GECs
SonyLIV acquires streaming rights to Puneeth Rajkumar’s ‘James’
Mumbai: SonyLIV has acquired rights to late actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s last film “James” which will begin streaming 14 April onwards. Apart from Kannada, the film will be streaming in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.
The film will fortify SonyLIV’s regional library with the addition of Kannada language content.
Puneeth Rajkumar was a prolific Kannada actor who enjoyed a pan-India appeal and was known for his films “Power” and “Yuvarathnaa”.
Helmed and written by Chethan Kumar and produced by Kishore Pathikonda, James pairs Puneeth opposite Priya Anand. The film also stars Srikanth, Nawab Shah, Sarath Kumar, Tarak Ponnappa, John Kokken, Chikkanna, Shine Shetty, and Tilak, among others, with Puneeth’s brothers Shivarajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar appearing in cameos. Shivarajkumar also did the dubbing for his brother as he died before the commencement of the movie’s post-production.
“It is an honour to be associated with James, which not only has gripping performances but is also a testament to the outstanding and multifaceted journey of Puneeth Rajkumar on celluloid,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head of content SonyLIV and SET Ashish Golwalkar.
“He was a true genius, and we are proud to be able to bring his last feature film to his fans everywhere and help them connect with their beloved superstar. It will also boost our regional library, adding to our aim of bringing quality content that resonates with people from all parts of the country,” he added.
“Directing Puneeth is a dream that only the fortunate can turn into a reality,” said director Chethan Kumar. “I consider myself extremely privileged to have gotten this opportunity. I had envisioned the film with Puneeth in mind, and it was an absolute honour to have him play James. By bringing the movie on SonyLIV, the platform is paying fitting tribute to the legendary personality that he was,” he added.
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.
