Nickelodeon was launched on 17 October 2000 and was initially picked up by Zee TV. Zee TV launched a Nickelodeon-branded programming block as part of a distribution deal between Viacom International and Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was replaced by the Cartoon Network block in 2002. In 2004 Viacom revamped Nickelodeon in India to increase its viewership, including branding it as Nick, local productions and starting Hindi feed. Viacom signed a programming deal with Sun Network in 2007 according to which Nickelodeon shows will air on Chutti TV dubbed in Tamil and Telugu. This deal was later cancelled when Nickelodeon decided to add Tamil and Telugu language tracks to their own channel. On 25 June 2010 Nick India rebranded using the current logo. It was the last major market to undergo this makeover. In 2011, Viacom 18 launched a new channel called Sonic. Initially the channel was focused on action and adventure, before switching their focus to comedy in 2016. Viacom 18 Motion Pictures distributed Keymon & Nani in Space Adventure, a film based on the Nickelodeon India series Keymon Ache in 2012. Another theatrical film, from the Motu Patlu franchise was released in Hindi and Tamil on 14 October 2016. Nick Jr. India was launched in late 2012 after being spun off from the main channel. TeenNick aired in the evenings before 1 February 2017, when it was discontinued. In 2013 the first ever Kids Choice Awards was hosted in India. On 5 December 2015, Viacom 18 launched Nickelodeon HD+, the first children's channel in high definition in India. It originates a different schedule than the main network, including previously unaired international programming such as The Legend of Korra. In 2016 Viacom 18 launched a Nick programming block named "Nick Hour" on their free-to-air channel Rishtey. The programming consists of shows like Motu Patlu, Pakdam Pakdai, The Jungle Book, Go, Diego, Go!, Keymon Ache and Chhoti Anandi. Nick India launched Kannada feed on 1 September 2018. Four additional language feeds in Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati and Malayalam were launched in 2020.
Programming
In the channel's first years of broadcasting it aired mostly original programmes from the US, such as Rugrats, Aaahh! Real Monsters, As Told by Ginger, Rocket Power, The Wild Thornberrys, ', Rocko's Modern Life, The Angry Beavers, CatDog, Hey Arnold!, The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom. The network also aired live action shows, such as Kenan & Kel, Drake & Josh, Clarissa Explains It All, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Nick Bites and many more. After the success of Nickelodeon U.S. game shows, Nick India produced two local game shows, Dum Dama Dum and Gilli Gilli Gappa. They launched J Bole Toh Jadoo, a spin-off series of 2003's Koi... Mil Gaya. The series premiered on 14 November 2005 on Children's Day. In 2006 Nick India started acquiring Japanese animated shows such as Ninja Hattori, Perman and Mighty Cat Masked Niyander. Nick started airing Colors's show Jai Shri Krishna in 2009. The show was re-edited and customized for a younger audience. They also acquired Little Krishna, an animated series produced by BIG Animation India and The Indian Heritage Foundation in May 2009. Starting in 2011, Nickelodeon India started producing local animated shows, starting with Keymon Ache and a theatrical movie based on the series. The local strategy became successful with Motu Patlu in 2012, and they later launched more local animated series like Pakdam Pakdai in 2013, Shiva in 2015, Gattu Battu in 2017 and ' in 2018. Over the years, the Indian version of Nickelodeon has been placing decreasing importance on the original shows that were created in the U.S.; several of these internationally popular programs have not had a proper run on the Indian channel, and some have been outright neglected. The channel's initial failure to gain relevance with the target audience in its first few years of broadcasting is the probable cause. Nick Jr. lacked in quality until 2012 when the dedicated channel launched and the new shows from Nick Jr. started airing. Nick India did not even broadcast live action series such as iCarly until several years later with the launch of the now-discontinued TeenNick block on Nick Jr. India. Nina Elavia Jaipuria, the head of Nickelodeon India says live action shows do not connect with the viewers as much as animated shows do, even with dubbing. She also said many of the animated Nickelodeon shows, like Rugrats did not have relevance to Indian viewers. In August 2018, Nick HD+ changed its schedule with a larger focus on original Nickelodeon shows from the US, while the standard-definition Nick channel continues to only show locally made series.
