English Entertainment
Zee Cafe celebrates ‘Spirit Of Broadway’
MUMBAI: Fans of Broadway musicals are in for a treat! In an effort to add variety, English general entertainment channel Zee Café will air the special The Spirit of Broadway as a festival Special on 5 November 2005 at 9 pm.
The Spirit of Broadway, the channel says, is a glamorous, high-energy international Broadway extravaganza featuring an international cast of sensational singers and the highest kicking chorus girls this side of New York. The live show took place in Mumbai from 23-23 October 2005. The show is marked by Lavish costumes, lighting and a talented cast.
Zee Café business head Neil Chakravarti says, “The Spirit of Broadway is yet anther initiative to provide our viewers the best in international entertainment. Given the relatively shot run of the live show, we wanted to showcase the event for viewers across the country, so that they might get the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate this spectacular production.”
Zee says that the magic of Broadway’s musicals has been popular across generations and the hit songs have entertained audiences of all ages. The cast will bring viewers songs from hit musicals such as Chicago, Cabaret, Grease, 42nd Street, Les Miserables, Cats, Phantom Of The Opera, Chorus Line, Mamma Mia and The Rocky Horror Picture Show..
The Spirit of Broadway, the channel adds, has played in over 20 countries and has been watched by over 15 million people. Every night ends with a standing ovation as the cast featuring the most talented singers and dancers take to the stage performing Broadway’s best with Pizzazz and Razzle Dazzle. All the singers have played on Broadway and also in the London’s West end, playing lead characters in various productions. The cast have performed in numerous countries around the world and spend much of their life jetting between venues.
As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com Zee Cafe signed a deal with international entertainment and lifestyle channel E!. E!News airs on Zee Cafe at 11 pm from Monday-Friday, a day after being screened in the US. It repeats at 5:30 pm the next day. This gives viewers the news about celebrities and the latest happenings in Hollywod. As the channel says this is probably the only show in India that keeps viewers upto speed with the latest developments in Hollywood.
This, the channel says, is an effective way of connecting with viewers who increasingly want entertainment in snippets. It will also shortly commence airing another show which focusses on 100 memorable moments from the worlds of film and television. One of them is the host of The Apprentice Donald Trump uttering the famous line “You’re fired”.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
