GECs
E-City to invest Rs 3 billion, lines up Rs 1.5 billion debt
MUMBAI: E-City Entertainment (India), promoted by Subhash Chandra’s Essel Group, has lined up a debt of Rs 1.5 billion as it has earmarked an investment of Rs 3 billion for a chain of 13 multiplexes across the country.
The debt from HDFC is close to Rs 900 million while Rs 600 is from other financial institutions. “The balance investment is being made through equity,” says E-City Entertainment chief executive officer Atul Goel.
The 10 new multiplexes under the Fun Republic brand will be up by 2005-end, he adds. Five multiplexes are being planned in Delhi while one each will be in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Agra and Mumbai.
Each multiplex will have a capacity of 1,000-1,500 seats. “We will have a total of 45 screens,” says Goel. Fun Republic is already operational in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chandigarh.
E-City Entertainment is integrating its film exhibition with distribution business. The company has acquired Mask II and Alexander for $250,000 each, says Goel “We have invested $700,000 in acquiring 9 movies. The plan is to roll out 10-12 international movies a year for distribution in India.”
The company, which will start distribution of international movies, eventually plans to move to distribution of Hindi movies as well. “Once we have more control over the multiplexes and are comfortable, we will slowly graduate to the distribution of Hindi movies as well. We have to go beyond the international films, if we have to make it big,” says Goel.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
