English Entertainment
‘Desperate Housewives’, Garner triumph at Sag Awards
MUMBAI: ABC’s sitcom Desperate Housewives, which turned around the fortunes of the network, has won big at the Screen Actors Guild (Sag) awards held on Saturday night.
It won for best ensemble in a comedy series as well as for its lead Teri Hatcher. In India, the event aired on Zee English on 6 February.
Meanwhile Jennifer Garner who stars in the action packed Alias, also picked up an award in the drama category. When Garner was asked how she stayed grounded amid the madness of celebrity, she said, “If you’re normal, you’re normal. If you have a little bit of crazy in you, this (all the press attention) can exacerbate it. If you’re normal, with a little crazy, like me, hopefully you lean toward the okay side.”
Garner also suggested that there should be stricter laws legislated against celebrity photographers. “I think we need to work on some laws to handle the growing problem with the papparazzi in this country. Winning the Sag Award reminded me that I am not just an action chick. When I trained as an actor, I learned to speak lines and engage in scenes. When we shoot Alias what we’re really doing is reading scenes by JJ Abrams and being directed by people like Ken Olin and our wonderful stable of directors.”
Tony Shalhoub who won for playing the title role in Monk took time out to thank the guest stars who appeared in select episodes. He noted that it was not easy for someone to come in and straight away connect with the story as well as have a good rapport with the director, cast and crew who work daily with each other.
The Oscars are the next stop on 27 February. If the Sag vote is any indication then it is going to be a close call to choose between The Aviator, Million Dollar Baby and Sideways. The last name took everybody by surprise by winning the award for best ensemble in a motion picture at the Sag Awards.
Last month the Producers Guild had chosen The Aviator as the best film of 2004. Complicating affairs is Clint Eastwood’s win at the Directors Guild of America awards. Besides directing Eastwood also stars in Million Dollar Baby. He also composed the music for the film.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
