This follows its return to the FTA space through Free Dish on 1st April. Within 11 days of its re-entry, the channel reached 111 million viewers.
Dangal, an FTA Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) owned by Enterr10 Television, has been the consistent number 1 till recently.
With a line-up of shows including RadhaKrishn, Rabba Ve, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, and Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin, Star Utsav has reestablished its position in the FTA market.
“We are humbled by the overwhelming response received for Star Utsav. With our strong portfolio of professionally generated and brand-safe content, we are proud to bring families together through inspiring and entertaining stories. We are committed to delivering the best of entertainment to our audiences and look forward to continuing this incredible journey on DD Free Dish with even more compelling content and meaningful connections,” said a Star Utsav spokesperson.
Free-to-air (FTA) television is expected to maintain its strong growth trajectory in India, driven by the increasing affordability of TV sets, expanding electrification across the Hindi heartland, and improvements in content quality, according to market experts. Contributing further to this growth are persistent internet connectivity challenges in rural areas, along with the rising costs of mobile data and pay-TV subscriptions.The re-launch of popular FTA Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs)—Star Utsav, Colors Rishtey, Sony Pal, and Zee Anmol—on DD Free Dish, Prasar Bharati’s free direct-to-home (DTH) platform, is also expected to significantly boost viewership.Powered by DD Free Dish, the FTA television universe is projected to grow from an estimated 49 million homes in 2024 to 57 million by 2030, according to the latest FICCI-EY report. Market estimates place the advertising revenue for FTA Hindi entertainment channels at over Rs 2,000 crore.