English Entertainment
Star World to launch Lee Daniel’s musical drama series ‘Star’
MUMBAI: After creating the juggernaut series Empire, multi award-winning director and creator Lee Daniel’s brings a brand new television series. Titled Star, he musical drama series is based on the lives of three girls who overcome numerous hardships to realize their musical dreams. The show launches on Star World and Star World HD on 22 December and will air every Thursday at 9 pm soon after the U.S. telecast.
This series that revolves around dreams, perseverance and glamour will fill the Empire hiatus gap before the latter returns in March 2017.
Starring Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt, the show is staged around Star Davis played by Jude Demoreset, a tough chick from the wrong side of the tracks. Within the first 15 minutes Star is seen rescuing her younger sister, Simone played by Brittany O’Grady after plunging a knife into the latter’s foster father. Together with bestie Alexandra Crane played by Ryan Destiny – who’s trying to escaping her ivory tower in Manhattan – the ladies drive to Atlanta seeking shelter with Star and Simone’s godmother, Carlotta Brown played by Latifah. With a number of struggles paving her way forward, Star must face her life’s most difficult phase – the road to building a successful singing career.
Star gives viewers an opportunity to navigate the dark corridors of the world of music through the eyes of three hard-working, independent and talented girls who dare to dream.
Promo Link: https://www.facebook.com/StarWorldIndia/videos/10154632514566745/
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
