New Channel Alert: Openview To Add Some Spice To Ultra

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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.

The History Of Star Life's Predecessor Life OK

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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.