Music and Youth
B4U Movies launches 2 October; plans to go pay in January at Rs6.50 sticker price
Sticking to a schedule laid out at the end of July, B4U Entertainment Channel becomes B4U Movies on 2 October 2001, it was announced today.
And wasting no time, the plan is to encrypt B4U Movies by November, Debashis Dey, chief distribution officer, B4U Television Network Ltd, says. According to Dey: “The proposed date for going pay is sometime in January ’02. We feel that two months will be a reasonably good period for viewers to sample the channel.” However, sister channel B4U Music will remain free-to-air a la MTV.
“After going pay in January the average rate per subscriber per month is proposed at Rs. 6.50p. We also feel that our channel will be a refreshing change, as it is not clustered by a bouquet of unwanted content, which currently the operators are forced to subscribe to,” says Dey.
As for the programme line-up, current titles include – Lajja, Devdas, Suno Sasurji, Pyaar Deewana Hota Hai, Baas Itna Sa Khwab Hai, Daraar, Silsila Hai Pyaar Ka, Mohabbat, Beti No 1, among others, apart from hit films like Taal, Josh, Jungle, etc and old classics.
B4U Movies will telecast three hits per week – a Friday premiere, a Saturday blockbuster and a Sunday classic. In addition a super-hit ‘Movie Of The Month’ will be screened, says Dey.
“In between films we intend to showcase a host of Bollywood based shows, highlighting film shooting, the studios and the classic films attached with them, Bollywood masala, gossip, behind the scenes, raw cuts, countdowns, market, flops, hits, comedies, super stars, and many more unique programmes in innovative formats,” Says Dey.
Among the shows that are planned are:
Lehren – A Bollywood video magazine. The long running and popular ‘Lehren’, will provide updates on Bollywood and the stars.
Studio Beat – A weekly round up from the studios in Mumbai. Using archival footage and interviews with old timers, stories around the studios that made the industry what it is today.
Superhit Hungama – A weekly countdown show set in exotic locations. Money Talkies – An update of the industry that throws light on the losers and the winners.
Box Office – A weekly update on collections and performance, reviews and analyses from trade pundits.
Shot Cut – Full length films cut down to half an hour, keeping only key scenes intact.
Director’s Cut – Interviews with directors.
Stardom – profiles the stars.
Riot – The show presents some of the most hilarious scenes in Hindi movies. Countdown Café – The Indipop countdown that brings to you the best 10 tracks of the week. Ghazals, Punjabi Pop, Remixes and more.
South Side Story – Film update and news from southern India.
The Preview – Previews of the movies to be telecast on B4U.
Rushes – Daily updates on recent events in Bollywood.
The B4U Network is promoted by steel magnate L M Mittal, Kishore Lulla and Gokul Binani, all based in the UK. Lulla is also the promoter of Eros International LTD, the largest overseas film distributor and the first to take Hindi movies to the UK and the US.
Music and Youth
TLC launches ‘World On My Plate’ with Shipra Khanna
New travel-food series premieres 29 March at 7:00 PM.
MUMBAI: Shipra Khanna just packed her bags and her flavours because when a celebrated chef takes you on a global plate tour, even the couch starts feeling like first-class. Warner Bros. Discovery India has announced the launch of World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna, a new travel and food series set to premiere on TLC on 29 March at 7:00 PM. Hosted and curated by the popular chef and television personality, the show blends food, travel and culture through an intimate and immersive lens.
Across three visually rich episodes, Shipra journeys to global destinations to explore not just what people eat, but why they eat it, uncovering the stories, traditions and human connections behind every dish. The series opens in London, weaving its iconic landmarks with diverse culinary scenes, before moving to Spain’s vineyards, olive orchards and coastal kitchens.
Warner Bros. Discovery head of advertising revenues for South Asia Tanaz Mehta said: “At TLC, our focus has always been on bringing authentic stories that reflect how people live and connect. World On My Plate builds on this by using food as a lens to explore shared traditions across geographies. We’re excited to collaborate with Chef Shipra Khanna, whose perspective brings both depth and relatability to these narratives.”
Shipra Khanna added, “Food has always been my way of connecting with people and understanding cultures. With World On My Plate, I’ve had the opportunity to step into new worlds, learn from incredible individuals, and share stories that go far beyond the plate. This show is very special to me.”
The series promises strong visual storytelling, meaningful interactions and a fresh perspective on global cuisine celebrating flavours alongside the emotions and traditions that shape them.
In a world where travel shows often feel like distant postcards, Shipra Khanna is serving up something far more personal: a passport to cultures through their kitchens, proving that the best way to understand a place is still through the plate. Tune in to World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna starting 29 March at 7:00 PM on TLC.
