Star-owned Asianet Communications is set to launch on 15 July the first satellite movie channel in Malayalam.

Asianet Movies, a free-to-air channel, will be available in India, Gulf and other countries.

In Kerala, the channel will available through all major cable TV operators including ACV and COA. It will also be on other leading DTH platforms, a senior official in Asianet says on condition of anonymity.

Asianet has a library of around 2000 Malayalam film titles, according to the official. This includes movies from 1968 to the most recent releases. "Out of this 2000 films, we have perpetual rights for 1500 titles," he adds.

Saju David, who is AVP-Programming at Asianet Communications, will head the new channel. Asianet Movies will launch with the telecast of the super-hit film 'Spanish Masala', directed by Lal Jose and with star cast including Dileep, Kunchakko Boban, Biju Menon and Daniela. The channel will also air the new beats in the film industry, star chats and other movie related programmes.

Apart from Malayalam, viewers can also watch hit movies from Tamil and Hindi languages. For big ticket and A grade movies starring Manmooty and Mohanlal, channels usually fork out Rs 30-35 million.

Will movies get out of Asianet's general entertainment channel? "There will be no change in the movie programming schedule of Asianet and Asianet Plus," the official says.


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