Colors, one of the leading television channels in India, has been launched in the UK with none other than Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan as its ambassador.

Viacom 18 Media, a joint venture between Network 18, an Indian entertainment group, and American media conglomerate Viacom, has launched Colors, its first Asian TV channel in the UK.

The launch of the 24-hour channel, which will be free-to-air at launch and then be added to Sky's View Asia platform, follows Colors' success in India.

Rajesh Kamat, chief operating officer of Viacom 18 and the chief executive of Colors, said, "I have no doubt that we will be able to replicate our success in key international markets like the US and UK."

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has been chosen to be the face of the TV channel.

Film losses are huge and often send the producers into a state of depression because of their inability to pay debts. In extreme cases, some even commit suicide. One such producer from Kollywood attempted suicide yesterday.

Sai Prakash, a noted Kannada film director, has given many hits in the past. But luck betrayed him with “Devaru Kotta Thangi”, which didn’t fare well at the box office.

He had also put his house and five other properties under mortgage reportedly to meet the film’s liabilities. He had met some repayments but was running short of two-three crores.

That film has Shivaraj Kumar and Meera Jasmine in key roles.

Bad stroke of luck for Sai
After the film’s producer Thyagaraju urged him to make the payments he owed for the film, Parakash took a heavy dose of sleeping pills on Saturday; an obvious attempt at ending his life.

He was immediately admitted in the ICU of Global Hospitals and his condition is now stable. Doctors said that Prakash is under a 24-hour observation period till Sunday.

Thyagaraju has, however, denied pressurizing him and said that he had only asked for his repayments from Sai Prakash.

It is noteworthy that Prakash had also informed many famous film personalities about his financial trauma and the desire to end his life through SMS’s before consuming sleeping pills.

Sai was also warned with undesirable consequences by the private banks which financed Devaru Kotta Thangi.

Parakash on his way to recuperation
Jayamala, who is the current president of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, told reporters that Sai was reacting well to the medicines.

A large number of film celebrities like actors Shivaraj Kumar and Nag Kiran have paid a visit to the hospital to meet Sai.

Sai’s wife Rajamma fainted upon entering the ICU and was taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital.