GECs
Discovery buys cookery show from SBS for India, Asia
MUMBAI: Discovery has bought the show Feast India from Australian television firm SBS International. The show has been bought for Discovery India as well as Discovery Travel & Living in the UK, Italy and Asia and Discovery Real Time in France
The show follows a chef’s culinary tour of India. Feast India is a lush, colourful glimpse into Indian culture, food and customs, presented by English-born chef, Barry Vera. Vera savours the surprising delights of simple street food and the amazing variety of tantalizing regional cuisine.
He immerses himself in the diverse cultural influences that make each area of India so distinct. From a Sikh temple kitchen in Delhi, where up to 70,000 meals are served each day, to life in a tribal desert village in Rajasthan, from vibrant markets and spice bazaars, to a traditional village wedding, a heady cardamom auction, to the chaotic buzz of Mumbai’s beach carnivals and the eerie silence of a salt mine.
As Vera says, ” India for me is a vast, brilliantly colourful, incredibly diverse, and intensely beautiful country. When it was initially discussed that the first series of ‘Feast’ was to be filmed in India, I knew it was going to be a big challenge, but with an open mind I felt ready for the challenge.
“Feast India perhaps will give you a small glimpse of India . You could spend years filming there and still not capture all of what India is truly about. I was amazed at how generous and welcoming the people were, and I made many new friends along the way.
“Everyday I would stand on a street corner and have my morning cup of fresh chai, maybe flavoured with ginger or cardamom and contemplate what new discoveries the day ahead would bring. What ingredients I had found and how I would use them in new recipes when I returned home.
“Chai was one of those discoveries; that beautiful sweet flavour was so refreshing, especially sometimes in the intense and humid heat. I have since made a chai ice cream with ginger cookies, which is currently on my menu in the restaurant and has proved to be very popular, along with a fabulous South Indian fish curry and coconut rice. The great thing is that these recipes are simple to prepare but taste wonderful.
“I now have India in my blood, from the lush green of the South to the aromatic spice plantations of the Western Ghats, to the organised chaos of Mumbai, the mystical and enchanting desert villages of Rajasthan and the history of Delhi.”
Discovery Home & Health UK has also licensed SBSI’s Everyone Loves a Wedding. Everyone Loves a Wedding explores what weddings are really like in Australia today – where wedding customs are as mixed as our cultural makeup.
At no other time are cultural traditions celebrated with such passion as at a wedding. While a wedding is a milestone for the bride and groom, it also provides a context in which their families and communities can share in the celebrations. Red-brick houses in Aussie suburbia provide the backdrop for a rich mix of multicultural rituals and colourful tradition.
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.
