12 Aug 2025
Celebrating Cultural Diversity for Millions Across South Africa
[12 August, Johannesburg] JioStar and Openview have unveiled Star Khanya—a dedicated channel delivering premium Indian entertainment fully dubbed in isiZulu. Launching on 18th August 2025 at 18:00 on Openview Channel 114, this strategic initiative establishes a new bridge between Indian and African cultural storytelling. "Khanya," meaning "to shine" in isiZulu, sets the tone for the brand, offering a rich line-up of Indian telenovelas and soapies—all dubbed in isiZulu and subtitled in English, with eight original prime time shows airing daily from 18h00-22h00.
Recent viewer research confirms what millions of South African families already know: isiZulu-speaking audiences prefer watching their favourite shows dubbed in their home language rather than reading subtitles. The research also revealed that Indian drama series have become a favourite for South African viewers, with audiences particularly drawn to stories that mirror their own experiences of family, ambition, and resilience.
Featuring family-friendly content with strong, progressive and contemporary characters, Star Khanya promises to deliver powerful, relatable stories that echo the dreams, struggles and triumphs of life. The channel goes beyond entertainment – it expresses identities and aspirations. Each series is handpicked to reflect stories of passion, pride, resilience, and transformation.
Visually, the channel draws inspiration from the artistry of Zulu beadwork, with its rich symbolism, vibrant colours, and deep sense of identity. The logo reflects the strength of women, and the channel jingle blends tradition with contemporary energy, evoking pride and emotion with every note.
"Star Khanya marks an exciting new chapter for Openview as we expand our local offering with high-quality dubbed entertainment in isiZulu — a language loved by millions. It's a strategic step in reaching South Africa's growing free-to-air audience with stories that truly reflect who we are," said an Openview spokesperson.
"We believe in the power of storytelling to unite people across cultures and languages. With Star Khanya, we celebrate identity, connect communities and redefine how stories are localised. It's a channel born of light, purpose and the indomitable power of quality storytelling," said a JioStar spokesperson.
JioStar already broadcasts the popular Star Life (Openview channel 110) and research confirms a growing trend towards quality dubbed stories in local languages. Star Khanya taps into this insight by delivering award-winning shows in isiZulu, providing a more immersive, relatable and accessible experience for South African viewers.
Openview brings you world-class satellite TV for free. It is one decoder, one payment, that offers you local and international shows with over 20+ TV and radio channels. Plus, you get to keep your favourite SABC channels and e.tv, giving you non-stop entertainment for the whole family. Also once connected to Wi-Fi, you'll get access to even +More entertainment.
TUNE IN:
• LAUNCH: Monday, 18 August at 18:00
• CHANNEL: Openview Channel 114
• COMPATIBLE DECODERS: NA9200, KSTB 2143, KSTB 2184, OV512
Star Khanya. Where Cultures Connect. Where Stories Shine.
About JioStar:
Perched firmly at the nucleus of spellbinding content and innovative technology, JioStar is a leading global media & entertainment company that is reimagining the way audiences consume entertainment and sports. Its television network and streaming service together reach more than 750 million viewers every week, igniting the dreams and aspirations of hundreds of million people across geographies.
About Openview:
Openview is South Africa's first free satellite TV service, with over 3.7 million activated decoders. Offering a growing selection of channels and premium entertainment through its new OV512 decoder, Openview delivers quality content with no monthly payments.