Zee Entertainment adds ‘Film Hindi’ to Arabic portfolio

Zee Entertainment Enterprises has strengthened its portfolio of Arabic content with the launch of ‘Zee Film Hindi,’ a channel dedicated entirely to Indian cinema.

Deriving its name from an old Arabic phrase that refers to Hindi movies in the 1980s, ‘Film Hindi’ exudes the nostalgia and authenticity of one of the world’s largest entertainment industries.

Catering to Indian cinema lovers across the Middle East, ‘Film Hindi’ will be identified by the slogan ‘Hindi Asli,’ symbolising authenticity, maturity and a unique flavour that is synonymous with the Arabic world. The channel will cater specifically to cinephiles who have an affinity for classic Indian cinema with its rich repertoire of films starring doyens such as Raj Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan.

The channel has a repertoire of over 500 movie titles, featuring up to 1,500 hours of entertainment for viewers, per year. ‘Film Hindi’ will also look to create original content in due course.

Mukund Cairae, CEO – Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, Zee Entertainment Enterprise LLC, said: “Since its inception, Zee has worked towards widening the reach of Indian cinema to audiences across the world. We started Zee Aflam 5 years ago to re introduce Bollywood to the Arab world. The acceptance from the viewers has led to a huge growth of the genre itself. The launch of ‘Film Hindi’ is a testament to our efforts to continue to bridge and unify audiences in the Middle East, by building on the similarities with the Indian Subcontinent.

“Film Hindi’ will cater to admirers of Indian cinema, widening their horizons from just Bollywood to other facets of the industry. Between Zee Aflam and Film Hindi, we will offer a variety of movies between Bollywood and Indian Cinema.”

The channel, which will go live on October 1, 2013, will be transmitted from Dubai, with an operational office in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, can be accessed through Arabsat Badr4 on frequency 12111.