ITV

Category: Movie Channels

  • Zee Biskope announces special content lineup during Holi festivities

    Zee Biskope announces special content lineup during Holi festivities

    Mumbai: Celebrated with utmost zeal and enthusiasm, packed with rang, bhaang, and Fagua music, people in the Bhojpuri region indulge themselves in the happiness and tomfoolery of Fagua or Holi. Ringing in the merriment of the region’s most playful festival, Zee Biskope wishes viewers a ‘Happy Holi’ with a blockbuster film lineup between 13 March and 17 Match.

    The saga festival – ‘Hasi Thitholi Happy Holi’ will encompass an enjoyable and entertaining week-long celebration, which features back-to-back world television premiers under the prime-time band at 6 p.m. Depicting the key mood of the festival for the region, the break free film lineup will present ardent Bhojpuri fandom with the best of Bhojpuri blockbuster premieres to keep their emotions at their jubilant and colourful best throughout the week.

    The festival will convene with the premiere of the entertaining and popular Bhojpuri film “Thoda Gussa Thoda Pyaar.” Audiences will revel in the emotions of comedy and romance as they watch this delightful drama that stars the hit on-screen pair, Yash Kumar and Nidhi Jha, on 13 March. The following day will witness the telecast of the action, drama and romance-packed superhit Bhojpuri blockbuster film “Balam Ji Love You” on 14 March starring the king of romance Khesari Lal Yadav and glam queen Kajal Raghwani in lead roles. This time, it’s the colour of freedom and love that take centre stage in the extraordinary story of a common man who rises to an unimaginable challenge of winning the toughest dangal fight to free his beloved of bondage.

    Amrapali Dubey and Manoj Tiger’s box-office record-breaker comedy-drama that was loved by critics and audience alike, “Lagal Raha Batasha” will follow on 15 of March that will entertain viewers and families to the fullest through a colourful amalgamation of drama, action, romance, and much more. 16 March will witness the action-packed blockbuster “Dabang Sarkar,” starring popular actors Khesari Lal Yadav & Kajal Raghwani, which is thematically aligned to the dramatic mood of the festival. As Holi adorns, the brand is all set to engage and enthral its viewers and rev up the festive mood with the exclusive Holi world TV premiere of most awaited family drama “Mahavar” on 17 March at 6 p.m. This time around, it’s the colours of eternal love and sacrifices coming to life as superstars Ritesh Pandey and Chandani Singh give stellar performances in this unique and lovely tale that will unfold this Fagua on Zee Biskope and mark a memorable Holi for all the film aficionados out there.

    “Festivals like Holi are most awaited across the country and meant to be enjoyed with family with love, bonding and light-heartedness,” commented Zeel chief channel officer – Bhojpuri cluster Amarpreet Singh Saini. “As a true hyperlocal & consumer-centric brand, Zee Biskope is committed to bringing the best of entertainment on the region’s most celebrated festival that will serve as a palette to cater to the entertainment appetite in line with the spirit of the festival. The idea is to ensure that families get to spend an entertainment-filled week together on this special occasion. Here’s wishing all our viewers a joyous and buoyant Holi.”

    The channel is motivated to grow from strength to strength and break new ground in the industry as the ultimate Bhojpuri entertainer. Zee Biskope is available on Airtel (channel no 663), Tata Sky (channel no 1120), DEN Bihar (channel no 840), DEN Jharkhand (channel no 839), DD Free Dish (channel no 31), D2H (channel no 2073), Dish TV (channel no 1555), Siti Cable (channel no 214) and Darsh Digital (channel no 189). The channel will soon be available on all other major cable platforms.

  • BBC Studios inks content deal with MX Player

    BBC Studios inks content deal with MX Player

    Mumbai: BBC Studios has announced a new content deal with MX Player on Thursday. As a part of this alliance, BBC’s award-winning British dramas will be available on MX Player catering to audiences in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Pakistan. 

    Popular titles such as “The Watch” and “Critical” will be available on the platform to strengthen its content portfolio, said the statement.

    “BBC Studios has a track record of attracting viewers with a discerning eye for premium content through its powerful storytelling that has the ability to resonate with a global audience,” said BBC Studios’ VP for distribution South Asia Stanley Fernandes. “We are glad to embark on this partnership with MX Player and together, I am confident we will bring our bold British content to more audiences within India and beyond.”

    “Our vision has always been to entertain India, the way India wants,” said MX Player SVP and head – content acquisitions and alliances Mansi Shrivastav. “Adding International shows to our library, dubbed in local Indian languages is our attempt at democratising content for our large and diverse audience base. We’re delighted to partner with BBC Studios that will see their compelling British narratives being added to our rich catalogue of shows and we look forward to expanding this slate further in the near future.”

  • Ranveer Singh’s ’83’ to air on Star Gold before its OTT premiere

    Ranveer Singh’s ’83’ to air on Star Gold before its OTT premiere

    Mumbai: Star Gold has announced that it will telecast the world television premiere of Ranveer Singh’s acclaimed sports drama “83” on 20 March. The film will premiere on TV before it streams on OTT platform, Disney+ Hotstar.

    One of the biggest films released in December 2021, “83” is a biopic based on the victory of the Indian cricket team in the 1983 Cricket World Cup led by Kapil Dev.

    The film is directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Deepika Padukone, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Sajid Nadiadwala and Reliance Entertainment.

    Star Gold is offering brands a chance to replay their memorable and iconic TV ads of the 1980-90s era during the premiere of the film. “The era of 1980-90s is remembered for outstanding advertising and bringing these ads back on TV one more time will rekindle fond memories. This rare moment marketing opportunity for brands is sure to entertain and bring generations of TV viewers closer while also bonding viewers to the brands – then and now,” said the channel in a statement.  

  • We are second only to YouTube: MX Media’s Karan Bedi

    We are second only to YouTube: MX Media’s Karan Bedi

    Mumbai: Times Internet backed MX Media is expecting to triple its revenue for its advertising video on demand (AVOD) business in the year 2022, according to its CEO Karan Bedi. “We have more than tripled our revenue last year and expect to triple again next year,” he said while speaking about its OTT business.

    In 2021,  MX Media’s OTT platform MX Player successfully scaled to more than one billion downloads and 280 million monthly active users globally. As its user base expands, the platform is effectively monetising its audience base by expanding its video offering. From a client perspective, MX Player is a part of all media plans and comes only second to YouTube in the consideration set for digital video advertising, remarked Bedi.

    Moreover, the company’s brand funded content business was spun off into a separate unit MX Studios. Bedi said, “The core focus of MX Studios is to provide brands another outlet to connect to their consumer. Branded content is something we’ve started to grow as a business and are bullish about it for the next few years. In terms of branded content, we’re second only to YouTube. Since, there’s only us and YouTube who have scale when it comes to AVOD in India, we’re very much a part of every client’s marketing plan.” 

    In February, MX Media sold its short video platform MX Takatak to Indian social media company Sharechat (Mohalla Tech) in a deal estimated at $700 million. Notably, MX Takatak was launched only in July 2020. Now, the company will focus on its long format video offerings including on-demand video and its game streaming offering MX Games.

    On the content front, the platform recently announced the launch of a reality series called ‘Lock Up’ in partnership with Balaji Telefilms. The show, which premiered on the platform on 27 February, is the streaming service’s first foray into unscripted content.

    “We are a data led organisation and were starting to see that our audience was ready for more. We have various partners who have done shows for MX Player and we have a lot of faith in Balaji (Telefilms) and Ekta (Kapoor) as someone who’s reinvented this business many times,” said Bedi.

    The OTT platform offers exclusive content in the form of MX Originals and has launched popular series such as “Campus Diaries,” “Bhaukaal 2” and “Raktanchal 2” this year. Despite being an AVOD platform, several MX Originals span across multiple seasons and garner more than 100 million views on the platform. It recently launched MX VDesi to house its international content acquired from Turkey, Latin America, Korea and Middle East and dubbed in Hindi.

    MX Player has not shied away from direct monetisation, with the launch of its MX Gold feature which allows subscribers to watch videos without any ads whatsoever. “MX Gold is not monetising access to content but rather it allows you to watch content ad free,” explained Bedi.

    “MX Player overall has multiple layers of monetisation. As we go forward, we think there is an opportunity to add on newer monetisation models as we continue to expand our user base. That can be NFTs or other blockchain based currencies. We have said from day one that we are a super entertainment aggregator. Our shows are an important vehicle for taking some of these opportunities and scaling them,” concluded Bedi.

  • Zee TV challenges gender stereotypes in its new show

    Zee TV challenges gender stereotypes in its new show

    Mumbai: The portrayal of women on the small screen has always been a subject of intense debate. Some draw inspiration from the society, where women are often told to prioritise their marriage over their careers, or relegate their careers when it comes to making a choice.

    Zee TV is hoping to challenge some of these stereotypes in its fiction show – “Iss Mod Se Jaate Hain.” The show is an attempt to make audiences reconsider their approach towards women achieving more than their male counterparts, according to the channel.

    The story is told from the eyes of Paragi Parashar, the female protagonist who along with her love interest Sanjay Pathak, is preparing for her UPSC exam. While both of them are extremely motivated towards their joint goal of becoming IAS officers, the show captures the dynamics between the two families after Paragi clears her exam with flying colours and Sanjay doesn’t.

    The show is set to air every Monday – Saturday at 6:30 p.m, starting 6 December.

    Zee TV Business head Aparna Bhosle said, “It is a dramatic love story that presents an interesting scenario where the girl is a step ahead of the boy in terms of career accomplishments. Our show captures the diverse reactions the couple faces from both sides of the family and the impact it will have on their relationship.”

    “Iss Mod Se Jaate Hain” will feature actress Akshita Mudgal who will be portraying the role of Paragi, a smart, witty, and studious girl. On the other hand, the role of Sanjay will be played by none other than Hitesh Bharadwaj.

    “Our last association with Zee TV was the gloriously successful ‘Zindagi Ki Mahek,’ so now we’re excited to present audiences with the new show,” said producer Saurabh Tewari from Parin Multimedia. “The story touches upon a problematic social construct where a man is free to prioritise his career, but a woman is often told to focus on her marriage and not over-achieve, lest she should end up making her husband insecure and risk jeopardising her marriage. We would be happy if the show manages to make viewers introspect and reconsider their views on gender equality.”

  • Zee Cinema launches new campaign celebrating spirit of togetherness

    Zee Cinema launches new campaign celebrating spirit of togetherness

    Mumbai: Highlighting the value of human relationships and interactions that went missing from people’s lives due to the pandemic, Zee Cinema has launched a three-film campaign #RehnaHaiSaathSaath to foster and celebrate the spirit of unity, belonging and hope.

    Taking cue from one of the most watched films on the channel during the pandemic – ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ the entertainment brand, along with its creative agency Lowe Lintas conceptualised this campaign to depict an array of emotions people experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is being promoted across TV and digital platforms in a multi-phased manner. The channel will air back-to-back films like “Rashmi Rocket,” “Thalaivii,” “Squad Antim,” “Sooryavanshi,” “Sanak,” and more as part of the campaign.

    Zee Cinema’s research shows that audiences place the channel in the Orange need state of the ‘Needscope model’ which is strongly associated with attributes of togetherness, belonging, harmony, hope and encouragement. In line with the brand philosophy of ‘Jazba Hai Jeene Mein, Jab Cinema Hai Seene Mein,’ the campaign aims to foster a deeper connection with its viewers using topical and relatable stories and events.

    “During the pandemic, we tried to help our audiences stay entertained and engaged with heart-warming films. In this phase, we have all experienced a whirlpool of emotions. Here, connections have helped us survive and togetherness is what helps us progress. Rehna Hai Saath Saath is an extension of this sentiment. Through this brand campaign, we want to celebrate each audience member, their spirit and our ability to work together through it all,” said Zeel cluster head Hindi movie channels Ruchir Tiwari.

    Zeel CMO of content business Kartik Mahadev added, “Cinema is an inspiring and binding medium. This became even more apparent when we gathered around our television, as families, and watched movies together during the difficult phase of lockdown. The same is reflected by the 13 per cent viewership rise for the Hindi movies genre during the second wave. Zee Cinema has always been a champion of blockbuster movies and cinema’s core attribute of inspiration and togetherness. We, as a society, come together and do the extraordinary when times are tough. The “Rehna Hai Saath Saath” campaign captures this spirit of togetherness that has helped us emerge stronger. Each brand film mirrors the story of not just one person but the story of us as a people. It encourages us to move forward with a new sense of positivity.”

  • Zee Cinema to telecast ‘Toofan’ on 31 October

    Zee Cinema to telecast ‘Toofan’ on 31 October

    Mumbai: Zee Cinema is set to telecast the world television premiere of “Toofaan” on 31 October at 12 p.m.

    Based on the story idea by Farhan Akhtar and Anjum Rajabali’s screenplay, “Toofaan” is a story that revolves around an orphaned extortionist based out of Dongri. Things take a different turn when he meets Ananya who pushes him to follow his real passion – boxing, to which he dedicates his life.

    “While working on Toofaan I realised how there are no shortcuts when you want to portray a character like Aziz and I feel that’s the beauty of it,” said Farhan Akhtar. And through this experience I also have come to believe that there are no shortcuts in life. Don’t forget to watch the World Television of Toofaan on Zee Cinema.”

    Directed by Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, the film is led by Farhan Akhtar, along with star-studded performances by Paresh Rawal, Mrunal Thakur, Darshan Kumaar, and Supriya Pathak.

    “My inclination to work on Toofaan was piqued by my drive to work with a sought-after director like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra,” said Mrunal Thakur. “On our first meeting, he was in the process of gauging my strengths for Ananya’s character, of which I wasn’t aware at the time. Her character is really positive, daring and bold – someone who constantly pushes Aziz to keep going. I’ve grown immensely through her and I am honoured to have been given the chance to put myself in her shoes.”

    “While Toofaan is a work of fiction, it derives a great deal of inspiration from real life, real people and real struggles and conflicts that I have witnessed and heard about,” said Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra. “To make the viewing experience of the film authentic we have shot the film completely with real locations across Mumbai. You’ll see the actors in a real cramped up setting with no air-conditioning or make-up areas. It was a unique shooting experience.”

  • Taapsee Pannu’s Highly Anticipated Sports Drama Rashmi Rocket – When & Where to Watch

    Taapsee Pannu’s Highly Anticipated Sports Drama Rashmi Rocket – When & Where to Watch

    Taapsee Pannu is known for taking some unconventional storylines and characters in the past, which have proved to be major hits like Mulk, Badla, Saand Ki Aankh. She is back again with another blockbuster movie this festive season, titled Rashmi Rocket. 

    This film is not based on any real-life athlete and is a completely fictional story where Taapsee is playing a girl named Rashmi, popularly known as “rocket” because of her running skills. She is a hails from a small town of Kutch in Gujarat, who dreams of competing internationally.

    Rashmi Rocket, starring Taapsee, is all set to release this Dussehra. This film dives into the topic of gender testing in sports, which is known to impact the careers of many great women athletes both in India and abroad. 

    The plotline of Rashmi Rocket revolves around a Gujarati sprinter who aspires to represent India on an international level. Her speed makes her a sensation at many local & International events. Unfortunately, her aspiring career is cut short by gender testing. This film draws inspiration from several real-life incidents of female runners who were banned for hyperandrogenism.

    Taapsee Pannu has done complete justice to her role in Rashmi Rocket and proves yet again that there was no better fit than her for this movie. She has taken various projects in the past questioning the patriarchal notions in society and playing women-centric roles.

     For her role in Rashmi Rocket, Taspsee Pannu underwent rigorous training and followed a strict diet to achieve a real-life athlete physique. The actress shared pictures of her intense training and transformation from sets on social media. 

    In an interview, Taapsee said that building an athletic body requires a very scientific approach, with every muscle in the body requiring different sets of exercise. She also mentioned that she issued strict instructions to her team that she would not use any steroids for building the physique required in this film.

    While practicing running in the initial days of the shoot, Taapsee severely injured her leg muscles. She told me that she had to take many different treatments and therapies to be able to stand on her legs again. Even after having injured her leg while preparing for the role of Rashmi, Rocket Taapsee did not give up and came back stronger to finish the shoot.

    I know you are eager to watch this upcoming blockbuster film, so are we. Luckily, you don’t have to wait too long. Directed by Akarsh Khurana and Co-produced by Neha Anand, Ronnie Screwvala, and Pranjal Khandhdiya, Rashmi Rocket will release on 15th October 2021. The movie is skipping theaters and instead schedules to release exclusively on Zee5, India’s largest OTT platform.

    Zee5 has adapted to the change in content consumption amidst lockdown and has delivered original shows that resonate with upliftment, hope, and positivity. Before Rashmi Rocket, Taapsee Pannu also starred in Annabelle Sethupathi and Haseen Dillruba, which opted for a digital release. The actress also has a few more movies lined up, including Dobaara, Looop Lapeta, Shabaash Mithu.

    Rashmi Rocket is a story of a woman from a small town of Gujrat bestowed with an incredible gift of speed; her fight and struggle as a female athlete, a must-watch this Dussehra. Don’t miss this Blockbuster Movie!

  • Inox Leisure launches new four-screen multiplex in Guwahati

    Inox Leisure launches new four-screen multiplex in Guwahati

    Mumbai: Multiplex chain Inox Leisure Ltd (Inox) has announced its entry in the city of Guwahati with the launch of a four-screen multiplex at Aurus Mall on GS Road. 

    Opening on the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, the all-new Inox Insignia will offer an ultra-premium seven-star multiplex experience with its four exclusive auditoriums and a total of 183 recliner seats, said Inox in a statement.

    From seamless check-ins and food orders to comfortable recliners in every auditorium with sharp projection and Dolby Atmos surround sound, Inox aims to offer the slickest of luxury experiences at Insignia, it added.

    With one multiplex already operational at ABS Mall, Jorhat, Inox Insignia will be Inox’s second multiplex in the state of Assam and first in Guwahati.

    Inox Leisure Ltd regional director – East Amitava Guha Thakurta called Inox Insignia the “first-ever ultra-luxurious cinema experience in Guwahati,” which is set to introduce the “seven-star experience” to Inox guests. “We feel proud and delighted to open our first multiplex in the wonderful city of Guwahati during the auspicious Durga Puja festivities. We invite the cine-goers of Guwahati to visit us and experience an extraordinary movie-watching experience,” he added. 

    With this launch, Inox is now present in 70 cities with 156 multiplexes, 658 screens, and a total seating capacity of 1,48,829 across India.

  • Zee movie cluster bags five awards at Promax India Awards 2021

    Zee movie cluster bags five awards at Promax India Awards 2021

    Mumbai: Zee Cinema and &pictures have bagged multiple awards at the Promax India Awards 2021 for their campaigns across prominent categories.

    Zee Cinema bagged a gold in ‘Best Social Media Campaign For A Programme’ along with a silver in ‘Best Holiday/Festive Promo’ for their innovative, insight-driven campaign – ‘2020 Ka The End.’ The campaign was an initiative to spread positivity in a cinematic way by launching an interactive campaign to knock out the most hated metaphorical villain 2020 and encourage people to wish for a hopeful tomorrow. The channel won a silver in ‘Use of Celebrity/ Influencer/Talent Using Social Media’ for delivering a socially relevant message that the channel interweaved together with actor Taapsee Pannu for the world TV premiere of her film, “Thappad.”

    &pictures was awarded for their unique design and engaging social media campaign. It won a gold medal for the ‘Best Logo Design across multiple media’ and a silver for ‘Best Social Media Campaign for a channel or brand’ launched under the recent unprecedented brand refresh campaign ‘On Nahi Full On.’ The campaign was a strategic initiative to build a strong resonance with the consumers and reinforce the brand’s perception of being a fun and energetic destination. The engaging campaign struck the right chord with their target audience.

    “These campaigns spoke highly of the individual brand ideologies of the channels which trickle down to bringing an unmatched experience for audiences,” said a spokesperson from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. “With top-notch family entertainers, across channels, Zee Hindi movie cluster has impeccably worked towards crafting communication that builds a deeper connection and speaks directly to its audiences.”