Viacom MTV International’s African drama series MTV Shuga will be localised for India as MTV Nishedh. The series, a project of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, focuses on such issues as family planning, safe sex and HIV.
Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong O’ had starred in MTV Shuga in its first two seasons.
Georgia Arnold, the executive director of MTV Staying Alive Foundation, told Hollywood Reporter. “By going global with MTV Shuga and bringing this format to new countries, we are committed to challenging misconceptions and inspiring our audiences to talk openly and honestly about their sexual health, while also mobilizing them to take action to access the services they need.”
The Hollywood Reporter had also earlier reported about a preliminary study conducted by The World Bank that revealed that the viewers of MTV Shuga were twice as likely to get tested for HIV. “Seeing the show led to improved knowledge of ways of HIV transmission and of antiretrovirals, including a decrease in myths related to HIV transmission like eating from the same pot, sharing toilets, shaking hands, the World Bank found,” explained the article. “It also led to improved knowledge of HIV testing: respondents in the treatment group were 43 percent more likely to know about the three months waiting period (10.1 percent in the control vs 14.5 percent in the treatment group).”
