GECs
Zee TV wins rights to ‘Munnabhai MBBS’
MUMBAI: The blockbusters of 2003 are not all being pocketed by Sony Entertainment Television after all.
Of the two blockbusters in the top four list still up for grabs Zee TV has bagged one of them — Munnabhai MBBS. This was revealed to indiantelevision.com by Zee TV president Sunil Khanna.
Munnabhai is the only real blockbuster among a list of “smart buy” films that Zee will be launching on its Thursday Premiere slot in the coming months. The films are Pinjar, I – Proud to be Indian, Rudraaksh, Paisa Vasool, Samay, Tum, Fun2shh, Ishk Hein Tumse and Jaal the Trap.
Queried whether Munnabhai would be the big movie of the season for Zee, Khanna commented thus: “Let’s just say it’s a good movie. See, it is not necessary that a film has to be a blockbuster to work well on TV. In fact, some of the movies which have worked very well on our Thursday Premiere have flopped in theatres. Perhaps that becomes the film’s USP because not many people have seen it. Next month we’re showing Pinjar, for example.”
“If we see the last few months data, it is Mein Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon, which was a theatrical flop, that did much better business for us than a big film like Chalte Chalte.”
According to Khanna, “If there is a good star cast and good music, and people have not watched it, these kind of movies can do much better than the bigger movies.”
With the acquisition of Munnabhai, the only film in the ‘A’ list for which the bidding for the rights are still open is 2003’s number two grosser Kal Ho Na Ho. Though Khanna made no reference to this film in the conversation indiantelevision.com had with him, industry sources say Zee is definitely in the running for the rights.
The Number 1 and Number 3 grossers for 2003 – Koi Mil Gaya and Baghban respectively – are on SET’s roster.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
