Cobra 11: Highway Ke Rakshak is the Hindi dubbed version of the widely accepted Cobra 11, aired on Big Thrill (Earlier Big RTL Thrill) TV Channel. It was basically a German television series and aired first on 12 March 1996. This very popular show which completed a total of 21 seasons and adapted for Indian audiences by the network BIG RTL Thrill; a channel launched by Reliance Entertainment and is currently available in 6 metro cities. This channel first started airing shows in 2012 and is centered towards male audiences between 15-34 years of age and names itself the ultimate action destination. Based on this description it started airing “Cobra 11, Highway ke Rakshak”, and received exhilarating response across the country.
Cobra 11 is an action series which involves a highway patrolling team of 2 men who solve crimes on drugs, murder, and robberies along Autobahn, which is the German motorway system with a mix of bike, car, chopper chases and crashes. There are daredevil stunts and car chases involved in every episode which makes the viewer’s adrenaline levels high and increases the anticipation for each new episode. Though sometimes lacking in storyline, the never seen before stunts more than make up for it and ensure that the viewers stay hooked. Every episode comprises of car crashes including the likes of BMWs and Porches and as per a report; Cobra 11 has crashed over 4500 cars in over 300 episodes.
Every episode is equivalent to a Rohit Shetty movie with suspense and never before seen stunts. Viewers can now enjoy watching a masala Bollywood movie in their homes; every day! “Cobra 11 Highway ke Rakshak” is produced by Wolfgang Stegemann who was the stunt director of Don 2. Its writers include the likes of Jan Martin Scharf, Thomas Letocha and Arne Nolting amongst other brilliant minds. The first season started with Johannes Brandrup who played Frank Stolte and Rainer Strecker who played Ingo Fischer, the main leads. However, Rainer Strecker had to leave the show due to unknown reasons after just two episodes, and had to be replaced by Erdogan Atalay who played Semir Gerkhan.
A lot of character changes and replacements later, currently the main leads include Vinzenz Keifer and Daniel Roesner. The show has been running for over 20 years and is rated 6.3 by IMDB and 8.1 by TV.com. Its viewership has amplified over the years, and it is perfect for the Indian audiences who like a little over the top scenes and emerge themselves in some cars, crash, and action! It is the most viewed show of the BIG RTL Thrill network, and they have ensured that they air it in their prime time slot of 9 pm due to its increased popularity. In its air time of 5 years,” Cobra 11, Highway ke Rakshak” has received some very positive reviews from Indian audiences.
The thrill and the action, have given a break from the regular shows on television, and are widely appreciated by specially the male viewers. It is not the typical soap opera, it has a bucket full of action, a good storyline and it is in Hindi. The response from states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Mumbai has been great, and the network is planning to air the show in other cities as well. The surprising factor being that the show is not just enjoyed by males but female viewers as well, thus increasing its popularity in the Indian market. So if you are up to some breathtaking action and indulging yourself in a gripping experience five days a week, this show is for you.
Tags
Big RTL Thrill