MUMBAI: Malayalam channel Kairali TV, which stands in the third position after Asianet and Surya TV, is now in the process of revamping its afternoon band. The channel, which underwent a revival in 2004, has also got into an acquisition drive, collecting new movies.

"Till now, we used to repeat some of our primetime shows in the afternoon band. Now those shows are being replaced by original shows," explains Kairali TV executive producer Shibu Chakravarthy on oozing fresh air to the afternoon band.

The channel has launched a one hour show Reality Show in January. The show being telecast on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday covers family-related issues. In the afternoon band, Kairali TV is launching a talk show Kari Vilayum Kanmashi targeting housewives.

Another segment which Kairali TV is now giving much attention is films. The channel, which doesn't have a strong movie library to boast of, is now working on that part by acquiring brand new movies.

"We hadn't been having much of these fresh movies. Now we have started acquiring new movies. It is very crucial for us to fortify this segment," says Chakravarthy.

One of the latest acquisitions the channel has made is one yet to be released Malayalam movie Thommanum Makkalum. Incidentally, the hero of the movie Mammooty is the chairman of Kairali TV.

After its highly successful interactive quiz show Ashwamedam, the channel is launching another show Padayottam on the same lines. G S Pradeep, the popular anchor of Ashwamedam, will anchor this show. Padayottam is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursdays at 10 pm. Kairali TV has now launched a 9 pm quiz show Challenger for Mondays.

Chakravarthy said some of the channel's news and current affairs programmes would turn live soon. News and current affairs programming constitute more than 30 per cent of the channel's programming. He also hinted that Kairali TV is cutting down on its music content.

"It was Kairali TV which started the trend of doing music related shows in Malayalam television. Other channels followed suit. Now, since the area is congested with music shows, we have decided to do lesser number of music related programmes," says he.

According to official sources, Kairali TV will be launching its news channel in the first quarter of the 2005 - 2006 fiscal.