GECs
Channel 4’s Bollywood reality contest irks UK-Asians
MUMBAI: Channel 4’s reality television contest Bollywood Star has created a stir among the Asian community in the UK, with critics alleging that the show is the channel’s ploy to improve its ratings by cashing in on Bollywood’s fame in Britain.
The show starts on Tuesday, 1 June. The winner of the show will get a key role in a soon-to-go-on-the-floors movie to be directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
Bollywood films have been doing well in the UK box office of late with Bollywood filmmakers conceiving themes keeping the UK-Indian audience in mind. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Bombay Dreams” was a sell-out and Television stations and cinemas have been devoting special seasons to Indian films.
London-based Eastern Eye newspaper’s showbiz editor Asjad Nazir is quoted in media reports as saying “the program is a complete rip-off for Asian people.” Nazir alleges that none of the judges in the contest has top Bollywood credentials.
But, in their turn, Channel 4 has claimed that the members of the judging committee music producer Bally Sagoo, BBC Radio 1 DJ Bobby Friction, choreographer Honey Kalaria and actress Sophiya Haque had Bollywood connections.
The Channel 4 spokeswoman is quoted as saying, “instead of being simply a talent show this one allows people to deal with cultural identity in an entertainment format that lets Asian culture speak for itself.”
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.
