Movie Channels
UFO Moviez to acquire 62.5% stake in CDPL’s Cinestaan.com
MUMBAI: UFO Moviez is on an acquisition spree. Afer its aborted bid to merge with Qube Cinema was called off earlier this a couple of months ago, it has now announced its intention to acquire a controlling 62.5 per cent stake in Cinestaan Digital Pvt Ltd (CDPL) for an investment of up to Rs 20 crore by way of convertible instruments over a period of three years.
Promoted by Rohit Khattar, CDPL has a flagship product Cinestaan.com, an entertainment focussed destination which has a massive database of Indian cinema.
“CDPL's initiatives are synergetic with the UFO's, in expanding product offerings in Tier II and Tier Ill towns. CDPL too shall benefit immensely from the UFO's footprint and movie related intelligence,” a press statement published on the bourses said.
The Sanjay Gaekwad-Narendra Hete-Raaja Kanwar-promoted firm is a leader in digital distribution of cinema and has recently moved into the exhibition space as well.
A while ago, it had announced an investment of Rs 2 billion in Scrabble Entertainment while also increasing its stake from 26 per cent to 52 per cent.
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.
