Colors eyes Rs 20-cr ads from Ek Khiladi

Colors, the general entertainment channel owned by Viacom 18, expects to earn about Rs 20 crore from the soon-to-air dance reality show Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena.

According to channel insiders, it has already signed on Samsung LCD TV, Appy Fizz, Streaks Hair Colour, ICI Paints and Kohler as associate sponsors for as much as Rs 1.5 crore each for the show.

The channel is scouting for one title sponsor for Rs 3.5-4 crore and additional three to five associate sponsors. Idea Cellular and an insurance brand are eyeing the title sponsor slot, added sources.

Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena, which will span across five weeks (10 episodes), will showcase six cricketers - S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Vinod Kambli and Nikhil Chopra - dancing along with television actors like Mona Singh (of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin fame), Nigar Khan, Shama Sikandar, among others. Actor Sushmita Sen and former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram will be the judges.

Cricketers, who have found a new sporting ground, will earn between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 80 lakh for participating in the show. According to industry estimates, the TV stars could earn Rs 25-35 lakh each.

Among the cricketers, Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth have pocketed the biggest cheques (Rs 75 lakh nearly), followed by Irfan Pathan at about Rs 60 lakh. Dinesh Karthik and Vinod Kambli are said to have got Rs 25-30 lakh each while Nikhil Chopra will get Rs 10-15 lakh.

Fee for the show will be performance-related as each pair will be eliminated after a round or two. However, the cricketers have been guaranteed a minimum 50 per cent of the amount, said sources.