Movie Channels
&TV presents life story of Babasaheb – ‘Ek Mahanayak – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’
MUMBAI: &TV is launching a new powerful socio-drama titled Ek Mahanayak – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Produced by Smruti Shinde’s SOBO Films, the show is an inspirational story of Babasaheb and his journey from the tender age of five, to him becoming the prime architect of the Indian constitution. The show Ek Mahanayak – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar will feature Prasad Jawade essaying the lead character of Dr. B.R Ambedkar, Aayudh Bhanushali as young Ambedkar, together with Jaggu Niwangune portraying the role of Ambedkar’s father, Neha Joshi as the Mother, Saud Mansuri as his elder brother, Athar Khan as his younger brother, Tulsa and Vanshika Yadav as his sisters amongst others. The show will premiere on 17 December 2019 at 8.30 pm, every Monday to Friday on &TV.
Talking about this new offering, &TV business head Vishnu Shankar said, “Dr BR Ambedakar laid the foundation of a unified India by bringing millions of Indians under the ambit of one nation and one constitution. His teachings and philosophy still resonate with the Indians across the country, even today. His ability to challenge and mobilize a revolution that redefined the democracy for the Indian soil made him the greatest leader of our times. We are proud to present a show on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, which is, in fact, a first for the Hindi GEC space. I’m sure his story will inspire and touch the hearts of Indians far and wide.”
Adding further, Smruti Sushilkumar Shinde, Director, SOBO Films said “Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian constitution popularly known as ‘Babasaheb’ was a great social reformer, educationist and politician. The life of Dr BR Ambedkar is an inspiring story of struggle from his birth till his last breath. We are confident that our show ‘Ek Mahanayak – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’ will be a landmark life story on what a man can achieve through his clear and evolved vision, indomitable perseverance, and determination. I do believe this television show will have an incredible connection with the audiences. Never before has a story of such a great real struggle been showcased on Indian television and it’s a great honour and a huge responsibility for my production house SOBO Films to present it along with &TV in front of a very eager audience.”
Aayudh Bhanushali, who is portraying the role of young Ambedkar said, “We have been studying Dr BR Ambedkar’s work and accomplishments in the History lessons at school. But little did I know that one day I will be privileged to essay the role of young Ambedkar on screen. Through this show, I am getting to learn and discover a lot more about him, which I wouldn’t have through the textbooks. It is a great learning experience personally and I am looking forward to it with great enthusiasm.”
Actress Neha Joshi who is making her debut with this show said, “This isn’t just my debut on Hindi Television but also my debut in the role of a mother. And I couldn’t be more honored to get an opportunity to play the role of a mother of a great man who fought all his life to remove discrimination, degradation, and deprivation from society, and went on to become the founding father of the Indian constitution. Bheema Bai (Ambedkar’s mother) was a humble woman who sincerely supported her husband and encouraged her children to do better. She wished to give them a better life and worked hard for their well-being.”
Speaking about his character and debut on Hindi Television actor Jagannath Nivangune said, “It is undoubtedly a very proud moment for me to be chosen to portray the role of Raamji, Ambedkar’s father. Bhim Rao’s eagerness to learn and his values were imbibed in him by his father. Although Raamji was a strict disciplinarian, he always worked towards the welfare of his children and wife. The shooting for the show has been underway in full swing and I am eagerly waiting for it to go on air.”
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.







