Movie Channels
CBFC gets CEO in Railways’ Rakesh Kumar
MUMBAI: The Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has finally found its CEO. Rakesh Kumar, who is currently a senior Divisional Personnel Officer in the Indian Railways Personnel Service (IRPS) in Vadodara has been chosen as the new CEO for three years. He steps into the shoes of former CEO Pankaja Thakur, who completed her three year term on 20 September 2013.
Press Information Bureau (PIB) Mumbai director Manish Desai had been given additional responsibility as CEO following Thakur’s departure. The CBFC had been CEO-less for almost a decade and had been run by its chairpersons until Thakur joined in 2010.
Kumar was selected after a long process for which the CBFC received many applications. About five to seven officials were shortlisted to be interviewed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and CBFC chairperson Leela Samson.
Kumar is on a Central Stopping Deputation, which means he will be on deputation to the CBFC for three years, and after that he may resume his current job. According to official sources, the appointment order came in yesterday and Kumar is set to join within a fortnight.
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.
