ITV

Category: Movie Channels

  • Film City to stay open beyond 19 March; no government directive to close down

    Film City to stay open beyond 19 March; no government directive to close down

    MUMBAI: Are productions in Mumbai really coming to a grinding halt? 

    First came the news that the unions, IMPPA, FWICE, IFTDA, IFTPC and WIFPA, had agreed to cease shoots for TV shows, digital originals and films come 19 March till 31 March 2020, keeping in mind the onward march of the novel Covid-19 virus.  

    Last night, the buzz on WhatsApp groups and in some media was that the stoppage would commence from this morning. However, as the day progressed it became clear that filming was continuing in locations like Film City in Mumbai. 

    And officials from the organisation were  certain that there would be no closure of Film City even after 19 March. 

    “Unless of course an order is received by us from the collector or a government official clearly mandating us to shut shop,” said a Film City official. “We will be meeting with the collector and magistrate later today and depending on whether we get an order we will be open or shut between 19 and 31 March.”

    The FWICE senior management has been adamant that its members – which covers associations representing the various technicians, trades and crafts and crew –  would not be reporting for work post 19 March until 31 March.

    The broadcasters on their part have not made any announcements about how they would manage their programming line up post 19 March. Would they insist on producers building up a bank shooting overtime over the next three days? Or would they resort to reruns post 19 March? We await announcements from them at the time of writing. 

    In the meanwhile, many producers have brought in doctors on shoots, making sure there are enough thermometers while hand sanitisers have been made available on sets of shoots which are continuing at Film City and other locations. 

    Let’s wait and watch to see how this pans out.

  • Colors Cineplex’s Road Safety World Series rescheduled

    Colors Cineplex’s Road Safety World Series rescheduled

    MUMBAI: The organising body of the Unacademy Road Safety World Series — which comprises of the Professional Management Group (PMG), Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, BookMyShow, DNA Entertainment and Majestic Legends Sports Pvt Ltd. — has rescheduled the remaining matches of the league to a later date in the interest of public safety and following the advisory issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

    The remaining seven matches will now be played when the situation is conducive to hold public events with large gathering and there are no travel restrictions.The first four matches in the Road Safety World Series saw a tremendous turnout at all venues and huge following and engagement on air and the digital channels. The popularity of this five-nation T20 series, which is held to create awareness towards road safety in the country, grew with every passing day and tickets for the upcoming matches were sold-out much in advance.

    RTO Chief of Thane (Konkan Range) Ravi Gaikwad said: “The decision to reschedule the event has been taken as the most responsible course of action, to safeguard the health and safety of the cricket-loving fans, players and staff. The Government of India (GoI) has issued an advisory to ensure that no public gathering takes place in any sporting events and so it is important that we obey the government guidelines and hence this slight break in the tournament, but it will be back soon for the cause of road safety.”

    Rohan Lavsi, Head, COLORS Cineplex, Viacom18, the official broadcast partner of the series, said, “Whilst the first few matches began to a great start, ensuring the safety of our attendees, players and stakeholders comes first. The unfolding of COVID-19 has significantly affected the industry at large and assessing the health risks and in line with the government guidelines, we have decided to postpone the Road Safety World Series matches. We appreciate the enthusiasm and support everyone has extended to the league and will announce the future dates soon.”

    Melroy D’Souza, CEO of PMG, said: “The players were so excited to be here and playing in this series. They are a little disappointed that they had to leave midway, but they are thankful for the sensitivity shown by the organisers to reschedule the league. They all are looking forward to come back and complete the remaining matches as and when they will be held.”

    Sachin Tendulkar said it was the right step under the circumstance to reschedule the tournament. “The rescheduling of this series, held to create awareness about Road Safety, is unfortunate yet the right step. We all hope and pray that the spread of Novel Corona Virus is contained. It is nice to support the cause and spread the message of Road Safety and playing again with some old friends on the cricket field. I look forward to continuing to support this critical cause through the medium of sports.”

    Brian Lara echoed Sachin’s sentiments and added: “People are hungry for cricket, they are hungry to see legends, like (Virender) Sehwag and Sachin (Tendulkar), when they come out to play cricket. So I think this tournament was awesome. The competition was even more than I expected. It was very special, seeing Sachin back on the field again and seeing the crowd reaction. I think it's a great tournament which is for a cause. Road safety is such a huge thing in India, and not just in India but around the world. To be leading the charge on an improvement in that area, is great. People not only came to see the cricket icons from the past, but they also came in support of the venture, which is great. The situation is a little disappointing now but we are looking forward to come back and take part in the remaining games of the series.”

    The Sri Lanka Legends wicketkeeper Romes Kaluwitharana said: “Personally for me, it was special to come back to keep behind the wickets and open from the top of the order while smashing some big shots, just like the old days. Before we came down, we weren't expecting so many people to come and watch this tournament. But the love and support the cricket fans have showed us means a lot. I am grateful for the organizers to promote an important cause of Road Safety. It’s very important for us to take it seriously. While I am a bit little disappointed looking at the current situation, but I am glad that the organizers are taking the necessary steps to ensure everything is under control. I am looking forward for things to work out fine at the earliest so that we can come back and finish this series.”

  • ZEE Biskope to air world television premiere of ‘Sher Singh’ on the occasion of Holi

    ZEE Biskope to air world television premiere of ‘Sher Singh’ on the occasion of Holi

    MUMBAI: ZEE BISKOPE, the 24-hr dedicated Bhojpuri movie channel, is all set to keep up its promise of offering a bouquet of category firsts to its consumers on the occasion of Holi. Adding to the exuberance of the festival, the channel will keep its audience enthralled and entertained with the World Television Premiere of the 2019 Pawan Singh blockbuster ‘Sher Singh’ on Tuesday, 10 March at 6:30 pm in the Jila Top slot.  

    Celebrating the myriad shades of entertainment this Holi, ZEE Biskope will launch the first ever digital mascots of a Bhojpuri movie channel – Bhaiyaji & Gamchaji. The character of Bhaiyaji will portray a cool, carefree and true Bhojiwood buff who engages with the audience showcasing his expertise in Bhojpuri movies. Gamchaji who personifies the symbolic Gamcha of the region, will be complimenting Bhaiyaji. The duo will be revealed on the channel’s social pages this Holi.  Adding to the galore, the channel will also launch its brand song video across digital & television platforms.

    Just when you think that’s all for the festival of colours, ZEE Biskope brings out more from its kitty. Right after Holi, the channel will extend its marketing campaign further with digital wall paintings across Bihar, Jharkhand & UP. These would be illustrated visuals featuring the top 3 superstars of Bhojiwood and brand ambassadors of ZEE BISKOPE – Nirahua, Pawan Singh & Khesari Lal Yadav. The channel will also launch #LahariyaChallenge on-ground through a canter activity across Arrah & Chhapra where participants will be gratified for their entertaining performance on ZEE Biskope ’s brand song.

    Talking about the Holi launches, Zee Biskope & Big Ganga business head Amarpreet Singh Saini said, “Since its launch, ZEE BISKOPE has always offered its viewers with category firsts. Holi will be no exception. Be it the launch of the digital mascots – Bhaiyaji & Gamchaji or the illustrated digital wall paintings; be it #LahariyaChallenge or the brand song, the channel has meticulously catered unique offerings throughout, with a viewers first approach. The brand has big plans for the market in the coming months to keep up the momentum.”

    ZEE Biskope aims to be create a platform for its viewers to celebrate authentic Bhojpuri entertainment to its unabashed best. Keeping the viewer at the core of what ZEE Biskope stands for, the channel offers them a content library of 300+ movies that spans an array of diverse, yet popular, genres that include romance, drama, action and comedy. The channel is available on DD Free Dish (channel no 31), d2h (channel no 859), Dish TV (channel no 1555), Siti Cable (channel no 214) and Darsh Digital (channel no 189). It’ll soon be available on all other major cable and DTH platforms.

  • Colors Cineplex aims to be in top 3 Hindi movie channels list in 2020

    Colors Cineplex aims to be in top 3 Hindi movie channels list in 2020

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s Hindi movie channel Colors Cineplex is strategically attracting eyeballs by offering cricket with road safety series and world television premieres of big movies of the year like Brahmastra and Dostana 2. The aim is to enter the top three movie channel list in 2020. 

    The channel currently has a movie festival, Hindi movie premiere, south dubbed movies, movies review show with Atika Farooqui and now it has added a cricket league as an annual property.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria says, “Our target is to ensure to get into the top three list. We want to make sure that we make Colors Cineplex a robust platform. It is by far the fastest growing movie channel on pay platforms and we want to continue with all the efforts that we are making on an everyday basis which has been consistent with the catalogue that we open up, with the kind of festivals, with the kind of engagement and entertainment that we have with Teetar mausi and with the kind of chat shows Atika brings to the table and with the kind of world television premieres. And then there will be the annual league of cricket that will ensure that we get an additional dose of viewers and footfall on the channel.”

    The programming strategy of the channel focuses on partnering with movies for at least two festivals in a month. The channel partnered with Love Aaj Kal for loveria film festival from 10-14 February where it aired movies Monday to Friday at 7.30 pm and it also tied-up with Dabang for BangBang film festival from 16 -20 December 2019 at 7.30 pm.

    The movie genre is the second biggest genre after Hindi GEC and the viewership on movie channels is growing with the curated world television premieres. Jaipuria says, “From Viacom18's perspective as a wholesome broadcaster and entertainer it is very important for us to be in the movie business. So, Colors Cineplex is the frontrunner and our representation in the movie genre. We are here to stay and invest in it and hope to see it moving from mid-tier to top five. The beauty of Viacom18 is that we have motion pictures in the house therefore there is absolute integration that works from that perspective from where we get our annual dose of premieres. We have a studio that makes it and we have a platform that broadcasts it. It's a very important genre.”

    The channel is also excited about the premiere of road safety series. Jaipuria says, “We have been exploring the white spaces and India is obsessed about Bollywood, cricket and food, now with the launch of series we have two out of three on the same platform.”

    She further says, “Both Bollywood and cricket evokes emotion that nothing else can. So it's a great fit for us to bring cricket on the movie channel. We have done Nidahas Trophy in the past on Rishtey Cineplex which was a great success and we are hoping to replicate that with the Road Safety Series this year. We want to make the series a winning annual property for us. We are leaving no stone unturned to make it larger than life with the legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara coming back on the field.” 

    For the series the channel is selling its ad inventories on the cricket rates i.e., in lakhs per ten sec and not on the movie channel rates. 

    “The movie market is title-driven and it's investment heavy. It's expensive to be in and we have to ensure that it makes business sense for the organisation and we get the deserving ROI on the business. I think that is the biggest challenge,” said Jaipuria.

    Viacom18 Colors Cineplex head Rohan Lavsi says, “We will be the only channel who will do positive EBITDA in year one. We are very cautious about our cost and spending on catalogues and premieres. Even our FTA channel Rishtey Cineplex had a breakeven in year one. So in that sense we are very conservative.” 

    Jaipuria further adds that they won't be leaving anything on chance. "Whatever rightful investment is required for the rightful deserving ROI we will continue to do. I am sure in year two and three it will start getting the right ROI. It is an expensive proposition but we are not shying away from our investment either making movies at Viacom18 motion pictures or in broadcasting them on the channel and buying movies as well.”

  • Rewind networks expands Philippines presence with launch of Hits Movies on cignal

    Rewind networks expands Philippines presence with launch of Hits Movies on cignal

    SINGAPORE/MANILA: Rewind Networks has launched HITS MOVIES on Cignal, Philippines’ premier DTH satellite provider. The channel is available on Channel 58. HITS MOVIES joins sister channel HITS, which has been on the platform since October 2016. HITS MOVIES will be available for free to all Cignal subscribers for the first three months of the launch.

    Across Asia, HITS MOVIES is available on major pay-TV platforms in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The Cignal launch comes shortly after three major milestone launches for Rewind Networks in just the first two months of 2020: the launch of HITS on Tata Sky in India and the launch of HITS MOVIES in CANAL+ (Myanmar) and Astro (Malaysia). The launches signal a growing demand for the channel among leading pay-TV operators in the region.

    “We are delighted to expand our partnership with Cignal and bring HITS MOVIES to their viewers in the Philippines,” said Avi Himatsinghani, CEO of Rewind Networks. “We are confident Cignal subscribers will enjoy HITS MOVIES’ blockbuster line-up of top-rated Hollywood movies from the ‘60s to the ‘90s, just as they have enjoyed its sister channel HITS.”

    Guido R. Zaballero from Cignal said: “The launch of HITS MOVIES on Cignal is a testament to our commitment in giving our subscribers the best viewing experience with awesome curated entertainment. We look forward to working with Rewind Networks to replicate the success of HITS on Cignal with HITS MOVIES. We will have a three-month blowout to all Cignal postpaid, prepaid and SatLite after which, it will be made available to all postpaid plans as well as prepaid load 300 and up and SatLite 299.”

    HITS MOVIES celebrates the best blockbuster films ever made from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. The channel’s slate includes hot favorites like The Sound of Music, Sister Act, Magnificent Seven, Freaky Friday (1976), Mary Poppins, Teen Wolf, Conan The Barbarian, Halloween, Wall Street, French Connectionand Three Men and a Baby. The channel features a carefully curated selection of hit films from Hollywood majors such as The Walt Disney Company, 20th Century Fox, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Warner Bros and Sony Pictures and will be progressively introducing more titles from other leading studios.

  • Colors Cineplex to premiere Road Safety World Series on 7 March

    Colors Cineplex to premiere Road Safety World Series on 7 March

    MUMBAI: Colors Cineplex and VOOT is all set to bring Unacademy Road Safety Word Series.  The matches will be played in T20 format between India, Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and South Africa starting 7 March to 22 March 2020 in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune and will stream live on Colors Cineplex, VOOT and Jio.  

    Road Safety World Series is an initiative by Road Safety Cell of Maharashtra in association with Professional Management Group (PMG).
    To bring alive the essence of the sport and energize fans in the country, Colors Cineplex has designed engaging content and network-wide promotions that have seen a playout of 25000+ promos on air across  60 network and non-network channels including Hindi GEC, Hindi Movies, News, Music, Kids and Regional across India in 5 weeks. Bigg Boss grand finale episode saw a special integration featuring Mohammad Kaif and Harbhajan Singh wherein they interacted with host Salman Khan and the contestants inside the house. 

    A special integrated promo has been created with Nick India’s Brand Mascots – Motu Patlu to be aired across the channel. A Pan-India Outdoor campaign will be released during the period of the league at 300+ sites across Mumbai, greater Mumbai, Pune, ROM, and Delhi along with large format ads across key arterial roads of the country to maximise visibility. 

    The league’s core message will be taken to the cinema halls across 3200+ single and multiplex screens through promos with the release of Baaghi 3.  A partnership with Radio Mirchi has been forged to increase local engagement and conversations around the league across 75 cities in the country. It will include 50000 promos along with content integration like RJ mentions, score updates and player interviews. During the matches, the brand mascot Teetar Mausi will interact with fans on ground.

    On the digital front, the channel is utilising its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages by putting across promos, engaging posts on all Viacom18 assets. Curated content will be designed for Tik Tok talking about the biggest cricket faceoff that Road Safety World Series will offer. The next phase of this will see an upsurge in moment marketing – capturing player moments and leveraging it across social media, thereby propelling the fan engagement. The key moments will include engaging with the players at their practice matches, interesting interactions at the dug-out area and dressing room etc. 

    A fantasy league is also being introduced on VOOT, Jio and Colors Cineplex website wherein Contestants can create their own league teams and bet on players to win prizes. Play Along in Jio will allow the fans to predict the consequence of each ball, over, no. of sixes and boundaries and scores. All the spectator coming to watch the match will stand a chance to capture the moment come and share the picture on their social media platforms.  Furthermore, the Colors Cineplex website is set to get a massive make over as the channel readies to host a cricket series for the first time with movies. With a view of engaging with the fans, the site will be populated with a lot of player information along with interesting contests, games and gratification.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Cricket as a sport binds people of our nation together and we are proud to bring Road Safety World Series ‘live’ for the audience on COLORS Cineplex, VOOT, and Jio. With this new annual property, we plan to add more depth to our HME portfolio and bring two of the country’s biggest obsessions; cricket and Bollywood together on one platform. The audience will get to not only watch their favorite cricket legends taking over the field once again but also experience wholesome entertainment through our special programming. We are also elated to celebrate the one-year milestone of COLORS Cineplex and delighted to take the message of road safety to millions of people through cricket.”

    Presenting a perfect blend of nostalgia and unlimited entertainment, the series will host a fulfilled pre and post-match show – Super Over that will keep fans abreast of the behind-the-scenes updates, match analysis, in-depth players’ performances and more. While there will be lots of action on field, the show will also keep the entertainment quotient high. Cyrus Broacha who is known for his exceptional comic timing will turn host for the show while the suave Television Presenter Karishma Kotak will anchor all the action on the field. The veteran cricketer and commentator, Sunil Gavaskar who is also taking on the role as the league’s commissioner will share his expertise and insights. The match predictions will get a comic twist with Suresh Menon impersonating different characters and performing gags.

    Viacom18 Colors Cineplex head Rohan Lavsi said, “The combination of cricket and Bollywood is undoubtedly a promising proposition. Along with getting a chance to watch the legends ‘Live’ on the field, we will take the game to the next level by adding the element of entertainment to it. A special pre and post-match show – Super Over will provide a detailed analysis of the match innings along with many entertaining acts.  The property opens new doors of opportunities for brand building and we are leaving no stone unturned to create an enhanced viewing experience for the fans. We have designed a marketing campaign with the core messaging Yeh Jung Hai Legendary that will resonate highly among committed cricket enthusiasts. Also, it will be a golden opportunity for youngsters, who have not seen these legends “Live” on the field, to come and experience their magic”

  • Zee Cinema to air World Television Premiere of ‘Panipat’ on 29 February

    Zee Cinema to air World Television Premiere of ‘Panipat’ on 29 February

    MUMBAI: Known for their commitment towards their ‘Dharm’ and ‘Karm’, the Marathas have been referred to as protectors and not fighters. They were not just ferocious fighters safeguarding their motherland but also ethical warriors with a simple code of honor. Director Ashutosh Gowariker’s magnum opus ‘Panipat’ delves into a significant chapter in Indian history that lauds the unshakeable bravery, courage and the strong principles of the Marathas displayed during the Third battle of Panipat. 

    Even till their last breath, they fought fiercely just to keep their motherland safe from the Afghani invaders. Celebrating the vigor and valor of the Marathas, Zee Cinema is all set for the World Television Premiere of ‘Panipat’ on Saturday, 29 February at 8 pm only on Zee Cinema.

    Donning the role of the brave Sadashiv Rao Bhau is Arjun Kapoor who leads the Marathas into battle against the intruders led by the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Abdali played by Sanjay Dutt. Kriti Sanon takes center stage as the leading lady Parvati Bai along with an ensemble cast comprising of Mohnish Bahl, Padmini Kolhapure, Sahil Salathia to name a few. Featuring as Sakina Begum is the elegant and veteran actor Zeenat Aman who is seen in a cameo.

    Ashutosh Gowariker says, “As a filmmaker, I have always tried to simplify the storyline of important moments in Indian history so that everyone can watch and know about these happenings. Panipat was one of the rarely narrated incidents as this was one of the few battles where we were defeated. It was a battle in which the Maratha army consisted people from different strata and backgrounds who travelled 1000 kms to stop the invader. I have always tried to go beyond the story by giving it an insightful perspective. And now, I am looking forward to the World Television Premiere of Panipat on Zee Cinema as it will make this lesser known part of India’s history reach a larger audience in their homes.”

    Essaying the role of Paravati Bai, Kriti Sanon said, “Just like other heroines in Ashutosh Sir’s films, my character Parvati Bai is a powerful and independent woman who is a vaidya (physician). She is emotionally and physically strong and is one of the important characters during the Third battle of Panipat. Initially when the character was narrated to me, I didn’t realise how courageous and fearless she was. Parvati Bai is someone who knows sword fighting and doesn’t fear from coming to the forefront to guard her people. Unlike the other female characters of that time, she is also very vocal and doesn’t hesitate about expressing her love for and to her husband Sadashiv Rao. All in all, it was really a unique experience portraying this role.”

    Mohnish Bahl shares, “This is the first time I have taken up a role in a historical drama film and I am playing the role of Sadashiv Rao’s cousin Nana Saheb Peshwa. He is one of the important characters of the film, who has several layers as an individual and hence seems as a very complicated character. I am glad that I got an opportunity to work with Ashutosh Gowariker as he is a phenomenal director who pays attention to the smallest of details. I hope I have done  justice to the role and that the audience watches the World Television Premiere of Panipat on Zee Cinema.”

    The plot narrates the events from 1758, when Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao, popularly known as Nana Saheb was in charge of the Marathas. With able commanders like Raghunath Rao, Shamsher Bahadur and Sadashiv Rao in his council, the Marathas returned victorious after defeating the Nizam of Hyderabad. But, due to internal politics, Sadashiv Rao was made in charge of the financials affairs. While everything was going well, a new storm came knocking at their door with the entry of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the king of Afghanistan whose intention was to expand his powers in India. On finding out about his inroads into India after forming an alliance with Najib Ud Daula, the able commander Sadashiv Rao was chosen by the Maratha Peshwa to lead their army in Delhi. Even with less armed forces, the Maratha’s didn’t give up and fought with valor to protect their motherland.

  • UFO Moviez’s ad revenue stood at ₹427 mn in Q3FY20

    UFO Moviez’s ad revenue stood at ₹427 mn in Q3FY20

    MUMBAI: UFO Moviez, India’s largest in-cinema advertising platform, with the power to impact almost 2.1 billion viewers annually through 3600+ screens under the PRIME and POPULAR channels across 1200+ cities & towns, today, announced its financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2019.

    In quarter ended December 31, 2019, company's consolidated revenue stood at ₹1,426 (Q3FY19 – ₹1,547) million. EBITDA stood at ₹360 (Q3FY19 – ₹406) million. PBT stood at ₹179 (Q3FY19 – ₹230) million and PAT increased by 87.2% to ₹274 (Q3FY19 PAT – ₹146) million.      

    Its advertisement revenue stood at ₹427 (Q3FY19 – ₹626) million. Average advertisement minutes sold per show per screen stood at 5.03 (Q3FY19 – 5.81) minutes.

    On July 18, 2019 the Company and Valuable Digital Screens Private Limited (VDSPL), its wholly owned subsidiary company, had filed a joint application in relation to the Scheme of Arrangement between VDSPL and the Company and their respective shareholders (“the Scheme”) with the National Company Law Tribunal (“NCLT”). The NCLT, vide its order dated November 21, 2019 sanctioned the Scheme for demerger of Caravan division of VDSPL with the Company with effect from April 1, 2019 (the Appointed date). 

    The Scheme became effective from December 4, 2019. Pursuant to the Scheme, the carrying amount of all the assets, liabilities, income and expenses pertaining to the Caravan division has been transferred to the Company and the Company has recognised deferred tax assets amounting to ₹124 million resulting in lower taxes during the quarter ended December 31, 2019.

    “The new brand identity which we rolled out in December 2019 has received positive feedback from advertisers and it positions us strongly for the future” said UFO Moviez joint managing director Kapil Agarwal. “On the business front, the slowdown in the economy is posing challenges, resulting in weak revenues in both Corporate and Government advertisement segments. Despite short-term challenges, we are optimistic about the future and continue to focus on driving advertisement revenues. We are confident that our continued efforts will help in delivering sustainable growth and shareholder value.”

  • Channels curate special line-up for Valentine’s Day

    Channels curate special line-up for Valentine’s Day

    MUMBAI: Love comes in all shapes and sizes and between all kinds of people. On Valentine’s Day, channels celebrate this love with a special programming line-up for its viewers. From Hindi movie channels to regional GECs to music channels to English movies channels, each one of them pays a tribute to a variety of love.

    Hindi movie channels

    Hindi movie channels Zee Cinema, &Pictures, Colors Cineplex and Sony MAX2 have scheduled various movies for viewers throughout the day. Sony MAX2 has curated a line-up with a wide variety of films that are iconic and commemorate some of the most memorable love stories that fans can watch. The channel will air movies from 12-28 February to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Its line-up includes titles like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge which aired on 12 February, Deewana airs on 14 February, Karan Arjun on 21 February, Akhiyon Se Goli Maare on 22 February and Heer Ranjha on 28 February.

    On 14 February, kickstarting the day with a treasure trove of heart-warming movies, &pictures with its special segment ‘Loveistaan’ will showcase the magic of new age love stories that are bordering on insanity and unimaginable passion with inconceivable limits that tests true love. From the caring husband like Laxmikant in Padman, to Madhav proving his love to his Half Girlfriend, &pictures will put together a pyaar and passion ka combination in its day long festival, 9.30 am onwards. Loveistaan: a day-long movie festival will air Padman at 9.30 am, Jabariya Jodi at 12 pm, LoveYatri at 3 pm, Kedarnath at 5.45 pm, Zero at 8 pm and Half Girlfriend at 11 pm. The channel will also air Dream Girl on 15 February at 8 pm.

    To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Zee Cinema has scheduled a World Television Premiere ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ at 8 pm. Colors Cineplex is doing a Loveria Festival on Valentine's Day wherein the stars of Love Aaj Kal – Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan also shot a promo. It was a weeklong movie festival and showcased popular movies like Inspector Vijay, Magadheera, Bajirao Mastani, Garam and Manmadhudhu 2 to name a few. On 14 February the channel will bring a World Television Premiere of Dove, along with titles like The Super Khiladi 2, Dangerous Khiladi 3, Gabbar is Back, and Manmadhudu 2.

    English Movie Channels

    Zee English cluster celebrates the emotion that needs to language and the feeling that makes the world go round with a special line-up of blockbuster movies curated for the day. Zee Café, &flix and &PrivéHD are each set to present a day-long binge on 14 February 2020.

    &flix brings a collection of top-rated Hollywood hits with ‘The Things You Do For Love’. The day-long binge starting 9 am, includes the biggest and most-acclaimed movies such as the Wall-E, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Passengers and the sci-fi delight A-X-L among others.

    Adding a dash of romance to the day is the exciting line-up of Valentine’s Day special movies on Zee Café. The titles include Academy Award-winning movies such as Ratatouille and Slumdog Millionnaire along with celebrated rom-coms like How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, She Is Out Of My League and Playing It Cool, 8 am onwards.

    &PrivéHD, the premium destination of nuanced cinema is set to turn hearts to mush as it encourages viewers to feel the love, all day long with heart-warming movies as part of ‘Love All Day’ starting 9 am onwards. The line-up includes tales that explore the unconventional and unravel the other side of love, obsession and infatuation with titles such as Juliet, Naked, The New Romantic, The Seagull among others.

    Star Movies and Star Movies HD will air The Incredibles-2; Disney's Jungle Book, Titanic and Cinderella on 14 February. Star Movies Select and Star Movies Select HD will bring The Book of Life starring Channing Tatum, Zoe Saldana, Diego Luna at 3 pm.

    Regional Channels

    Colors Bangla has a Valentine’s Day special episodes in Kanak Kakan and Chirodini Ami Je Tomar. For its viewers Zee Thirai will air a world television premiere of Yen Aalodu Seruppu Kanum at 7 pm. Zee Cinemalu will be seen running a special line-up through the day, the channel will air Lovers at 7 am, Ye Maaye Chesave at 9 am, Rarandoi Veduka Chuddam at 12 pm, Hello at 3.30 pm, Mr. Majnu at 6:30 pm and Student No.1 at 9 pm.

    Music Channels

    The music channels will play the lists of top romantic songs throughout the day on their channels but apart from that Vh1 celebrates the day of love with couples and their #SignificantThird through a special contest. The channel has also come-up with a contest where viewers can participate in fun engagement by clicking on the Instagram link

    , tag their bae, their third-wheel and tell Vh1 why he/she is the couple's ‘Significant Third’.

    On 14 February, viewers can reminisce and take a look back at 50 of the best and most romantic love songs from this decade that mesmerized everyone on – ‘Vh1 top 50 love songs of the decade’ at 12pm & 5pm.

    MTV has also released its brand films on Valentine's Day. In its newly released brand film, couples from all walks of life engage in everyday arguments and conversations, something as relatable as couples fighting over eating on the bed, or ordering food from outside, not spending enough time with each other- only to prove that problems are as necessary to love as love is to life. The film shows how fights and arguments are normal for every couple on a regular basis, in the cutest way. But in the end, no matter what happens or even if the argument reaches a crescendo, love conquers all. These tiffs give you a sneak peek into the daily lives of the couples, irrespective of any limitation.

  • &pictures to premiere ‘Ghost’ on 8 February

    &pictures to premiere ‘Ghost’ on 8 February

    MUMBAI: This Saturday night as the clock strikes 8, &pictures will take the viewers through a spine-chilling journey with the horror thriller ‘Ghost’ that explores the world of unknown. Inspired from the real-life murder mystery case, ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’, Director Vikram Bhatt’s Ghost brings forth an intriguing plot revolving around the murder of an innocent woman but with a supernatural twist to it. 

    The movie features popular television star Sanaya Irani and the dapper Shivam Bhaargava in the lead roles. Witness this supernatural thriller with the World Television Premiere of ‘Ghost’ on 8 February at 8 pm only on &pictures.

    Sanaya Irani said, “When Vikram narrated the story, it had me hooked from the word go as it was based on a real-life incident. Portraying the role of Simran, was very different from the other roles I have played in the past especially television soaps – it is a completely different ball game here. This being a horror film, my main obstacle was to convey the actual emotions of what Simran is going through at any given time, to the audience. When you see the World Television Premiere on &pictures, you will realize that while she is dealing with the external forces, she has her own demons to face. I think I have done justice to the role and I hope that when the audience watches the movie they too agree with me.”  

    Shivam Bhaargava says, “Since childhood, I have been fascinated with the horror and thriller genre. Hence, when Vikram narrated the story, I was sold immediately and agreed to take it up. The movie not only has many attention-grabbing twists and turns but also keeps the viewer hooked on right till the end with its gripping plotline. I play the role of Karan who is the prime suspect in his wife’s murder but claims innocence as there is more to him than what meets the eye. The film on the whole has a strong script and is surely different from the many stories in this genre. I am eagerly looking forward to the World Television Premiere on &pictures this weekend and I hope the audience enjoys watching it on television.”

    Set against the backdrop of London, the movie follows the life of a politician Karan Khanna (Shivam Bhaargava) who is accused of murdering his wife Barkha’s (Gayatri Iyer). But he claims not guilty as he believes that a spirit mercilessly killed his wife. He tries to prove his innocence by explaining the ‘the spirit of possession theory’ to his lawyer Simran (Sanaya Irani) who has a hard time believing it but still takes up the case. 

    However, Simran’s deep-rooted psychological issues come in the way and she ends up getting romantically involved with Karan. While investigating the case the duo witness supernatural encounters that keep escalating with time. Will Simran be able to crack this
    case and save Karan? Or will the evil forces over power the good?