ITV

Tag: FAST channel

  • Swastik stories brings culture to every screen

    Swastik stories brings culture to every screen

    MUMBAI: When history hits ‘play’, India listens. Swastik Stories, the creative powerhouse behind television’s grandest epics, has launched India’s first cultural storytelling & entertainment FAST channel, a platform where scale meets soul, and mythology meets modernity.

    Streaming free across JioTV, LG, Xiaomi TV and RunnTV, the new channel already reaches over 50 million users, bringing India’s timeless tales into the digital age. Known for iconic shows like Mahabharat, Porus and RadhaKrishn, Swastik now takes its storytelling legacy into the FAST lane, blending cultural heritage with the ease of on-demand entertainment.

    The curtain rises with Hamara Vinayak, Swastik’s first digital original, premiering on 31 October at 6 pm IST. Presented by 1 Finance, the short-format series tells cinematic stories in 10–12 minutes, made for today’s audiences who seek meaning in minutes. Episodes will stream every Friday on Youtube and the Swastik Stories FAST channel simultaneously.

    “Swastik Stories is about giving Indian culture a new rhythm in the digital age,” said founder and chief storyteller Siddharth Kumar Tewary. “This isn’t just a channel launch, but a movement, a way to carry India’s stories forward with heart and honesty.”

    Echoing the sentiment, 1 Finance AVP marketing Drashti Thaker said, “Our partnership with Hamara Vinayak mirrors our own philosophy. Just as Vinayak guides people through life’s crossroads, our advisors help individuals navigate their financial journeys.”

    With plans to reach 90 per cent of connected-TV households by March 2026 and a growing slate of originals inspired by Indian culture, Swastik Stories is rewriting the way India watches, proving that ancient wisdom can stream just as smoothly as the latest blockbuster. Because when stories have soul, every screen becomes sacred.

     

     

  • Zee Entertainment UK launches &TV on Samsung TV Plus

    Zee Entertainment UK launches &TV on Samsung TV Plus

    Mumbai: Zee Entertainment UK is expanding its presence in the UK and Europe with the launch of &TV on Samsung TV Plus. This follows the successful introductions of Zee One in Germany, Zee World English, and Zee Magic in France.

    &TV is the first Hindi entertainment channel on Samsung TV Plus in the UK, targeting the five million-strong South Asian population. It offers popular shows like Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hain, Atal, Begusarai, Tere Bin, and Ghar Ek Mandir, all with English subtitles. These programs focus on relatable experiences, emotions, and cultural nuances that connect with British Asian audiences.

    This launch strengthens Zee Entertainment UK’s relationship with the British Asian community, offering an engaging and enjoyable viewing experience on Samsung TV Plus.

    Samsung TV Plus UK lead, content acquisition Stuart Pearson said, “We are thrilled to introduce &TV to Samsung TV Plus in the UK. This exciting addition brings countless hours of Bollywood-centric content to viewers in the region. Our partnership with Zee is built on robust fundamentals of audience engagement, and we are delighted to continue this successful collaboration.”

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises chief business officer – international business, Ashok Namboodiri, said, “We are absolutely delighted to announce the launch of our new channel, marking the first Hindi language channel on Samsung TV Plus. This incredible collaboration allows us to bring even more of our engaging and popular content to viewers in the UK. Following the successful launches of three other channels in the UK and Europe, this partnership with Samsung TV Plus is truly remarkable and an exciting milestone for us.”

    Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, requiring no subscription, sign-up, or additional devices. It is pre-installed on Samsung Smart TVs from 2016 to 2024 and available for download on Samsung Galaxy devices in select regions. The service is available in the UK and 15 other European regions with only an internet connection required.

  • IndiaCast lands Fast channel DesiPlay TV on Mena region’s Starz On

    IndiaCast lands Fast channel DesiPlay TV on Mena region’s Starz On

    MUMBAI: It’s making real fast plays (no pun intended) in the middle east and north Africa.

    We are referring to DesiPlay TV,  the Fast channel, from the Mukesh Ambani-owned Viacom18.  

    IndiaCast Media Distribution (IndiaCast), the content asset monetisation arm of Viacom18 and Network18, today announced DesiPlay TV’s launch on Starz On in the middle east & north Africa (Mena), marking the Fast channel’s  availability on two key streaming platforms in the region offering audiences a diverse range of Indian entertainment content and making it accessible to a wider audience of Hindi entertainment enthusiasts across the region. 

    DesiPlay TV, a curated collection of popular Hindi television shows and Indian cinema  films, has garnered popularity among viewers worldwide. With this launch, DesiPlay TV is now available on leading Fast platforms, including Starz On, Shahid, Telus, Pluto TV, Plex, Sling, Rakuten TV, and Yupp TV, providing audiences with easy access to the rich tapestry of Indian storytelling across Mena, Americas and Europe. 

    The Fast channel vertical has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, driven by the increasing demand for affordable and accessible content.  The middle east, with its diverse population and growing digital penetration, presents a lucrative market for Fast channels. DesiPlay TV’s presence on Starz On, a prominent streaming platform in the region, is expected to further fuel its popularity and reach among Hindi content consuming audiences. 

    Says IndiaCast executive vice-president & head of international business Govind Shahi:  , “We are thrilled to further solidify DesiPlay TV’s presence in the Middle East through our partnership with Starz On. This expansion is a testament to the growing demand for Indian content globally. We believe that DesiPlay TV’s unique blend of entertainment and cultural richness will resonate with viewers in the region.”

    Starz On & evision head of content Sunil Joy adds:  “As part of our ongoing commitment to providing our audience with the best possible content, we are excited to announce the addition of DesiPlay TV to our platform. This partnership aligns with the growing demand for Asian content in the region and allows us to offer our viewers a more diverse and engaging entertainment experience.”   

  • Viacom18 takes DesiPlayTV to Europe and the UK

    Viacom18 takes DesiPlayTV to Europe and the UK

    Mumbai: IndiaCast Media – part of the Viacom18 group – is playing a big hand in Europe. The syndication and distribution firm has announced the launch of Viacom18’s leading Hindi FAST channel, DesiPlay TV, on Pluto TV in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The channel is being made available in Hindi with English subtitles to enable audiences to enjoy the content.

    Following the channel’s success in Canada, where it has garnered popularity among the South Asian diaspora and local Canadians, DesiPlay TV is set to entertain British and  European audiences with its rich tapestry of Indian entertainment while being the first Hindi FAST channel to be present across Pluto TV’s network in Canada, UK, Ireland and Europe. In addition to Pluto TV, DesiPlay TV is now available on some of the leading networks across the global including Sling, Plex, Shahid, MyCo, and YuppTV.

    DesiPlay TV offers a curated selection of the most beloved and iconic Hindi television shows and Bollywood blockbusters. Viewers can indulge in the drama-packed world of popular and highly rated shows like Uttaran, Na Aana Is Des Laado, Dev, Tu Aashiqui, and Sanskaar: Dharohar Apnon Ki. The channel also boasts an impressive library of Hindi cinema blockbusters featuring legendary stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Katrina Kaif, and many more. To cater to a wider audience, DesiPlay TV also presents a diverse range of South Indian films dubbed in Hindi.

    “We are excited to bring DesiPlay TV to Pluto TV’s viewers in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and Nordic countries,” said IndiaCast Media executive vice-president & head of international business Govind Shahi. “The strong performance of the channel in Canada, US and Middle East demonstrates the immense appetite for Indian content among the global audiences that inherently appreciate and enjoy Indian content. In our consistent efforts to take good content to our audiences, we have seen considerable success with Desi Play TV and in that our collaboration with Pluto has been very instrumental. With this launch, we are opening up a new avenue for audiences and hoping to entertain and associate with global audiences and not only South Asians. This is truly in line with our intent of taking India to the world.”