Category: English Entertainment

Comedy Central records highest ever rating

MUMBAI: Comedy Central India has recorded its highest ever rating in India (4 MN Tvts), nearly double its previous best, breaking all records and owning the #1 position in the English GEC category.

The specially curated property “Quaran-binge” will air a marathon line up of all your favorite shows, such as Two and Half Men, Mom, Superstore, Mike & Molly and Impractical Jokers, all the way till 14 April. So grab that tub of popcorn and own that couch while you quaran-binge your favorite shows with no interruption.

Continuing to set your spirits high as all your favourite characters continue to ‘be there for you’ with or without the lockdown, spicing up your weekly primetime, the channel will air 2 back-to-back episodes of Friends, Mom, Young Sheldon and Mike & Molly, Monday to Friday at 7pm, 15 April onwards.

Comedy Central India will air the ‘Watch with the World’ line up every Sunday, 7pm onwards, starting on 19 of April. Don’t forget to catch all the latest episodes of ‘Young Sheldon’, ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’, ‘Mom’, ‘Superstore’ and ‘Bob Hearts Abishola’.

In the Graham Norton show’, the famous Red chair game and LIVE music, the iconic Irish comedian will host his spectacular evening, that will air on the same day as the international telecast!

Hashim D’souza – Head of Programming, English Entertainment, Viacom18, says: "Recording its highest ever rating and claiming a stupendous market share of 77%, Viacom18's English Cluster has positioned itself as the viewers primary destination to curb away boredom this quarantine. The channels continue to be at full throttle airing the most enjoyed shows around the globe for the Indian audience. Continuing this stride, Comedy Central India is gearing up to bring more of such shows that promise high acclaim. With the current situation of quarantine, we wanted to ensure uninterrupted entertainment for our audience with multiple marathons with ‘Quaran-binge’. With a broad array of shows that both inspire and entertain, there is something for everyone to watch.”

April 4, 2020
ViacomCBS buys 49% of Miramax

MUMBAI: ViacomCBS will acquire a 49 per cent stake in Miramax, the Los Angeles-headquartered entertainment company which has been into production and distribution of films and TV shows. beIN Media Group-owned Miramax Films is a renowned global studio with some of the iconic films in its kitty, which include No Country for Old Men, Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, and Kill Bill.

Under the deal, ViacomCBS will make a cash payment of around $150 million. Also, it will invest $45 million per year over the next five years, totalling $225 million, as working capital for new film and TV productions.

Both BeIN and ViacomCBS would seek more strategic partnership opportunities in content production and distribution. The deal gives the duo further opportunities for combined distribution of new and old library content.

Miramax leadership will remain the same.

ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish said: "This partnership with BeIN will be a unique opportunity to gain access to a valuable library, deepening our already substantial pool of IP at a time when demand for premium content is only accelerating. We look forward to working closely with the Miramax management team as we explore new ways to deliver its titles across a variety of platforms and create new, compelling projects."

Said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of BeIN: "This represents a major investment in and endorsement of our thriving Miramax business, which has grown in value under BeIN Media Group’s ownership and has a fantastic future ahead with major new movies and unexploited premium dramas. We are thrilled to partner with ViacomCBS and Paramount to explore further opportunities around Miramax's iconic IP, and also at group level, while substantially increasing the scale of our entertainment business."

April 4, 2020
Cannes Lions 2020 Cancelled

MUMBAI: Cannes Lions today announced that the annual Festival of Creativity will not take place in October as previously planned. The next edition of the Festival will run June 21-25, 2021, said a Cannes Lions statement.

“As the impact from COVID-19 continues to be felt across the world on consumers and our customers across the marketing, creative and media industries, it has become clear to us our customers’ priorities have shifted to the need to protect people, to serve consumers with essential items and to focus on preserving companies, society and economies. Our difficult decision follows in-depth consultations with our partners and customers and reflects the unprecedented societal, health and economic challenges currently facing the world, as well as our desire to remove any uncertainty about the running of the awards and event for our partners and customers,” said the statement.

Cannes Lions chairman Philip Thomas said: “Cannes Lions at its core has always been about creativity and the Lions. We realise that the creative community has other challenges to face, and simply isn’t in a position to put forward the work that will set the benchmark. The marketing and creative industries, in common with so many others, are currently in turmoil, and it’s clear that we can play our small part by removing all speculation about the Festival this year. We have tried to make our decisions as early as possible to give the industry total clarity on the situation, and that is why we are announcing this move today.”

Cannes Lions managing director Simon Cook said: “We all look ahead to a more positive time – right now, Cannes Lions will continue to bring the global creative community together and provide inspiration where we can find it. Our recent call for inspirational creative stories from around the world has already garnered hundreds of accounts of our community uniting and showing progress in this crisis. We believe firmly that the Lions continue to offer valuable recognition to that community and we look forward to celebrating and honouring the work in 2021, when the world will hopefully feel more stable, and our community can give their work the focus it deserves.”

April 3, 2020
&PrivéHD to premiere ‘The Tomorrow Man’ on 28 March

MUMBAI: A man obsessed with the future, a woman trapped by the past and a chance to embrace the present! Here’s a story of Ed and Ronnie – two eccentric souls stuck in ‘the wrong side of 60s’ whose lives intertwine in ‘The Tomorrow Man.’ Feel the other side of the story of two stark opposites as &PrivéHD, the premium destination for nuanced cinema, premieres this romantic drama on Saturday, March 29, 2020 at 1PM and 9PM. Available with the Zee Prime English HD Pack, the channel encourages viewers to break-free from your inner inhibitions and live in present with the Privé Premiere of ‘The Tomorrow Man’.

Written and directed by Noble Jones in his debut feature, ‘The Tomorrow Man’ features two seasoned actors in lead roles – the two-time Academy Award-nominee John Lithgow and the Golden Globe-nominee Blythe Danner. The endearing film, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival, garnered positive reviews for the heart-warming performances and its atypical plotline.

The movie revolves around the life of Ed Hemsler – a retired and divorced man who is obsessed with the apocalypse. He spends his time living a solitary life and preparing for a disaster that may never come. One fine day, he encounters Ronnie Meisner, an unconventionally attractive woman around his age who spends her life shopping for things she may never use. In a small town somewhere in America, the two try to find love while trying not to get lost in each other’s eccentricity.

Will the one who dwells in the ‘tomorrow’ accept what life has to offer him ‘today’?

This Saturday, witness a heart-warming love story of a couple in their golden years as &PrivéHD premieres ‘The Tomorrow Man’ on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 1PM and 9PM

March 25, 2020
This International Day of Happiness, &flix and &PrivéHD curates special day-long binges

MUMBAI: A random act of kindness, meeting your furry, four-legged friend or your relishing favorite cup of ice cream – true happiness is in the little things that make life beautiful. But not all days are sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, all you need is a gentle nudge to choose the brighter side. This International Day of Happiness, Zee English cluster encourages you to create your own sunshine and live life one smile at a time with a day-long special ‘International Happiness Day Binge’ on &flix and ‘World Happiness Day’ binge on &PrivéHD. Come Friday, March 20, 2020, it’s your time to ditch all worries and make happiness a habit with movies that make you gleam with joy starting 9AM onwards on &flix and &PrivéHD.

A little munchkin chef, a canine Hollywood superstar or your favourite monsters on an exotic holiday – ‘International Happiness Day Binge’ on &flix brings you the best of animated-comedies that take you on a laugh riot. It’s time to shout with glee as the troupe of Angry Birds, Dory, Remy the rat and Wall-E is here to make you smile a little extra. The exciting binge includes animation-favourites such as ‘Hotel Transylvania’, ‘Ratatouille’, ‘Bolt’, ‘Wall-E’, ‘Brave’, ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’, ‘Up’ and Finding Dory airing all day long on &flix.

Adding to the share of positive vibes is ‘World Happiness Day’ binge on &PrivéHD which features a line-up of movies that are sure to make you smile, all day long. From the Academy-award nominated Julie & Julia which depicts the beautiful story of Julia Child’s cooking journey to the heart-warming bond of three teenagers in the critically-acclaimed movie ‘The Perks Of Being A Wallflower’ and from an epic-400 mile journey in ‘A Dog’s Way Home’ to the musical dramedy around a father-daughter duo in ‘Hearts Beat Loud’ – the line-up promises to leave you with a happy glow. That’s not all! The day-long binge also includes acclaimed dramedies that lift up your mood like ‘Gloria Bell’, ‘Eight Grade’, ‘Playing It Cool’, ‘Hearts Beat Loud’ and ‘The Water Horse.’

March 17, 2020
Star Jalsha launches family game show ‘SuperStar Parivaar’

MUMBAI: Star Jalsha has launched SuperStar Parivaar, a one-of-its-kind family game show where the woman along with her husband and relatives from her parents side, as well her in-laws, will participate as two separate teams. The uniqueness of the show lies in the fact that no matter which team loses, the family wins truckload of gifts, at the end of every round. The battle of the Bengali ‘poribaar’ airs from Monday to Sunday, at 4.30 pm only on Star Jalsha SD and HD.

Each team will comprise of four members each. One team will be led by the wife and the other by the husband. They will be participating in four exciting gaming rounds. The winners of each round will get to choose from a host of exciting gifts that’ll be on display at the set. Star Jalsha has made it possible for the participants to walk back home with these presents on the day of participation itself.

Every episode will celebrate the spirit of togetherness and promises lighthearted banter, perky anecdotes, heartwarming and inspiring stories for the viewers.

Produced by Double Half, the show is hosted by Tollywood’s leading lady, Srabanti Chatterjee, who is sure to raise the bar of the show with her sheer presence and charm. Srabanti, who has given numerous blockbuster hits over the years, was last seen as the judge in Star Jalsha’s dancing reality show, Dance Dance Junior.

Speaking on the occasion Regional Entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz said, “With hectic schedules and busy lifestyles, people often lose out on spending quality time with family. SuperStar Parivaar from Star Jalsha is an effort to recreate fun & excitement that can be cherished by families together. It is a perfect blend of wholesome family entertainment and amusement. Our aim is to inspire family members to come together and spend quality time with each other.”

March 17, 2020
11 Years. 250 Episodes. 1 “Modern Family”. Only on Star World

MUMBAI: This year, the Emmy-winning comedy series, Modern Family will wrap up with the finale season, and fans will have to say goodbye to the Dunphy-Pritchet-Tucker family. But here comes Star World, all set to mark the end of a comedy era by hosting re-runs of the all 11 seasons of Modern Family for the first time on Indian Television. The series which has been considered as one of the most seminal and iconic comedies of present times, will start airing on Star World starting 16th March every Monday to Friday at 8PM!

The show stars some of the glamorous personalities who went on to become household names like Sofia Vergara and Sarah Hyland. Also starring Julie Bowen, Ty Burell, Jesse Tyrel Ferguson, Ed O’Neill, Eric Stonestreet, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould and Rico Rodriguez, the family sitcom revolves around an extended family who deal with their kids, quirky spouses, and jobs in their own unique ways, often falling into hilarious situations. A 21st century comedy, telling the story of a giant family that includes a gay couple, an interracial couple, divorce, adoption – basically everything, finally comes to an end but in its beautiful entirety will surely continue to live on.

Created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, this mockumentary style comedy, since its launch, has received immense acclaim over the years and remained popular and relevant to its audiences. The show, known to be all-inclusive and unconventional, went for a change of pace from the typical sitcom fare with its twists – voice given to LGBTQ characters and adaptation of the documentary style of filmmaking. With comparisons to The Office and Parks and Recreation, Modern Family matured to joining the squad of some legendary comedy TV shows of all time – Seinfeld, The Simpsons, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, to name a few. Bringing back plenty of fond reminiscing, this groundbreaking sitcom, over its 11-season run earned 75 Emmy nominations and 22 Emmy Awards, and a TV record with its five straight best comedy Emmys.

The show’s 11th and final season is currently airing on Star World, new episodes every Saturday at 7PM. And if you are one to take the trip down memory lane, then go and tune in to Star World and watch Modern Family (all seasons) airing every Monday – Friday at 8PM, starting 16th March.

March 12, 2020
A Treat for All Music Lovers: The Revolutionary Reality Show American Idol, with its latest edition, makes its way to Star World on 16th March

MUMBAI: The singing reality show that started off almost two decades ago, in 2002, American Idol established itself as one of the most iconic shows just after its launch and went on to become one of the most sensational shows of all time. Known to provide a platform to some of the biggest pop idols of our generation, American Idol, with its next edition of Season 18, will be showcased in India on Star World, one of the leading English entertainment channels. Starting 16th March Monday – Friday at 9PM, get ready to experience a musical treat as the show premieres in India in sync with the US, airing 23rd March onwards.

American Idol, the show that revolutionized reality television all over the world, was the very first to bring the format of singing reality show on television and managed to inspire many countries to follow through with the concept. Certainly the most sought after launch-pad for aspiring singers, the show has recognized many talented artists and kick started the musical journeys of some of the biggest names today – Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Phillips Phillips, and many more. This time again, with its 18th edition, the show is all set to launch the talents into the world of Hollywood with the support of the very talented judges and host.

This season, marking the third season since the reboot in 2018, will have the terrific trio judges return – the award-winning singing diva Katy Perry, legendary Academy Award winner Lionel Richie, and one of the loved country music singer, Luke Bryan along with the host, comedian Bobby Bones who will continue to woo the audience with his charisma and charm. Executive producer of American Idol, Ryan Seacrest will also reprise his role as the show's host, a position he's held since the singing competition first debuted 18 years ago. This season will witness participants go through some challenging rounds with for only one to be crowned as the winner of American Idol 2020!

The singing reality show has enjoyed immense popularity worldwide, giving the world of music some of the biggest superstar voices and will continue to be the platform that makes dreams come true. Set to bring music enthusiasts from all corners of the world and winning hearts of millions of people with soulful renditions, this new season will be aired in India only on Star World starting 16th March, every Monday– Friday at 9PM with simultaneous airing as the US international release starting 23rd March!

March 11, 2020
HIGHER.FURTHER.FASTER with Captain Marvel on Star Movies

MUMBAI: Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel, the highest grossing female-led superhero film featuring Academy award-winning actress Brie Larson premieres this Sunday 8th March on Star Movies 1 PM and 9 PM. Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the MCU that trails the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe`s most powerful heroes.

The film boasts an ensemble cast of Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Gemma chan, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, and Clark Gregg. The film is a unique superhero film mainly due to its setting, characters and action. Major character developments will be seen in the film including Nick fury losing his eye in an unfortunate accident. This film will show you why Thanos needs to be terrified as he will be facing the ferocious and marvelous Captain Marvel in the next Film installment of the MCU – Avengers: Endgame.

Set in the 90’s, the film follows the story of Carol Danvers, Half human half kree warrior hero who is trying to end the expansion of Skrull rule on the galaxy along with Yon Rogg, her mentor and commander. Though she has extremely potent abilities, she is yet to master them. During a mission, she gets separated from her team and gets stranded on Earth, there she meets a young Nick Fury and teams up with him to prevent a catastrophe.

When Brie Larson was asked what are her thoughts on the character, she stated “I mean, I think she has an ego, but in a healthy way. She doesn’t have an unrealistic expectation of herself. She just owns that she’s really good and really skilled, which feels good to play. She also has an incredible sense of humor and makes fun of herself, makes fun of other people, has no issue if someone makes fun of her.”

Catch one of Marvel’s mightiest superheroes- Captain Marvel on Star Movies on 8th March 2020 at 1 pm and 9 pm.

March 6, 2020

Happy Women’s Day, To Every Man in The World – Yours Truly, Star World

MUMBAI: Women play multiple roles in the life of a man, be it a friend, sister, daughter, mother, or wife. One day of gratitude out of 365 does not suffice, women must be celebrated every single day. In keeping with this sentiment, Star World dedicates this Women’s Day to every man in the world and reminds them to appreciate all wonderful women who have made their lives so much better.

To celebrate this day, Star World, brings some of the self-made and powerful women from the Bollywood industry to your home screens! These strong-willed women come with their inspiring and empowering stories from the previous episodes of the most loved Bollywood talk show ‘Koffee with Karan’.

From endless gossip to heart-felt conversations with Karan Johar on the Koffee couch, comes the famous Bachchan sibling – Abhishek and Sweta Bachchan. Adding more fun to the sibling love, Star World will air the special episode of the Kapoor kids – Kareena and Ranbir, who will be seen teasing and indulging in playful banter. That’s not it, Star World also brings two of the long-standing Bollywood couples – Akshay Kumar & Twinkle Khanna and Ajay Devgan & Kajol, who keep setting couple goals for all the fans. Celebrating the powerful bond of friendship, Star World will bring the SOTY trio – Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan & Alia Bhatt who have now come so far in the Bollywood industry. And lastly, Star World celebrates the father-daughter relation by bringing Saif Ali Khan & Sara Ali Khan on the couch.

Here’s the programming line-up for Women’s Day –

Episodes	Timings
Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan & Alia Bhatt	3:00 PM
Abhishek & Sweta Bachan	4:00 PM
Akshay Kumar & Twinkle Khanna	5:00 PM
Ajay Devgan & Kajol	6:00 PM
Kareena Kapoor Khan & Ranbir Kapoor	7:00 PM
Saif Ali Khan & Sara Ali Khan	8:00 PM

On the International Women’s Day which falls on the 8th of this month, binge on Star World 3PM onwards and travel back in time with these mighty women personalities.

March 5, 2020