GECs
Sony brings back ‘Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega’
MUMBAI: For four fun-filled seasons, the show continued to dish out non-stop entertainment apart from serving as a platform for ordinary Indians with extraordinary talent.
Two years after it went off air, Sony Entertainment is bringing back its talent hunt, Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega by popular demand. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment, the show is based on American reality series, 30 seconds to Fame, where contestants continue to strut their stuff for a minute without the judges interrupting them.
In its fifth season, Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega will be aired from 9pm to 10 pm Monday to Friday, replacing Jee Le Zara and Nandini in the bargain from 12 May. It is slated to run for two months.
This time, like all the previous seasons, will be judged by Farah Khan and Anu Malik while Mona Singh and Krushna Abhishek will be the hosts. Two promos of the show have already hit the television screens. Auditions are on since January, taking audiences through thrills and chills even as contestants show off their special skills in an emotionally charged environment.
With so many talent shows crowding the small screen, how will the new season net eyeballs?
“The format of the show is going to remain the same. But we are making this season more interesting for the viewers. I think the quality of talent that you are going to see, the kind of interaction you are going to see with the judges and the talent, the attitude and the approach of the judges to the talent… will be different,” says Wizcraft International Entertainment director Sabbas Joseph. “I think as the standards across India have grown, you will see those standards getting reflected in the show and especially the quality of entertainment. Our aim is to make this season more exciting and sharper.”
While Sony is the only channel which has experimented with all genres, it continues to struggle at number six position of TAM TV ratings. Months ago when NP Singh was elevated to the position of CEO from COO, he made a promise to make changes in the channel’s programming and work on bringing the channel back to its now lost top position.
Accordingly, Singh changed focus from fiction to tried and tested non-fiction properties to buoy Sony’s image. A case in point is Boogie Woogie, which was dragged out of its closet and re-launched and which did pretty well for itself and the channel.
However, a highly placed media planner expressed the view that Sony should tag itself as a ‘non-reality’ based channel. “I think its fiction shows need some rest. The fifth season is going to air at a time when other channels are buzzing with fiction properties. Though, the plan to air a daily reality show is okay, but how are you going to sell it to viewers, who have already booked their tickets for dramas. To get viewers on-board, firstly, they have to produce good content and secondly, promote that good content in a strong way.”
Whether or not Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega will ratchet up some much needed numbers for Sony, only time will tell…
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.
