Movie Channels
HBO spices up Friday nights with ‘Double Bill’ programme initiative
HBO is all set to add juice to weekend entertainment this month by introducing HBO Friday Double Bill .Two films will be shown back to back under the programme initiatives She-Heroes at 9:30 pm, followed by After Dark.
In May, the She-Heroes programme initiative will be replaced with Kung-Fu Knights.
Interestingly, arch rival Star Movies used to have a Double Bill programme initiative on Wednesdays some time back. Two films starring one actor were shown back to back every Wednesday. The initiative was discontinued as the channel felt it would be better to concentrate on a genre each night at 9:30 pm with the exception of Fridays, when the channel telecasts premieres.
She Heroes deals with female protagonists saving the day in a variety of situations. Barb Wire sees Pamela Anderson of Baywatch fame enter the action film genre. Anjelina Jolie uses the help of a paralysed Denzel Washington to track a serial killer in The Bone Collector. Tanya Roberts plays a young girl raised by a mystical African woman using her ability to talk to animals and knowledge of jungle lore against high tech weapons of mercenaries in Sheena.
The After Dark programme initiative sees action films with a noirish feel take centrestage. Films include Second Skin with Natasha Henstridge and Angus MacFadyen, The Arena with Karen McDougal & Lisa Dergan.
Body Double deals with an actor getting involved with a murder plot in the thriller. It stars Melanie Griffith, Craig Wasson and Gregg Henry.
The Double Bill schedule
She-Heroes ( Fridays 9:30 pm)
5 April The Bone Collector
12 April The Assassin
19 April Barb Wire
26 April Sheena
After Dark
5 April Body Double 12:00 am
12 April The Arena 11:45 pm
19 April Second Skin 11:30 pm
26 April Wild Things 11:45 pm
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
