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Filmy marketing campaign breaks on 26 Jan; official launch 12 February
MUMBAI: The Rs 2.5 billion-strong Hindi movie channel space will welcome its fifth player when Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited officially launches Filmy on 12 February.
As already reported on Indiantelevision.com, Filmy will begin beaming on 26 January, but initially as a test feed.
Instead of the tried and tested five-movie per day strategy, Filmy will telecast three movies per day and film-based programmes will occupy the rest of the space.
Shantonu Aditya & Ashutosh with the Filmy anchors’
Filmy will indulge viewers in a mix of narrative and humorous programming, which, the channel claims as its key USP. The channel has created three anchors to drive the programming formats.
“We are upbeat about the way Filmy looks and feels, and about its innovative content and style of presenting Hindi movies on television. We are confident that the channel will help our network of entertainment businesses deliver even better on its promise of ‘Entertaining India,’” states Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited CEO Shantonu Aditya.
“Filmy is a unique entertainment channel with a focus on Hindi movies. It will have strong original programming in innovative formats to complement the movie content,” adds Filmy business head Ashutosh.
The channel will offer its daily dose of three movies at 10 am, 3 pm and 8 pm. A big movie will be telecast every Sunday in the 8 pm slot. According to Filmy marketing and content head Shailesh Kapoor, the channel has an aggressive strategy for the weekends.
“On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the 8 pm movie will be packaged with lots of interactive features. Our anchors will engage the viewers with a variety of wrap-around programming. The whole experience will take almost four hours,” Kapoor says, adding that Filmy will have two world premieres every month on Sundays at 3 pm.
Filmy has identified its target group (TG) as CS4+ Hindi speaking markets (HSM). “However, the channel will be more skewed towards SEC A and B,” adds Kapoor.
MARKETING STRATEGY
The first phase of the marketing campaign for Filmy will kick off on 26 January while the theatre campaign breaks on the next day. “The channel will be promoted outside the Sahara Network in channels such as Aaj Tak, NDTV, Headlines Today, Channel7, MTV and Cartoon Network. The on-air campaign will also run in cable channels across the country,” states Kapoor.
Another publicity initiative, The Filmy Yatra, will cover 30 cities in 45 days. The channel will have popular films stars as well as film-makers associating with the Yatra, according to Kapoor.
“Filmy will be promoted through upcoming films. We will have various programming as well as marketing initiatives around these films. We will be running contests and other activities through this initiative,” states Kapoor.
An outdoor campaign will be unveiled in 10 cities in the Hindi speaking markets. Radio also has been involved as the channel has associated with all the leading FM stations in eight cities.
Also read:
Filmy promises different menu for movie buffs, launches 26 January
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
