talent can be a part of the show as long as the performance is distinctive and can entertain the nation.”

Rob Clark, the president of worldwide entertainment at FremantleMedia, added: ”FremantleMedia is delighted that India will be the first Asian country to launch Got Talent as a local format. Got Talent has been hugely successful in other territories and we think it has enormous potential in India, given the vast pool of talent in the country, and its history of rich and varied entertainment. I am really excited to see what India’s Got Talent will uncover, and I am confident that the format will prove to be as popular with the viewers of Colors as it has been all around the world.”

The judging panel for the local version includes acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth: The Golden Age), actress and TV personality Sonali Bendre and Bollywood actress Kirron Kher. It will be hosted by MTV India VJs Nikhil Chinappa and Ayushman Khurana.