GECs
Balaji Telefilms plans to set up 3 studios
MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms is planning to set up its own studios in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad in a phased manner. The production house will also continue with its existing arrangement of utilising studios on a long-term lease basis.
“We are in the process of identifying land for studio space in Goregaon, a western suburb of Mumbai. We will then look at Chennai and Hyderabad,” says Balaji Telefilms president of strategy and business development R Karthik. The investments will depend on the acquisition cost of land, he adds.
The need for owning studios comes in the wake of Balaji’s plans to scale up its television production business. With new channel launches, the company expects the demand for content even in the regional languages to increase dramatically. Besides Hindi content, Balaji has a strong presence in the Sun Network channels.
Balaji Telefilms is expanding its programming hours with two soaps lined up for Hindi general entertainment channels Sony and Zee TV.
The show on Sony will be a daily and is expected to go on air by April. The Zee show is also likely to be launched at that time and air at least thrice a week, says Karthik. The titles of these shows are yet to be finalised.
The production house will also have a new programme on Malayalam channel Surya TV in April, taking the number of shows in the southern language to eight.
The popular one-year running Kkavyanjali on Gemini will be replaced with a fresh Balaji programme on 16 March. Kaarthikadipam will air at 9.30 pm.
Balaji Telefilms will also be producing shows for Sun Network’s Bangla channel Surjo which is slated for launch this year, says Karthik.
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.
