ITV

Category: English Entertainment

  • Nat Geo India, with Gul Panag, launches 2 shows for Earth Day

    Nat Geo India, with Gul Panag, launches 2 shows for Earth Day

    MUMBAI: National Geographic in India, with a mission to ignite hope and change among the planet-conscious viewers, is bringing in Planet Possible to celebrate Earth Day 2021. With actor and environmental enthusiast Gul Panag on board, Planet Possible seeks to inform, inspire and empower viewers by bringing them stories of ingenuity, grit, hope, and optimism. The celebrations will feature the premiere of Tiger Queen of Taru and On the Brink on 22 April 2021 at 12 pm & 1 pm on National Geographic India and Nat Geo Wild. The shows will also stream on Disney+ Hotstar.

    Encouraging viewers to bring about a change – either through the biggest or smallest of actions, Planet Possible aims to inspire people of all ages to step outside their realities, ask questions, look closer, and forge a deeper understanding of the world and their place in it. As a part of the initiative, the films – Tiger Queen of Taru and On the Brink will explore the life of wild animals living in the 21st century in India and share intriguing insights along with offering a fresh new perspective and nuances.

    Directed by Indian documentary filmmaker Aishwarya Sridhar for over six years, the film Tiger Queen of Taru traces the remarkable life of Maya, a wild Bengal tiger living in the Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve, Maharashtra’s oldest and largest National park. On the Brink series journeys through the sub-continent, immersing audiences in the most incredible landscapes and habitats in the country and bringing them eye to eye with the rarely spotted animals that are living on the edge of extinction. From vanishing Gharial crocodiles in Chambal River to Indian Pangolin in Papikonda National Park, Andhra Pradesh, the two part series will uncover the hidden and harsh reality, secrets and facts about the endangered species and help discover the key for their survival.

    “At National Geographic, we draw audiences with our creative storytelling; taking them on immersive, empathetic journeys. With an unwavering commitment to the world we live in, Planet Possible hopes to provide a perspective-shifting inspiration through our narratives – Tiger Queen of Taru & On the Brink and illustrate the most effective ways to help our world. We are really happy to have Gul Panag join us in our mission to bring stories of hope and change for all the planet lovers across in the country,” said Star & Disney India infotainment, kids & regional entertainment channels president & head Kevin Vaz.

    “I have grown up with National Geographic and I’m truly honoured that I got the chance to be part of their Earth Day special celebrations. The thought and cause behind Planet Possible is extremely close to my heart since I firmly believe that we should all be contributing towards our planet. I am urging people to take inspiration from the films and do their bit in making the world a better place to live in,” said Gul Panag

  • Star Movies and Star Movies Select bring ‘Celebrating The Oscars’ Festival

    Star Movies and Star Movies Select bring ‘Celebrating The Oscars’ Festival

    MUMBAI: Celebrating the true spirit of the Oscars for over 20 years, India’s one-stop destination for English movies, Star Movies once again amps up the entertainment quotient for its viewers ahead of the 93 Academy Awards. Keeping up with the enthusiasm and excitement, the ongoing ‘Celebrating The Oscars' festival will air on Star Movies and Star Movies Select HD from Monday to Friday at 7 pm until 30 April  2021. Both channels will showcase a range of iconic Oscar winning films and will give viewers an option to simultaneously select and switch between their favourite one. In addition to ‘Celebrating The Oscars’, ‘Oscars Blockbuster’ will air every Saturday at 7 pm until 1 May  2021.

    The ‘Celebrating The Oscars' and ‘Oscars Blockbuster’ festivals will telecast some of the worlds’ most critically and commercially acclaimed films like Avatar which took home three Oscars with nine nominations, Life of Pi wherein Ang Lee was recognised as the best director along with three other wins and ten nominations, Titanic, Boss Baby, Predators, The Toy Story Series, Gladiator, and many others. Viewers can also catch all-time favourites such as Captain America: Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Guardians of the Galaxy, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, among others.

    With 24 distinct categories, the 93 Academy Awards will be telecasted live exclusively across Star Movies, Star World, Star Movies Select and Star World Premiere at 5:30 am and repeated at 8:30 pm on Monday, 26 April 2021.

    Until then, sit back and tune in to Star Movies and Star Movies Select daily at 7 pm and catch the best from the world of the Oscars.

  • Chef Vicky Ratnani, Gaurav Gera cook up a storm in ‘Chef vs Fridge’

    Chef Vicky Ratnani, Gaurav Gera cook up a storm in ‘Chef vs Fridge’

    MUMBAI: It’s time to sharpen those knives, wear your apron and don the chef’s hat! In this playground for the foodies, it’s a game of imagination and innovation with plenty to mix and match. Come Sunday, 25 April, Zee Café will bring the ultimate cook-off to your television screens with the launch of cooking competitive show, Chef vs Fridge. 

    Based on the daily challenge posed by the fridge, every week will have exciting new themes featuring extraordinary dishes made from the limited ingredients available in the fridge that are an absolute feast for the eyes.  

    Airing as part of the channel’s special block ‘What The Food’ that brings MasterChef Australia S10 weeknights at 9, the homegrown production is set to air on Sundays at 8 pm on Zee Café and 10:30PM on Zee Café HD along with five other Zee channels viz. Zee TV, Zee Zest, Big Ganga, Zee Marathi and Zee Telugu in English, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu respectively and stream on Zee5. Coupled with irresistible food, repertoire of flavours and creative meal combinations, Chef vs Fridge promises to take viewers on the ultimate sensory experience that is sure to make every foodie drool.

    In a light-hearted campaign film featuring ace celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani and actor-comic Gaurav Gera, the latter is seen all prepped up for a Mexican cooking experiment. With only idli and tomatoes available in his fridge, a surprised Gaurav is confused and caught off guard. It’s then that Chef Vicky Ratnani comes to the rescue with a unique dish suggestion that mixes the south Indian staple with the quintessential Mexcian ingredient. The film culminates with the judge-host duo revealing the show’s theme in chorus, ‘Ab fridge lega sabki class, chefs banaenge kuch world-class.’

    Presented By Haier, co-powered by Lifebuoy and Parle Platina Hide & Seek, cookware partner Prestige, Spice Partner Catch Salt & Spices and Gifting Partner The Gift Studio, Chef vs Fridge promises to be a unique platform with multiple integration opportunities for brand partners.

    ZeeL premium channels business head Kartik Mahadev said, “Zee Café has constantly innovated to add to the content repertoire of our discerning audience. Chef vs Fridge is a cook off show that is entertaining and informative and expands our originals content slate into the food entertainment genre. With a large footprint across five Zee channels and Zee5, our endeavour is to create access for the show with the ‘many Bharats’ in English, Hindi and Marathi. There has been great sponsor interest for the show and with the customised solutions and deep integrations we have left no stone unturned in delivering value to our customers.”

    Flux @ The Glitch collaborated with Zee Café’s internal team for the campaign. Content strategy & business associate vice president Varun Anchan remarked, “Every day, our refrigerator truly takes us by surprise. Sometimes it turns out to be a vault of treasures and some other times an empty pit. With this being the inspiration for the campaign, the brief from the Zee Café team propelled us to capture the daily challenge posed by the fridge as part of the campaign film. It was great fun collaborating with the Zee team for this project and both Chef Vicky Ratnani and Gaurav Gera added their unique flavours to the film truly which made it an entertaining affair.”

  • MNX celebrates cricket season with MNX Super League

    MNX celebrates cricket season with MNX Super League

    MUMBAI: Indulging viewers in an experience that extends beyond the cricket-match hours, MNX, Hollywood’s Wild Child, brings back its marquee property MNX Super League. Beginning 12 April 2021, Monday-Friday 11pm, MNX Super League will showcase a collection of some of the most edgy, fast-paced, new-age action movies and keep the viewers' adrenaline pumping with an exciting engagement initiative!

    During the MNX Super League viewers can simply predict the hero's score and participate in a ‘watch and win’ contest while enjoying action-packed Hollywood blockbusters such as Men In Black: International, The Equalizer, XXX: State Of The Union, Hellboy, Skyfall, Ghost rider, Street Fighter amongst many others.

    Offering a superlative post-match experience, the contest will be open to all viewers along with easy instructions being provided during the movie. To participate viewers have to tune in to MNX on weeknights at 11 pm and give a missed call on the number flashing on the screens to enter the contest. The participant then predicts the hero's score and submits the right answer via SMS from a couple of options provided. Viewers with correct answers will stand a chance to win exciting prizes like cricket jerseys, smart-watches, speakers and much more.

    To support the fun and engaging initiative, MNX has rolled out an aggressive integrated campaign with on-air and digital sponsors across bumpers, banners, promos and trade mailers.

  • MN+ brings alive the magic of Oscars with ‘Academy Club’

    MN+ brings alive the magic of Oscars with ‘Academy Club’

    MUMBAI: The season of appreciating good cinema is here! MN+  has announced Academy Club, an Oscar Special property. Every Monday to Thursday at 9 pm, Academy Club, a curated month long property will offer discerning viewers and cinema connoisseurs a stellar line-up of Oscar winning titles.

    Ahead of the 93 Academy Awards, MN+ ushers in the celebration and recreates the Oscar magic with a series of handpicked movies that defined cinema and displayed the sheer quality of the direction, writing, cinematography and performances. Making this an exclusive and memorable experience, Academy Club will feature curated 16 Oscar-winning titles including Hannah And Her Sisters, Dead Man Walking, Django Unchained, Call Me By Your Name, Midnight Cowboy, Irma La Douce, Some Like It Hot, Capote, West Side Story, Rain Man, Raging Bull and many more.

    With Academy Club, MN+ is ready to indulge viewers in a gold class cinematic experience with some of the universally celebrated movies.

    Do not forget to tune-in to Academy Club on MN+ from Mon-Thu at 9:00 PM.

  • Eros STX reports $144 mn revenue for first 6 months of FY21

    Eros STX reports $144 mn revenue for first 6 months of FY21

    KOLKATA: Multinational media entertainment company Eros STX Global Corporation has reported $144 million revenue million for the six months ended 30 September 2020, compared to $210 million in the prior year period. 

    The decline in revenue has been attributed to significant reduction in global film releases resulting from the negative effects of Covid2019, partially offset by revenue growth from the STX film library.

    Operating expenses stood at $152 million and, excluding merger related costs, were $134 million, for the period, compared to $276 million in the prior year period. This decline was driven by significantly lower film release marketing and distribution costs due to the pandemic.

    “The company is in the process of finalising its complete financial statements for the six months ended 30 September 2020. Completing the full financial statements has required additional time and resources due to the complexities associated with converting legacy Eros from IFRS to US GAAP and to legacy STX’s accounting policies, and the ongoing deployment of a new and integrated SAP accounting platform. The company expects to issue complete and reviewed financial statements for the interim period by 30 April 2021,” it stated in a filing.

    As legacy STX was deemed the accounting acquirer in the business combination, the consolidated financial results for the six-month period ended 30 September 2020 include only two months of legacy Eros, starting on 31 July 2020 when the merger of Indian film and entertainment studio Eros International, and the American film studio STX Entertainment closed.

    Net cash provided by operating activities was $13 million and, excluding merger related cash costs, was $27 million, for the six months ended 30 September 2020.

    Operating Loss of $7 million and, excluding merger related costs, operating profit of $10 million, for the six month period compared to an operating loss of $65 million in the year ago period.

    As of 30 September 2020, total debt was $384 million and cash on hand was $82 million. The company’s fiscal 2021 ending net debt balance is expected to be below the $325 million guidance provided on the investor call held on 4 November 2020.

    These interim results are a subset of the previously announced preliminary financial results for the first nine months of fiscal 2021, ended 30 December 2020. 

  • &flix Celebrates superheroes with its new music video ‘Awesome In Disguise’

    &flix Celebrates superheroes with its new music video ‘Awesome In Disguise’

    MUMBAI: The awesomeness is back! The biggest Superheroes of Hollywood return to save the day on the ultimate destination of the biggest Hollywood hits, &flix. With its flagship property ‘Flix Superheroes’ airing weeknights at 9, the channel brings a multiverse that is a must-watch with blockbuster titles like Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity Wars, Black Panther, Spider-Man: Homecoming and more for those who truly love superheroes 3000! Taking the awesomeness to the next level for these passionate fans, &flix has released a special music video ‘Awesome In Disguise’ in collaboration with the leading multilingual pop-folk band ‘When Chai Met Toast’. An ode to those who inspire us to take the leap of faith, the upbeat soundtrack depicts how its not just the suits and superpowers, but the heart which is where the awesomeness stems from. 

    The track which is a foot-tapping melody talks about a journey of bringing together a group of marvellous people to unleash what makes them awesome and extraordinary. Packed with mesmerising acoustics, the music inspires you to #LeapForth with faith that puts you on the path of redefining yourself. Along with the band comprising members Achyuth Jaigopal, Ashwin Gopakumar, Pai Sailesh and Pale Francis, the music video also brings forth those individuals who have achieved nothing short of miraculous feats through their spectacular show of strength, skill and sheer will.

    Featuring in this video will be Parul Arora, the National Gold Medalist Gymnast who aced backflips in a saree, Anam Hashim, India’s only professional street bike freestyle athlete to have won at an International event and Sagar Waghela, the star boy of the skateboarding circuit who and more. Other featured talents include Manasi Joshi, Indian para-badminton player, the current World Champion and a changemaker in the sporting world and Hydroman aka. Jaydeep Gohil, India’s first underwater dancer.

     ZeeL premium channels business head Kartik Mahadev said, “As a young brand , &flix has constantly innovated to address consumer needs with a string of category first initiatives and special curation of content. With the growing popularity of Hollywood movies across the country, the ‘Superhero’ genre has seen strong consumer interest. TO understand this better we recently released a study capturing Movie lovers in India called : ‘Hollywood Is For Everyone’. The study revealed that 90 percent movie lovers claim to have grown up with Superheroes from Hollywood. As a channel, we are excited with the latest edition of Flix Superheroes that brings the biggest titles from the Marvel universe to the movie fans. With these movies, it’s not just about the mask and capes that make the Superheroes awesome but the awesomeness that starts from within which is truly inspiring and needs be celebrated. We are thrilled to have collaborated with ‘When Chai Met Toast’ who with their distinct music have brought this version of the Superheroes to life. We are excited to bring this track to movie fans as we celebrate the spirit of awesome humans around us.”

    Lead vocalist of When Chai met Toasts Ashwin Gopakumar said, “We were exhilarated at this opportunity to collaborate with &flix as we truly believe in the message that it takes one to be awesome from within. Being ardent superhero fans ourselves, it was exciting to work on a project that celebrated real-life icons who inspire us. With this as the guiding force, over the course of this production, we have passionately involved ourselves to create something special that exalts these real-life icons with the music video. We had great fun shooting the same with the many talented individuals who each possessed unabashed passion and courage that truly inspires us. We are certain that fans are sure to be delighted.”

  • Zee Café strengthens its originals library with ‘Chef Vs. Fridge’

    Zee Café strengthens its originals library with ‘Chef Vs. Fridge’

    MUMBAI: Zee Café is gearing up for the launch of its second original in 2021, Chef Vs. Fridge. Keeping up with the latest social trends, be it dance or food with the new show, the channel has released a teaser featuring celebrity chef Vicky Ratnani and Gaurav Gera aka ‘Chutki’ in their element as they announce the new show. Set to air in April, the show presents the ultimate food experience that will excite, entertain and make every foodie go wow.

    Chef Vs. Fridge promises to be a unique competitive cooking show for every Indian foodie. Launched with the commitment of ‘ab fridge lega sabki class, aur chefs banaenge kuch world class’, the teaser features Gaurav Gera in his popular ‘Chutki’ avatar and Chef Vicky as the two experience a relatable situation when they open their fridge. What’s expected to be a fun ‘pawri’ turns to a challenge posed by the random ingredients found in the fridge. While Gaurav is dismayed, chef Vicky takes on the task and cooks up a storm. This appetizing teaser surely leaves viewers waiting for more. With yet another fun-filled digital challenge, unique cuisines and an exciting line-up of participants, there is loads to look forward to on this food fiesta!

    In line with the announcement, the channel has onboarded leading brands as partners for the show. Co-presented By Haier, co-powered by Lifebuoy, cookware partner Prestige, spice partner Catch Salt & Spices and gifting partner The Gift Studio, the show promises to be a unique platform with multiple integration opportunities for brand partners.

    ZeeL premium channels business head Kartik Mahadev said, “As we look to build more original content, we realised there is a gap when it comes to homegrown cooking competition shows and thus the inception of Chef Vs. Fridge. The show will feature exciting cook-offs, unique food combinations and interactive challenges for our viewers. There are multiple innovative integration opportunities being planned that are core to the show and we are certain that our brand partners will be delighted.”

  • Celebrate Holi with the biggest Hollywood blockbusters on Movies Now, MNX and Romedy Now

    Celebrate Holi with the biggest Hollywood blockbusters on Movies Now, MNX and Romedy Now

    MUMBAI: Holi is a festival of many hues and happiness and adding to the fun and frolic, Times Hollywood Network’s channels Movies Now, MNX, Romedy Now are set to make the festival of colours more vibrant this year with a splash of entertainment all day long with an exclusive movie marathon on 29 March 2021.

    ‘Colour Blast’ on Movies NOW will take its viewers through a colourful viewing experience with a line-up of movies that are a treat to the eyes and joy for the soul. Starting from 9 AM to 9 PM, the day is set to be filled with unlimited excitement with some of the most popular Hollywood animated blockbusters including The Adventures of TinTin, Spider-Man – Into The Spider-Verse, Angels In The Attic, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs among others.

    Drenching viewers in the spirit of the festival, ‘Splash em’ Up’ on MNX will fill the screens with absolute fun joy with super hits like Mune, A Haunted House 2, Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Bio Momma’s House 2 among others, from 9 AM to 9 PM.

    ‘Colours of Romedy’ on Romedy NOW  from 8 AM onwards, promises viewers to fill their day with love, laughter and happiness. The day-long property will air some of the most entertaining movies like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 among others.

    This Holi, soak yourself in an enormous dose of entertainment and grab a seat with your friends and family as Movies Now MNX and Romedy Now enthrall you with the most exciting titles and a colourful day of binge-watching.

  • Spain’s comedy drama ‘Father There Is Only One’ is set to premiere on &PrivéHD

    Spain’s comedy drama ‘Father There Is Only One’ is set to premiere on &PrivéHD

    MUMBAI: Fifteen years of marriage and five kids makes for one crazy household. Here’s a family of young and old that come in all hues and shades and one that is sure to drive you absolute nuts.  Directed by Spain’s all-time highest grossing film franchise, Torrente’s filmmaker Santiago Segura who also stars in the movie, comes the Spanish family drama Father There Is Only One aka. Padre No Hay Más Que Uno that is set to premiere on &PrivéHD. The premium destination of nuanced cinema will present this entertaining foreign language film that is a complete family entertainer as part of its latest property, ‘Privé World Box Office.’ The channel will air this laugh riot everyday at 9PM for the entire week till Thursday thus enabling movie fans to be entertained with must-watch blockbusters from around the world that promise to make you feel at home, no matter the language.

    An iconic figure in Spain’s comedy scene, Santiago Segura is known to get you rolling on the floor with laughter. Father There Is Only One is one of his comic bests that garnered a blockbuster response in Spain upon its release from critics and audiences alike. Set against the backdrop of 2019 Madrid, the comic caper revolves around Javier (Santiago Segura), a workaholic father who knows nothing about housework or childcare. He is forced to stay home alone with his five children when his wife Carmen (Sílvia Abril) goes on a trip without him. This 21 century CEO who thinks he has it all together gets the biggest shock of his life as he spends the coming days with his five children who come with five hundred mood swings. Packed with the funniest one-liners, rib-tickling moments and truckloads of laughter, here’s a hilarious tale of a family for whom all hell’s breaks lose when Mommy goes on a vacation. Sounds relatable?

    Bringing new premieres every week, &PrivéHD’s World Box Office promises entertainment for everyone with movies of varied themes and genres. The line-up includes movies that are each blockbuster in their country of origin and are from varied genres ranging from romantic dramas and comedy to fantasy and adventure.

    Watch the craziness unfold at this madhouse with Father There Is Only One premiering this Friday,  26 March  at 9PM with repeats running all week till next Thursday only on &PrivéHD