MUMBAI: Following the unprecedented success of ZEE Maharashtra Kushti Dangal, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL), under the aegis of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), today announced the launch of ZEE Kushti Dangal. In what shall be a delight for wrestling fans, the inaugural season of the dangal will kick start from November 3, 2019. With Member of Parliament and popular actor Ravi Kishan being the brand ambassador of ZEE Kushti Dangal, the property is all set to strike the right chords with the sports and entertainment seeking audience.
The 8 franchisee teams shall each consist of 7 players (4 male and 3 female),placed across 7 weight categories, who will feature in a total of 151 bouts. In addition to these 86 wrestlers, 30 grapplers (4-5 for each team/weight category) are reserved should there be an injury to a player in the main group. The Kushti dangal will be held in Banaras and Jaipur, while the players will be selected across seven states - Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. With the promise of making wrestling a family-viewing show, the two hours of high-voltage action will be complimented with bouts of entertainment that will telecast on BIG Magic, BIG Ganga, Zee Bollywood and Zee Hindustan.
Speaking on the launch of ZEE Kushti Dangal, Mukund Cairae – COO, International Business & ZEEL – Head of Sports Business said, “As a group, ZEEL, since its very inception, has been at the forefront of creating novel platforms that discover and promote talent across various arts, disciplines and sporting activities. A platform like ZEE Kushti Dangal is the perfect springboard that young and upcoming wrestlers across the country need in order to make the giant leap in their career. High on a regional appeal, we are highly optimistic that, through our extensive domestic broadcasting network, we shall bring the sport to millions of households across the country and popularize the sport amongst the masses. With each of the fights, boasting of action that will keep audiences hooked and at the edge of their seats, we are proud to have made a telling contribution towards elevating wrestling to greater heights.”
Talking about the association Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, President – Wrestling Federation of India said, “We are extremely happy to associate with ZEEL, one of the largest media houses in the county. They’ve been one who, through their endeavours and initiatives, have always given masses an opportunity to make a name for themselves and see the abundance of rising talent there is. We firmly believe that the association will take the sport to newer spaces and audiences, while enabling us to engage with our patrons in various exciting ways. We are hopeful that while the platform will provide fans with nail-biting action and entertainment, it will also help identifying newer talent in the world of Kushti.”
With a focus on creating content for the family audience while building a dynamic dangal that raises the bar of Kushti to meet international standards, the property will be promoted through a heavy mix of media tools including print, TV, Out-of-Home, radio and digital. The 19-day wrestling extravaganza will also feature a host of celebrities that’s sure to take the entertainment quotient up a notch.
