DTH
Digital cinema co. Interworld releases first production on 19 January
MUMBAI: Interworld, a digital cinema firm, has announced the release of its first movie Mr. Hot Mr. Kool on 19 January and is aiming to produce around 15 movies a year.
Mr. Hot Mr. Kool is a romantic comedy targeting college going youth and young professionals. The company says that the other movies in the pipeline would be produced keeping in mind the target audience, trends in cinema and towns with digital theaters.
Interworld Digital’s platform “DigiCine” claims to be the only platform in India which is based on high end technology and provides opportunity to show movies broadcast by various digital cinema operators in the same theater during different shows. The firm also proclaims to be the first to present a pay per use model for theater owners.
“We are proud of being India’s first Digital Cinema Company certified with ISO 9001:2000.”
The company also states in an official release that they are confident that the Motion Pictures Division will make good profits as the first venture itself has recovered the full amount even before the release of the movies by selling various rights.
Interworld is currently in the process of selecting and finalizing of the theaters in Mumbai, Delhi and UP circuit for up-gradation to show movies on digital mode. The distribution of movies to these theaters will be via satellite mode, adds the realese.
“DigiCine is end-to-end Digital Cinema Solution. Our equipments are fitted with high precision and are fit to work in extreme Indian climate of very cold, humid or hot even up to 45 degrees. We have designed and architected the equipment like Digital Servers and projectors to suit Indian environment and needs, and they are manufactured in Norway and Singapore,” says Interworld.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
