~ Strengthens its position as the undisputed leader amongst Hindi movie channels in India ~
Mumbai, Oct 18, 2019:
Sony MAX, India’s leading premium Hindi movie channel from Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) celebrates 20 years of its glorious broadcasting journey in India this October. Having pioneered the trend to showcase the best of Indian Cinema, Sony MAX over the years has continued to grow from screening some of the best sporting and entertainment properties and iconic movies that have touched a million hearts. Since its inception in 1999, Sony MAX has been enthralling movie lovers that has seen the channel emerge as the undisputed leader for more than 150 weeks now.
Sony MAX’s 20-year anniversary campaign celebrated 20 glorious years of entertaining movie lovers in India highlighting its brand essence ‘Deewana Bana De’. The campaign – Yeh Hai Desh Ki Deewangi celebrated the spirit of millions of cinema fans whose passion and enthusiasm for movies make them special and larger than life. It aired at 20:20 hours on 20 July 2019 and became an instant hit amongst cinema enthusiasts across the country seeing a phenomenal response across popular social media platforms.
For two decades’ innovation has been at the core of Sony MAX’s undisputed leadership. Apart from bringing popular and beloved Bollywood titles, Sony MAX has been a pioneer in bringing South dubbed Indian cult films to our homes including the uber-successful Bahubali series, blockbuster movies of the year – KGF, Kanchana 3, Yevadu and many more. Understanding the needs of a rapidly evolving audience and the environment Sony MAX also launched ‘Filmykaant’ – which is credited as television world’s first-ever artificial intelligence (AI) Chat Bot in India to create meaningful conversations with the audience by embracing new technologies. Fans simply had to log on to the Sony MAX Facebook messenger and chat with Filmykaant, to find answers to trivia from the world of Hindi Cinema.
Sony MAX is also credited with pioneering surround-sound content to engage viewers in the form of Extraaa Shots which showcased little-known anecdotes about popular films and well-loved movie stars with behind the scenes content. The channel also reimagined entertainment with short-format segments and shows such as Bittu Bak Bak and MAX Fully Deewaney. Taking this creative thought forward Sony MAX also introduced innovations such as comedy fillers with memorable characters such as Producer Champaklal and Dr Pran Lele to give audiences enough reason to have a hearty laugh in between super-hit movies.
Neeraj Vyas, Business Head, Sony SAB, PAL and Sony MAX Movie Cluster
“We are extremely proud today as Sony MAX completes 20 glorious years on Indian television. The television industry, the viewership patterns as well as the audience has changed drastically in the past 20 years. But Sony MAX has thrived and retained its crown despite this changing landscape. We have consistently added value to the lives of our viewers by providing them the best of film entertainment and carefully curated content. From iconic films to the latest hits, Sony MAX offers a wide bouquet of content suited for every member of the family.”
Vaishali Sharma, Head - Marketing & Communication, Sony SAB, PAL and Sony MAX Movie Cluster
“The campaign ‘Ye Hai Desh Ki Deewangi’ that we had launched earlier this year captures every Bollywood cinephiles’ emotion wholesomely and celebrates our glorious 2 decades. We are extremely grateful that cinema has been the language of the masses and we are here to deliver the same. This celebration is not only for Sony MAX but also for movie enthusiasts everywhere and we will continue to grow the fandom by giving everyone a bite of Indian cinema’s best work. ”
About SONY MAX:
SONY MAX, India’s leading premier Hindi Movie channel, backed by Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is a part of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), one of India’s leading television network. SONY MAX is the leader in the Hindi Feature Film category providing its viewers with the best of Hindi Movies on television. Sony MAX has also pioneered concepts like Extraaa Shots for movies. The channel stands for innovation and distinctiveness, be it its content, its marketing initiatives or the brand itself. Housing one of the biggest movie libraries, the channel reaches out to more than 190 million viewers and movie buffs every week from the Hindi speaking markets with the tagline “Deewana Bana De”. The target audience for Sony MAX is 15+ All Adults, ABCDE.
About Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN)
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, Japan.
SPN has several channels including Sony Entertainment Television (SET and SET HD), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX, India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; MAX 2, another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India Cinema; MAX HD, a high definition Hindi movie channel airing premium quality films; WAH, the FTA channel for Hindi movies; SAB and SAB HD the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channels; PAL, a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets (HSM) showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from SPN’s content library; PIX and PIX HD, the English movie channels; AXN and AXN HD, the channels showcasing the best in Reality, Entertainment and Drama; Sony BBC Earth and Sony BBC Earth HD, the premium factual entertainment channels, Sony AATH, the Bangla entertainment channel; MIX a refreshing Hindi music channel; YAY!, the kids entertainment channel; sports entertainment channels – SONY SIX, SONY SIX HD, SONY ESPN, SONY ESPN HD, SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 1 HD, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 3 HD; Sony मराठी, the Marathi general entertainment channel; SonyLIV - the digital entertainment VOD platform; SPN Productions, the networks’ film production arm and Studio NEXT the independent production venture for original content and IPs for TV and digital media. SPN reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries.
The network is recognized as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry. SPN is a recipient of several awards, including the ‘Aon Best Employers India’ Award in recognition of SPN’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices, consistently ranking amongst India’s Top 10 Companies with Best Health & Wellness Practices by SHRM & CGP Partners, listed by
Working Mother & AVTAR as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India and adjudged one of India’s Great Workplaces by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited is in its 24th year of operations in India. It has a subsidiary, MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited and an affiliate, Bangla Entertainment Private Limited in India.
