Star Plus is kicking off its programming series with high advertiser participation with the kids talent hunt show Rin Mera Star Super Star. The channel has teamed up with the FMCG major Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) for the initiative. Endemol India has been roped in as the producer of the show.

Rin Mera Star Super Star is a nationwide talent hunt dedicated to unearthing talent in children aged 5-14. The programme promises to offer a national platform for talented children to showcase their potential in three categories - singing, acting and dancing. The winning contestant will get a scholarship of Rs 5,00,000 to help him/her pursue the dream of becoming an artist or to take up future education, states an official release.

Rin Mera Star Super will be aired every Friday on Star Plus at 7:30 pm beginning September 2006.

With Rin Mera Star Super Star, HLL's brand promotion, Rin Advanced White Star Hunt, is being taken to national television. Since June, over 1,00,000 children across 22 cities have already auditioned and the entries are still coming in. Around 2,000 schools are also participating in the audition process. The top 50 kids from across the country will compete for the coveted crown on Star Plus, the release adds.

Speaking on the initiative, says Star India ad sales & distribution president Paritosh Joshi said, "This is our first show of this scale, which has focused on strategic brand solutions. And for the first time an advertiser, with the brand, Rin, is a strategic content partner. To enliven brands in the minds of consumers through content takes our partnership with advertisers to a new level, making us a partner of our advertisers."

HLL marketing manager Priya Nair adds, "Rin is all about making an impression and a talent hunt among kids is the perfect arena. Many children are blessed with amazing talent and Rin provides them with a great platform to make an impression."

Says HLL media services GM Rahul Welde, "This marks a new approach to brand building with a much higher level of engagement than the more traditional forms of commercial advertising. The launch of this show is a true win-win association for Rin and Star, providing Rin a nationwide platform from which to communicate with consumers and Star, an excellent format show to entertain its audiences".

Endemol India MD Rajesh Kamat offers, "Rin Mera Star Super Star is a combination of entertainment and branding, a concept which will be brought alive on TV in a fun and exciting show. This is one of the first local formats that we have developed and we look forward to creating many such shows for Indian television".