Movie Channels
Star India and Amitabh Bachchan come together for flood-hit Uttarakhand
Star India has created a powerful public service message featuring Amitabh Bachchan to sensitise and encourage viewers to their extend support in rebuilding the flood-ravaged hill-state Uttarakhand.
The narrative is a call to all countrymen from Amitabh Bachchan to stand united for Uttarakhand’s cause after the flash-floods in June this year left the state in virtual paralysis, claimed scores of lives and rendered thousands homeless.
“The task of rebuilding Uttarakhand is gravely difficult but isn’t an impossible one. Star India is humbled by Bachchan’s gesture and truly believes in his call for unity. We hope that his message inspires one and all to come forward and extend their help for the cause,” said Star India CEO Uday Shankar.
The public service message, penned by advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather, is being aired on all of Star India’s channels. It shows Bachchan asking people to come together for humanity. His message ends with an emotional poem Karodon Aansoon Hain Toh Kya, Karodon Hum Bhi Toh Hain to instil hope in the people that all’s not lost and that no challenge is big enough if we stand united.
“We feel proud to have partnered Star India, the Film & Television Producers Guild of India and FWICE to help make this happen. May the people of Uttarakhand find peace soon,” Ogilvy & Mather India executive chairman & national creative director Piyush Pandey.
Star India’s initiative is an extension of its philosophy to use television as a tool to create awareness for the larger good of a society. Star India had, earlier this month, started focused campaigns featuring renowned artistes from the network’s popular shows, urging its viewers to support Uttarakhand’s cause by making generous donations.
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.
