Movie Channels
Movies OK to launch an app soon
MUMBAI: It was applauded for its unique launch in 2012 and has been working hard at making a mark in the genre that has seven channels competing with each other. We are referring to the second movie channel from the Star India bouquet- Movies OK, which after being at the fourth position in the ratings chart has beaten Zee Cinema to grab the third rank.
The channel launched by premiering seven movies in seven consecutive days has continued with its innovation through ‘Ek Din 4 Premieres’, ‘7 Days 7 Premieres’ and ‘Ek Din Premieres Teen’. The move has helped the movie channel in getting noticed by not just audiences, but also the industry pundits.
Born as a consistent performer right from its inception, the week 34 of TAM TV ratings saw a new milestone for the channel. According to the data provided by Movies OK, it has been growing consistently and has been successful in narrowing the gap with the top three players. The channel reached out to 66 million viewers in the last two months.
The movie channel is moving closer to competition, in the relatively premium audience set (HSM, CS Male 15+ ABC) and has overtaken Zee Cinema in the week 34, scoring 45 million TVTs as against Zee Cinema’s 44 million TVTs.
Movies OK and Star Gold EVP and general manager Hemal Jhaveri believes that since its inception, the channel has been a consistent performer and the gap between number four and three players was always achievable.
From the category share point of view, both Star Gold and Movies OK from the Star stable command 32 per cent market share.
The channel which started at 60 GRPs, now delivers 82 GRPs and Jhaveri gives credit to its pure movie library. The channel has 1100 titles to its kitty.
Jhaveri is a firm believer of differentiation, innovation and moving on. For him, every other movie channel in the genre is his competitor. “Any eyeball which is not on my channel, is my competitor. Movies OK competes with Star Gold equally as it competes with everyone else.”
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The channel walks through a simple strategy to sample audiences on-board. “We play good movies at the right time, communicate properly and rest follows. It is a very simple strategy that is why we have been consistent performers. Randomness gets you nowhere and in fact dilutes the assets,” opines Jhaveri.
The channel which caters to the entire family believes in showcasing movies that can be watched by the whole family. And for this, the channel has gone ahead and refreshed its content library. “We know for a fact that the library content depreciates. So we are really not going out and refreshing content which is depreciating. We have been focused on movies and content which has been working from pure catalogue point of view,” asserts Jhaveri.
The biggest achievement was when it redefined versatility with its very own TV premiere of Bobby Jasoos. Likewise, going forward the channel plans to achieve and create a bank of world television premiers. It can be noted that the network gets maximum world television premiers on its sister channel Star Gold first, which is then showcased on Movies OK.
But Bobby Jasoos was the first one to jump the queue. “In the competitive market, we feel world television premiers are important. We are planning to do something huge in December on the line of world television premiers only,” reasons Jhaveri.
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While the channel mostly appeals to family audiences who like romantic and family dramas; blockbuster and action movies featured in the prime time slot get maximum traction.
The channel uses its own network to market the brand. According to Jhaveri, advertisers’ response towards the channel has also been very encouraging. “A lot of them have been surprised that it toppled a strong brand like Zee Cinema.” The channel has brands like Panteen, Pampers, Vimal Paan Masala and many more on-board.
On the digital front, the official page of Movies OK on Facebook has a strong fan following with 3 lakh likes. On Twitter, Jhaveri feels it needs to get the push as it hardly has around 4,000 followers. “We will make it more engaging on Twitter. It’s very strange to narrow down our initiatives only to Facebook and Twitter. We are planning to launch an app very soon.”
Interestingly, Jhaveri who also heads Star Gold reveals that the premier slate on Star Gold is all set with movies like Kick followed by Singham Returns, Bang Bang, Bombay Velvet and Creature 3D. “Our share degree of planning is done,” concludes Jhaveri.
Movie Channels
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat Premieres 14 Feb on Zee
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat world TV premiere 14 Feb at 8pm passion meets politics.
MUMBAI: Cupid’s arrow just got a plot twist and it’s heading straight for your TV screen. This Valentine’s Day, Zee Cinema is turning up the heat with the world television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, a raw, rule-breaking romantic drama that proves love doesn’t always come wrapped in roses.
Set to air on Saturday, 14 February at 8pm, the film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, directed by Milap Zaveri. It dives headfirst into obsession, heartbreak, and the kind of unconditional love that leaves scorch marks. Rane plays Vikramaditya, a powerful politician whose all-consuming passion for actress Adaa spirals into chaos when his feelings go unreturned unleashing a storm of emotion, misunderstanding, and life-altering consequences.
The timing couldn’t be sharper. Audiences are clearly craving intense love stories over sugar-coated ones, and this film taps straight into that vein. Harshvardhan Rane already has a loyal fanbase from his cult hit Sanam Teri Kasam, which cemented his status as the go-to guy for heart-wrenching romance especially among younger viewers who keep the film on repeat.
Milap Zaveri captured the film’s beating heart, “This film is about love that doesn’t follow rules. With Valentine’s Day being a time when audiences gravitate towards romantic narratives, the television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat on Zee Cinema felt like the perfect fit. The continued love for intense romances shows there is a strong emotional appetite for such stories.”
Rane himself called it a story rooted in messy, honest emotion, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat explores love in its most intense and vulnerable form where emotions are messy and deeply human. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from passion or pain on Valentine’s Day making it even more special as it reflects the many shades of love people experience.”
Sonam Bajwa added her take, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is not a conventional love story, it’s raw, intense and emotional. Valentine’s Day is usually associated with happy romance but this film explores love in its most vulnerable form.”
So if your Valentine’s plans include more than chocolates and clichés, tune in to Zee Cinema at 8pm on 14 February. Because sometimes the most unforgettable love stories aren’t the ones that end neatly, they’re the ones that leave you questioning just how far passion can push before everything changes.
