GECs
Annu Kapoor returns to the small screen with ‘Family Antakshri’
NEW DELHI: Sab has become the most profitable channel of the Sony chain with a revenue growth of 900 per cent in the last seven and a half years, according to senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor.
Speaking on the sidelines of a new series being launched by Sab, he said viewership had gone up by 600 per cent in the same period in what he termed as the only channel that telecasts comedy and light-hearted family entertainment in the country.
While the daily original programming is around three hours, the weekly programming is of twenty hours.
Renowned character actor Annu Kapoor who is remembered for his ‘Antakshari’ series he launched, said he had always had an interest in music and ran the original series for thirteen years before other channels came up with other ideas for music-filled reality shows.
Anooj Kapoor accompanied by Annu Kapoor announced the launch of a special Antakshari show on Sab that will involve the entire family from the youngest member to the grandparents in a fun-filled melodic musical game show titled Family Antakshari- Baithe Baithe Kya Kare.
The show by Gajendra Singh from Saaibaba Productions will have Annu Kapoor seated on the prestigious position of Shri Antakshari, to be hosted by the talented Mantra and multi-faceted Sugandha Mishra.
The one hour show will be aired on weekends at 8 pm from 27 September. The game will involve multiple interactive rounds with the contestants and the audience.
Anooj Kapoor said,“At Sab we are always eager to offer innovative content to our loyal viewers. With Family Antakshari, we are presenting the traditional activity in a different style to involve every member of the family in the game. True to the channel’s brand ideology of ‘Asli Mazaa Sab Ke Saath Aata Hai’, the show will highlight the positives of the joint family system. Participating families will enjoy Antakshari as they will be taken through a joyful ride of symphonies along with Annu Kapoor, Mantra and Sugandha. Gajendra has tasted success with his music shows across different genres and I am positive he shall repeat the same with Sab’s Family Antakshari. ”
Singh said that the activity is loved by all irrespective of age. Says he, “We have designed innovative rounds to test the knowledge of our participants. Families across the country shall love to watch the show and be a part of the musical fest.”
Family Antakshari will comprise multiple unique rounds for the contesting families such as the karaoke round ‘bol ho gaye gol’ where the participants will be shown songs with missing words and they would need to sing the complete version. Another round, ‘Nautanki’, involves anchors enacting a famous scene/dance step from a movie and the participants need to guess and sing any song from that particular movie. A competition is not over without a fast-paced buzzer round, ‘Har Dhun kuchh kehti hai’ where participants need to identify the tune and sing the correct song. Another round would be ‘Aao Twist karein’.
‘AnnuJi Ki Googly’, a special round will have the judge fielding different questions and clues about Hindi movies and songs to the participating families and they will have to identify the same and sing the correct song to win points.
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.
