English Entertainment
Star Movies to premiere ‘Maleficent’
Mumbai, 24th June, 2015: In the words of legendary playwright William Congreve, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. This June, Star Movies brings to you a chance to witness what drove a powerful fairy to become a vengeful villain with the television premiere of ‘Maleficent’ on 28th June at 1pm and 9pm!
Directed by Robert Stromberg, this dark fantasy film starring one of Hollywood’s best actresses, Angelina Jolie, takes inspiration from the 1959 animated classic, Sleeping Beauty and narrates the story from the perspective of the glowering villainess, Maleficent. After being betrayed in love, the once kind fairy is driven to exact revenge from her perpetrator by cursing the infant princess to fall into a death-like sleep by pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel on her sixteenth birthday, with the elusive ‘kiss of true love’ as the only way to lift the curse. However, over the years, Maleficent becomes the innocent princess’ fairy godmother and later the hero as her strong motherly love for Aurora breaks the curse that she herself had cast.
Star Movies has always believed in weaving the magic of its movies beyond the television screen. The marketing campaign for the TV premiere will ask its followers on twitter to save the princess from falling for Maleficent’s spell. The princess is on her way to the dungeon where the curse will fall upon her, and as the Star Movies follower you can stop her, save her. But Maleficent has blocked your way with different spells. Break the spells on your way to the castle and help save #MaleficentOnStarMovies
Each broken spell will unlock exciting gifts, making the journey truly astounding. This message will be further amplified through branding across PVR theatres and in Jet Aircrafts.
So don’t forget to experience this iconic tale like it’s never been told before on 28th June at 1pm and 9pm only on Star Movies!
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.
