Movie Channels
74.5 million tune in to ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ TV premiere on Star Gold
MUMBAI: A staggering 74.5 million people across the country tuned into the television premiere of the Salman Khan starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan on Star Gold, which is close to three times the number of people that watched the movie in theatres.
According to the all India data (Urban + Rural) provided by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India, Star Gold emerged as the number one movie channel in the Hindi movie genre riding on the back of the world television premiere of Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
Star Gold grabbed the first position in the genre with 486374 (000Sums). The film has garnered a whopping 25 million TVTs (HSM CS 4+ Urban and Rural), an unprecedented number in the history of Indian television.
Star India Hindi movie business executive vice president and general manager Hemal Jhaveri said, “Staying true to our brand identity, Home of Blockbusters, Star Gold promises to bring the biggest films to its viewers within a short span of their theatrical release. We are overwhelmed by the response on Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The film’s ratings are a strong validation that our strategy is aligned with the viewers’ demands. At Star Gold, we stand committed to our viewers and trade partners in our promise of bringing the biggest blockbusters on television.”
The channel had rolled out a massive marketing campaign for the premiere. After its premiere on television, Star also made available the movie on its over the top (OTT) platform Hotstar.
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.
