Best TV package for Indian and Asian TV channels
Dan Howdle • September 2nd, 2024
Fancy bringing a bit of Bollywood into your front room? You can now access a range of Asian channels to spice up your TV viewing.
Only four providers offer Asian TV channels in the UK: Sky, Virgin Media, EE TV (formerly BT TV), and TalkTalk TV. Sky TV offers the broadest range of Indian TV channels, and best of all, they are free and automatically included in Sky's base pack, Sky Entertainment. Virgin Media offers a slightly more limited range of channels that require an additional cost. EE TV offers a mix of movie and entertainment channels with its Asian Mix add-on. TalkTalk TV also provides a selection of Asian channels in its add-on packages. Here are the options available to enhance your TV experience with the best Asian content.
Overview
There are a variety of ways that you can access TV channels and movies produced in India, Kashmir, and Pakistan. These include bundles and packages from Sky, Virgin Media, EE TV, and TalkTalk TV. There are also specialist providers available online.
Sky TV offers the broadest range of Indian TV channels, with 19 channels available as part of the Sky Entertainment bundle.
Virgin Media offers a slightly more limited range of channels with 15 channels in its Asian Mela bundle for an additional £12 per month.
EE TV (formerly BT TV) offers a selection of eight predominantly movie-based channels with its Asian Mix TV add-on for an additional £5 per month.
TalkTalk TV, although more limited in its offerings, provides a few popular Asian channels as part of its add-on packages.
Let’s now look at these offers in more detail.
Comparison of Asian TV channels by provider
| Provider | Number of Channels | Key Channels Included | Cost of Add-on (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky TV | 19 | B4U Music, Zee TV, Utsav, Sony Entertainment TV | Included in Sky Signature |
| Virgin Media | 15 | Star Gold, Zee TV, Colors Rishtey | £12 per month |
| EE TV (BT TV) | 8 | Utsav Plus HD, Zee TV HD, Sony Max HD | £5 per month |
| TalkTalk TV | 6 | Zee TV, Sony Entertainment TV, Colors | Variable (as part of Boosts) |
Sky has the most Indian and Asian channels
Sky TV has the broadest range of Asian channels, which are included as part of its Sky Signature package. Sky offers 19 channels, allowing you to enjoy Bollywood music on B4U Music, drama series on Rishtey TV, and popular soaps on its range of Utsav channels.
You can catch comedy, drama or reality shows such as Dance India Dance on family channel Zee TV or the best of Bollywood from Zee Cinema, which also features WWE matches in Hindi. There is also a Zee channel for the Punjabi-speaking community. You will also find Hindi language crime and horror shows and top Hindi reality shows and soaps on Sony Entertainment Television.
Indian sports are available for sport fans
There is more to entertainment in Asia than just Bollywood. An Asian TV package wouldn’t be complete without sports. Twenty20 cricket fans can watch the much-loved Indian Premier League on Sky Sports. You need to pay extra to access these channels on a Sky Entertainment package, or you could use a NOW TV membership for temporary use over a weekend or on a monthly basis.
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Virgin offers a good range of Asian channels – but you have to pay for them
Virgin Media customers don’t get automatic free access to Asian channels. If you want to watch channels such as Zee TV or Star, you will need to add the channels to your existing package. New customers can choose any package. New customers can choose any Virgin TV bundle, to which you can then bolt on the Asian Mela pack that comes with 15 channels including Star Gold, Zee TV, and Colors Rishtey for £12 a month. There is no longer the option to add individual channels with Virgin Media.
As a bonus, customers signing up for the Asian Mela bundle add-on will also receive 500 minutes of free calls each month to landline numbers in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
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EE/BT TV has limited Asian TV channels
EE TV, previously known as BT TV, offers a selection of Asian TV channels primarily focused on movies. The Asian Mix add-on costs an additional £5 per month and includes eight channels: Utsav Plus HD, Utsav Gold HD, Zee TV HD, Zee Cinema HD, Sony Entertainment Television HD, Sony Max HD, Colors HD, and Colors Cineplex.
TalkTalk TV – a growing selection of Asian channels
TalkTalk TV offers a more limited selection of Asian TV channels, but it's growing in popularity among budget-conscious viewers. The available channels can be added as part of TalkTalk's TV Boosts, which allow customers to add and remove channel packages on a month-by-month basis.
The Asian TV Boost includes channels like Zee TV, Sony Entertainment Television, and Colors, providing a good mix of entertainment, movies, and drama for a small additional fee.
Key Features of Asian TV Channels
| Channel | Type | Popular Shows/Content | Languages Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zee TV | Entertainment | Detective Didi, Anupamaa, Kundali Bhagya | Hindi |
| Sony Entertainment Television | Entertainment | Crime Patrol Satark, Super Dancer, The Kapil Sharma Show | Hindi |
| Star TV | Entertainment/Sports | Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, India’s Next Superstars | Hindi |
| B4U Music | Music | Bhangra, Bollywood, Indipop music videos | Hindi/English |
| B4U Movies | Movies | Contemporary and classic Bollywood movies | Hindi |
The best of the Asian TV packages
If you want to watch Asian television, then you need to ensure you are getting the best channels. These are the main channels and some of the top shows you don’t want to miss.
Zee TV
Zee TV was the first Hindi-language cable channel in India. It has been around since 1992. It is pitched as a family and entertainment-orientated channel and has broadcast shows such as India’s Best Cinestars, which gave aspiring actors the chance to win the lead role in a film. It also has flagship shows such as crime drama Detective Didi.
Zee also broadcasts the latest drama series Anupamaa, as well as the popular Indian soap, Kundali Bhagya, which follows the story of two sisters Pragya and Preet and their attempts to reunite with their mother. It also has its own movie channel called Zee Cinema, showing the best Hindi movies.
You don’t just have to rely on Zee TV for entertainment now that other global companies have cottoned on to the popularity of entertainment in the region. Zee also owns &TV, which broadcasts a range of soaps and dramas.
Sony Entertainment Television
There is also Sony Entertainment Television (SET), which airs popular shows such as the reality crime documentary show *Crime Patrol Satark*. You can also catch up with the daily dramas like *Kaamnaa - Hoga Khwaahishon Aur Usoolon Ka Aamna Saamna*, which replaced the popular *Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi*. Enjoy the excitement of reality TV shows like *Super Dancer* and *Indian Idol*.
Fans of romantic dramas will enjoy immersing themselves in the struggles of Ahaan and Ishqi in *Ishk Par Zor Nahi*. You will even get to watch popular stand-up comedy programme *The Kapil Sharma Show*. SET also has a range of sister channels offering sports, cinema, and music.
Star TV
Star TV, part of the Disney-owned network, offers a range of channels, including entertainment on Star Plus, featuring primetime soaps and India’s take on Britain's Got Talent with *India’s Next Superstars*.
Star TV also features India’s longest-running soap, *Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai*, which has been running since 2009 – quite an achievement given that Indian serials are regularly canceled. The show charts the lives of the young married couple Akshara and Naitik Singhania as they manage their children and extended families.
You can also enjoy films on Star Gold and sports such as football and cricket on Star Sports.
Colors Rishtey TV
Fans of more classic soaps and dramas from India can also watch Colors Rishtey, which broadcasts reruns of older content and dramas that, in some cases, are no longer being produced or broadcast.
B4U Music
As well as drama, soaps, and reality TV, you can also dance along to the latest tunes or find out celebrity gossip on B4U Music. This channel shows the latest Bhangra, Bollywood, and Indipop music videos as well as the top charts and features celebrity interviews.
B4U Movies
Sister channel B4U Movies shows a huge range of both contemporary and classic Bollywood movies.
Available add-ons and costs
| Provider | Add-On Name | Number of Channels | Cost per Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky TV | Included in Sky Signature | 19 | Included |
| Virgin Media | Asian Mela Bundle | 15 | £12 |
| EE TV | Asian Mix Add-On | 8 | £5 |
| TalkTalk TV | Asian TV Boost | 6 | Variable (as part of Boosts) |
