MUMBAI: UTV Software Communications is launching UTV Stars simultaneously in India and the Middle East from 19 August.

UTV has collaborated with telecom operator and TV services provider Etisalat for the channel?s launch in the Middle East.

With the launch of the new channel, UTV strengthens its presence in UAE through Etisalat which also showcases UTV Bindass and UTV Movies in the region.

UTV Stars is the first Indian High Definition Bollywood Entertainment channel to be telecast in the UAE.

Said UTV CEO-Broadcasting MK Anand, ?The launch of UTV Stars reiterates our understanding of what the audiences need and our endeavor to fulfill that need gap by giving them exclusive and never seen before Bollywood content. UAE is a very important market as it has a large Indian diaspora which is crucial to tap and Etisalat provides the perfect platform to reach out to them. This will be the first time that an Indian channel will be simultaneously launched in India and UAE ensuring maximum reach from day one. It also gives us immense pleasure to be the first Indian Bollywood Entertainment channel to launch in High Definition in UAE and target the chunk of Bollywood enthusiasts residing in the region. ?

Etisalat is the first operator in the region to offer UTV Stars to its customers in the UAE as part of its ?eLife TV Basic Asian? choice package.

UTV Stars is a mass specialty entertainment channel, dedicated exclusively to Bollywood.

Etisalat CEO Rashid Sahoo Humaid said: ?We are very pleased to welcome UTV Stars on our platform. The addition of this first High Definition Bollywood Entertainment channel further strengthens our repertoire of entertainment options provided to our valuable customers and also substantiates our commitment to offer the best-in-class TV entertainment to our viewers.?