GECs
UTV in co-production deal with Bachchan’s AB Corp
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan is charting out a revival plan for AB Corp. De-risking the business model, his company and Ronnie Screwvala’s UTV have entered into a co-production deal for films, television programmes and other ventures. This was announced by Bachchan, who is currently in Amsterdam for the IIFA Awards.
The two companies have signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and will be working jointly on various ventures in the entertainment sector.
Addressing a press briefing in Amsterdam, Bachchan opined that the Indian film industry had changed over the years and that in this ever evolving industry, it was important for companies to enter into co-production deals for survival.
“Budgets are going to go up and no single entity is going to have the capacity to produce a film by itself. Let’s say you have a Rs 200 million film. If you co-produce it, you may run the risk of losing Rs 100 million but you get a product worth Rs 200 million,” Bachchan was quoted as saying in a media report.
He was of the opinion that the Indian film industry was waiting to be taken over by American companies and in a scenario like this, Bollywood needed to be corporatised for this “invasion of sorts.” He also admitted to the fact that probably he had been too “ambitious and arrogant” when he had started his own company ABCL. “But now we won’t repeat the mistakes that we made earlier. We just want to hold hands and move together,” he was quoted as saying.
Big B’s AB Corp is on the path of revival. The company will be gearing up to release three films this year — Viruddh , Family and Antarmahal. The company is also in the process of finalising its maiden overseas co-production deal with UK’s Inspired Movies.
At the time of filing this report, UTV officials were not available for comment.
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.
