English Entertainment
NBC on the look out for Indo American actors
MUMBAI: Nevermind Nirvana, a pilot project for NBC Studios, are in the look out for Indian Americans actors for its latest sitcom. The auditions for the same have been scheduled in Los Angeles on Saturday, 28 February, as part of a worldwide search.
NBC Entertainment executive vice president of casting Marc Hirschfeld, has been quoted as saying that the search was for all professional and non-professional East Indian actors.
Indian Americans with an American accent would be considered for five roles: that of a father, mother, their two sons and their servant.
Sunil Sonny Mehta (20’s): On the eve of his graduation from UCLA Medical School, he’s having last minute jitters about being a doctor. Although Sonny has been raised in America, he still straddles the traditional East Indian culture of his parents.
Raju Mehta (20’s): A couple years behind him in medical school, he is Sonny’s younger brother. Used to being the underdog in the family because he is not married and not yet a doctor, he is gleeful to learn that Sonny’s life has gone off the rails.
Dr Arjun (40s-60s): The father of Sonny and Raju, Arjun is an East Indian Walter Matthau.
Dr Sarita Mehta (40s-60s): The mother of Sonny and Raju
Govind Singh (40s-60s): The Mehta family servant.
The show has been written and produced by Ajay Sahgal and Karey Burke and Jamie Tarses are the executive producers.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
