GECs
Zee’s ‘Aati Rahengi Baharein’ high on melodrama
The first episode of the new Zee soap, which airs Mondays to Fridays in the 8:30 pm slot, was high on melodrama. How the plot unfolds remains to be seen.
Zee‘s latest soap-Aati Rahengi Baharein is old wine in a new bottle. The story of a conservative Gujarati family in the textile business, the narrative begins with the family eagerly awaiting the return of their only son, Amar, who is coming back to India after a study stint abroad.
The plotline has the mandatory bad guy in the form of Amar‘s maternal uncle who has it in for the boy. Throw in a couple of childhood buddies on the other side of the economic divide and the story is all about the hero‘s dilemma – duty to family or keeping the faith with his friends.
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The first episode of Zee‘s newest offering was overly melodramatic with too many elements all squeezed in simultaneously. While the attempt on the part of the producers (It‘s a co-production between Cinevistaas and Kaarnik), seems to have been to strike the right balance between the Balaji brand of loud family drama and a fresh youthful feel, the absence of a storyline that would not give the audience a feeling of deja vu serves as a bit of a deterrent. |
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The strong point of the serial is the competent performances by all its central characters. Direction by Kaushik Ghatak is taut. The screenplay is passable, though (unless making the first episode overly melodramatic was a strategy) a bit over the top. |
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There is wide speculation on how the story will unfold in the succeeding episodes with strong rumours that the story will follow the film Anand track where the protagonist discovers that he is suffering from a terminal disease. If that happens, it will again be interesting to see how the story holds after this revelation especially, because it‘s too linear a plot for a daily soap. |
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
