Movie Channels
Zee Cinema to telecast South Asian International Film Festival
MUMBAI: Zee Network’s movie channel – Zee Cinema – will be exclusively telecasting the South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF) in its tenth edition as a signature partner.
SAIFF president and founder Shilen Amin said in a press statement: “For the past decade, SAIFF has highlighted the vision of gifted directors and writers of full-length feature productions, documentaries, and short films that move and inspire us. New York City has become the most important venue in showcasing the works of some of the world’s best South Asian filmmakers and since then the festival has become the connection that strengthens the bond between Bollywood and Hollywood in the US. We are proud to announce a new partnership with Zee TV, the number one South Asian channel, along with its family of networks, and the South Asian International Film Festival on its historic 10th year anniversary.”
The festival opened with A Monsoon Shootout and capped off with The Good Road. Other films included in the roster were Animal State, Ankhon Dekhi, First Sight, I.D., Qissa, Siddarth, Tasher Desh and the centerpiece feature, Good Morning, Karachi.
Zee TV Americas GM Sameer Targe added: “Zee TV Americas has had a long-standing commitment in providing South Asian viewers outstanding entertainment here in the US and abroad, and it was only a matter of time before the largest South Asian TV platform and largest film event in the US would come together in order to continue producing memorable cinematic and cultural experiences for its audiences.”
The line-up showcases a combination of films from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, thus promoting the multi-cultural diversity that is prevalent in the South Asian community in US.
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.
