Television
Samsung TV Plus launches comedy channel as India FAST play marks 5 years
Kings of Comedy brings Kapil Sharma hits to free streaming platform
GURUGRAM: Samsung TV Plus has launched a new dedicated comedy channel, Kings of Comedy, bringing together some of India’s most popular primetime shows as it celebrates five years of its free ad-supported streaming service in the country.
Available exclusively on Samsung Smart TVs, the channel features back-to-back episodes of hit shows such as Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra and Comedy Nights Bachao, all accessible without subscriptions or logins. The move positions the platform as a stronger player in India’s fast-growing FAST segment, where ease of access and familiar content are key drivers of viewership.
The launch also marks a milestone moment for Samsung TV Plus, which has seen significant traction over the past five years. The service reported a 42 per cent increase in monthly active users in India, while total viewing hours have more than doubled during the same period. It now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages, spanning news, films, entertainment and infotainment.
With Kings of Comedy, the platform is doubling down on Hindi general entertainment, a category that continues to drive mass appeal. The curated channel format allows viewers to access familiar, high-recall shows in a lean-back television experience, without the friction of search or subscription barriers.
“Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV,” said Samsung TV Plus general manager, head of business development Kunal Mehta. “Five years in, our focus remains the same. Take the content people know and make it effortless to access on connected television. No subscription, no friction, just great TV.”
Globally, the momentum is equally strong. Samsung TV Plus recently crossed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, reinforcing its position as one of the leading free streaming platforms worldwide.
As competition intensifies across OTT and connected TV ecosystems, Samsung’s latest move underscores a simple but effective playbook: combine nostalgia-driven content with zero-cost access. With Kings of Comedy, the platform is betting that when it comes to entertainment, laughter and convenience can be a winning duo.
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
