Movie Channels
Star Gold plans programming activities around Big B birthday
MUMBAI: Star India’s Hindi movie channel Star Gold has lined up a slew of programming and on-ground initiatives to celebrate Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday on 11 October. The Jabardast Janmadin activities include an Amitabh movie festival, a contest which promises a personal meeting with the Big B and an on-ground activity planned in multiplexes.
The movie festival starts on the night of 10 October and will span the entire day of 11 October. Among the blockbusters that viewers will get to see include Khakee, Bade Miyan Chhotey Miyan, Parvarish and Mrityudaata.
On October 11, the channel has lined up a special programme called Kaash Main Amitabh Bachchan Hota at 8 pm. This programme showcases the things about the legend’s life that you never ever knew- his home, his vehicles, his passions, his favourite meals, his likes and dislikes and a lot more, states an official release.
The Jabardast Janamdin contest has Star Gold is inviting viewers wish Big B simply by sending “WISH” as a sms to 7827. The lucky winner will get to meet with Bachchan in person. Those who miss the opportunity will receive personally autographed copies of his biography. Netizens can log on to indya.com to wish the star and the best wish will win a personally autographed copy of his autobiography. If anyone shares his/her birthday with the star, then he/she can win limited edition T-Shirts which reads “I share my birthday with Amitabh Bachchan,” , the release adds.
Those who have no access to internet can go to his nearest Monginis store and fill up the wish form to wish Big B. The consumers who share their birthday with Amitabh Bachchan will get 33 per cent off for cakes ordered for 11 October at each of the outlets.
Star Gold has also set up a greeting wall at Fame multiplexes in Andheri, Malad, Kandivali and Nasik. Bachchan’s fans can express their birthday wishes by writing on the greeting wall.
For the employees of numerous offices in Mumbai and Delhi , Star Gold has customized giant greetings cards wishing AB, which all the employees can sign. The cards will then be delivered to AB on his birthday. And one lucky AB fan can get a chance to meet him, informs the release.
Talking about the marketing activities, Star TV EVP marketing Ajay Vidyasagar said, “Star Gold believes that in addition to showing the biggest blockbusters, it can bring viewers and fans closer to the stars and strengthen the unique bond they share. This is the reason why we initiated the Jabardast Janamdin specials celebrating star birthdays in such a grand fashion.”
Star Gold to premiere Shah Rukh Khan documentaries
Vidyasagar adds that, in November, the channel will celebrate Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday. “The centre piece of the occasion will be a television premiere of the much acclaimed documentaries on his life The Inner World of Shah Rukh Khan, and The Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan, he says. The documentaries are produced by Channel 4 and Red Chilies International.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
