Movie Channels
Viacom and MGM enter into TV licensing pact for 15 James Bond films
Viacom-owned television networks The New TNN: The National Network, CBS, and UPN have announced a licensing agreement involving MGM Worldwide Television Distribution, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Under the terms of the agreement the networks have licensed the exclusive US television rights to 15 titles from MGM’s James Bond franchise from October 2002 through most of 2004.
The agreement represents the first time that the three Viacom networks have acquired programming in one negotiation. TNN will begin telecasting the Bond titles this October after the films complete their run on ABC.
The venture aims on capitalising on the fact that James Bond is celebrating his 40th anniversary this year. The 20th Bond film Die Another Day from MGM is due for release on 22 November. Viacom sees the agreement as complementing the previous licensing pact with CBS for the newer Bond films Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough.
Ratings and demographics for the Bond films continue to perform strongly in the US. Prior to the Olympics, the classic Bond pictures ranked number one in males 25-54 against all other network competition for ABC. During the Olympics, the films over-indexed ABC’s primetime average by 17 per cent with males 18-49. The titles available as per the new agreement include Dr. No, From Russia With Love, The Living Daylights and The Spy Who Loved Me.
Movie Channels
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat Premieres 14 Feb on Zee
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat world TV premiere 14 Feb at 8pm passion meets politics.
MUMBAI: Cupid’s arrow just got a plot twist and it’s heading straight for your TV screen. This Valentine’s Day, Zee Cinema is turning up the heat with the world television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, a raw, rule-breaking romantic drama that proves love doesn’t always come wrapped in roses.
Set to air on Saturday, 14 February at 8pm, the film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, directed by Milap Zaveri. It dives headfirst into obsession, heartbreak, and the kind of unconditional love that leaves scorch marks. Rane plays Vikramaditya, a powerful politician whose all-consuming passion for actress Adaa spirals into chaos when his feelings go unreturned unleashing a storm of emotion, misunderstanding, and life-altering consequences.
The timing couldn’t be sharper. Audiences are clearly craving intense love stories over sugar-coated ones, and this film taps straight into that vein. Harshvardhan Rane already has a loyal fanbase from his cult hit Sanam Teri Kasam, which cemented his status as the go-to guy for heart-wrenching romance especially among younger viewers who keep the film on repeat.
Milap Zaveri captured the film’s beating heart, “This film is about love that doesn’t follow rules. With Valentine’s Day being a time when audiences gravitate towards romantic narratives, the television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat on Zee Cinema felt like the perfect fit. The continued love for intense romances shows there is a strong emotional appetite for such stories.”
Rane himself called it a story rooted in messy, honest emotion, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat explores love in its most intense and vulnerable form where emotions are messy and deeply human. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from passion or pain on Valentine’s Day making it even more special as it reflects the many shades of love people experience.”
Sonam Bajwa added her take, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is not a conventional love story, it’s raw, intense and emotional. Valentine’s Day is usually associated with happy romance but this film explores love in its most vulnerable form.”
So if your Valentine’s plans include more than chocolates and clichés, tune in to Zee Cinema at 8pm on 14 February. Because sometimes the most unforgettable love stories aren’t the ones that end neatly, they’re the ones that leave you questioning just how far passion can push before everything changes.
