GECs
Colors to kick off IIFA festivities from 28 June
MUMBAI: With various elements including music, fashion and films coming together, Colors is set to bring the celebration of excellence in Indian cinema to television screens.
Celebrating excellence in Indian cinema for the year gone by, Videoncon d2h IIFA is all set to give viewers a visual treat during the week long entertainment bonanza.
Be it IIFA Rocks, IIFA Buzz or the 16th S-Cross IIFA Awards, Colors will present viewers with a unique taste of entertainment which promises to alter the overall television experience.
The frenzy starts on 28 June with IIFA Rocks at 8 pm and continues well into the weekdays with a special segment called IIFA Buzz, at 6 pm from Monday to Saturday, highlighting the experiences of the favourite Bollywood stars while in Kuala Lumpur leading up to the S-Cross IIFA Awards Night on 5 July, 2015.
Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “The IIFA Weekend witnesses the coming together of the entire film industry creating for a visually magnificent moment for our viewers. Through a combination of visually rich moments at IIFA Rocks, IIFA Buzz, IIFA Awards Green Carpet and main event we are looking forward to showcasing the ultimate entertainment content that has never been seen before. Catering to South Asian audiences across 135 countries will enable us to amplify the overall IIFA experience thereby enhancing viewer engagement.”
Wizcraft Entertainment International director Sabbas Joseph added, “This year’s IIFA Weekend saw Indian cinema in all its splendor, with the creme de la creme of the industry attending and some of the most incredible performances, viewers are in for a night of real cinematic magic. Arjun and Ranveer have surpassed all expectation as hosts and the festivities both on and off-stage brought out the true spirit of IIFA which has always been to celebrate the phenomenon that is Bollywood. 2015 has seen yet another successful IIFA and another year of recognizing and applauding very best of Indian cinema.”
The on-air festivities will kick off with a quick recap of IIFA over the years through IIFA Flashback on 28 June at 5 pm reminding viewers about the best moments that have made IIFA the formidable brand that it has become. Following closely, viewers will also get a quick glimpse of what is in store for them at the #IIFA2015Weekend with IIFA Weekend with the Stars on the same day at 7 pm.
The true celebration of the Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend will commence with IIFA Rocks – a celebration of music and technical excellence to be aired at 8 pm. The evening, hosted by Ayushmann Khurana and Parineeti Chopra, witnessed stellar performances by Sonakshi Sinha – who made her live singing debut, Jacqueline Fernandez, Mika Singh, Nooran Sisters, Javed Ali, Aditi Rao Hydari, Lisa Hayden, Ankit Tiwari and Kanika Kapoor among others.
The revelry will continue well into the week as the channel will air a special entertainment series titled IIFA Buzz, Monday to Saturday at 6 pm starting 29 June. IIFA Buzz will witness some of the biggest faces in Bollywood such as Hrithik Roshan, Lisa Hayden, Parineeti Chopra, Ayushmann Khurana, Shraddha Kapoor, and Neha Dhupia among others live the experiences of Malaysia in the company of Sana Khan, Karan Tacker and Pritam Singh.
The key highlight to behold, though, will be the 16th S-Cross IIFA Awards Green Carpet and Main Awards to be aired on 5 July, where the celebrations will hit a crescendo. The Green Carpet will witness some fun and engaging activities soothing the nervous minds as they head for the awards function.
The main event will witness the presence of the entire film industry as they come together to recognise acting and filmmaking prowess. To be hosted by Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, the event will feature performances by Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Parineeti Chopra, Shraddha Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. The IIFA Fashion Extravaganza, set to be aired on 12 July, will celebrate the latest trends and fashion, and will be hosted by Neha Dhupia and Vivek Oberoi.
For the record, the Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend was held between 5-7 June, 2015 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Technical Awards presented at IIFA Rocks and the Filmmaking Awards given away at the 16th S-Cross IIFA Awards recognized and acknowledged the astute prowess that has put Indian cinema on the global map.
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.
