English Entertainment
MN+ releases August lineup
MUMBAI: In keeping with its promise to provide the Gold Class of HD English Movie entertainment to the cr?me de la cr?me of the nation’s TV audiences, MN+, the leading HD English movie channel and the most premium offering from Times Network, has announced a formidable line-up of English movie entertainment for August 2015.
The English movie viewers can look forward to an engrossing bouquet of some of the biggest films that received blockbuster success and critical acclaim plus a very special Independence Day lineup, while brands and advertisers can draw immense value from unique and strategically properties like Centre-stage, Opening Night, Great Adaptations, the one-off Classifiled, and more.
Centre Stage: Among the top attractions in August, the property Centre Stage will feature, for the first time on MN+, The Bucket List (on Sunday, 9 August at 9 pm), the acclaimed A-list movie on the ultimate road trip of two terminally ill men with a wish list of things to do before they ‘kick the bucket’. The unique concept of the film along with the brilliant performances of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman make it truly unforgettable, and a film not to be missed.
Opening Night (Sunday, 23rd August at 9 pm) will feature J Edgar, the Clint Eastwood-directed Leonardo Di Caprio-starring powerful biographical-drama epic on the life and times of one of the most controversial and feared crime-fighters of America. Apart from the powerful performances and top notch direction, the film, airing for the first time on MN+, is a must-watch also for the way in which Hoover himself recalls his career for the biography.
Apart from these, movie lovers can enjoy a handpicked selection of the best Hollywood films at 9 pm Mondays to Sundays throughout August, under the property Hollywood Select.
Classifiled is the special property for Independence Day, Saturday, the 15th of August. It will showcase the popular film Underground: The Julian Assange Story at 9 PM, followed, at 11 pm, by We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wiki Leaks, the documentary that details the creation of the controversial website that facilitated the largest security breach in U.S. history.
Great Adaptations: Movie connoisseurs who are also book lovers and want to enjoy the celluloid retelling of some of the most popular books, can curl up with the celluloid retelling of their favourite books weeknights in the special MN+ property, Great Adaptations, at 11 pm Mondays to Thursdays from the 3rd to the 27th of August. Some of the unforgettable films to look forward to are About Schmidt, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Pride & Prejudice, Runaway Jury, The Time Machine, The Three Musketeers, Woman in Black, PS I Love You, A Time To Kill, Mackenna’s Gold, Fight Club, LA Confidential, Man on Fire, Les Miserables, Journey To Mysterious Island and The Bridges of Madison County.
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.
