GECs
Uri reaction: Zee considers dropping Pak shows from Zindagi
MUMBAI: It makes sense, nationalism-wise. But, does it make sense, business-wise? An unexpected yet ideal tweet by media baron Subhash Chandra has catalysed a hot debate whether film actors from a hostile country should be allowed to earn millions working in the Indian film industry. His tweet follows in the footsteps of a political party sloganeering that Pakistan artistes working in India had better look for greener pastures elsewhere.
In his tweet, Chandra says, “Unfortunate stance of Mia Sharif at UN. Zee is considering stopping Zindagi programs from Pak, as well as artistes from there should leave.” Chandra’s reaction comes in the wake of a recent attack on the Indian forces by Pakistan-trained terrorists in Uri (Jammu and Kashmir) that left 18 army men dead. He is the chairman of India’s leading entertainment company as well as a member of the upper house of parliament, the Rajya Sabha.
Chandra has all along been making attempts to act as a bridge between India and Pakistan by himself or through his media empire. He even had meetings with the Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Shariff around two years ago when he launched Zindagi. At that stage, his son as well as Zeel MD & CEO Punit Goenka had tweeted: “Jodey Dilon Ko: Chairman Sh Subhash Chandra in conversation with Pakistan PM NawazSharif at the launch of @ZeeZindagiTV”
Zee Zindagi was positioned as a channel differentiated from the rest of the GECs as it offered a bunch of popular Pakistani TV shows which it had acquired from channels in the green flag nation. The purpose: give a ‘hungry for variety’ Indian audience a chance to engage with finite TV shows, shot with a focus on scripting and different dramatization.
Some of the Pakistani artistes who rose to fame and got work in the film industry figure are: Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Imran Abbas, Atif Aslam, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
Zeel had earlier announced a revamp of the channel from 3 October and changed its slogan from ‘Jode Dilo ko’ to ‘Yeh Lamha Hi Hai Zindagi.’
Earlier this year, Chandra had taken another step towards promoting Indo-Pak unity with an initiative called Zeal For Unity (ZFU). Through ZFU, ZEEL brought together 12 filmmakers, six each from India and Pakistan, and funded their one-hour shorts, which were showcased across platforms like film festivals, television, theatre and digital under the ZFU initiative.
Questions that are being asked include whether Chandra will back his tweet with decisive action by pulling off all of Zindagi’s Pakistani content. Or, whether he was just posting his tweet at an emotional moment? Or, whether he had already decided to drop shows provided to it commercially by producers and broadcasters in the neighbouring state earlier, and was just latching on to the being-nationalistic opportunity.
Other questions that are being raised include whether other media houses will follow suit? Will they yank Pakistani content and artistes off their programmes? Will they air trailers featuring them? One can only wait and watch how this unravels.
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has appointed Aparna Ramachandran as EVP and head of network digital, signalling a sharper focus on strengthening its digital and streaming ecosystem.
Ramachandran joins Zee from Balaji Telefilms, where she served as head of digital originals, leading content strategy and production for the company’s digital platforms. She announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in her career spanning more than 15 years across media, entertainment and technology.
Her professional journey includes senior roles at Viacom18 Media, Viu, FremantleMedia, Miditech, BigSynergy, BBC Worldwide, CNBC-TV18 and Bloomberg UTV. She began her career in 2005 as a software engineer at Infosys before transitioning into media and digital content leadership.
With experience across streaming media, broadcast television, content development, digital strategy, project management and video production, Ramachandran is expected to play a key role in shaping Zee’s network-wide digital growth and content innovation.
London: Zee Entertainment has launched its flagship Zee TV as a live FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking a first for South Asian television in Europe with round-the-clock live German subtitles.
The move takes Zee TV beyond its core diaspora audience and into the German-speaking mainstream, offering dramas, reality shows and family entertainment without subscriptions or language barriers. For FAST platforms, it sets a new benchmark in accessibility and scale.
Amit Goenka, president, international and digital businesses at Zee Entertainment, said the launch marked a turning point in the company’s global strategy.
“Zee TV Germany is a flagship launch and a defining moment in our journey to make entertainment truly borderless. By going live on Samsung TV Plus with 24/7 German subtitles, we are breaking language barriers and setting a new international benchmark for FAST streaming,” he said, adding that the partnership reflects Zee’s ambition to lead the FAST revolution through innovation and technology.
The rollout builds on the strong regional presence of Zee One and Zee5, both of which have cultivated loyal audiences across the DACH markets. The live FAST model now closes long-standing access gaps, particularly for younger diaspora viewers and first-time German-speaking audiences.
Samsung TV Plus said the partnership deepens its content portfolio in the region. Benedict Frey, country lead DACH and Benelux at Samsung TV Plus, said the addition strengthens its South Asian offering while widening appeal.
“Launching flagship Zee TV on Samsung TV Plus brings even more premium South Asian entertainment to our customers. Making this content available with live German subtitles is a meaningful step in serving diverse audiences and enriching the viewing experience,” he said.
Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, offering hundreds of live channels and on-demand titles across Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors.
Zee already commands a strong digital following across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with social platforms engaging hundreds of thousands of viewers. The live FAST launch is expected to amplify reach and drive appointment viewing at scale.
Zee TV is now available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in Germany on channel 4210. With this launch, Zee TV Germany becomes the group’s ninth channel in Europe.
The signal is clear: FAST has gone mainstream—and Zee has arrived early, translated and ready to scale.
MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has formally adopted a new corporate identity, rechristening itself Aqylon Nexus Limited after receiving clearance from the ministry of corporate affairs.
The company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the MCA has approved the change of name, with effect from January 23, 2026. The update was disclosed in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.
Confirming the approval, the company said the ministry had cleared the transition from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited to Aqylon Nexus Limited following the necessary regulatory process.
Aqylon Nexus said it has begun the formal exercise of replacing the old name across statutory filings and regulatory records. The broadcaster added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities and departments to complete the transition.
Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the MCA has directed the company to continue displaying its former name alongside the new one for a period of two years.
Founded in 1994 and based in Mumbai, the company has been a long-standing presence in India’s television and content ecosystem. The rebrand reflects a repositioning effort as the media and entertainment sector undergoes rapid consolidation and structural change.
The legacy name remains on paper—for now. The business, however, is clearly turning the page.
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