Exclusive: Colors UK set to turn free in September

India’s leading Hindi entertainment channel, Colors is believed to be going free-to-air starting next month, BizAsia can exclusively reveal.

According to sources, Colors is doing the final touches to its plans of converting itself from a “pay service” to be available free on Sky Digital. BizAsia sources confirmed that the channel has already informed VIEWASIA (the pay bouquet that Colors was a part of on Sky Digital) about its decision.

With this move, Colors will join sister channel, Rishtey (under the IndiaCast and Viacom18 umbrella), which remains the most watched free-to-air Hindi entertainment channel in the UK. While this move will delight viewers, it is sure to shake up the Indian television business in the region. One will have to wait and see how the other channels react to this bold move by IndiaCast and Viacom 18.

Colors launched in the UK in 2010 and has been a part of the VIEWASIA package ever since. However, the VIEWASIA bundle has shrunk in recent times with the exit of Sahara One, Aaj Tak and Sony SAB TV. The VIEWASIA package once consisted of eight channels, however with Colors’ news today – it will be downsized to just four channels – Sony Entertainment Television Asia, Sony MAX, B4U Movies and ARY Digital.

At the time of filing this article, BizAsia contacted IndiaCast and Viacom18 but neither responded.