Movie Channels
Zee Cinema remains top of the heap; Filmy up
Indian television‘s Hindi movie channels (HMCs) are no more playing second fiddle to the big brother general entertainment channels (GECs).Since 2005, the space has been witnessing a lot of interesting trends – be it innovations, strategy changes or experiments.
The introduction of Sahara One Media and Entertainment‘s Filmy in the space has given a new dimension to the goings on as the channel‘s unconventional approach to movie programming won it good returns. In this context, Indiantelevision.com thought it would be worth analysing how the channels fared during the third quarter of the 2006 calendar year (based on Tam CS4+ HSM ratings).
We have two sets of market share data in front of us. One is the average channel share data spread over the period of 12 February to 29 July and this almost covers the first and second quarters of the 2006 calendar year. As per the data, Zee Cinema is leading the line up with a channel share of 35 per cent, closely followed by Max at 32 per cent. Star Gold come in third with 25 per cent, followed by newcomer Filmy with 7 per cent. The B4U Movies‘ picture is a dismal one with just 1 per cent of viewing audiences.
Moving in to the Q3 period of July to September, Zee Cinema has further increased its average market share – from 35 per cent to 36.7 per cent. Max, however, shows a slip, shedding about 2 per cent to stand at 30.2 per cent during this period. Star Gold also tells a similar story with the channel‘s average share down to 22.4 per cent. Filmy, on the other hand, has improved its position from 7 per cent to an impressive 9.5 per cent, while B4U Movies has also shown some positive traction to reach 1.3 per cent share.
 |
According to Zee Cinema programming head Mohan Gopinath, Zee Cinema could maintain its growth momentum by concentrating on three factors: movies that work, strategic scheduling and the brand power that Zee Cinema enjoys. Except for Garam Masala, the channel didn‘t have any big ticket premiere for the period and still there hadn‘t been a drag.
Explains Gopinath, “The movies which have done the trick for us during this period are mainly Garam Masala, Waah Life Ho To Aisi and then a Rajnikant movie premiere. So the plan has always been to schedule effective movies on a strategic basis and then push the properties with the kind of brand power the channel enjoys. The innovation of break content has also helped the channel to deliver. The Amitabh movie band Shaniwar ki Raat Amitabh Ke Saath has played a key role in sustaining the good performance. We are now celebrating the completion of 100 weeks of Shaniwaar Ki Raat.”
 |
For Filmy, meanwhile, the period has been hectic with experiments, attempted innovations and trial and error runs. The channel, which created a buzz in the market during its initial phase with big movies, wrap-around programming and heavy marketing, spent the July to September period by unveiling some innovative property launches and attempting a re-look at certain programming aspects. The period saw the channel unveiling the concept of a stock exchange based interactive TV game Filmy Stock Exchange.
Filmy marketing and content head Shailesh Kapoor feels Filmy‘s unconventional approach to movie programming proved successful in the market.
“We could get a good opening and as more and more people started sampling the channel, it reflected in numbers as well. We made our best efforts to bring more variety, be it in our promotional campaigns or movie properties. Our attempt has been to give a complete Indian twist to television‘s movie-viewing habit. Our refreshing image makes the viewer come back and this has been the key to our success,” says Kapoor.
Though Star Gold and Max had lined up some impressive movies during this period, the impact of Filmy and the superiority of Zee Cinema as a brand resisted their surge in the rating charts. As the data reveals, the market hasn‘t got an expansion during this period as such, but Zee Cinema and Filmy have actually eaten into the shares of Max and Gold.
 |
Cricket is expected to drive the fourth quarter for Max and rival channels are strategising their moves to counter Max on this front. Star Gold has lined up the big premiere of Rang De Basanti for the Diwali phase. Filmy is unveiling its Hollywood dubbed movie segment Firangi Filmy in the same period. The channel has also announced plans to conduct a contest based on the stock exchange game to promote the premiere of Malamaal Weekly on the channel.
Zee Cinema introduced its youth block Klub, well ahead of Diwali and one of the movies it has lined up for Diwali premiere is the Salman-starrer Kyunki..
When queried on the chances of Max stealing the show in the fourth quarter with a heavy doze of cricket content, Gopinath says cricket can never substitute movies as a mode of entertainment. “Movies and cricket are different in terms of TV programming. Both have their own USP. For a pure movie lover, cricket is completely another genre. We are confident that, this particular segment will witness our Q4 growth.”
“Our target is to achieve about 14 per cent channel share by the end of 2006. We have taken into account cricket as a challenge and will be dealing with this issue by resorting to some smart scheduling of movies,” says Kapoor.
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.
