GECs
Lily Patel replaces late Dina Pathak in ‘Khichdi’
MUMBAI: Lily Patel the veteran Gujarati stage actress, popular as Dadima of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii has replaced Dina Pathak as Badima in Khichdi.
Dina Pathak, who passed away recently was playing the role of Badima, the great grandmother in the sitcom. Lily Patel will take over the role from episode 12 which will be telecast on 26 November.
“It was difficult to find a replacement for Dinaji. Since the comedy revolves around a Gujarati joint family, we needed a Gujarati actress in place of Dinaji. And we decided on Lily Patel who is an accomplished Gujarati theatre actress who has the ability to balance emotions and humour perfectly,” co-producer of Khichdi, Jamnadas Majethia says.
Khichdi is neither a complete sitcom nor a total soap but a blend of both in right proportion. As the title suggests, the serial is a concoction of characters and their emotions, idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes, relationships and dreams, all done to imperfect perfection in a melting pot, which happens to be their home, states the release .
“It is being appreciated a lot because it is different in terms of characterization, situations and humour and moreover, it is believable,” says Jamnadas. Written and directed by Aatish Kapadia, a well known writer-director of several hit Gujarati plays, serials and films.
A UTV and Hats Off Production, the sitcom stars Lily Patel, Anang Desai, Supriya Pathak, Raju Mehta, Vandana Pathak and Amit Verma among others. It is telecast on Star Plus every Tuesday at 8 pm.
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.
