GECs
Star withdraws case against Raj Nayak
MUMBAI: A little over eight months after Star India filed a civil suit in the Bombay High Court seeking to enforce its contract against enstranged head of ad-sales Raj Nayak, it reached a compromise settlement today.
Nayak walked off a free man this morning after a full three-judge bench of the Bombay High Court was told that Star had reached an out-of-court settlement on the matter and was therefore withdrawing its appeal.
Star India head of corporate communications Yash Khanna told indiantelevision.com, “We have reached an out-of-court settlement with Raj wherein we have appealed to the honourable court that we are not interested in pursuing our appeal any further.”
The original suit filed by Star had pleaded that Nayak be directed to work with the network till the end of his contract in June 2004. Star had also sought an ad interim injunction barring Nayak from taking up alternative employment till the end of his contract.
Star’s lawsuit had also made the Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV a party in the case, arguing that Nayak was “defecting” to a competing channel network.
A single judge bench of the High Court had earlier ruled in Nayak’s favour, after which Star went in appeal.
Noted lawyer Kapil Sibal, who headed Nayak’s defence, had argued that for eight years Nayak worked for Star without a time-bound contract. Further, it was argued that Star’s latest three-year contract was not enforceable as it was one-sided and without an exit clause.
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.
