English Entertainment
HBO to air the concluding part of the ‘LOTR’ saga next month
MUMBAI: On 21 July 2006 at 9 pm HBO will air the concluding part in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy The Lord Of The Rings. The third part The Return Of the King sees Frodo played by Elijah Wood and his best friend Sam played by Sean Astin attempt to destroy the ring at Mount Doom.
Meanwhile the evil Lord Sauron sets his eye on the final stronghold Minas Tirith. Frodo in his journey to destroy the ring grows weaker as the ring tries to take control of him. Although Gollum is leading Frodo and Sam towards Mount Doom the creature cannot be trusted as his mind has been corrupted by the ring. The movie won 11 Oscars including picture and director.
HBO will also air its original movie Something The Lord Made on 4 July at 9 pm. The film stars Alan Rickman and Mos Def. Working in 1940s Baltimore on a technique for performing heart surgery on blue babies Dr. Alfred Blalock and lab technician Vivien Thomas played by Mos Def form a strong team. They invent a new field of medicine thus savuing thousands of lives. However social pressures put a strain on the relationship.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
