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‘Project Swades’ to mark Star Gold re-launch

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MUMBAI: If the indications are anything to go by, for the first time in 2005, Television’s Hindi movie space is going to witness some major shake-ups. Triggering an interesting battle of sorts will be the aggressive posture taken by Star India’s Hindi movie channel Star Gold.
Sameer Nair with Ashutosh Gowarikar at ‘Project Swadesh’ announcement

As already reported by indiantelevision.com, Star Gold, presently positioned third in the market behind Zee Cinema and Set Max, is in the middle of a major revamp. The channel, inspired by recent acquisitions such as the Vashu Bhagnani library and biggies including Virudh and Paheli, will fire the first shot on 15 August by premiering Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Shahrukh Khan starrer Swades at 1 pm.

“The game plan for this year is to place Star Plus ahead of its competitors in the weekends and make Star Gold the number one movie channel. For Star Gold, our strategy is to bring every possible movie on the channel. The target is to overtake our competitors in the next four to five months,” says Star India COO Sameer Nair.

When queried how he would achieve the target in the given time, Nair expressed his confidence that the big movies that are in the possession of the channel would trigger the turnaround. “In the coming months, you will get to watch a lot of big as well as popular movies on Star Gold. The strategy may not wholly depend on big blockbusters. We have got a good bank of popular movies as well,” Nair says.

Following Swades will be the Big B starrer Black, scheduled for a September screening. Speaking on the time slot for movie premieres, Star Gold vice president Alif Surti said the channel was yet to finalise the details. “Premiering Swades at 1 pm on a Monday is a one-off case. We are yet to zero in on the time slot for our big movies,” Surti says.

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‘Project Swades’ goes beyond TRPs

Staying away from the promotional gimmicks that channels normally resort to when it comes to big movie premieres, Star Gold has initiated Project Swades to boost the confidence of those hidden Mohan Bhargawas (the character played by Shahrukh Khan in Swades) across the country. The channel has joined hands with Gowarikar and the NGO portal Indianngos.com to launch the project, which takes a cue from the film. Project Swades will work on generating electricity for a village in rural India.

To create awareness of the project, Star is banking on on-air promos. The promos urge viewers to SMS Swades to 7827 and each SMS will be a donation of Rs 10 to the Project Swades Fund. Star Gold will match each donation with an equal amount and the fund management will be executed under the guidance of indianngos.com.

The selection of the target village would be done by a panel consisting of all partners of the project. The ground work and implementation will kick off on 30 September.

Star has also shot promos featuring three real life ‘Mohan Bhargawas’ — the ex-IIT Mumbai & rain water harvester Janak Dafatari, aerospace engineer Dr Kari Appa and returned NRI duo Manjunath and Chandrasekhar. Then we have more promos featuring Gowarikar and Shahrukh Khan where they pose the question: “Do you have a Mohan Bhargawa in you?” The promos are placed across the network with a special emphasis on KBC 2.

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Laughs meet chills as ‘Jhamkudi’ hits TV screens

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MUMBAI: Get ready for a hauntingly good time as Jhamkudi, the Gujarati blockbuster that cast a spell on cinema-goers, makes its world television premiere on Shemaroo Josh this 14 November at 7 PM.

Directed by Umang Vyas, the film takes viewers to the eerie village of Raniwada, where Navratri celebrations are overshadowed by the curse of a vengeful witch. Enter Bablo, a quirky real estate agent, and Kumud, a royal heir, whose fates collide in a hilarious and spooky chain of events that’s equal parts chaos and charm.

The film stars national award-winning actress Manasi Parekh, who shines once again with her trademark depth and grace, alongside Viraj Ghelani, the digital sensation whose comic timing is as sharp as ever. The stellar ensemble also includes Ojas Rawal, Sanjay Goradia, Jayesh More, Krunal Pandit, Chetan Daiya, and Bhavini Jani.

Blending goosebumps with giggles, Jhamkudi proves that even horror can have heart. With its sharp writing, witty dialogues, and a dash of desi masala, the film promises an evening of family fun that’s both thrilling and thoroughly entertaining.

So mark your calendars, grab some popcorn, and tune in to Shemaroo Josh on 14 November at 7 PM for the perfect mix of fright and delight, because this witch tale is all about wicked fun!
 

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Zee reels in record highs with a blockbuster show of movie magic

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MUMBAI: In a cinematic twist worthy of its own premiere, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (‘Z’) has pulled off a blockbuster of its own recording a three-year high share of 28.7 per cent in the Hindi movie cluster in Q2FY26. Proving that great storytelling never goes out of style, the content and technology powerhouse has reaffirmed its dominance in India’s ever-competitive movie broadcast landscape.

Leading the charge is Zee Cinema, which reclaimed its position as the No. 1 Hindi movie channel (15 plus HSM Urban) this quarter. Its line-up of premieres from the rural rumbler Jaat to the slick actioner Game Changer pulled in massive audiences. But it was Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2 that truly stole the show, delivering the highest-rated movie premiere of FY26 so far. The last film to achieve a similar feat? Gadar 2, also a Zee Cinema triumph from November 2023.

Meanwhile, Zee’s Free-to-Air dynamos Anmol Cinema and Zee Action flexed their reach muscle, becoming the most-watched channels across all languages and genres. Each channel drew in more than 116 million viewers, proving that free TV still holds unbeatable sway in Indian households.

The story doesn’t end in Hindi. Zee’s regional clusters continue to script their own success stories. In Marathi, Zee Talkies, Zee Yuva, and Zee Chitramandir maintained their near-50 per cent market share, with the world television premiere of Phullwanti delivering the highest ratings of the quarter. Down south, Zee Thirai (Tamil) and Zee Cinemalu (Telugu) kept their leadership intact, while Zee Biskope in the Bhojpuri belt ranked among the top three in its market, a cinematic sweep across regions.

“The growth of our movies cluster across languages is a strong reflection of our content strategy focusing on new super-hit premieres, classic titles from our library and data-driven curation,” said a company spokesperson. “The genre’s unmatched reach and strong resonance amongst male viewers and the youth also enable it to deliver scale and strategic value to advertisers across markets.”

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And those advertisers are clearly tuning in. The genre’s steady viewership and distinct audience base make Hindi movie channels a mainstay in media mixes for India’s top ten advertisers. In September 2025 alone, Zee’s 22 movie channels across six languages reached over 550 million viewers, a testament to the scale and staying power of its cinematic empire.

From Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Karan Arjun to RRR and Bobby, Zee’s vast film library continues to bridge nostalgia and novelty. Some titles have reached iconic status Hum Aapke Hain Koun, for instance, has been watched by a staggering 250 million people over the past five years, roughly equal to the population of the world’s fifth most populous country.

As Zee continues to blend data with drama and strategy with storytelling, it’s clear the brand isn’t just broadcasting films, it’s curating a cultural phenomenon. For millions of viewers across India, the show must go on and with Zee, it most certainly will

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Lights, camera, boo! &pictures turns full on spooky

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MUMBAI: Trick or treat, but make it filmi! This Halloween, &pictures is turning up the spook-o-meter with ‘Full On Halloween’, a fun-horror movie marathon airing all day on 31 October 2025. Promising goosebumps, giggles and ghostly surprises, the channel is set to deliver a perfect mix of fright and fun.

From eerie small-town tales to supernatural showdowns, the line-up packs in something for everyone. The chills kick off at 8:45 am with Kakuda, starring Sonakshi Sinha and Riteish Deshmukh, followed by the mischievous The Bhootni at 3:15 pm, featuring Sanjay Dutt, Palak Tiwari and Mouni Roy. At 5:30 pm, Phone Bhoot dials up laughs and scares with Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khatter and Siddhant Chaturvedi, before the visually rich folklore fantasy Tumbbad closes the night at 10:40 pm.

Adding to the fun are K3 Kaali Ka Karishma, Om Bheem Bush, and Bhaagmathi, keeping the thrills fresh and spooky spirits high. With a blend of humour, horror, and high-energy storytelling, Full On Halloween promises a day where jump scares meet joyrides.

So this 31 October, grab your popcorn and your courage, because Halloween on &pictures isn’t just on… it’s Full On! 

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