Movie Channels
Sony Six woos early morning audience with NBA treat
MUMBAI: Indian viewers are set to see more basketball on their screens with NBA and Sony Six concretising their plans. ‘NBA Mornings on Six’ will televise up to 14 matches per week back to back every day. Flagging off on 30 October, the first match will be current champions Miami Heat facing off against the Chicago Bulls at 5:30 am IST followed by the LA Clippers against the LA Lakers at 8:00 am. A total of 300 live regular season games will be shown along with NBA All Star, Playoffs and the finals.
The channel also plans to create basketball-centric programs including a lifestyle one that will show the game off the court along with added local content. The show will be aired once a week at primetime. Digital and social media are also being tapped through apps, games and contests.
“This enhanced offering will give the fans a chance to watch their favorite team and stars consistently throughout the season. We are confident that our approach will open up an enormous opportunity in the ‘Breakfast’ time space for capturing viewership,” says Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan.
An NBA Slam Dunk app on Facebook will reward people for answering questions. A trivia contest will run across TV, digital and social media, the winner of which will get a trip to the 2014 NBA All Star as well as get featured on a show.
NBA and Sony Six tied up earlier this year in a multi- year deal to promote the game in India. “This new, expanded programming will increase fan access to NBA basketball on multiple platforms,” says NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco.
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.
