Inhliziyo Ayiphakelwa: Blind Love, Uthando Lweqiniso, Unami Na?, Elinye Ithuba And More Shows Confirmed For DStv's Newest Addition, Star Khanya

MultiChoice is set to announce that it will be adding it's second Zulu dubbed Bollywood channel called Star Khanya to the DStv platform soon. This comes two years after the rollout of Zee Zonke with the channel proving to be a popular addition and with Star Khanya set to bolster this lineup.

Star Khanya comes from Disney Star who are responsible for brands like Star Life, Vijay TV and StarPlus on DStv. The channel is set to rollout with 8 new series: IThemba Alibulali, Inhliziyo Ayiphakelwa: Blind Love, Titli, Unami Na?, Tunte, Elinye Ithuba, Uthando Lweqiniso and Isivumelwano. 

Titli

Titli follows the journey of a girl who aspires to become a pilot despite suffering from hearing impairment overcoming all the hurdles she faces. The story starts with Titli's childhood, her choice was to listen to variety of sounds. One day, a plane crashes near her and a dangerous sound of that plane damages her eardrums. 

One day, she goes to the crashed plane and takes oath that she will be a pilot. However to achieve her dream she ended up in Kolkata in her father's rich friend Aparesh Bose's house. She will also have to win the heart of every person in the Bose house. 

She befriends Sunny, a YouTuber and a food blogger, and the youngest son of Aparesh Bose, who also befriends Titli. But the Bose family doesn't approve of their friendship. However, with Rekha (sunny's mother), Sunny and Kinni by her side, Titli has nothing to fear. 

It stars Madhupriya Chowdhury as Titli Sanyal Bose – Pilot and Aryann Bhowmik as Sunny Bose – YouTuber, food vlogger and businessman.

Tunte 

The story of the serial Tunte revolves around a skilled artisan and weaver, who embarks on a quest to fulfill her dreams of becoming a fashion designer.

Tunte will take the viewers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we witness Tunte's relentless pursuit of her passion amidst the twists and turns of fate. Raised in a village, Tunte dreams of making her mark in the fashion world in a bustling city. However, destiny takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself working as a househelp in the influential Business family of Lahiri’s, renowned for their chain of retail stores. Tunte's dreams of becoming a fashion designer appear to shatter, but her indomitable spirit refuses to be crushed.

Through the narrative, the show unravels the challenges Tunte encounters on her path to becoming a fashion designer. The show delves into the often unseen struggles faced by Tunte being a househelp, shedding light on the importance of fighting for her rights and aspirations. Tunte's tale becomes a powerful symbol of empowerment and resilience, inspiring viewers to stand up against societal barriers and never give up on their dreams.

Dipanwita Rakhshit will essay the character of Tunte, capturing her strength, determination, and unwavering spirit with remarkable finesse. Syed Arefin will be seen as Rongon, the youngest son of the Lahiri family, who will become an unexpected ally in Tunte's journey, providing support and encouragement during her quest.

Elinye Ithuba 

Elinye Ithuba (Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali) centres around Pallavi Deshmukh, a widowed daughter-in-law of the Deshmukh family. Despite being loved as a daughter by most of the family members, she faces challenges, especially from Sulochana and Amruta. Pallavi manages the Deshmukh Saree Emporium for her father-in-law, Vijay Deshmukh. The plot takes a turn when Raghav Rao, a business tycoon with an arrogant and reckless demeanour, enters Pallavi's life, leading to misunderstandings based on their different personalities.

The series stars Shivangi Khedkar as Pallavi Deshmukh Rao, Caretaker of Deshmukh Saree Emporium and Sai Ketan Rao as Raghav Rao – Don of Hyderabad; Jewellery Designer and owner of Jayati Jewels.

Uthando Lweqiniso

Uthando Lweqiniso (Poongatru Thirumbuma) promises a gripping narrative and a talented cast, including Shobanaa Uthaman, Eshan Shyam, and Sameer in pivotal roles.

Uthando Lweqiniso will centre around a woman trapped in a complex and distressing marriage with a psychologically unstable husband. The storyline is expected to delve into intense emotions, drama, and the protagonist’s journey of resilience, making it a compelling watch for audiences.

Shobanaa Uthaman will play the titular role, bringing her depth and experience to the character. Having made a mark in Tamil television, she is best known for her portrayal of Muthazhagu in the popular serial Muthazhagu. Her strong screen presence and ability to portray complex emotions have earned her a loyal fan following. With Uthando Lweqiniso, she is set to take on another powerful role that is expected to resonate with viewers.

Joining Shobanaa Uthaman in this intense drama are actors Eshan Shyam and Sameer, who will play key roles in the narrative. Their performances are expected to add layers to the storytelling, creating an engaging on-screen dynamic. 

Isivumelwano

Isivumelwano (Tharala Tar Mag!) tells the story of an optimistic girl who was raised in an orphanage. She meets her biological father Raviraj, but they are unaware of each other's identities. Sayali alias Tanvi, is grown in orphanage and has a sweet, kind disposition. Arjun, humble despite his wealth, is a leading criminal lawyer. Sayali is looking for a lawyer to argue in a case related to Madhubhau, who was falsely accused and arrested for Vilas' murder which was done by Sakshi with Priya by her side.

Arjun's family had planned his engagement with Priya (masquerading as "Fake Tanvi"). But Arjun loathed love and marriage because of his traumatic past, including Sakshi's betrayal of Arjun's friend's death. In particular, he had no desire to marry Priya. So, Arjun agrees to take up Sayali's case on the condition that she would agree to one-year contract marriage with him. 

After she agrees, the two go to the temple on Arjun's engagement day. After registering the marriage, Arjun and Sayali reach the engagement venue, and Arjun announces his marriage to Sayali to his family, thereby stopping the engagement. Sayali goes to Arjun's house and they pretend to be husband and wife in front of the family. Meanwhile, Priya, Sakshi Shikhare, her father Mahipat and Raviraj's brother Nagraj plot against Sayali and Arjun to make them cease the Madhubhau case.

It is based on an official remake of Tamil TV series Roja, Jui Gadkari as Sayali Madhukar Patil / Tanvi Killedar / Sayali Subhedar and Amit Bhanushali as Arjun Subhedar.

IThemba Alibulali

IThemba Alibulali (Tomader Rani) follows the story of Rani, a young, independent woman who dreams of leading a better life, overcoming societal barriers and personal struggles. The show revolves around her journey of self-discovery, as she battles the expectations of her family, her society, and the pressures of tradition.

Rani hails from a poor family, and her world revolves around her loved ones. She is known for her intelligence, perseverance, and nurturing nature. Despite facing numerous challenges, Rani is determined to rise above her circumstances. Her life takes a major turn when she gets involved with Arjun, a young and successful businessman who hails from a wealthy family. Their contrasting worlds—her humble roots and his privileged lifestyle—form the crux of the drama.

Rani is played by Madhumita Sarkar, the protagonist of the show. Rani is depicted as a girl full of dreams and aspirations. Madhumita's performance in this role is highly appreciated, as she brings a sense of vulnerability, strength, and authenticity to the character.

Arjun is played by Soham Chakraborty, a wealthy businessman with a good heart. He is shown to have a modern and progressive outlook, but his journey involves a lot of emotional growth as he navigates his relationship with Rani and his family. Arjun’s character is a mixture of confidence and vulnerability, and Soham's portrayal has earned praise for making him a relatable yet charismatic figure.

Unami Na?

Unami Na? (Sang Tu Aahes Ka?) follows Swaraj Joshi, a renowned superstar, makes a comeback to the film industry after a three-year hiatus, burdened by a mysterious past. Dr. Vaibhavi longs to meet him, finds herself drawn into a web of enigmatic events. She delivers a cake to Anandwan on Swaraj's birthday, an encounter that exposes her to a ghostly apparition marked with a symbol. Her encounter takes a terrifying turn as Kabir rescues her, leaving her haunted by the symbol etched on the ghost's foot. Abhay and Krutika plot against Swaraj. Sulakshana, determined to secure Swaraj's wealth, promises Krutika marriage to him as a will clause requires his wife's signature. The vengeful ghost injures Sulakshana after she gives her word. Dr. Vaibhavi crosses paths with Swaraj at the market, unaware of his true identity. Swaraj reluctantly agrees to marry Krutika after the anniversary of Dr. Vaibhavi's tragic demise.

It stars Siddharth Chandekar as Swaraj Shashikant Joshi: Dr. Vaibhavi's husband and Ghost Vaibhavi's widower, Saaniya Chaudhari as Vaibhavi "Taisaheb" Joshi (Ghost): Swaraj's first and late wife and Shivani Rangole-Kulkarni as Dr. Vaibhavi "Sona" Joshi: Swaraj's second wife.

Inhliziyo Ayiphakelwa: Blind Love

Inhliziyo Ayiphakelwa: Blind Love (Yed Lagla Premacha) revolves around Manjiri, a resilient woman who can face the world alone but fears marriage. Her life takes an unexpected turn with the entry of Raaya, a local thug. The show explores their relationship and the challenges they face, including threats, revenge plots, and family conflicts. One key plot point involves Raaya's true identity being revealed as Manjiri's brother. 

Manjiri is portrayed by Pooja Birari as a strong and independent woman who is initially hesitant about marriage. Raaya portrayed by Vishhal Nikam, a local thug, enters Manjiri's life, and their relationship becomes a central focus of the show. The story involves various twists, including Shashikala's vengeful actions against Manjiri and the revelation of Raaya and Jay being brothers. 

Update: the channel will be available on Openview channel 144.

Development Alert (Rumour): Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali, Tunte And Likely More Shows Are Set To Debut On An Upcoming Zulu Dubbed Bollywood Channel On DStv

Following the successful rollout of Zee Zonke on DStv, it looks MultiChoice is looking to expand this offering with another TV channel on the platform. This news comes just after reports that eMedia Investments is also looking to venture into this crowded space with Uzozisola - Regrets.

Not much has been disclosed about the channel but by looking at the content in question it's clear that Star India is distributing this brand to the platform. Star India already offers Star Life, Vijay TV and StarPlus brands on DStv.

There was a report I was planning to make regarding another channel on DStv some consumers probably wouldn't have noticed it, Zambezi Reloaded.

Zambezi Reloaded was a pop-up channel similar to the Switch'd On channels on DStv which served as a catch-up channel to content viewed on Zambezi Magic. What was weird about this was MultiChoice's sudden decision to remove the channel by the end of July.

Switch'd On remains operational despite Eskom winding down on power cuts so can we only assume that maybe MultiChoice's reason for removing Zambezi Reloaded has to do with this channel. Maybe MultiChoice is looking to allocate it on channel 165 but I'd imagine them wanting to allocate it next to Zee Zonke.

It could as well be that ROK moves from channel 168 to 165.

As for the content part of this brand, this yet to be launched channel features shows like Tunte, Elinye Ithuba (Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali), Uthando Lweqiniso (likely Poongatru Thirumbuma) and Isivumelwano (Tharala Tar Mag!). 

Spice TV: Could Zee Family And Star Select Also Exit Openview's Ultraview Or Could A Possible Restructure Be Underway?

Last month, it was reported eMedia Investigation would be axing OUTtv by the end of the month. As further content fold under the eVOD streaming service, while Ultraview came with a fee content from OUTtv comes at no charge.

Of course, what eMedia Investments failed to mention was that FUSE would also exit the platform as they form part of a new joint venture on eVOD, OUTtv Proud. Thus concluding eMedia's short run in the pay-tv world or at least for Ultraview's EDGE bouquet. 

Ultraview only launched a year ago and already it is being dismantled with the Indian channels serving as the remainder.

As some readers are aware, Ultraview has been met with heavy criticism for its price rates and content offering leading some to speculate its possible demise. Taking to account, load shedding and other economic factors like competition (e.g. DStv).

Ultraview is anticipated to have attracted 3/4 digit number cause again a lot had happened in 2023. With load shedding consumers had to cutback on expenses and that included DStv and also with Netflix onboard - Ultraview never stood a stance.

Of course, from what consumer feedback seemed to hint at most of that traction came from Spice TV's Zee Family and Star Select. This is due to the existing offering already viewed on Star Life and Zee One, sister channels to the mentioned offering. 

Another having to with the timeslot as EDGE was opened between 9pm to 11pm where consumption is low.

It's likely that eMedia Investments could be awaiting on contracts to reach their duration and depart from the pay-tv world. In the last months, they haven't done much marketing for these brands and honestly it could lead up to them scrapping Ultraview. 

Another could be a possible restructuring to the Ultraview platform which would see Spice TV form part of an expansive lineup of channels. Problem with OUTtv is that not everyone is accustomed to its target audience so rather unify it with eVOD.

As for the expanded lineup, one theory would be curating eVOD into a standalone channel similar to M-Net's 1Max. It would carry eVOD originals while also supplying other content and who knows maybe the offering could be divided into multiple channels.

Development Alert: Disney Star And Reliance Are Merging To Form A Media Powerhouse, Might Lead To The Merger Of JioCinema And Disney+ Hotstar

Disney has taken another big step toward realigning its India strategy. The company has signed a non-binding term sheet with Reliance Industries that would see the two merge their Indian operations, the completion of which would create one of India’s biggest entertainment empires. 

Under the terms, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group would own 51% of the merged entity through a combination of shares and cash. Disney would hold the remaining 49% of shares.

The term sheet was finalized at a meeting last week in London that saw Bob Iger advisor Kevin Mayer representing Disney and Ambani advisor Manoj Modi there for Reliance. According to the Economic Times, the duo has been working for months on terms.

The merger deal is expected to be completed by February, even though Reliance is said to be hoping to wrap it up in late January.

Iger, who has cut thousands of jobs this year and faces pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz, said on last month’s earnings call that Disney would like to stay in India, but try and “strengthen our hand, improve the bottom line.”

Hotstar, the streaming outlet initially launched by Star India, came under Disney’s control as part of the $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets in 2019. Disney has used the Star assets in various ways to help attain its goal of 300 million to 350 million overall streaming subscribers by 2024. 

Reliance In Talks To Buy Majority Stake In Disney's Star Indian Business

Over the past few months, there have been many reports that Disney has been looking at its options with regards to its business in India, called Disney Star, formerly known as Star India, which it acquired when it purchased 20th Century Fox in 2019. Disney Star includes the streaming service Disney+ Hotstar, film studios such as Star Studios, an array of over seventy linear channels, and much more.

In the past few months, Disney has been having talks with many different businesses, including Sony, Blackstone, Sun TV and New Delhi TV, about potentially selling some or all of its assets in India. According to Bloomberg , Reliance Industries Ltd, which is owned by Asia’s richest tycoon Mukesh Ambani, is getting close to completing a deal to buy Disney Star in a cash and stock deal. Disney is valuing its Indian business at around $10 billion (down from the $15 billion it was worth before Disney purchased it in 2019), and Reliance is valuing the business between $7 and $8 billion.

Disney is still looking to keep a minority stake in the company, but it would sell a controlling stake in Disney Star. But it still may keep hold of some assets. There might also be some regulatory issues that could cause delays with the buyout. We’ve seen with other large mergers that the Indian government might require some assets to be sold off separately.

It’s expected that the announcement of a deal could be made as early as next month. Disney does have a quarterly financial investors call on November 8th 2024, so announcing this deal, could help Disney offset the costs of buying out Comcast’s stake in Hulu, which is estimated to cost around $9 billion. Allowing Disney to basically sell off one business to cover its purchase, allowing Disney to focus on its core markets. Reliance would merge some of its media units into Disney Star.

JioCinema, which Reliance runs, has been a thorn in Disney’s side, having paid billions of dollars to get the Indian Premiere Cricket league rights, which resulted in Disney+ Hotstar losing over 20 million subscribers. Plus, recently, JioCinema also picked up the rights to HBO content, which was then removed from Disney+ Hotstar.

It’s unknown if Disney+ Hotstar will continue in its current setup or be merged with JioCinema. Could Disney+ just operate separately in India, without the Hotstar branding and content, which could move over to JioCinema? There are certainly more questions than answers right now.

So, what does this mean for Disney+ and Hulu around the world?

At the moment, officially, no deal has been announced, and no details on what’s actually going to happen have been revealed. There are many variables and potential outcomes from Disney selling its Indian assets. Selling Star India wouldn’t likely have much impact outside India, other than a potential move away from the Star branding and maybe changing the name of Disney+ Hotstar in some countries like Indonesia.

If Disney does sell off Disney Star, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Star hub within Disney+ around the world, rebranded to Hulu once Disney completes its purchase from Comcast. Disney has rebranded many linear channels to Star in countries worldwide, which might be another issue that results in more rebranding. While in Latin America, Disney runs a streaming service called, Star+, which is a Hulu & ESPN+ hybrid, but there is always hope Disney unifies Star+ and Disney+ in that region, to be similar to how Disney+ works internationally. The Star brand has only been used by Disney since 2019, and arguably, the brand is very generic and could easily be changed.

Disney is still running Hotstar as a separate streaming service in many countries, including Canada, Singapore and the UK, so those could be included in the deal. Hulu does have some Hotstar content from India, so this could continue to be licensed or eventually removed.

If Disney+ Hotstar was completely sold off, it would obviously have a significant impact on the global subscriber numbers for Disney+. However, Wall Street may prefer this, since a Hotstar subscriber generally brings in less than 60 cents per month, compared to over $7 outside of India. Investors may also like a more leaner Disney, focused on its core brands.

For Disney+ Hotstar subscribers, it does bring up many questions about what happens could be merged together and what the future is for its content. Internationally, it brings the Star branding into question. But ultimately, Disney does seem like its less interested in running a vast linear, streaming and studio business in India, instead treating it like more other countries in the world.

It’s important to note, that no final decision has been made, and Disney could still decide to hold onto the assets, but the Star Studios and linear channels, being sold off does seem much more likely.

GoQuest Media Will Now Handle Distribution Of Disney Star Across Africa

Indian broadcaster Disney Star, which operates the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service, has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Mumbai-based distributor GoQuest Media.

The pact sees GoQuest becoming the sole distributor for Disney Star’s content portfolio across Africa, including content dubbed in both English and Hindi and encompassing TV and OTT rights to Disney Star’s linear programming catalogue.

Across a TV network that the company claims reaches more than 700 million viewers in nine languages every month and its successful streaming platform, Disney Star generates more than 20,000 hours of original content every year, including general entertainment, sports, films, infotainment, kids and lifestyle content.

The catalogue GoQuest will be shopping in Africa includes Anupamaa, Imlie, Kasauti Zindagii Kay, Yeh Jaadu Hai Jinn Ka and Chandra Nandini, under an agreement that “represents a strategic move to bring popular Indian content to a wider African audience,” according to the two parties.

The move comes after GoQuest has introduced foreign-language titles to Africa over the past 10 years. GoQuest MD Vivek Lath said: “Our track record, strong partnerships and knowledge of the region and local audiences have positioned us as the ideal team to introduce Disney Star’s Indian collection to this market.”

Sudhir Nagpal, head of international business at Disney Star, added: “Africa has a strong viewer base for our content, especially for our series across languages. We continuously seek opportunities to connect with our audience and this collaboration with GoQuest Media is another step in that direction.”

Disney Exploring Possible Sale Of Indian Business Home To Star Life And Star Select

Walt Disney (DIS.N) is exploring options to sell or find a joint venture partner for its India digital and TV business, a source with direct knowledge said on Wednesday.

The talks are in a "very, very nascent" stage and no potential buyer or partner has been approached so far, and it remains unclear how the process will pan out, the person added.

"Talks have begun internally (on) what makes sense to do," said the source, adding discussions were being driven by executives at Disney headquarters in the U.S.

Disney did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The company's shares closed up 1.6% on Tuesday.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report news of Disney's talks and said the company had reached out to at least one bank about ways to help the India business grow, while sharing some of the costs.

The discussions come at a time when Disney has faced increasing pressure due to the emergence of Reliance Industries' (RELI.NS) streaming platform JioCinema, run by Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani. He has been marketing his streaming platform by offering free access to Indian Premier League cricket tournament, digital rights of which were earlier with Disney.

Research firm CLSA has estimated Disney+ Hotstar's subscriber base shrank by nearly 5 million users in India after it lost the digital rights for IPL.

Reliance's broadcast venture Viacom18, which runs JioCinema, also struck a deal with Warner Bros in April for HBO and other popular content such as Succession. Several of these top rated shows earlier aired in India on the Disney platform.

Viacom18's shareholders include Reliance, Paramount Global (PARA.O) as well as Bodhi Tree, which is a joint venture between James Murdoch and a former Star India executive, Uday Shankar.

Disney's India business comprises the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service and Star India, which it took over when it acquired the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019.

The source, who declined to be named as the talks are confidential, said it will be difficult to find an outright buyer in India as the enterprise value of the India business was seen around $15-16 billion when Disney took over Fox's business.

Star India, which was rebranded as Disney Star last year, encompasses dozens of TV channels and a stake in a movie production company.

Disney, like its peers in streaming and the wider media industry, is cutting costs as macro economic headwinds weigh on its advertising revenue and subscriber growth.

In February, the company said it would cut 7,000 jobs as part of an effort to save $5.5 billion in costs in a sweeping restructuring of the company.

New Channel Alert: Openview To Add Some Spice To Ultra

Right in time for the Easter holidays, Ultraview is surprising audiences with a second bouquet on Ultra, their recently launched Pay TV offering.

Will have the latest addition of niche channels with never-been-seen programmes, and that launched at 6:30pm on 6 April 2023. It will be home to two channels: Star Select and Zee Family, and promise to be an entertainment hotspot with a variety of Hindi content.

Viewers can get a taste of the flavourful content for a limited period, at no cost. From there the Spice bouquet will be available on a subscription basis at R119,99 per month using the Openview decoder to activate the chosen bouquet.

Star Select is a premium Hindi bespoke entertainment channel, specially curated for South Africa’s Hindi speaking viewers. Star Select is the entertainment hotspot that offers something for every age group, making the channel a family destination that offers the best romantic dramas, entertaining comedy shows, popular reality TV and the biggest Bollywood blockbuster hits. Some of the shows include Banni Chow Home Delivery (Genre: Drama), Swayamvar: Mika Di Vohti (Genre: Reality), Pyar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara (Genre: Romance), Saubhagyavati Bhava (Genre: Drama), May I Come In Madam: (Genre: Comedy). and many more.

Zee Family offers exciting and heartwarming entertainment from India in Hindi with English subtitles. The channel caters to families showcasing award-winning romance and drama series, comedies, blockbuster movies, lifestyle, cooking and reality shows. Viewers can look forward to Baal Shiv, Ghar Ek Mandir, Kripa Agrasen Maharaj, Ki Ek Mahanayak Dr. BR Ambedkar, Main Bhi Ardhangini and the acclaimed reality singing competition, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

Drafted Version: What To Expect On Openview Ultra's Highly Anticipated Channel, Star Select?

A few days ago, eMedia Investments unveiled two new channels for their Ultraview bouquet, Zee Family and Star Select which are expected to rollout on April 6th. Prior to that, sources had provided content details to one of the new channels, Zee Family.

Zee Family as mentioned a while ago will be spun off from Zee TV offering shows like Goan Gullies, Baal Shiv and Ghar Ek Mandir. In a few days, Star Select which is spun off from StarPlus will also be rolling out on the Openview platform with the following:

- May I Come In Madam: A young man is dejected after getting constantly browbeaten by his wife. However, he is smitten with his good-looking employer and tries to seek her attention in different ways.
- Dil Se Dil Dua...Saubhagyavati Bhava?: A middle-class girl, Jahnvi, gets married to a rich man, Viraj Dobriyal. Little does she know that she has landed herself in a marriage from which there is no escape.
- Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara: Aditya, who comes from a wealthy yet broken home, marries Pankhuri, who has been raised in a joint family. Together, they struggle to overcome challenges and reunite their family.
- Banni Chow Home Delivery: Banni, an independent and brave woman who runs a food delivery business, crosses paths with Yuvan, an oppressed young man with special needs, and their lives change.
- Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka?: Amala, a rape victim, faces numerous problems in society. However, with strong willpower, she battles all her problems with aplomb.
- Swayamvar - Mika Di Vohti: Renowned singer Mika Singh sets out to pick his perfect bride from a group of beautiful women who attempt to steal his heart.
- Armit Manthan: Features the teachings and preaching of the great saints of Maharashtra delivered by Purushottam Dada Maharaj Patil. Theses teachings make the day-to-day life easier for the common man.

Recap To The Past Month: The Mysterious Disappearance Of The Spice Bouquet On The Openview Platform

Earlier in the month, eMedia Investments unveiled the first batch to the pay-tv venture Openview Ultra known as Ultraview Pride or just Pride. It is basically an LGBTQ type bouquet consisting of two general entertainment channels one of which DStv reject, OUTtv and FUSE.

During the launch consumers were kind of curious as to the fate of Spice TV which is basically an expansion to the current Bollywood offering seen on the Openview which like Pride TV comes with two channels for the time being, Zee Family and Star Select.

They were rumours sometime ago that just like BBC UKTV failed launch on Openview that eMedia Investments was having issues with one of the channels in question but that seems highly unlikely as eMedia Investments held a dance party this past week.

If I had to guess, eMedia Investments was planning to do some grand gesture for the offering ahead of its debut on the Openview platform. Similar to Pride which too a similar festivity months prior.

Although eMedia Investments has yet to provide any further details about a potential rollout. I wouldn't be shocked if they unveiled it in the coming weeks or before May in fact considering when these channels were unveiled to the public beforehand.

As for the channels in question, Zee Family is said to be a direct competitor to the current Zee TV both owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. I wouldn't be shocked if Star Select did the same with StarPlus both are owned by Disney Star (formerly Star India).

Just curious as to why companies like Warner Bros. Discovery and the already mentioned like to build competition for themselves. In the above-mentioned case, you could say it helps consumers explore other parts of India but for Warner not really.

New Channel Alert (Rumour): OUTtv + FUSE + Zee Family + Star Select Coming Soon Exclusively To Openview Ultra

eMedia Investments is prepping up the pay-tv version to the current Openview platform and from what is seen these past weeks I wouldn't be shocked if it was unveiled before the end of the month and before we get to the four channels, here's what you should know.

For those using Openview, there was 4 test channels and from what was seen through those lab experiments were SABC 2, SABC 3, Zee TV and Colors TV and as predicted these were just placeholder channels for the final product which turns out to be OUTtv, FUSE, Zee Family and Star Select.

OUTtv is a general entertainment channel owned by OUTtv Media Global Inc. which is meant to promote the LGBTQ community with drama series, reality shows, movies and documentaries. Some of the content include Absolutely Fabulous, Call Me Mother and Brideshead Revisited.

It was launched as a pop-up channel on DStv back in 2018 unfortunately MultiChoice opted not to have a 24 hour channel but rather to bundle it with Showmax and with this news I wouldn't be shocked if they tried prepping up a similar offering.

eMedia Investments:
- Ultraview Pride and Ultraview Indian coming soon to Openview
- More Bollywood coming soon to Openview Ultra
- More e.tv coming soon to DStv customers
- Could SABC be unveiling another two channels for Openview Ultra?
- Glow TV to stop airing on the Openview platform from next month
- Could Openview+ lead to 24 hour capability of these channels?

FUSE owned by FUSE Media LLC from what I can gather is a music and lifestyle channel similar to OUTtv it celebrates the LGBTQ community with shows like Made From Scratch, Sex Sells, We Need to Talk About America and Stay True.

The other two remain as much of a mystery to me but here's my hunch about both brands.

Zee Family is a general entertainment channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises while as Zee World and Zee One rely heavily on soaps to keep their lineup afloat this channel will incorporate that and explore other aspects of India including reality, lifestyle, kids movies and doccies.

Star Select is a general entertainment channel owned by Disney Star likely serving as a competitor to Zee Family with a similar offering while as serving as an expansion to the current Star Life channel.

As to whether these channels are dubbed in English that is unknown but I'm expecting them to be Hindi with English subtitles. Makes sense as we don't want to burn off so much money.

As for the pricing you may want to sit down when reading this, remember when Openview Ultra was first announced as Openview+ with a price tag R150 well that's not the case with revamped package.

Apparently, Openview Ultra has priced these channels under two tags Ultraview Pride which is R75p/m with Ultraview Indian being priced at R119p/m together that takes you to R194p/m almost R200p/m for just 4 channels.

Take to account, Openview Ultra is just a newbie to the market and overtime we will see more entertainment. For those who've been followed DStv for a while would understand that pricing is not determined by quantity but quality which is the case right here.

MultiChoice's premium package for starters almost priced at R900p/m has most funds going onto M-Net and SuperSport and with Openview Ultra I believe people will have a better understanding as to how MultiChoice actually prices their packages.

The History Of Star Life's Predecessor Life OK

Before Life OK this was the channel back in 2001

Star One was a youth entertainment channel owned by the defunct News Corporation which inturn was owned by Star India and FOX International TV channels which are both properties of The Walt Disney Company under the brand Disney Star.

During its run, the channel produced several Bollywood productions including Detective Omkar Nath (D.O.N.), Miley Jab Hum Tum, Shakuntala, Home Shanti Home and shows formerly seen on Star Life like Geet and to some extent Koffie With Karan.

The introduction to Life OK

In 2011, it was announced Star One would be replaced by Life OK from December 18th as part of an attempt to bolster their offering to take on the likes of Sony which was ahead in terms of viewership. With the new channel onboard came a set of original programming.

The channel introduced several shows viewers would have come across in its current form or at the English version which is Star Life like Forever Yours (Your Paakhi) that formed part of the incarnate initial offering alongside other series like Pukaar - Call For The Hero and Dream Girl.

Life OK expansion to Africa, exit in the region and elsewhere

Life OK just like StarPlus and a few other channels expanded to various European markets with Africa fortunate enough to get Life OK as a replacement to Channel V on the StarTimes platform.

Interesting enough, Life OK performed poorly with its audience I mean for a "Hindi" entertainment channel to cater for an English audience made a whole lot of sense especially with StarTimes bulk of Indian entertainment.

In 2017, Life OK was replaced by Star Bharat again still reserved as a youth brand and the reasons for the demise of Life OK were more or less similar to that of StarTimes I mean Bharat also the platform produce a selection of content with reruns of StarPlus series.

Conspiracy theory about Star Life

Although there's sufficient evidence of the channel's connection to Life OK despite both being owned by Disney Star. Pay attention to the wording "Star Life" and "Life OK" I mean it can't be coincidence.

Life OK was often referred to as "Star's Life" OK and as mentioned notice how Life exists on Star Life I mean how would Disney Star have been able to come up with such a name.

I mean the idea of Star Life being based on a reject doesn't seem far fetched I mean Warner Bros. Discovery's Real Time and competitor Zee Enterprise's Zee One were all based on rejects which became relevant to viewers in Africa.

How The Walt Disney Company Ruined And Killed Off Star On Disney+?

Star is a content hub within the Disney+ streaming service that is responsible for handling series like American Dad, How I Met Your Mother, Helstorm, Scream Queens, Little Fireflies Everywhere alongside movies like Deadpool, Little Monsters and Vacation Friends.

Before that, the Star brand name was and is currently used in India for original programs and movies which come with linear channels that can be viewed in countries outside the region.

Due to criticism by several consumers regarding the lack of adult entertainment on the platform I mean several shows like Modern Family and Glee weren't present at the time despite fitting the description of Disney+ which was rated family at the time.

 

Star is a brand that catered to consumers aged 18-49 while some regions had to pay extra to view the bulk of entertainment on a seperate service (Hulu or Star+) others were able to view it under a tile on Disney+.

For several months into 2021, as Star began to rollout onto Disney+ in other countries came the attention span The Walt Disney Company had toward the brand. You'd find several adverts for the content under this brand labelled as Disney+ while others were labelled under another property.

From my observation, Star hardly had original content except for where it was deemed relevant which is India and even then most of the content would compliment other tiles on Disney+ and not go for the edgy stuff that would seem less Disney.

 

Worst part in regard to all of this is how some parts of Europe had to phase out the Star brand in favour of Utsav which is based on irrelevant channel only for India to go head with Star as the main company rebranded to Disney Star hopefully there's no mix-up when referring to streamer Disney+ Star.

Last year, it was reported that they'd be exiting the English market in India and likely global which appears to be on some limbo as the reported new channels had been delayed or scrapped but we'll see what happens when those delays eventually hit the surface.

The Walt Disney Company was always about alignment as several Disney channels were sacrificed for Disney+ and ESPN but these inconsistencies just prove that any brand can be mismanaged whether its fresh like Magnolia or old as TCM.