Movie Channels
Star Mandarin Movies claims making waves in Taiwan
HONG KONG: Rupert Murdoch’s Star Group claims that its Star Mandarin Movies has outperformed all Chinese and Hollywood movie channels in Taiwan in the first half of the year. Quoting Nielsen figures, the group claims that the channel seized 46 out of the top 50 rated Chinese movies. The Eye and Inner Senses were the first and second most watched movies respectively.
It has attributed the success to a strong library of blockbusters as is also the case in India. In addition, the performance over the Chinese New Year holidays helped bolster Star Mandarin Movies’ leading position. Nearly three million Taiwanese viewers watched the thrillers The Eye and Inner Senses.
An official release informs that the Ekin Cheng comedy My Wife Is 18 even beat all the Taiwanese terrestrial channels. In total, the average audience of the channel increased by 16 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Star Taiwan GM Ivan Yuan made the following remarks about the achievements ” Beating commercial-free movie channels in ratings is a remarkable achievement for Star Mandarin Movies,It all stems from our perfect mix of programming and promotional strategies and our exclusive control of strong movie content.”
Star Mandarin Movies features Chinese blockbusters from leading Hong Kong movie studios including China Star Entertainment, Media Asia, Teamwork Motion Pictures, Universe. The channel has acquired pay television rights to over 80 per cent of the movies to be released from Hong Kong in the coming years.
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.
