GECs
Star Plus to host awards based on Box office collections
MUMBAI: In a bid to up the ante of Bollywood Awards shows in India, Star Plus has partnered with Box Office India magazine to present a new offering. Come October, the channel is all set to launch ‘Star Box Office Awards.’
It will recognise an achievement of Hindi films at the most important altar of them all – the box office. The event will see the big and mighty of the film industry with Salman Khan leading the way.
Keeping in mind that box office collections govern the success of each movie, not only by virtue of the revenues made, but also as a measure of the number of people investing their time in watching any movie; these awards have been introduced to felicitate the best works of the year.
In addition to honouring films, directors and actors of the year, the ‘Star Box Office India Awards’ will also recognise unique and interesting records set at the box office. Since there is nothing more objective than numbers as represented by box office collections, the collections of each movie will be at the core of the entire nomination and judging process. The ceremony has been conceptualised keeping in mind the celebratory mood of the country, during the upcoming festive season.
Star Plus general manager Gaurav Banerjee believes that viewers are always interested in films that have been the most popular and who are the stars who have the biggest draw. “We are happy to have partnered with Box Office India magazine to come up with the first ever ‘Star Box Office India Awards.’ These awards are the first to be primarily based on Box Office collections. In essence it’s really people’s votes in the form of their hard earned money which sets the box office register ticking. The first ‘Star Box Office India Awards’ will have the most iconic Bollywood names on stage and provide for a perfect Diwali celebration for all Star Plus viewers.”
Box Office India publisher Nitin Tej Ahuja feels that show business is ultimately a business and it is box office numbers – historic or potential that drive the entire film production distribution and exhibition ecosystem. “As India’s premier film trade magazine, box office collections are at the very heart of Box Office India’s editorial mandate and we are delighted to partner with Star Plus on the ‘Star Box Office India Awards.’”
Ahuja further goes on to say that Box office collections are the most objective measure of the paying public’s acceptance or rejection of films and the ‘Star Box Office India Awards’ shall honour the verdict of the actual film watching audiences. “Conversely, the awards ceremony shall give our readers – the film fraternity – a chance to repay the love of movie-goers by doing what they do best, entertain!”
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.
