English Entertainment
HCL Corporation & The Habitats Trust tie-up with Animal Planet to create awareness about the need to save species and their habitats with ‘On the Brink’
MUMBAI: HCL Corporation, a global technology conglomerate, & The Habitats Trust, a recently launched foundation working towards protecting habitats and their indigenous species, have tied-up with India’s number 1 wildlife channel Animal Planet to showcase a new TV series ‘On The Brink’ to create awareness about Animal Conservation in India. The show, which will be aired on Animal Planet every Monday at 21:00 hrs, starting August 20, will unravel mysteries of the natural world and help understand why species that once lived in large populations, are now literally on the brink.
‘On The Brink’ will explore species and habitats rarely seen on Indian television and will witness the trials and tribulations of the endangered species as they are confronted with myriad threats to their survival. The species to be covered in Season 1 of the series include Red Panda, Fishing Cats, Slender Loris and Bengal Tiger. The show will also share stories of hope, of solutions and of the courageous men and women at the forefront of the battle to save these species from extinction.
The series has been directed by National Film Awards winner – Akanksha Sood Singh and adventurer, explorer and wildlife presenter – Malaika Vaz- is the presenter of the show. In the 8-part series shot across the country, Malaika Vaz journeys through India, immersing herself in the most incredible landscapes and habitats and coming eye-to-eye with the rarely spotted animals that live there. Each episode highlights a story which is important to tell right now, or else it might get too late.
“Wildlife and habitats conservation is essential to maintaining the natural ecological balance of our planet; however, it is under serious threat largely due to human induced factors such as habitat destruction, overhunting, pollution and climate change. The earth is as much ours, as it is of the flora and fauna that inhabit it and there is a lot we can achieve if all of us pool in effort with an aim to save the endangered indigenous species,” said, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, CEO of HCL Corporation & Founder and Trustee of The Habitats Trust. “On The Brink is a concerted attempt to raise awareness about the importance and the urgency of animal conservation.”
“There is a dire need to create awareness about specie conservation as almost half of the 177-mammal species surveyed lost more than 80% of their distribution between 1900 and 2015. We are delighted to enter into this tie-up with HCL Corporation & The Habitats Trust to showcase a one of its kind series ‘On The Brink’. This is in line with our enhanced focus on conservation as a part of our philosophy ‘Humans Like Us’,” said, Zulfia Waris, Vice President – Premium & Digital networks, Discovery Communications India. “On The Brink is about nature programming that inspires wonder and curiosity. It goes beyond the megafauna to showcase India’s incredible diversity and importantly creates awareness about the need to save species and their habitat.”
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.
