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Vineet Kumar and Gopal Datt revive Manto and Parsai’s stories in Zee Theatre’s ‘Koi Baat Chale
Mumbai: ‘Koi Baat Chale,’ Zee Theatre’s evocative, literary anthology featuring six stories of iconic writers has almost reached its end. Under the promise of ‘Har Din Naya Drama’, the next two stories are bringing the best of Hindi literature. Directed by Seema Pahwa, these episodes will feature theater exponents Gopal Datt and Vineet Kumar.
Datt will narrate Harishankar Parsai’s ‘Ek Film Katha’, a satire on run-of-the-mill hindi cinema that hilariously revisits the cliched plot of a gallant hero, a heroine in distress and a villain who wants to nip a love story in the bud. Kumar will narrate Manto’s ‘Mammad Bhai,’ the tale of a Robin Hood-like gangster who is very proud of his dagger and his mustache. One day, however, circumstances force him to give up both and the audience is left wondering if Mammad Bhai will ever be the same.
The stories are part of Zee Theatre’s promise of ‘Har Din Naya Drama’ and will be premiered at Tata Play Theatre on 19th March at two pm & eight pm.
Director Seema Pahwa said, “To put together ‘Koi Baat Chale’ with Zee Theatre has been an incredible journey and these two stories end the anthology on a perfect note. ‘Ek Film Katha’ and ‘Hammad Bhai’ reveal how these stories were unique in their own manner.
Parsai and Manto tapped into popular culture to show us different aspects of society. Gopal and Vineet were the perfect choices as they brought their own touch to these stories. I am sure the audience will really enjoy the little nuances they have brought through their narrations.”
Datt said, “Parsai’s humor in ‘Ek Film Katha’ is penetrating and relatable. Being a trained theater actor, initially, the film plots did seem a bit far-fetched to me. But when I started narrating, I felt they have a certain enjoyable energy that takes the audience along with it. I enjoyed narrating this story because it reminded me of films from the 80s that we enjoyed despite their flaws, the random song sequences, and the mandatory fight sequences.”
Kumar said, “What is fascinating about ‘Mammad Bhai’ is that Manto wrote it in 1956, much before Mumbai Noire became popular. ‘Mammad Bhai’ is a gangster and could be the template for similar characters that came much later in our films and OTT shows. He is also a fascinating human even though he is a criminal. Narrating this story was truly enthralling and I am thrilled that Zee Theatre is reviving such timeless stories for the current generation to enjoy.”
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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.
