Movie Channels
‘The Knick’ and ‘Jonah From Tonga’ to premiere in India on HBO
MUMBAI: Two brand new series THE KNICKSM and JONAH FROM TONGA, are all set to premiere in India just within 24 hours of their US premiere – on Saturday, August 9 exclusively 100% Ad-Free on HBO Premium Channels, HBO Hits and HBO Defined.
THE KNICK
Season One premieres Saturday, August 9 at 7:00 pm on HBO Hits
A brand new series THE KNICKSM is all set to kick-start on HBO Hits. Set in downtown New York in 1900, THE KNICKSM is centered around the Knickerbocker Hospital and the groundbreaking surgeons, nurses and staff, who push the bounds of medicine in a time of astonishingly high mortality rates and zero antibiotics. It depicts how a newly appointed brilliant but arrogant renegade Dr. John Thackery’s addiction to cocaine and opium is trumped solely by his ambition for medical discovery. Also, present into this all-white staff and patient hospital is an equally gifted Dr. Algernon Edwards fighting for respect while trying to navigate radically charged city.
Starring Clive Owen (“Children of Men,” HBO’s “Hemingway & Gellhorn”; Oscar® nominee for “Closer”) and directed by Steven Soderbergh (“Side Effects”; Oscar® winner for “Traffic”; Emmy® winner for HBO’s “Behind the Candelabra”), THE KNICKSM kicks off its ten-episode season on Saturday AUG. 9 at 7 pm, exclusively on HBO Hits, followed by other episodes debuting on subsequent Saturdays at 8.30 pm.
THE KNICK: ©2014 HOME BOX OFFICE, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CINEMAX® AND RELATED CHANNELS AND SERVICE MARKS ARE THE PROPERTY OF HOME BOX OFFICE, INC.
JONAH FROM TONGA
Season One premieres Saturday, August 9 at 8:00 pm on HBO Defined
HBO Premium Channels present another treat for Indian viewers on Saturday, August 9 at 8 pm. Australia’s Chris Lilley, creator of “Summer Heights High” and “Ja’mie: Private School Girl,” is all set to bring back one of his ground-breaking characters, the rebellious 14-year-old Jonah, in a six-episode comedy series JONAH FROM TONGA.
The plot revolves around the main protagonist Jonah Takalua, who, after being expelled from Summer Heights High, is banished by his father Rocky to the island of Tongapatu to spend time with his extended family and get his life back together. But four months later, fed up with Jonah’s antics, his uncle sends him back to Sydney to enroll in yet another school, the Holy Cross School. Once again, the always impressionable Jonah finds himself adapting to a new school and fending off new foes and other delinquents, all while trying to be a “good boy.”
Lilley has not just created and written but also starred in the title role of the new show, which premieres on Saturday AUG. 9 at 8 pm, exclusively on HBO Defined, followed by other episodes debuting subsequent on Saturdays at 8.30 pm.
The show is produced by Lilley and his producing partner, Laura Waters, who previously produced “Summer Heights High” (where the character of Jonah was introduced to HBO viewers) & co-produced by HBO and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with the BBC.
Tune in to watch this incomparable line-up of critically acclaimed HBO original content on HBO Defined and HBO Hits, 100% ad-free and in true HD quality and Dolby surround sound, which will make it an unparalleled viewing experience for viewers.
This follows the recent announcement that all HBO and CINEMAX scripted content on HBO Premium network will air within 24 hours of its U.S. premiere, starting with THE KNICKSM. The ten-episode drama premieres in India exclusively on HBO Hits on Saturday, August 9 at 7 pm. New episodes will air every Saturday at 8:30 pm. The series is also available free on HBO ON DEMAND on Tata Sky.
For more information log on to http://www.hbodefined.in and http://www.hbohits.in
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HBO, Home Box Office, HBO Hits, HBO Defined are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
