GECs
Star packs a punch to celebrate 15 years of ‘Star Parivaar Awards’
MUMBAI: Star India is leaving no stones unturned to celebrate 15 years of its in-house award ceremony – Star Parivaar Awards.
Fifteen years ago, the network started telling a story, which has until now spun many wonders. Star Plus’ successful awards property Star Parivaar Awards is like a sumptuous platter served for viewers where one gets to watch different forms of entertainment and see their favorite stars sizzle on stage.
This year, the channel is packing a punch to its lineup with a new producer on board for the gala event. Unlike last year, where Cineyug had produced the awards for the channel, this year Frames Productions has donned the production hat.
To celebrate 15 years of the awards, the set design this time round is going to be different from the usual sets seen at multiple award shows.
Frames Productions founder Ranjeet Thakur tells Indiantelevision.com that the sets this time round for the Star Parivaar Awards will be interactive.
Thakur says, “There won’t be a fixed set this year. We are going to change the look, feel and dynamics of the set depending on the demands of the act that will be performed. This year, projection will play a key role in enhancing the entire look and feel of the awards ceremony.”
With almost 45 graphic artists from UK and India working on the awards, the network will be doling out oodles of cash to ensure that top quality graphics are used throughout the show. “It is not a structured or a fixed set like we are used to watching in award shows. Special attention is being paid to the graphics this time round and that costs money,” laughs Thakur.
From shooting the graphics to portraying it on screen, the process took almost four months. “We wanted to ensure that our vision for the look of the show was being realised by each and every one who was working on the Star Parivaar Awards,” states Thakur.
On the content front, Frames Productions has created multiple small gimmicks that will keep the entertainment quotient high. “For the first time ever, we are stringing the show via musical acts. What we are looking at is an interactive LED digital space,” explains Thakur.
Unlike previous years, where set designer Omung Kumar worked on the awards, this year the design is being provided by Kunal Bandola.
A new award category has also been added this year, with the introduction of the special ‘Five Scroll of Honors’ (big achievement of each show).
Moreover, to celebrate the 15 glorious years, Star India has invited some iconic faces, who have been associated with India’s leading GEC over the past 15 years. Some of them include the likes of Smriti Irani, Sakshi Tanwar, Shweta Tiwari and Ronit Roy amongst others.
“To bring alive the magic of 15 years, we are getting popular faces on-board. However, confirmation is still awaited from them,” informs Thakur.
The network also had a jury meeting today in Mumbai to decide 11 categories. Senior Bollywood journalist, writer and film critic Bhawana Somaaya, Indiantelevision.com group founder, CEO & editor in chief Anil Wanvari, ABP News executive editor Vibha Kaul Bhat, and Cinevistaas writer, producer & creative head Siddharth Malhotra.
Star India SVP network programming and events head Anil Jha (he has been behind the hugely successful awards show every year) took to twitter to thank the jury. “Love the opportunity to meet this August body (the Star Parivaar Awards jury) every year,” he tweeted.
The Star Parivaar Awards 2015 will be held on 17 May at The National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Mumbai. The awards will be aired on Star Plus in June.
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.
