Small screen, tall order: A slew of promising TV shows coming this year

Bharti Singh, Manoj Bajpayee, Amitabh Bachchan, Tulip Joshi

After the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League draws to a close in June this year, most leading television channels will be launching a spate of new shows.

Amitabh Bachchan's yet-to-be-titled fictional show will be centred around the life of a construction tycoon. It is expected to go on air by the end of this year. Pic/Shadab Khan

In fact, some have already taken the bold step of going ahead and launching new TV series. Moreover, a lot of these shows don't fall under the run-of-the-mill category, as they seek to deliver something different to the viewer. hitlist tells you what to expect on the idiot box this year...

Manoj Bajpai is the host of the soon-to-be launched show, 'Encounter'

The show: 'Encounter'
What is it about: Hosted/ narrated by Manoj Bajpayee, the fictional show, as its name suggests, will feature stories about gangsters who were killed in police encounters.
Expected to go on air: In the coming weekend. It will air thrice a week, from Friday to Sunday.

Raju Shrivastav, Bharti Singh and Suresh Menon in the show, 'Gangs of Hasseepur'

The show: 'Gangs of Hasseepur'
What is it about: It is a political satire that will feature stand-up comedians, Bharti Singh, Raju Shrivastav and Suresh Menon enacting spoofs based on political leaders. It will also have them recite funny poetry at the end of each episode.
Expected to go on air: In May.

The show: 'Mission Sapne'
What is it about: The show will have celebrities take up a needy person's job for a day and help him/ her earn money. The Marathi version of the show has been running successfully for quite some time now; both its seasons have received encouraging response. A lot of stars, including the likes of Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Karan Johar, have already shot for the Hindi version of the show. Some sports personalities and musicians too have shot for it.
Expected to go on air: By the end of this month and it will be aired on weekends.

The show: Untitled
What is it about: Amitabh Bachchan's yet-to-be-titled fictional show is said to be different from regular TV fare that is dominated by love stories and revenge dramas. Produced by Big B and directed by Anurag Kashyap, the series is centred around the life of a construction tycoon (played by the legendary actor) and his family.
Expected to go on air: By the end of this year.

Tulip Joshi plays a pilot in the show, 'Airline'

The show: 'Airline'
What is it about: The show will focus on the workings of the airline industry. Tulip Joshi, who has acted in a few Bollywood films, will play a pilot in the show along with former VJ, Yudhishthir Urs. In the past, sisters Ratna Pathak Shah and Supriya Pathak were seen in a show called Idhar Udhar, which was set against a similar backdrop (airline industry). In that show, the two actresses played airhostesses.
Expected to go on air: In May, post the IPL.

The show: Yo Yo Honey Singh's show (working title)
What is it about: Unlike other music reality shows, this show will not be just another singing competition. The concept of the show has been kept under wraps. It is being said that the rapper has been paid big money to host the show. To add to this, Singh will be involved in every creative aspect of the show.
Expected to go on air: This show is likely to replace Sunil Grover's comedy show, 'MAD In India', in the next few weeks.

The show: 'Baavre Bhatak Le Na'
What is it about: It is a musical love story, with Neelesh Misra as its narrator and producer. The show will feature a lot of songs and dance sequences along the lines of Broadway musicals. Neelesh will share in-depth background of the characters in the episodes and take the story forward. Abhishek Rawat and Vinita Joshi will essay central characters in it.
Expected to go on air: This daily will be launched in May.

The Show: Anupam Kher's chat show
What is it about: The actor, who has hosted a children's show in the past, is currently working on a new chat show. This particular series will have celebrities indulging in candid banter with Kher, and it promises to be different from Karan Johar's talk show.
Expected to air: It will be a weekly show and may air by the end of this year.

The show: Everest
What is it about: This show will mark Ashutosh Gowarikar's return to the small screen. The plot revolves around a boy who dreams of scaling the highest peak in the world. Gowarikar, who is producing the show, has collaborated with Nehru Institute Of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, for the same. NIM has been roped in to train the lead actors of the show.
Expected to go on air: By the end of this year.

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>> 'The Big Bang Theory'
A sitcom about nerds who spout science-related trivia with a dash of humour.

>> 'House of Cards'
If you think politics is dirty, then the character played by Kevin Spacey in this series breaks it down beautifully for the viewer.

>>' Breaking Bad'
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>> 'The Newsroom'
Given the popularity of television news in the country, it'd be worth noting the dynamics of running a news channel.

>> 'Game of Thrones'
Although this show is set in a mythical world, we have enough legends in India to come up with a similarly arresting TV show.