Star Plus is virtually India`s most watched entertaining cable channel since its inception. Star Plus regularly features the top 40 programmes in India every week. Prime time programmes on Star Plus consistently outperform other cable and satellite channels with the most popular programmes with majority viewership shares in Hindi speaking general entertainment markets.
Star Plus was one of the first private TV channels to be launched in India in the year 1991, and has been immensely popular among the couch potatoes here. It has been India`s number 1 cable channel for six years. Star Plus is available in places like Hong Kong, India, Middle East, Singapore, Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand. Prime time programmes on Star Plus consistently do better than other cable and satellite channels with the most popular programmes, thus recording more than 50% of the viewership counts in Hindi speaking general entertainment markets. Star Plus dominates every entertainment genre and time band across the day. Today over 65 million viewers tune-in to Star Plus every week and spend almost twice the time on Star Plus than on any other channel.
The programming of Star Plus consists mostly of family dramas, which mainly boast female protagonists and mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships in joint families. The channel is also known for bringing in a revolution in the Indian television world with new shows in the year 2000. The core audience for Star Plus has always been women, but they have looked at programming that would interest kids and men as well. Shows like K Street Pali Hill, Khul Ja Sim Sim and Kaal Chakra have all been an effort to get in the male audiences.
Star Plus was an English language television channel showing international content from the U.S., the UK and Australia, with Zee TV being the Hindi language channel. However, after STAR (subsequently acquired by News Corporation) ended its relationship with Zee TV, Star Plus was transformed into a 24 hour Hindi language channel, with STAR World becoming the network`s English language channel. Star Plus has been rated as the best entertainment channel and has also walked away with the 2006 Indian Telly awards. Star plus serials like Kyunki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kasauti Zindagi ki, Kumkum, Kahin To Hoga and many more were among the favorites with the families in India. In fact the actors working for these soaps are recognised by their screen names itself and not their real names. Ekta Kapoor, the Saas-Bahu soap mastermind is said to rule this channel.
Star Plus has redefined Hindi entertainment with its versatile programming line-up that includes popular soaps, drama series, serials, game shows, comedy, music-based shows, travel, cookery, and blockbuster. Hindi films, a special band for kids and more. In a country, where most households have only one television set, Star Plus continues to be the obvious favorite channel among kids and also adults, owing to its 6 years of dominance in India. Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil, Sapna Babul Ka, Bidaai,Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Sabki Laadli - Bebo, Burey Bhi Hum Bhaley Bhi Hum, Chehra, Shaurya Aur Suhani and Amul Voice of India Mummy Ke Superstars are some of the most prominent shows on Star Plus.
Star Plus is incomplete without one series, which comes to mind, is the great, India`s biggest quiz show, so very different from others and immensely popular among all, namely Kaun Banega Crorepati. Originally hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, Crorepati changed the scenario for the channel Star plus. With two series on the same the ratings of Star Plus reached the peaks and even more when the third series was launched and Shah Rukh Khan was hosting the show, the channel caught the attention of the younger generation for a considerable period of time. Recently, Star Plus has added many more serials in its programme list that have started to gain fair impression of the viewers.
