Movie Channels
Zee Studio to show entire gamut of movie genre
MUMBAI: Zee Studio with its recent rebranding has decided to take forward its previous philosophy of ‘Hollywood on Television’ to the next level with its new tagline ‘See it all’. The channel in its bid to stand out in a cluttered environment decided to rebrand in order to provide an opportunity to Indian viewers, access to the biggest Hollywood films.
Zeel vice president and business head Anurag Bedi informs, “Our positioning is unique; we are not talking about just premieres, or a certain genre of movies, but staying true to See It All. The new brand look and ideology focuses on younger audiences and we wish to create a niche audience base with the refreshed look and high quality content.”
When asked what research was undertaken by the channel before deciding a makeover, Bedi says, “As a result of our research we observed certain changes in consuming pattern like popularity of Hollywood movies growing more than ever in the country. In our effort to offer best content to the viewers, we decided to renew our identity completely. The new look is even more technologically sound and the movie viewing experience is heightened.” The channel has partnerships with leading studios like Disney and Paramount.
The channels target audience is young urban movie enthusiasts, primarily males, residing in the metros. The channel has seen good growth in the key metros and in the 1 million plus towns as well. It has managed to bring in new consumers from the tier II towns as well says Bedi.
The channel has renewed its library with a line-up of movies from genres like action, animation and comedy. The channel had previously come up with the property ‘Death By Laughter’. The other is ‘The One Movie You Must Watch’ and has launched a property called ‘Premier Action’ showcasing a big action movie of the month. With a new look, the channel has a strong line up this October including channel premieres such as How To Train Your Dragon, Lincoln, Shrek Forever After and Shutter Island. The new look comes just ahead of the festive season. It has launched a festival property ‘Studio Dynamite’ which will include blockbusters such as Mission Impossible, Transformers, Avengers etc. In the past, Marvels The Avengers, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Transformers: Dark of the Moon have worked well for the channel.
The afternoon 1 pm slot has performed well for the channel especially on the weekends where it has viewership which is comparable to the evening primetime slot according to Bedi. Larger than life movies, legendary characters and onscreen iconography will be used to leverage the popularity of some of the iconic characters and famous actors.
To promote the refresh, the channel has worked out a 360 degree communication plan. This includes print ads, TV commercials, outdoor campaigns and innovative social media contests and engagement. To create visibility for the brand the channel is in the middle of a large outdoor campaign across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore which announces their new ideology.
It has kept outdoor as a part of their marketing plans for their big ticket movies. A 10 feet tall Transformer model (Optimus Prime) has been placed at key locations, where one could click pictures with the model. Additionally there will be photo-booths wherein people can click pictures that can be superimposed on backgrounds from movies of their line up. As part of the campaign, Zee Studio will be reaching out to over 30 trade media agencies across these cities.
On the digital front Zee Studio is promoting its refresh via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The channel is running a contest for its viewers wherein they have to answer questions while watching movies and win gadgets such as iPhones and iPads. This contest has been running for first fifteen days of the refresh. On a parting note, Bedi says that their social media presence has increased as they currently have 1.4 million fans on Facebook and over 60,000 followers on Twitter.
Movie Channels
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat Premieres 14 Feb on Zee
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat world TV premiere 14 Feb at 8pm passion meets politics.
MUMBAI: Cupid’s arrow just got a plot twist and it’s heading straight for your TV screen. This Valentine’s Day, Zee Cinema is turning up the heat with the world television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, a raw, rule-breaking romantic drama that proves love doesn’t always come wrapped in roses.
Set to air on Saturday, 14 February at 8pm, the film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, directed by Milap Zaveri. It dives headfirst into obsession, heartbreak, and the kind of unconditional love that leaves scorch marks. Rane plays Vikramaditya, a powerful politician whose all-consuming passion for actress Adaa spirals into chaos when his feelings go unreturned unleashing a storm of emotion, misunderstanding, and life-altering consequences.
The timing couldn’t be sharper. Audiences are clearly craving intense love stories over sugar-coated ones, and this film taps straight into that vein. Harshvardhan Rane already has a loyal fanbase from his cult hit Sanam Teri Kasam, which cemented his status as the go-to guy for heart-wrenching romance especially among younger viewers who keep the film on repeat.
Milap Zaveri captured the film’s beating heart, “This film is about love that doesn’t follow rules. With Valentine’s Day being a time when audiences gravitate towards romantic narratives, the television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat on Zee Cinema felt like the perfect fit. The continued love for intense romances shows there is a strong emotional appetite for such stories.”
Rane himself called it a story rooted in messy, honest emotion, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat explores love in its most intense and vulnerable form where emotions are messy and deeply human. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from passion or pain on Valentine’s Day making it even more special as it reflects the many shades of love people experience.”
Sonam Bajwa added her take, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is not a conventional love story, it’s raw, intense and emotional. Valentine’s Day is usually associated with happy romance but this film explores love in its most vulnerable form.”
So if your Valentine’s plans include more than chocolates and clichés, tune in to Zee Cinema at 8pm on 14 February. Because sometimes the most unforgettable love stories aren’t the ones that end neatly, they’re the ones that leave you questioning just how far passion can push before everything changes.
