After the first week of voting saw lakhs of votes pouring in from across the country to see their favorite dramebaaz featured in the Top 6 of ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, we now have your favourite Top 6 who have been ‘promoted’ to the next round of the competition on Zee TV’s acting talent hunt show for kids. These Top 6 have endeared themselves to thousands of families across the country as they have acted, danced and sang their way into your hearts.

Here are the TOP 6 contestants of India’s Best Dramebaaz:-

Aditya Singhal – This serious actor from Pune is all of 12 years old but his acting makes him seem a lot more mature for his age. Never one for over-the-top acting, Aditya has slowly but surely made a mark on the audience in the show. Though he began his stint on the show with more comic performances, his recent stints as Lord Ram and Maharana Pratap have established him as a heavy-duty actor. His performances with his team-mate Avni have won him the title of the ‘Dramebaaz of the Day’ twice now.

Anjali Astha – This 10 year old from Mohali first came to the judges’ attention as the possessed ‘Chandramukhi’ with her dance-theatre based act during the auditions. Although the season has seen very little of her dancing, her talent shone through in her performance with DID Li’l Master Shalini in a fusion dance drama that allowed her to bring her Bharatnatyam training to the fore. Throughout the season, though she has played older roles, Anjali’s playfulness often comes out between takes.

Chinmay Deshkar – 12 year old Chinmay Deshkar from Nagpur is an excellent actor and dancer. Known for his impressions of Shah Rukh Khan, Chinmay has impressed visiting celebrities with his takes on various Bollywood actors. A really good actor, his mischievous side often gets the better of him. His upside down act on ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ earned him a huge hug from Preity Zinta.

Mehnaaz Mann – Just 8 years old, Mehnaaz Mann from Mohali is a veritable powerhouse of talent who was first noticed at the auditions with her moving act about the Jallianwala baug massacre. Being in front of an audience doesn’t faze Mehnaaz who has already performed onstage with her mother who is a theatre actress. She dreams of becoming an actress when she grows up. In comparison with her powerful presence on stage, Mehnaaz is much more quiet once she gets off stage..

Nihar Gite – 6 year old Nihar Gite from Shirdi is the cutest li’l kid that you will find. And this has won him brownie points with his co-contestants, judges and the audience alike. But don’t let his tiny frame fool you. Nihar’s narrative skills and the ease with which he remembers everything from Sanskrit shloks or patriotic speeches leaves the audience and judges alike absolutely spellbound! His most memorable acts have been his version of Narad muni and as Ranbir Kapoor in Barfi. Ask him about the highlight of his journey so far and he says – “Dancing with Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta!”

Praneet Sharma – 5 year old Praneet Sharma from Jaipur has an uncanny way of making people like him. Whether it is his impression of Shakti Kapoor’s ‘Aao Lalita’ or his ‘Chota Sa Nanha Sa Bacha’, Praneet leaves the judges and viewers wanting to pinch his cheeks! Though he loves eating, Praneet is mostly lost in his own world. He has his own take on the world around him and answers questions with the most random answers. That’s life according to Praneet for you!

The competition is now in the final stages. Don’t forget to watch India’s Best Dramebaaz every Saturday and Sunday at 7.30pm, only on Zee TV, Sky 788.

The channel introduces audiences to an all-new format of television entertainment

Abhay Deol debuts on television as the host of this path-breaking show

Ever considered what it must feel like to hold a camera and record yourself in your house, capturing all that you say and doing this in your own personal space?  Would you agree to carry the camera and shoot yourself as you go to work, step out to shop or attend a class? Would you have conversations with the camera about your innermost state of mind and broadcast it on national television? A vast majority of us would gulp down hard and go “What??? NO WAY! I could never do that!” But six courageous women of different ages and at different stages in their lives, have dared to bare it all - their hopes, their worst fears, their insecurities, their mistakes, their triumphs, their joys and sorrow – on national television for the world to see! And what has emerged is a vibrant picture of what being a woman in the year 2013 is all about – a fresh, first-of-its-kind reality series called ‘Connected Hum Tum’ that starts on Zee TV on Monday, 4^th June!

Lending a male perspective on all the exciting developments in these six women’s lives will be the celebrity host of the show, Abhay Deol. Touted as the thinking woman’s dream man, Abhay will regale the audience with his sparkling wit, spot-on observations and tongue-in-cheek commentary on all that’s brewing in the women’s lives.

Speaking of his debut on television, Abhay said, “‘We deal with women in such a wide range of roles … be it our own mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, colleagues at work … they color the very fabric of our everyday existence. Yet, women are such a maze that we, as men, can never really completely understand. ‘Connected Hum Tum’ is an attempt to demystify women and thereby understand relationships better … The idea of women shooting their own lives and baring their soul on national television is a first. To watch six women deal with the real drama of their lives in their own individual ways, will help us understand them and, in turn, ourselves better. As the host of the show, I intend to leave the audience with how I perceive the women through my lens! I will raise questions that will make them think …”

The core idea at the heart of ‘Connected Hum Tum’ is to bring families together by demystifying relationships.  In studying the mindspace of six women at different crossroads in life, Zee TV gives the audiences a chance to understand the psyche of today’s Indian woman, thereby understanding the women in our own lives better. As a format of entertainment, the show is something India has not experienced yet. Zee TV lauds the courage of these six bold women who have agreed to put their mind, soul and space out for everyone to see. Through the cameras, six parallel stories unfold and six lives gradually become connected as each woman experiences transformative life changes. Each of these women embarks on a journey of self-discovery and what the viewers get is a compelling, if not addictive reality viewing experience on television.

Developed originally in Israel, ‘Connected’ as a format has emerged to be a phenomenon on television across countries like Denmark, Holland, France and USA.

Avi Armoza of Armoza Formats, the international distributors of the show format said, “We at Armoza Formats are delighted to have our internationally acclaimed format ‘Connected’ launched in India. We are sure that this will only add to the massive global success of ‘Connected’ as it enters into a land of rich culture and tradition.”

Each of the six women who have embarked on this journey have undergone technical training in terms of using the camera in the most natural manner, coaching in terms of adjusting to the presence of a camera so as to minimize its interference with their behavior, viewing sessions of what they have filmed in isolation and in a group and monitoring changes in their behavior as a result of the filming process.

So who are these six brave women who have taken the plunge? Watch this space for more …

Having celebrated the singing and dancing talents of the masses and made heroes out of India’s common man, Zee TV is all set to provide a national platform for India’s acting talent! A pioneer at unique, homegrown non-fiction formats like ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ and ‘Dance India Dance’ that have captured the pulse of the audience, Zee TV is now back with a brand-new reality show with a differentiated concept. Aptly titled ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, the talent hunt show will put children in the age range of 5-12 years through a series of tasks and challenges that will groom them as actors and test their creativity, spontaneity and acting ability.

And if it’s an acting talent hunt show for kids one is talking about, who better to host it than popular actors who are great with kids? TV heartthrobs Rithvik Dhanjani and Ragini Khanna have been roped in to host Zee TV’s India’s Best Dramebaaz.

In a short span of time since Pavitra Rishta took its 20 year leap and the focus shifted to the younger generation, Rithvik has endeared himself to the audiences across India as the young and dashing Arjun. His power-packed dance performances across special episodes of Zee TV’s fiction shows and the annual awards ceremony ‘Zee Rishtey Awards’ as also his successful stint on a dance reality show have earned him the status of a television heartthrob.

Ragini shot to fame with her winsome smile and her confident, outspoken roles across a host of television shows. Her infectious energy as the host of reality shows and her own stints as a contestant across singing and dance reality shows made her an instant hit at the dinner table across Indian households. Niece to Bollywood’s comedy king Govinda, Ragini is an entertainer no less.

About taking on the show, Ragini said, “After my stint on Star Ya Rockstar last year where I was given a platform to showcase the singer within me, I am back for a second innings on Zee TV -This time as the host of a show that’s bound to be really high on its cuteness quotient. We’re talking about kids here … and those with a flair for drama at that … you can only imagine the amount of fun we will have through the making of this show. The show presents a win-win situation for me … I just love kids. The kind of talent we have seen so far is overwhelming … they’re such cute kids and they talk so much especially when they speak about their parents… their innocence is adorable and is bound to tug at one’s heartstrings!”

Rithvik said, “My current role on Zee TV’s Pavitra Rishta has been widely appreciated and the show remains one of the top rated shows on the channel. When they approached me to host ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, it was difficult for me to turn down their offer. I am getting an opportunity to interact with so many talented children and the audience will get to see a more easygoing, fun-loving aspect of my personality.”

India’s Best Dramebaaz premieres on Saturday, 23^rd February at 7.30pm and will air every Saturday & Sun, only on Zee TV, Sky 788.

The celebrities have selected the most talented kids from the auditions held in Delhi

Having celebrated the singing and dancing talents of the masses and made heroes out of India’s common man, Zee TV is all set to provide a national platform for India’s acting talent! A pioneer at introducing unique, homegrown non-fiction formats like ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ and ‘Dance India Dance’ that have captured the pulse of the audience, Zee TV announces a brand-new reality show with a differentiated concept. Aptly titled ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, the talent hunt show will put children in the age range of 5-12 years through a series of tasks and challenges that will groom them as actors and test their creativity, spontaneity and acting capabilities.

Having hit home run after home run with the resounding success of both the seasons of ‘DID L’il Masters’ and ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs’ - two immensely popular reality talent hunt show formats centered around kids,  Zee TV, is undoubtedly the ruler of this genre. Zee TV has proven time and again that it understands children like no one else does! The kids talent hunt show, ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, does naturally  hold a lot of promise!

And who better to judge the kids on their histrionic skills than popular actors Vivek Oberoi, Sonali Bendre and the much celebrated film-maker Anurag Basu? Fans of the Saathiya heartthrob will be delighted to know that the show marks Vivek’s debut on television and the actor is very excited about the same. Over two months ago, Zee TV began its countrywide search for the 18 brightest, spunkiest, the most mischievous and talented kids from across the country.

About taking on the judge’s mantle, Sonali added, “The show concept is unique and Zee has always been a frontrunner in reality shows. It’s my first time on Zee TV and the show presents a win-win situation for me … I just love kids. I’m glad that India’s Best Dramebaaz provides an atmosphere that puts children at ease, allows them to come into their own and be themselves. The kind of talent we have seen so far is overwhelming … they’re such cute kids and they talk so much especially when they speak about their parents… their innocence is adorable and is bound to tug at one’s heartstrings!”

So what is it that the judges are looking for? Anurag said, “The format is new and a first on Indian television. I have worked with Zee TV before and it is difficult for me to turn down their offer. I am also selfish as I only do things from where I can take something back. With ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, I am getting an opportunity to interact with so many talented children. We are not saying that we will create future superstars here. Our main objective will be to bring out the spontaneity of the kids where they will perform without being conscious. That is why apart from watching their performances, I am spending time with them personally to understand their creativity. I think naughty, mischievous kids will do better in this space! As a director, I will look into the technical aspects of every act and guide the contestants in that regard.”

Sonali Bendre and Anurag Basu announced the launch of India’s Best Dramebaaz at the recently held Zee Cine Awards 2013 in Mumbai. The show will replace Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012 on Zee TV’s weekend primetime slot. ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’ is produced by Essel Vision, the in-house production arm of the Essel Group.

Watch India’s Best Dramebaaz only on Zee TV, Sky 788. Starting 23^rd Feb, every Saturday and Sunday @ 7.30pm.

The season of romance is here and Zee TV is all set to treat its viewers with two romance filled episodes on this Saturday and Sunday i.e. (9th and 10th  of February). Titled ‘Dil Dhamaal Dhoka’ and ‘Ishqwala Love’, the Valentine’s Day special episodes will have all the Zee TV hunks and diva’s perform on various love themes. Viewers will see Rithwik Dhanjani and Asha Negi (Arjun & Purvi of Pavitra Rishta) enact the epic romance of iconic Bollywood celebs like Guru Dutt & Madhubala, Raj Kapoor & Nargis and Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha.  Divyam (Ansh of Punarvivaah) and Shruti Visht (Indu of Hitler Didi) will depict the innocent love between two kids. Mahima Makwana (Rachna of Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke) & Ankit Sarang (Soham of Pavitra Rishta) will portray the mushy love between two adolescents. Shakti Arora & Asha Negi (Onir & Purvi of Pavitra Rishta) will elaborate the sensuous and layered love between a married couple. The mature and unconditional love between two old people will be portrayed by Chetan Pandit and Zaida Parveen (Sooraj Pratap & Gayatri of Punarvivaah) whereas the funny bone of love will be explored by Himani Shivpuri & Rishabh Sinha (Sunaina of Housewife and Ayaan of Qubool Hai) and Rajiv Varma, Neha Laxmi Iyer and Mrinalini Tyagi (Mr. Kaushik of Mrs. Kaushik ki Paanch Bahuein, Najma of Qubool Hai & Teju of Pavitra Rishta). One will also see Suhasi Dhami & Annirudh Dave (Sona & Kanhaiya of Housewife) do a desi sensuous act to bring forth the flavor of rural romance.  Apart from the above, there will be a special act by superstar Vivek Oberoi and Neha Sharma who will be dancing on the tracks of their upcoming movie Jayantabhai ki Love story.  Ratan Rajput and Kapil Sharma will team up to tickle the funny bone of the viewers with a standup comedy act. Iqbal Khan will be playing a pivotal role in this special episode and will add to the charm of Valentine with his incredible good looks and chivalrous demeanor.

For all this masti, magic and more don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Dhamaal with ‘Dil Dhamaal Dhoka’ on Saturday, 9 February @ 7.30pm and ‘Ishqwala Love’ on Sunday, 10 February, @7.30 pm only on Zee TV, Sky 788!

ZEE always puts its viewers first! Yet another proof of this is the launch of a new service called Zee Dil Se, a messaging service for anyone to be on TV and convey their message Dil Se (from the heart) through www.ZeeDilSe.com . ZEE Network’s European arm has been entertaining audiences for over 18 years and is proud to bring in a one-of-a-kind service that will bridge the gap between the viewer and the TV screen allowing everyone to be on TV from the comfort of their homes!

Zee Dil Se is a premium service based on the concept that there is a star in everyone and everyone has something to say or share with their loved ones. For the first time ever in the UK, viewers will be able to make the journey to the other side of the TV screen and say something from their heart. A short 15 seconds video can give one their 15 seconds of Fame on Zee TV!

Zee Dil Se is a unique service that has been especially crafted for thousands of people who want to say something special in the most special way. It has been created so that one can personalise their wishes for anyone they want, and ZEE will bring the message to life by bringing it on TV on the date selected by the viewer! The process is simple and can be done in just a few minutes in three easy steps.

Step 1: Pick an occasion and a date the message should appear on Zee TV.

Step 2: Upload or Record a 15 seconds video using our in-built customised video recorder.

Step 3: Review, Submit and Pay for the video to watch it come to life.

Now, one can gift their loved ones something that will make them smile, cry and laugh - friends, parents, sister, brother, nephew, niece, anyone you want, no matter where they are and no matter what the occasion is… holidays, special occasion, or just because you feel like saying “I miss you,” or “I love you.”

Parul Goel, Deputy Territory Head, ZEE Europe said, “In this month of love and celebrations we wanted to give our viewers a platform to share life’s best moments with all their loved ones. Whether it is a proposal or simply a message of love, Zee Dil Se will allow our viewers to easily record their personalised video message with just a few clicks through their desktop or a laptop with a webcam. One doesn’t need to be a professional videographer or have complex editing tools to be on TV. As long as the video and sound are clear and the content is not explicit and against our terms and conditions, we will broadcast it on Zee TV. We would like to invite everyone to try the service for FREE and share the excitement of being on Zee TV with everyone. We are dedicated to enhancing our viewer experience and Zee Dil Se is a priceless experience that will engage with them. We have some exciting plans for the future of Zee Dil Se with the launch of mobile and Facebook apps launching very soon along with taking the service global for viewers in UK and mainland Europe to send messages to their friends and family in USA and vice-versa.”

Users will have the option to record a 15 seconds video through their HD webcams or upload a video recorded on their video handycams or smartphones along with selecting a date a minimum of 7 days ahead. The videos once submitted will be reviewed for technical and content quality and then scheduled for broadcast on Zee TV. The user will be informed and updated about the progress of the video throughout the process via email. If the video is rejected, the user will have many opportunities to improve and re-record their video submissions until Zee TV confirms the date and time of broadcast of the message. Users will also be able to share their videos on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Email to announce their moment of fame on Zee TV.

Many celebrities including Shahrukh Khan, Sri Devi, Deepika Padukone and many more have already tried the service and Zee TV viewers will be able to see these on their TV screens over the course of coming weeks.

Zee Dil Se is now live and FREE as part of an interim trial period for everyone to sample this exciting service at www.zeedilse.com (normally £49.99/€59.99 per video message). Users can submit their Valentine messages on www.zeedilse.com before 8^th February for the video message to appear on Zee TV on 14^th February.

Coming on ZEE TV on 2^nd February Saturday at 9pm!

A milestone of twenty years is a defining moment in any organisation’s life span. On ZEE’s completion of 20 years and the celebration of the centenary milestone to showcase the cinematic heritage of the Indian film industry, get set to experience our collective success at the World’s Biggest Viewers’ Choice Awards, the 13th Zee Cine Awards on Saturday, 2^nd February, 2013. Watch the ‘Zee Cine Awards 2013’, coming to your TV screens with the Red Carpet at 8:30pm followed by the main event at 9pm.

ZEE didn’t leave any stone unturned to make the ceremony a memorable one for the Indian film fraternity. The grand awards ceremony was held at Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai where the who’s who of the industry walked the Red Carpet and the best in the business walked away with the coveted shining gold plated trophy.

This year, apart from being the World’s Biggest Viewers Choice Awards, what set Zee Cine Awards apart was its partnership with Ernst & Young as the official voting tabulator for Zee Cine Awards 2013. This was done to put to rest all speculations about film awards being rigged. Another innovation that Zee introduced this year was the ‘Free Call’ voting system in India where the viewers could vote for their favourite actors free of cost.  Abhishek Bachchan was roped in to debut as an anchor. His straight face humour kept the audiences in splits along with co-host Reitesh Deshmukh.

The performances were the talk of the town and the highlight of the event was Shah Rukh Khan’s tribute to Yash Chopra. His act was dramatic and dreamlike. He descended on the stage harnessed in a white flying horse. He romanced his leading ladies, Anushka Sharma, Katrina Kaif and Karisma Kapoor in the true Yash Chopra style. Deepika Padukone was seen performing a new dance style ‘Waaking’ by renowned choreographer and God of Dance, Shiamak Davar. Deepika’s trendsetting performance was stunning as well as glamorous. Varun Dhawan packed in some difficult steps and gave a spectacular performance on his debut stage performance. Being Shiamak’s student, Varun ensured that he met upto his Guru’s expectations and give an actioned packed performance. The tall and delicate beauty, Anushka Sharma performed on her popular tracks, Oye Boy Oye Boy Charlie & Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola. In a fresh avatar dressed like a village belle, Anushka lived up to her bubbly and vivacious demeanour. Another debutante who will be seen giving his first ever performance at the Zee Cine Awards was the very talented, Ayushman Khurana. He will be seen shaking a leg to the hit songs of all legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and also his own songs. Watch out for the personal touch that the actor will showcase to each of his acts! Another performer who will  definitely leave the audiences begging for more is the stunning Katrina Kaif! The charming actress will be doing an enchanting belly dance on ‘Mashallah’ and will prove that she is the epitome of grace, style and beauty!

So get ready for the biggest and the most promising Bollywood awards night with the biggest stars, the brightest luminaries, the most talented personalities and some scintillating performances and rib tickling gags.  Watch the ‘Zee Cine Awards 2013’, coming to your TV screens on 2^nd February, Saturday.  The Red Carpet will be shown at 8:30pm on Zee TV and Zing, followed by the main event at 9pm on Zee TV.

Zee Cine Awards 2013 on Zee TV is Powered by Royal Sweets with Associate Sponsors City Pavilion, TRS, Shaadi.com.

Newlyweds Vidya Balan and her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur were the highlights at the Zee Cine Awards 2013 Red Carpet. It was interesting to see Vidya in the relaxed company of her bridegroom. Vidya Balan was looking resplendent in a bright golden kanjeevaram sari while Siddharth chose a simple black suit. On their first official outing as a newly married jodi, she walked the Red Carpet with her husband and posed for the shutterbugs and spoke to the media about being in a happy space now. On being asked which film she wanted to win, she quipped, “Kahaani should win for me and Barfi should win for UTV!” and slyly winked at the media smiling at her husband.

All the actors at the awards function kept wondering about Vidya’s weight and the radiant glow on her face. As she went up to collect her award, anchors Abhishek Bachchan and Retiesh Deshmukh joked about her being pregnant. Said Reitesh with a wink, “by the way, it’s very unfortunate that before Siddharth, Sujoy (Ghosh) had got Vidya pregnant!” The entire fraternity gathered at the do went still for a few seconds before bursting into peals of laughter when it clicked to them that Reitesh was talking about Sujoy’s heavily pregnant lead protagonist ‘Vidya Bagchi’ in Kahaani. The graceful actress said, “I don’t know if I should be saying this but getting pregnant has always worked for me. It worked for  me in Paa and  now in Kahaani . Maybe this is a cue for you Sid (looking at her husband). But in real life…No!!! I am not pregnant.”  The moment she said this, the king of wit, Shah Rukh Khan who was presenting the award to her said, “it’s strange Vidya that u should be saying this just after hugging me….” The crowd could not control their uncontrollable laughter at this wisecrack from SRK and had Vidya blushing red.

Vidya is now in that league of actors who have both critically acclaimed performances and box office success in her kitty. She stands for everything beautiful, real, honest, Indian and fearless. The actress spoke about Kahani as a landmark film in her career where she was shown being on a search for her lost husband. She said with a twinkle in her eyes, “Last year I filmed Kahaani which was about a woman who was looking for her lost husband…and  somewhere down the line, I found my real husband as well”. In her acceptance speech, she said, “I started my acting career with Zee TV in their show, Hum Paanch. It’s an honour and priviliege to be accepting an award on Zee’s 20^th anniversary.” Catch all this drama and more on Zee Cine Awards, Sat 2 Feb at 9pm on Zee TV. The Red carpet will be telecast the same day at 8:30pm on Zee TV and Zing.

Are you ready for the final musical battle?

The much awaited Grand Finale of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012 is on Sunday 27th January at 7:30pm on Zee TV - Sky 788! Do not miss out!