Movie Channels
MSM ropes in Red Chillies for TV and digital content
MUMBAI: It was hardly a couple of months or so ago that Multi Screen Media (MSM – rebranded earlier this month as Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt Ltd – SPNIL) announced that it was getting into bed with global sports broadcast major ESPN in India to launch a few sports channels and sports initiatives.
Now MSM has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Badshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. The duo is entering into a strategic alliance under which the two will explore opportunities in co-produced- television, digital and film content.
MSM has also acquired the TV rights of the film Dilwale which is expected to have a fabulous run at the box office as it heralds the return of the hit nineties on-screen couple SRK and Kajol. Directed by Rohit Shettyy, it also has Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon in pivotal roles.
“Over the last 20 years that we’ve been in the industry, we’ve served some of the best cinema and general entertainment to viewers worldwide,” says MSM CEO NP Singh says “As a network, our focus remains aligned to becoming the first choice in television and digital entertainment. Towards that end, this alliance of MSM and Red Chillies is expansive and pans a spectrum of co-produced content not only across television and digital but also films. Moreover, this partnership adds to MSM’s already extensive library of blockbuster films.”
Adds Red Chillies Entertainments CEO Venky Mysore: “We haves consistently pushed the boundaries across the spectrum, creating and producing entertaining content and ensuring it engages audiences worldwide on all the different platforms. In a first for us, we are entering into a partnership with MSM, that will explore content production across different platforms – TV, digital and films.”
“MSM under NP Singh seems to be getting into higher gear over the last few months,” There’s a new buzz of energy going through the organization.,” says a media observer. “The ESPN partnership and now the Red Chillies alliance are clear indicators that the network has put the troubles of the past – like the ill-timed Sony Pal launch, and the lack of big fiction or nonfiction shows on its main GEC Sony – behind it. A new leadership has been brought into Sony –the mother GEC very recently. The alliance with Red Chillies, especially to create televised as well as digital content could provide it with that magic sauce that it badly needs to get Sony into the front runner status amongst Hindi entertainment channels. The fact that Red Chillies has had limited exposure to television and digital content could mean it could bring in fresh thinking into the programming.”
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.
