News Broadcasting
Zee MGM, Zee English set for revamp
MUMBAI: After a period of inactivity, Zee MGM and Zee English are pushing ahead in terms of a new look as well as innovative programme strategies.
The channels’ vice president Ajay Trigunayat says a new look has been put in place for Zee MGM from 11 December. This sees the return of the roaring lion on the channel logo since that is what Indians associate the MGM brand with. The channel has also taken a decision to delve into the brand heritage of MGM and is therefore using the famous tagline Lions Share of Hollywood.
The decision to go in for a revamp was taken in mid-September and Zee asked MGM to do the needful, says Trigunayat. The Zee network then did its own upgrades using state of the art facilities. The channel now also has a new promo director in Shrett Garnett who has worked in Dubai and the UK for ten years, says Trigunayat.
Elaborating on the strategy for Zee English, Trigunayat says, ” What we did for Zee English is to put all the graphic elements which were already available but which had not yet been used into place like new fonts. Every promo has a time and day, which is standardised across the channel. For Zee English, we are not going for a new look right now. We will wait for some time and then proceed. Effectively we are taking things in various stages and I call it the ‘afterburner’ approach.”
Trigunayat says the broadcaster renogitiated the contract with MGM in August 2002 after which it started airing non MGM movies like the Oscar Winner Traffic..
As far as positioning Zee MGM was concerned, he says, “During our research, viewers told us that when they watch an English movie channel, they look forward to unreleased and unknown movies in India. those that have not been seen in theatres or on the DVD, video circuits. This led us to the assumption that maybe we should be a channel which plays good movies at all times. We took the decision to not be a functional or a symbolic brand. We will be an experiential brand. You can watch a good movie at any time and there will be no appointment viewing required. “
In terms of channel share, Trigunayat says that during the top of the line slot, which is Romantic Monday’s , Zee MGM’s share had gone up by thrice as much.
Reagrding programming on Zee English Trigunayat says, ” We tinkered only slightly with the FPC. When Friends aired at 10:30 pm on weekends, channel share was 55 per cent between 9-12 pm. So we decided to put it back on weekdays at 10 pm. After the eighth season of Friends was over, we went back to the first episode from 11 November and channel shares have jumped back up to 47 per cent.”
Trigunayat says Zee English plans to bring in four shows from next month, for which a fresh approach has been taken. Zee MGM will premiere Run Lola Run in end January. It will also air English movies with an Indian feel like David Lean’s A Passage to India on Tuesdays at 9 pm.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
