Movie Channels
MHA asks TN government to revoke its order allowing cinema halls to operate with 100% capacity
New Delhi: The union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has asked the TN government to withdraw its order allowing the theatre and cinema halls to operate at 100 per cent capacity. MHA has clearly stated that it is a dilution of its order around theatre and multiplex capacities. The TN government issued the order two days.
According to the letter from union home secretary Ajay Bhalla to chief secretary of Tamil Nadu Shanmugam, capacities in theatres and multiplexes outside containment zones is set at 50 per cent. “The government of Tamil Nadu, however, has permitted to increase the seating capacity of cinemas theatres multiplexes from existing 50 per cent capacity to 100 per cent by following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).”
“This amounts to dilution of MHA order dated December 28, 2020 issued under the DM Act, 2005,” the letter states.
The union home secretary tells the Tamil Nadu government to immediately issue an order to bring the state’s order in line with the MHA guidelines.
The union government also instructed the state and union territories to strictly enforce the guidelines without diluting them: “strict compliance of Covid2019 -appropriate behaviour such as wearing masks, keeping social distancing, stern action against those who are violating guidelines SOPs regulation of gatherings,” he said.
As per an order in October 2020, MHA permitted the theatres to partially reopen as part of the Unlock guidelines with clear SOPs. Theatres were only permitted to reopen with 50 per cent seating capacity outside containment zones.
Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami gave the nod to permit 100 per cent seating capacity in theaters after actor Vijay met the leader at his residence. Actor Silambarasan also requested the chief minister to allow 100 per cent seating capacity in theaters across the state ahead of the Pongal season. Actor Vijay’s film Master and actor Silambarasan’s movie Eeswaran are both slated for release during Pongal.
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.
