Movie Channels
&TV to come up with two new mythological shows in January
MUMBAI: Capturing the connection between ‘Bhakt and Bhagwan’ (devotee & almighty), &TV is all set to present two stories – ‘Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrath Kathayein’ and ‘Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram’.
Produced by Peninsula Pictures, the story of Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram will present the true essence and purpose behind Hanumanji’s ‘bhakti’ towards Lord Ram, which will be premiered on 7 January 2020 at 9:30 pm every Monday-Friday.
The show will feature a stellar ensemble cast including Ekagra Dwivedi essaying the lead character of Bal Hanuman; Sneha Wagh and Jiten Lalwani as Anjani and Kesari (Lord Hanuman’s parents) respectively.
Meanwhile, Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Katheyein is produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms and to start from 28 January 2020 at 9:00 pm every Monday-Friday.
Conveying a message of the ultimate triumph for the sincerely devoted in a storytelling format, the show marks the comeback of popular Bollywood actress Gracy Singh as Santoshi Maa.
&TV’s business head Vishnu Shankar said: “&TV is launching two new shows – Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram and Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrath Kathayein. While in one show, ‘Shiromani’ Hanuman takes birth in a ‘vanar roop’ to seek blessings of his ‘aradhyay’ Lord Shri Ram and helps him destroy the evil Ravana.”
“In the second one, Santoshi Maa’s guides her ardent devotee Swati through the medium of ‘vrath-kathay’, which serve as a source of strength and enables her to tackle challenges successfully and live a happier life,” Shankar added.
Meanwhile, the producers of Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Katheyein, Rashmi Sharma from Rashmi Sharma Telefilms said: “Storytelling is an innately human quality; one that crosses cultures and languages. When it comes to mythology, viewers have always received stories of deities with open arms and admiration.”
She further added that with Santoshi Maa- Sunaye Vrat Kathayein, we wanted to bring to the audience the authentic stories behind vrats and their deep-rooted meanings and showcase their relevance in today’s life situations.
Similarly, the producers of Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri sho, Alind Srivastava and Nissar Parvej, Peninsula Pictures said, “As a genre, mythology breaks through various demographic barriers. Our show Paramavatar Shri Krishna got a great response from the audience. With ‘Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram’ we intend to narrate previously untold stories of Lord Hanuman from his childhood.”
“We have all grown up hearing his stories and our show will further throw light on his childhood and his equation with his family. The show will highlight different facets of Lord Hanuman’s life and showcase why he is called the ‘param bhakt’ of Lord Shri Ram,” the producers added.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
