MUMBAI: Zee Americas, the American subsidiary of Zeel, has entered into a long-term distribution agreement with Ethnic Channels Group for Zee Cinema in Canada.

The deal provides Ethnic Channels Group the rights to distribute the service on Cable and Satellite platforms.

Zee Cinema CEO Suresh Bala said, “This is exciting for us in that for the first time ever we are able to focus our marketing and unlock the strength of the Zee Cinema brand in Canada. Ethnic Channels Group is an expert at marketing to ethnic audiences and expects to grow our distribution and our subscription base significantly. Currently Zee Cinema is only available as a linear service, but we expect to work out the details of mobile distribution in the not so distant future.”

Zee Cinema boasts of a library featuring over 5000 hours of movies including movies such as Agneepath, Agent Vinod, Don 2, Desi Boyz and Barfee along with all time hits such as Taare Zameen Par, Rock On, Jab We Met and classics such as Awara, Sholay, Bobby and Padosan.

“We are delighted to partner with the Zee TV Group for the launch of Zee Cinema in Canada. Bollywood today is a global, phenomenon and Zee Cinema is its biggest custodian," said Ethnic Channels Group co-founder and CEO Slava Levin.

Added Ethnic Channels Group President Hari Srinivas, "Ethnic Channels Group believes in the brand equity of its content partners, and it will be our primary objective to increase this for Zee Cinema in Canada.