Movie Channels
Sony Max brings back comedy fillers
MUMBAI: Here’s some good news for Sony Max viewers. Short format comedy fillers namely ‘Bittu Bak Bak’ and ‘Max Fully Deewana’ are back by popular demand on the channel from August interspersed through the day. India’s premier Hindi Movies channel, Sony Max which believes in going beyond movies to entertain its viewers has brought back the comic relief fillers intending to leave viewers in splits. Formulated as spoofs on iconic scenes from Bollywood, the fillers will see known faces namely Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh share screen space with new additions comprising of comedians Vikalp Mehta and Sugandha Mishra guaranteed to double the comedy quotient.
This year audiences will be in for a treat with 60 rib tickling filmy gags which will see a few changes. For instance, ‘Bittu Bak Bak’ the quintessential classroom setup will now have comedian Krushna Abhishek don the role of a lady teacher – Rosy Ma’am. Mischievous and incorrigible student ‘Bittu’ played by Bharti Singh develops a crush on the new teacher. ‘Max Fully Deewana’, on the other hand, encapsulates the essence of the channel- ‘Deewana Bana De’ by showcasing hilarious spoofs on some of the most iconic scenes of Bollywood. The filmy gags will feature comedians Krushna Abhishek, Bharti Singh, Vikalp Mehta and Sugandha Mishra play out memorable scenes from Bollywood in a comic manner.
Commenting on the new series of ‘Bittu Bak Bak’ is different from last year, comedian Krushna Abhishek says, “The new series of ‘Bittu Bak Bak’ features a new character – a lady teacher. Earlier Bittu was taught by a male teacher with whom he shared a ‘tom and jerry’ kind of a relationship. However, Bittu has developed a crush on the female teacher and shares a better rapport with her. Similarly with ‘Fully Deewana’, we have done a lot of new spoofs on recent movies like ‘Kick’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’.”
Talking about entertaining people through the two- minute comedy fillers, comedian Bharti Singh says, “We do not want viewers to go anywhere between movies and thus, this concept of the comedy fillers helps keep them glued to their TV sets. It just makes their television watching experience a lot more entertaining.”
Commenting on the challenges of filming for these comedy fillers, she added, “This is very different from the usual comedy that I do where I have more time but over here I have to explain everything in 2 minutes. It includes a lot of impromptu performance. It’s very challenging for me because we are stand-up comedians and at times even one hour is not enough for us. However, having said that performing on these two minute fillers is a lot of fun.”
Stressing on the importance of comedy fillers in between movies, Neeraj Vyas, Sr. EVP Business Head, MAX and MAX2, stated, “For a channel which provides its viewers with a wide assortment of movies, Sony MAX has always aimed at going beyond movies to entertain its viewers and give them that little extra to keep them coming back to the channel. Comedy fillers are a novel concept and outright funny which also acts as a stress buster for the viewers.”
Movie Channels
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat Premieres 14 Feb on Zee
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat world TV premiere 14 Feb at 8pm passion meets politics.
MUMBAI: Cupid’s arrow just got a plot twist and it’s heading straight for your TV screen. This Valentine’s Day, Zee Cinema is turning up the heat with the world television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, a raw, rule-breaking romantic drama that proves love doesn’t always come wrapped in roses.
Set to air on Saturday, 14 February at 8pm, the film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, directed by Milap Zaveri. It dives headfirst into obsession, heartbreak, and the kind of unconditional love that leaves scorch marks. Rane plays Vikramaditya, a powerful politician whose all-consuming passion for actress Adaa spirals into chaos when his feelings go unreturned unleashing a storm of emotion, misunderstanding, and life-altering consequences.
The timing couldn’t be sharper. Audiences are clearly craving intense love stories over sugar-coated ones, and this film taps straight into that vein. Harshvardhan Rane already has a loyal fanbase from his cult hit Sanam Teri Kasam, which cemented his status as the go-to guy for heart-wrenching romance especially among younger viewers who keep the film on repeat.
Milap Zaveri captured the film’s beating heart, “This film is about love that doesn’t follow rules. With Valentine’s Day being a time when audiences gravitate towards romantic narratives, the television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat on Zee Cinema felt like the perfect fit. The continued love for intense romances shows there is a strong emotional appetite for such stories.”
Rane himself called it a story rooted in messy, honest emotion, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat explores love in its most intense and vulnerable form where emotions are messy and deeply human. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from passion or pain on Valentine’s Day making it even more special as it reflects the many shades of love people experience.”
Sonam Bajwa added her take, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is not a conventional love story, it’s raw, intense and emotional. Valentine’s Day is usually associated with happy romance but this film explores love in its most vulnerable form.”
So if your Valentine’s plans include more than chocolates and clichés, tune in to Zee Cinema at 8pm on 14 February. Because sometimes the most unforgettable love stories aren’t the ones that end neatly, they’re the ones that leave you questioning just how far passion can push before everything changes.
