MUMBAI: Subhash Chandra’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) is all set to launch its Marathi movie channel called Zee Talkies. The channel is slated to go live at midnight today – 25 August.

The 24 hour channel will screen five movies a day along with other film related programmes and fillers. Zee Talkies will also have a channel song called ‘Lakh Lakh Chanderi’ based on the 75 year old history of Marathi cinema.

The channel has acquired the rights of movies like the Oscar nominated Shwaas and other Marathi films like Maratha Tituka Melwawa, comedy film Hamaal De Dhamaal, Jait Re Jait, Gammat Jammat, Kalat Naklat, Gadbad Ghotala, Khabardaar, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Khichadi Sadhi Manase, Jagachya Pathiwar, Molkarin and Gulacha Ganpati.

ZEEL has also signed on Marathi film producers like Mahesh Manjrekar’s Ashvami Films, Shrirang Godbole’s Indian Magic Eye and Smita Talwalkar’s Asmita Chitra to produce films for them. A total of 15 Marathi films (five each) will be produced by these producers for Zee over the next two years. Zee will handle the marketing, distribution and telecast for all the 15 films for the Indian and overseas territories.