'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' Improv Comedy to Get Indian Version

NEW DELHI – U.K.-based Hat Trick International, the distribution arm of U.K. independent production company Hat Trick Productions, has partnered with leading TV production entity Miditech to bring popular improvisational comedy TV show, Whose Line Is It Anyway? to India.
The alliance sees both companies developing the comedy brand across television and live events.
 
Whose Line Is It Anyway? started off as a radio programme in the U.K. before it debuted on Channel 4 in 1988. The show's American version aired on ABC in the late Nineties hosted by Drew Carey featuring Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie, among other guest performers.

The show's format consists of a panel of four performers who create short-form improvisational sketches of characters, scenes, games and songs on the spot, some based on audience suggestions.

“The potential for Whose Line in India is huge, both through television and live events as the comedy market in India expands. Miditech is the ideal partner for us as their track record in bringing internationally renowned formats to India is second to none. We look forward to seeing Whose Line on Indian screens in 2012,” said Hat Trick International group commercial director Paul Cohen.

“This past year alone Miditech has been instrumental in bringing some of the biggest formats in the world such as Survivor and The Voice to India. Whose Line is it Anyway? is a big step for us because it is not just about bringing another global television brand to India, it's the relationship with Hat Trick and their comedy expertise that excites us even more. The stand up comedy market is really the next big thing in entertainment and we hope to play a major part in it,” said Miditech head of development Nivedith Alva.
 
New Delhi-headquartered Miditech was founded in 1995 by the brothers Niret and Nikhil Alva. In addition to producing a variety of shows and game formats for leading broadcasters such as BBC, Star, Zee TV, Viacom18 and Sony TV, among others, Miditech also ventured into broadcasting via a joint venture with Turner Entertainment to launch Real Global Broadcasting.