GECs
Sony to unveil summer collection
MUMBAI: This time last year, amidst the World Cup euphoria, Sony Entertainment announced five new shows and its plans to launch a couple more every season.
As for this summer, the channel seems ready to buttress its strong weekend programming. After revamping its existing shows, the channel will launch next show from the Balaji Telefilms stable Kkehna Hai Kuch Mujhko, from 11 March 2004 at 8:30 pm.
Although the show will telecast its debut episode on Thursday, it is actually a Friday – Sunday show with bankable stars Pallavi Joshi, Kiran Karmarkar as the protagonists. The launch of KHKM will also coincide with another Balaji weekend show – the supernatural suspense thriller Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat – turning from a one-hour show into a half-hour one.
‘Balaji meets Astitva (the movie)’ as Ekta Kapoor calls KHKM, is a soap with a non-commercial story line.
Talking to indiantelevision.com, Kapoor offers that the show is about the life of an Indian woman after 35. Typical to the Indian scenario, the woman realises that she is reduced to being just a mother or a wife. The soap details her journey of self rediscovery.
As for the Thursday debut episode, the channel will be airing a special “Shagun” (the astrology angle again?) episode to introduce the story and the characters.
But it is not just the weekend franchise that the channel is planning to build. The channel will also be launching its youth centric show Yeh Meri Life Hai , produced by Optimystix Entertainment India Limited in the 10 pm slot on weekdays sometime in March-April period.
Meanwhile the channel is all set to introduce a fantasy daily Chandrakanta, on 23 January 2004 at 8:30 pm. Directed by Nirja Guleri, the show was a big hit on Doordarshan in the early 90s. Back then, the show with a big canvas and bigger budget amassed a whopping Rs 670 million in revenue for Doordarshan.
Later, in 1999, Prime Channel – the production house – shot the next season for DD1. Later Star Plus began airing the repeats of the show, but unfortunately the show didn’t work and was pulled off.
Based on a novel of similar name, Chandrakanta is the story of eternal love set against the battle and strife between two kingdoms Naugarh and Vijaygarh. Starring Shikha Swaroop, Shahbaz Khan, Mukesh Khanna, Parikshit Sahani, Pankaj Dheer, Kruttika Desai and Kalpana Iyer, the show was canned on sets worth Rs 3.5 million and designed by ace designer Nitin Desai.
The show that will air from Monday to Wednesday is almost a decade old. Will the audience (the kids) lap it up? We will just have to wait and watch.
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.
