Hungama TV

Hungama TV is an Indian television channel aimed at children, primarily featuring Japanese and Indian animated series. Launched on 26 September 2004, the channel, at present, is wholly owned and operated by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. Its programming mainly consists of Japanese children's animation, along with other children's television series broadcast in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil. 

The headquarters of the Hungama TV channel is based in the city of Mumbai and was originally a subsidiary of UTV Software Communications launched on 26th September, 2004. But in the year 2006, the Hungama TV channel was sold to the multinational conglomerate of Disney.

UTV and Ronnie Screwvala established United Home Entertainment with individual ownership interests to launch an Indian children's television channel. The company appointed TAG to handle the channel's packaging and hired Purnendu Bose as its Chief Operating Officer. On 25 September 2004, Hungama TV began broadcasting as India's first domestic children's channel. 

In March 2005, Zarina Mehta, one of UTV's founders, became Hungama TV's Head of Programming. She was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of the channel in early 2006. In July 2006, Disney India acquired a controlling stake in Hungama TV from UTV Software Communications. Since then, the channel started with both live-action and animated programming. But following the success of Doraemon, Hungama TV gradually shifted its focus to solely animated programming. 

The company then in 2011 bought UTV thus reuniting UTV and Hungama TV under the same ownership of Disney. Hungama TV is now an operating unit of Disney Channels Worldwide and broadcasts in India and Bangladesh in three primary languages- Hindi, Tamil and Telegu. And in 2013, the channel started adding original Indian series as a part of a localisation strategy.

In October 2021, it was announced that Hungama TV would receive an HD simulcast alongside a sister channel, Super Hungama, which was planned as a rebranded version of Marvel HQ. However, on 30 November 2021, the scheduled launch date of 11 December was postponed to 1 March 2022. On 1 March 2022, Super Hungama was officially launched as Hungama TV's sister channel, replacing Marvel HQ.

Operating under Disney, the Hungama TV channel has about 7 sister channels, all of which are entertainment channels catering to kids, young-adults and older audiences alike. First is the Disney Channel, specializing in television programming for children through original series, movies and third-party programming and was launched on 17th December, 2004.

The Hindi entertainment channel called Bindass, which was targeted at Indian youth initially used to broadcast sitcoms, action series and few other international shows but with time Bindass has taken the strategy of Hungama TV and only broadcasts original Indian content as a part of the localisation strategy.

Hindi movie channels like UTV Action and UTV Movies launched in 2007 and 2008 respectively are also the two other sister channels of the Hungama TV channel. UTV Action formerly known as UTV Bindass Movies features Hollywood, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu action movies dubbed in Hindi and other Bollywood action movies. The other subsidiary of Hungama TV, UTV Movies airs blockbuster Bollywood films from UTV’s own library as well as other major movie studios in India.

Disney XD and Disney Junior is an Indian television network which is directed to children and pre-schoolers alike. The Disney XD India was launched in 2009 to replace another channel called Toon Disney and the Disney Junior also replaced India’s Playhouse Disney and telecasts in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

The most recent subsidiary channel of Hungama TV is the Disney International HD which was launched on 29th October, 2017 and is known to be Disney India’s first general entertainment channel and first HD channel.

Hungama TV broadcasted Malaysian animated series and even Japanese mangas among others. Shows like “BoBoiBoy,” “Bola Kampung” and “Upin & Ipin” are Malaysian animated series. “BoBoiBoy” is an action adventure, comedy superhero series revolving around a boy who has elemental-based superpowers and the ability to separate into three. With his friends, Ying, Hannah, Gopal, and Fang, they fight to protect the earth from alien threats who aim to conquer the Earth in the hunt for cocoa beans. The plot of the show “Bola Kampung” is set in a kampong or village named Gong Lechar and the series is known to be a sports comedy. The show revolves around adolescent kampong boys who are passionate about football. The other Malaysian animated series, “Upin and Ipin” is an animated short which features the life and adventures of the eponymous twin brothers in a fictional Malaysian kampong.

Hungama TV also broadcasts Japanese mangas like “Giatrus,” “Perman” and “Shin Chan”, out of this “Shin Chan” is the most popular among kids. The show follows the adventures of the 5-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, dog, neighbours, and friends. This anime adaptation of Shin Chan is a global phenomenon with over 970 episodes and 26 feature length films.

The South Korean slapsticky comedy called the “Grami’s Circus Show” is also a programme on Hungama TV, the show features ‘Grami,’ ‘Nemo’ and ‘Sam,’ a trio of lions and their ringmaster Jack who trains the lions to perform on their circus show. The other animated show is “The Daltons” based on the Lucky Luke comics who are fictional outlaws and are the arch enemies to Lucky Luke.

The Hungama TV channel has also launched an official interactive website, with many animated characters in the background. The website also boasts many games and videos related to the shows telecast on the channel. Various information related to the channel are also available on the website.

List of Current Programs on Hungama TV in India:

• “Bhaiyyaji Balwan”
• “Pokemon”
• “Selfie With Bajrangi”
• “Supa Strikas”
• “The Daltons”
• “The Gutsy Frog”
• “Tsurupika Hagemaru”
• “Upin & Ipin”

Some former Live Action Programs on Hungama TV

• “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”
• “Backyard Science”
• “Chooha Mantar”
• “Colgate Muskurahatein”
• “Door Door Doorbeen”
• “Dum Dum”
• “Dharam Veer”
• “Full Toss”
• “Gol Gol Gulam”
• “Hatim”
• “Hero – Bhakti Hi Shakti Hai”
• “Hip Hip Hurray”
• “Ninja Warrior”
• “Noddy Aur Daddy”
• “Paowan” 

Some Popular Animated Series on Hungama TV

• “Arthur”
• “Being Ian”
• “Beyblade”
• “Blacky the Funny Dog”
• “Bolek and Lolek”
• “Bunty Aur Billy”
• “Chacha Bhatija”
• “Chai Chai”
• “Lunar Jim”
• “Luv Kushh”
• “Space Goofs”
• “Supa Strikas”
• “ViR: The Robot Boy”

List of Films aired on Hungama TV

• “Chacha Bhatija Khazane Ki Khoj”
• “Chacha Bhatija Golmaal Hai Bhai Sab Golmaal Hai”
• “Fatak Patak: Sheru Aur Alienoid Gabru”
• “Fatak Patak: Sheru Aur Eagon Ka Aakraman”
• “Fatak Patak: Sheru Aur Titan Taapu Ka Rahasya”
• “Fatak Patak: Sheru Aur Baaku Ka Kala Saya”