GECs
‘Kumkum’ claims top spot in afternoon band
MUMBAI: BAG Films’ afternoon soap Kumkum – ek pyaarasa bandhan has beaten the veterans of the soap genre with its unprecedented success in the mid-day slot.
Following a timing change (from 3.30 pm to 1 pm) in November 2002, the soap’s ratings have catapulted to over six, claims the production house. “In only three months Kumkum crossed the 5 TRP barrier and couple of weeks later, two out of four episodes have 6+ TRP, while the remaining two hover around 5.9. This has been the trend for the last three weeks and this week i.e. on 28th March the TRPs are 7+ and 6+,” says the shows creative consultant Sharad Raj. The total market TRP for Kumkum in the week just ended stood at 4.19.
Kumkum has overshadowed heavyweight afternoon shows like UTV’s Bhabhi and Shagun to claim four spots in the top 50 shows in C&S households in the week ended 22 March. While Kumkum debuts at number 23, Bhabhi, the closest rival in the afternnon band, comes in at number 33. Both grapple with the emotional bonding and the consequent conflicts that arise out of “bhabhi – devar” (brother in law – sister in law) relationships.
Raj says Kumkum has the potential to be a 300 plus episode, given the interesting twists and turns the plot is going through. Sumit, the devar, who is now KumKum’s husband, was engaged to his girlfriend Renuka, who will go on to become a vamp of the serial and make life miserable for Sumit and Kumkum. Apart from this, the Wadhwa family who was already planning Kumkum’s marriage to her college friend, Vishal will also not rest in peace.
As a strategy, Raj says the team of writers is shuffled regularly to bring freshness to the show. Launched on 15 July 2002, Kumkum is unique in that the satellite telecast rights of the serial will revert to the production house a year after it completes its run on Star Plus.
Raj points out that sceptics initially ran down the look of the show (designed by Omung Kumar with light design by Binod Pradhan) saying that a long and wide corridor would be wasted on television. Kumkum , on the other hand, proved that depth could be effectively used on the small screen as well.
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.
