Star India gives Turkey its first ever Indian Drama Series
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon quadruples ratings of Turkish channel Kanal 7, emulating other
Star India Drama Series that have resonated with audiences in over 100 countries worldwide
The Star Network, which constantly strives to be where the consumers are, has further expanded the global reach of its content by showcasing its engrossing and immensely popular romance drama, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, to television audiences in Turkey. Since November 2015, the show, dubbed in Turkish and entitled Bir Garip Aşk, has been delighting viewers of local Turkish channel Kanal 7 to such an extent that it has quadrupled its ratings, increasing the channel’s ranking significantly across different target groups in the slot in which it is airing. In the process, Star India has also made history by taking the first ever Indian TV Drama Series to Turkey which is one of the biggest Producers and exporters of drama series in the world.
Zahid Akman, General Manager – Kanal 7 Turkey, says, “We are very happy with the choice we have made to air a Star India drama. For us, ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’ (‘Bir Garip Aşk’ In Turkish) is a magical love story told like a fairy tale.”
Christina Vlahova, CEO of Intellecta Srl, a long-time partner of Star India in the territories of Europe, Russia and Turkey, says, “Kanal 7 had the pioneering spirit to dare and give its viewers the chance to be the first to watch an Indian TV drama in Turkey. We have always known deep inside that the Star India dramas will work in Turkey since they present the same social and moral values which are treasured by the Turkish society. There is a strong focus on family values, which is important both in Turkey and India. We just add more color to it.”
Among such globally successful shows from Star India’s Drama Series are Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and the epic mythological Mahabharat, which are huge global hits; Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai, is among the most successful drama series in Europe; Saraswatichandra and Ek Hasina Thi, which have aired in more than 30 countries; Diya Aur Baati Hum, which has aired successfully in more than 15 countries, and Sadda Haq, a show that is very popular with young audiences in South Africa. All these shows are aired after dubbing or subtitling the content in the international markets.
The lead actor of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, Barun Sobti, was in Istanbul to celebrate the show’s success. The actor received a tremendous welcome from the show’s fans, who were delighted to meet him. Barun’s visit is also one of the most talked about and searched events on social media and Google (in Turkey), and had been trending for more than a week since 25th Feb. It was the most talked about event on Twitter on 29th, when it trended throughout the day. Says Barun, “I am delighted that the series is being aired in Turkey. I have been hearing that the show is being loved as much as the local Turkish dramas, which is proof that Star India’s great storytelling will always succeed. It’s quite amazing that the show has aired in more than 40 countries and has done extremely well everywhere. I really enjoyed my time in Turkey – it is a beautiful country and the response from the fans has been fabulous.”
Barun Sobti interacting with fans in Turkey
About Star India
Star India has defined the Indian media landscape for over two decades and today is one of the country’s leading media conglomerates, reaching approximately 650 million viewers a month across India and more than 100 other countries. Star generates 20,000 hours of content every year and broadcasts 40+ channels in 8 different languages, reaching 9 out of 10 C&S TV homes in India.
The network’s entertainment channel portfolio includes Star Gold, Channel V, Star World, Star Movies, Star Utsav, Life OK, Movies OK and Star Plus, India’s No. 1 Hindi General Entertainment Channel. It has a leading presence in regional broadcasting as well, through a bouquet of affiliate channels which includes Star Jalsha, Jalsha Movies, Star Pravah, Asianet, Asianet Plus, Suvarna, Suvarna Plus, Vijay and now Maa. It is also present in the Indian movie production and distribution space through Fox Star Studios, an affiliate joint venture company.
STAR India is making quantum leaps in transforming sports in the country by leveraging the group’s strengths in superior content and audience engagement. STAR’s sports business has grown rapidly to 8 channel properties (STAR Sports 1, 2, 3, 4 and STAR Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4), making it the leading sports network in the country.
With our viewers on the move, Star is set to drive the agenda on digital content consumption in the country. starsports.com has redefined the future of sports consumption in India and now hotstar.com brings your favourite TV shows, movies and sports in one destination.
Star India is a fully owned subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.
