GECs
Zee TV’s Chandra says he has no political ambitions
Pradhan Mantri – a drama series on Indian politics – from the Zee TV stable has got a lot of media pundits confounded. They have been questioning Zee TV chairman Subhash Chandra’s motive behind backing a political drama which dares expose the machinations of hardcore politicians against a na?ve and honest prime minister appointee who dares to defy the corrupt political system.
Does he have a political agenda now that he has lost his media star status? Is he trying to bring about a revival of the Congress (I) by projecting a Rajiv Gandhi type innocent political novice as prime minister now that he has reportedly fallen out of favour with the BJP-led coalition government? Does he think of himself as a king maker?
Chandra has a repartee to all these. Says he: “The Zee Network has 14 channels. One of them is Zee TV, which is an entertainment channel. We cover other genres like information, news, edutainment, education and children’s programming. Please don’t read that we have lost out in the media stakes. We are the largest in viewership. We have 30 per cent of all cable and satellite eyeballs in India. By far, we are leaders in entertainment and we will remain so.”
On his political ambitions he says: “There is no need for me to take shelter behind a programme for furthering my political ambitions. I have no political agenda. It is just a show. When we were discussing a new show to get our audiences, this idea came to us. And the idea was to create a series that would cover what we would like our country to be, what is wrong about our nation, what brings about a feeling of helplessness in us. What is there that can take us forward to the kind of nation we wanted to be when we won our freedom more than 50 years ago. MJ Akbar tells (he co-ideates and co-writes the script) me you need 50 per cent MPs who are honest in Parliament who genuinely care about the nation to make a difference. I say you need just one. And that is what Pradhan Mantri is all about.”
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.
