Movie Channels
Sony movie cluster biz grew by 30 per cent: Neeraj Vyas
MUMBAI: 2016 has been a good and a profitable year for Sony Pictures Network’s movie cluster. In May 2016, Sony expanded its movie cluster with its first free-to-air (FTA) channel Sony Wah.
With this addition, the channel count in Sony’s Hindi movie bouquet has reached four including Sony Max, Sony Max2 and Sony Max HD.
During the IPL season, each year Sony Max registered highest ratings in the prime time segment, hence the property is special for the group.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Sony Max movie channel cluster senior EVP and business head Neeraj Vyas shared, “In every way, we witnessed one of the best years, from the beginning of life post the IPL as IPL is an integral part of Sony as it is essential from a reach perspective. For the first time in many years, right from IPL to the latest week, Max has retained a leadership position — for 26 consecutive weeks, we have been the leaders. Apart from that, Max 2 has held its own and we have grown in the market where we created a beautiful niche for movies of yesteryears.”
Vyas added, “I think Max has helped a so-called retro genre look cooler, feel cooler and we brought back happy memories to the mind of viewers. Again, Max 2 is something we are very proud of.”
SPN’s flagship movie channel Sony Max has been the leader since the last 26 consecutive weeks. Sony Max garnered 420 GVM (Avg Weekly GRPs (CS 4+) and 38.9 reach (Avg Weekly Reach% (HSM, 4+) (Viewership Nos. (HSM, U+R / Post IPL till date i.e Wk 48)
The channel delivered 19 per cent more viewership than the no. 2 HFF Channel i.e Zee Cinema. Max was the only HFF Channel that grew over FY 16 in these last six months. Even GECs witnessed a decreasing trend during this period over last fiscal.
SPN has a special movie channel which caters to a niche audience. The channel had been the leader for 23 out of 35 weeks in FY 17. It delivers almost five per cent more viewership than the no. 2 HFF channel. It’s Sony Max 2, of course.
Sony Wah has been the leader since the last 23 consecutive weeks which is two weeks short of Wah’s lifetime weeks. As per BARC’s Week 44 data, WAH was the no. 1 HFF Channel @ U+R beating Pay HFF for the first time. The highest rated title by Wah, ‘Baahubali’ rated 1.8 TVR per cent (@ HSM U+R).
“We launched Wah towards the end of May. For weeks, we led in the segment (rural). It’s been a fabulous year. We led in all the genres we operated in. More importantly, I think, we have managed to essentially create a set of channels which provide a lot of good content to the viewers, and at the same time able to reach to large critical mass of viewers across the entire HSM platform which I think something advertisers are looking for,” added Vyas.
“Max HD is a unique channel catering to the classes, and, here again, we have seen consistent growth,” Vyas said.
Talking about the rural Hindi-speaking market, Vyas explained, “A lot of works needs to be done in this market. Broadcasters should deep dive into it to understand that, because we are not familiar with that market. It’s critical to understand its nuances and the viewership pattern of rural HSM. A lot of leg work needs to be done there. All of this I think will happen in next one year. Rural HSM is a large part of the country, and one can’t map it easily. But, we certainly see a lot of potential. For very long, I think, it’s been an underserved market.”
The key advertisers for Sony movies have been HUL, P&G, Cadbury’s in FMCG, Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS, MRF in automotive, Vodafone in telecom and Axis Bank and DHFL in the BFSI category.
Vyas added, “Revenue outlook was great till a few days ago but demonetisation has slowed down the process. But, I think, it’s a temporary setback. But, that apart, we witnessed a phenomenal growth in terms of ad revenue. We have grown by almost 30 per cent over the last year which I think is much better than the industry average.”
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.
