The new look Vijay TV - the Tamil regional language addition to the Star bouquet - which launched its new improved programme line-up from 1 October, has already seen a rise in its ratings, an official release says.

According to market research agency ORG MARG‘s Intam data for October 1- 7, the channel rated a 38 per cent growth, compared to the average share over the previous six weeks (from 6.3 per cent to 8.7 per cent) in Chennai city.

The prime time shares saw an average growth of 52 per cent (from 3.2 per cent to 4.9 per cent) in Chennai city and a growth of 90.6 per cent (from 3.2 per cent to 6.1 per cent) for the entire Tamil Nadu, the release says.

It‘s a long haul yet but the early results must be encouraging for Vijay.

Alpha Marathi is doing its best to show Programmes different from the regular run of the mill. Gentle satire forms the core of ‘Shriyud Gangadhar Tipre‘, a programme the channel is launching on 2 November.
It is a serial reminiscent of the celebrated cartoonist RK Laxman‘s strips in "The Times of India" which dealt with the common man and the way in which humour can be found in even the most mundane situation. The sitcom, which has been directed by Kedar Shindhe - a well known playwright - offers numerous insights into what affects the the lives of the "commoners", an Alpha Marathi spokesperson says.

Dilip Prabhavalkar, who has scripted the sitcom, based it on a weekly column he wrote in the "Loksatta" newspaper. He also wrote a book "Anudini" which was a compilation of the columns. The rib tickling sitcom targets the family audience because everybody‘s point of view is included, according to the spokesperson. Prabhavalkar has culled his own experiences of living in a middle class neighbourhood which longs to rise above the ordinary.

Prabhavalar enacts the role of a male patriarch of a family in the series. Co-stars include Shubangi Gokhale and Rajan Bhise.

The spokesperson was noncommittal on the number of episodes the programme would have or whether any advertisers had come on board. Also, the channel has not yet fixed a time slot for the half-hour sitcom, which will be shown once a week.