GECs
Endemol Shine India buys the rights for Richa S. Mukherjee’s Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt. Ltd
MUMBAI : Harper Collins India is thrilled to announce that author Richa Mukherjee’s new novel, Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt. Ltd, published in August this year, has been purchased by Endemol Shine India in a pre-empt. Endemol Shine India buys the rights for Richa S. Mukherjee’s Kanpur Khoofiya Pvt. Ltd Mumbai-based agency The Story Ink was the advisor on the deal.
Published in partnership with Black Ink, bestselling writer Ravinder Singh’s imprint, Kanpur Khoofiya… is a crime-fiction adventure laced with humour and intrigue. It involves two protagonists – a small-town private investigator, Prachand Tripathi and his wife, Vidya Tripathi. When a curious new case requires them to tail a movie actress, and she goes missing, the couple find themselves under the glare of the police and must put their skills to the test before they become victims of a dangerous game.
Endemol Shine India CEO Abhishek Rege said, ‘We at Endemol Shine India are always on the lookout for stories and characters that are authentic, relatable and enjoyable. For a while now we have been focused on developing quality content, not just for the Indian market but something that would elicit curiosity across the world. Kanpur Khoofiya is such a story that works across mediums and geographies. This book’s wide appeal is what caught our attention when we were first introduced to it by The Story Ink. Richa S. Mukherjee has brought alive a wonderfully earthy and vibrant tale set in a small-town milieu, rarely seen in the detective genre, that is such an international favourite. Authentically Indian yet globally relevant, Prachand Tripathi, is a character from the heartland of the country that everyone will identify with and definitely want to watch.’
Author Richa S. Mukherjee said, ‘The relentless dreams of this intrepid detective from Gwaltoli aren’t his alone. We’ve toiled, laughed and cried together! And there can be no greater joy for a writer to witness the characters and stories they’ve conjured, take form and materialize on screen and reaching a wider audience. I’m humbled that so many wonderful people share this dream and I can’t wait to see the Tripathis thrill and entertain viewers with their antics!’
Black Ink Books publisher Ravinder Singh said, ‘The reviews of this book online would tell why the story deserves to be taken to those who don’t read books. This combination of humour and thriller, so well crafted by Richa S. Mukherjee, must unfold in an audio and video format. Prachand Tripathi, the clumsy detective and protagonist, can make the adaptation of Kanpur Khoofiya…stand at par with Johnny English and Pink Panther.’
Diya Kar, publisher and rights director, HarperCollins India, said, ‘We are delighted that the Tripathis of Kanpur will soon come alive on screen. Richa S. Mukherjee is a natural storyteller—Endemol Shine India has picked a winner!’
This is the first-ever option deal for Mukherjee, whose debut novel, I Didn’t Expect to Be Expecting, a hilarious take on pregnancy, was published in 2018.
Endemol Shine India has previously optioned several books published by HarperCollins India, including Yudhanjaya Wijeratne’s Numbercaste, Arjun Raj Gaind’s Maharaja Mystery trilogy and Shweta Taneja’s Anantya Tantrist trilogy.
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.
