GECs
‘LOTR’, ‘Spiderman’ dominate MTV awards’ nominees list
NEW YORK: The high profile Oscars may be over and done with but the action concerning what some consider the coolest movie awards show, is about to kick off.
Now in its 12th year, the MTV Video Movie Awards will be taped on 31 May at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Indian viewers should be able to catch the event sometime in June.
Readers may recall that last year’s show set a new record with an average of over seven million viewers. Eight million fans cast their vote last year on the website mtv.com. This year’s show will be seen in 166 countries / territories through 84 channels and in 17 languages in over 380 million households.
The second instalment in the Lord of The Rings trilogy The Two Towers and Spiderman bagged five nominations each. Besides these two, another competitor in the best film category is Curtis Hanson’s rap themed provocation 8 Mile with Eminem. Interestingly, Oscar winner for Best Picture Chicago failed to make the cut. What doesn’t come as a surprise is that mature films like Far From Heaven, The Hours which are not easy to watch and which a large part of MTV’s audience will have some trouble coming to grips with being left off the list. In an effort to tip its hat towards the latest advances in film making, MTV has announced a new category Best Virtual Performance. Here you will find the likes of LOTR’s Gollum whose onscreen split personality was a treat to watch as well as Dobby the house elf in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets.
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.
