Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: Prime Video, one of India’s most popular entertainment destinations and BBC Studios has launched BBC Player and BBC Kids on Prime Video Channels in India. The subscription-based service will provide Indian viewers a curated line-up of popular British content spanning from world-class original British dramas, comedy, documentaries, factual shows, entertainment to lifestyle programming and children’s shows – all on a single destination, for the first time in India. Prime members can now purchase an annual add-on subscription to BBC Player for Rs 599 and enjoy full access to BBC Kids as well. Alternatively, members can also subscribe to BBC Kids only for Rs 199 annually.

BBC Player will be an all-encompassing multi-genre content offering inclusive of BBC Kids, an international children’s brand from BBC Studios. Get ready to be entertained by new and old favourites! Be intrigued by crime thriller Six Four, get access to content for the first time in India such as British political thriller The Diplomat, and enjoy humorous titles such as comedy-drama Chivalry and comedy sitcom Citizen Khan. These will sit right alongside plot-driven, engrossing suspense and thriller shows such as Sherlock, Unforgotten starring Sanjeev Bhaskar, and BAFTA award winning Happy Valley. Don’t miss out on the world’s biggest motoring show Top Gear, the cliff-hanging baking battle on The Great British Bake Off and a lot more on the platform. What’s more, a documentary on Donald Trump, The Trump Show, medical comedy drama and BAFTA TV award winning This is Going to Hurt starring Ben Whishaw, mystery drama The North Water starring Colin Farrell, romance drama The Pursuit of Love starring Lily James and Dominic West, real-life experiences of London’s West Indian community in Small Axe with John Boyega, , docu-series on climate activist Greta Thunberg Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World, and dance entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing, the original British version of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.

BBC Kids will offer BBC Studios’ well acclaimed kids’ shows targeted toward the age group of 0-12 years, as a separate subscription. Shows such as Hey Duggee, Go Jetters, JoJo & Gran Gran, Sarah & Duck, Junior Bake Off, among others.

On announcing the launch, BBC Studios South Asia – vice president distribution Stanley Fernandes said, “We are excited to bring BBC Player and BBC Kids for the very first time to audiences in India. We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Prime Video to launch these subscription-based video on demand services. These brands will offer a curated, multi-genre content line-up, offering the best of British entertainment to the discerning Indian audience.  Subscribed members will gain access to some of BBC Studios’ latest hits as well as our classics shows, including our well acclaimed wealth of kids’ entertainment, all under one roof.  We have seen the success of these brands in other markets globally and we can’t wait to see the excitement in India with this launch on Prime Video Channels.”

Prime members can purchase an add-on subscription to BBC Player which also provides access to BBC Kids at INR 599 annually, or they can purchase a standalone add-on subscription to BBC Kids at INR 199 annually.

“Since its launch in India, Prime Video Channels has seen exponential growth in India with people subscribing to channels of their choice from the length and breadth of the country. Our customers also have the convenience to access a significantly wider selection of Indian and international content through the 20 Channels. In fact, multiple global streaming services have chosen to launch and expand their reach in India with Prime Video Channels,” said Prime Video India head – Prime Video channels Vivek Srivastava. “In sync with our philosophy of super-serving our customers with even greater choice and accessibility, we are thrilled to collaborate with BBC Studios. Their wide range of programming is highly renowned and enjoyed by audiences world over. With the launch of BBC Player and BBC Kids, Prime members in India too, will be able to enjoy their favourite British content on a single destination for the first time.”

Mumbai: The spirit, the colours, the vibe. Get ready to witness the magic of Haryana! TM Music unveils its latest anthem that transports us to the hinterland of hip-hop and Akhadas.

‘This is Haryana’, featuring rising hip-hop sensation Badal, is a snazzy celebration of a state that is a bright melting pot of cultures, traditions and thoughts. Crooned, penned and composed by Badal, with music by Yeah Proof, the song’s lyrics perfectly capture the diverse essence of Haryana, and its punchy beats weave a groovy appeal around the tune. “ Haryana” is not just a song; it is a celebration of the uniqueness, energy, and cultural richness of Haryana. It encapsulates the essence of the state, combining the traditional and the modern in a way that resonates with the people and captures their pride and swag. The video is shot in Badal’s hometown of Safido, providing an authentic backdrop that captures the core essence of Haryana. The video showcases various iconic locations and elements representing the state, such as vibrant markets, lush fields, energetic hip-hop moves, the local faces and the authentic Haryana common din.

A writer, rapper, singer and music producer, Badal is an artist with many musical facets. Fondly called Safidon Ka Chhora, he is crafting an ode to the place he calls home with ‘This is Haryana’. The track melodiously blends an old-school world with a modern twist that defines the soul of today’s Haryana.

‘This is Haryana’ also boasts of an uber-cool music video directed by Deepesh Goyal. Personifying the Haryanvi way of life with stylish and funky flair, Badal takes centre stage in the video, as he exudes pure desi hip hop swagger.

Talking about the tune, singer Badal said, “This is Haryana is very close to my heart as it’s a tribute to my homeland. It has an unabashedly desi heart tune mixed with my signature style. While the song’s core may be local, its appeal is universal. This is a hip-hop anthem that talks about staying true to our roots, an idea that resonates with people no matter what their geography. I look forward to listeners enjoying my latest creation”.

TM Music co-founder Rohit Sobti said, “This is Haryana celebrates Haryana’s diverse glory. With Badal’s trademark style, funky lyrics, and groovy beats, this track should connect with the Swag of HARAYANA and lovers of independent music. Haryana is a collaborative effort that seeks to glorify Haryana and showcase its diversity, pride, and swag. The song, along with its visually appealing video, is intended to create a sense of celebration and pride among the people of Haryana, while also captivating a broader audience with its catchy beats and vibrant representation of the state”.

Ever since its inception, TM Music has unearthed gifted talents and glorious music from all over the country. ‘This is Haryana’ is the latest gem in TM Music’s treasure trove of earthy, unique and original music.

Mumbai: Sumeet Tappoo, Fiji-born, Mumbai-based singer has become the first artist from Fiji to bag a collection of three awards at the third edition of The CLEF Awards in India.

The CLEF Awards, an event by Radioandmusic.com is India’s premier independent music awards function celebrating the excellence of artists in various genres and languages.

Sumeet was nominated in six categories at the awards function out of which he bagged three. Shivohum, a song by Sumeet Tappoo, Prithvi Gandharv and Meenal Jain, won the coveted ‘Song of the Year’ in the general category – a first for a spiritual song to be given this honour as the other nominations were across all genres of music. The second title that Sumeet won was ‘Artist of the Year’ in the Ghazal category. ‘Ghazal of the Year’ was the third award won by Sumeet for his release ‘Ret Ka Ghar’.

Ret Ka Ghar, released in January this year, has been sung by Sumeet, composed by Prithvi Gandharv, penned by Shakeel Azmi and music production by Mir Desai.

The other three nominations for Sumeet included ‘Best Music Video’ for Shivohum – a stunning video shot up in the Himalayas by the young and talented Geetesh Yadav, Parth Dubey & Pratham Chourasiya; ‘Artist of the Year’ in the spiritual category for Sumeet, Prithvi and Meenal for Shivohum; and ‘Ghazal of the Year’ for ‘Jab Bhi Milte Hai’ which features music by Sudeep Banerji.

The third edition of the event was hosted in Mumbai which featured the biggest names in the industry with all the glitz and glamour that an award night has. Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal were also winners amongst a whole host of musical talent from across the nation.

On the recognition, an excited Sumeet Tappoo said, “Receiving six nominations was in itself an honour and I didn’t think I’d be considered for any of them although I’d hoped for one. But to have won three CLEF Awards is such an incredible feeling and a tremendous blessing because that room was buzzing with the best artists in India. I, along with all the artists across India, are truly grateful to radioandmusic.com and CLEF for creating such an incredible platform.”

Lauding his team’s efforts, Sumeet added, “The reality is that winning these awards could not have been possible without my fellow artists who have worked very hard and with a lot of passion. I heartily thank Prithvi Gandharv, Meenal Jain, Geetesh Yadav, Parth Dubey, Pratham Chourasiya, Mir Desai, Sudeep Banerji, Shakeel Azmi, Ajay Sahaab, Paras Nath, Manas Kumar, Prashant Sonagra, and so many more who have been an incredible part of these songs.”

Sumeet dedicated this award to his Sadguru for his blessings and to his mother Maya, father Mahendra, wife Dr Krupali and daughters Saisha and Meera for their sacrifice and constant love and support.

Mumbai: Sony LIV in association with Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media, has announced its latest Telugu original, Lords of the Deccan, a historical action-drama series. Rana Daggubati made this announcement at Comic Con USA. Adapted from the Indian bestseller, ‘Lords of The Deccan: Southern India from Chalukyas to Cholas’, written by Anrirudh Kanisetti, the series takes us back in time to witness the birth of the Chalukyas, a dynasty that shaped southern India for centuries.

Commenting on the announcement, Sony LIV content head Saugata Mukherjee said, “Sony LIV believes in taking great Indian stories to audiences across the globe. And in keeping with that, we are embarking on the exciting journey of capturing the history of the glorious dynasties of southern India by adapting the celebrated book ‘Lords of the Deccan’ by Anirudh Kanisetti. We are elated that we are joining hands with Rana Daggubati on this journey. Together, we are excited about bringing these untold histories – the glorious dynasties, the majestic lands, the valiant kings, and their many wars – to our audiences from across the world.”

Lords of the Deccan was the author’s debut work and one of the most talked-about history books of 2022. It even won the Book of the Year (Non-Fiction) award at The Mumbai LitFest.

Mumbai: Netflix’s Q2CY23 revenue stood at USD 8,187mn, a growth of 0.3 per cent QoQ and 2.7 per cent YoY. The company expects revenue growth to accelerate in the second half of CY23 as it will have the full benefits of paid sharing plus continued steady growth in the ad-supported plan.

Operating income for the quarter stood at USD 1,827mn, a growth of 6.6 per cent QoQ & 15.8 per cent YoY. Operating margin grew 130 bp QoQ and 250 bp YoY to 22.3 per cent. The company is targeting a full year CY23 operating margin of 18 per cent to 20 per cent.

Total paid subscribers at the end of the quarter stood at 238.4mn, a growth of 2.5 per cent QoQ & 8.0 per cent YoY. The total no. of US & Canada paid subscribers grew 1.6 per cent QoQ & 3.1 per cent YoY to 75.6mn whereas the rest of the world subscribers grew 3.0 per cent QoQ & 10.5 per cent YoY to 162.8mn. Netflix added a total of 5.9 mn paid members in the Q2CY23, as compared to losing nearly 1mn members in Q2CY22.

The company remains focused on creating a steady drumbeat of must watch shows and movies, improving monetization, growing the enjoyment of games and investing to improve service for members.

Netflix has been working to improve the monetization through initiatives like paid sharing and advertising. This will allow the company to generate more revenue off a bigger base, which can be reinvested to make the company even better for members.

Mumbai: Crunchyroll, the world’s ultimate home for anime, has announced that actress Rashmika Mandanna is partnering with Crunchyroll to celebrate her love of anime across India.

Mandanna will join forces with Crunchyroll at various events and activations, helping share her enthusiasm and introduce more fans across India to the breadth and depth of what they can experience on Crunchyroll.  Her well-known love for anime includes titles across romance, action and fantasy as well as iconic franchises like Naruto, Cardcaptor Sakura and Bleach.

“Rashmika Mandanna’s passion for anime is contagious, energizing, and impossible to ignore,” said Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini. “We are excited to partner with her and invite millions in India to dive into the fantastical worlds, rich stories and complex characters that are beloved by her and millions around the globe as we build the ultimate home for anime in India together.”

“As an avid anime fan, I am thrilled to join hands with Crunchyroll and become a part of their family. It is an incredible brand that is committed to promoting anime globally,” said Mandanna. “Anime transcends the boundaries of culture, uniting everyone through the power of stories, and I cannot wait for more and more people to experience and embark on this journey with Crunchyroll as they bring the best titles in multiple Indic languages. I am excited to meet and engage with my fellow fans and explore the infinite worlds of Anime together!”

Debuting in 2016, Mandanna is a versatile and award-winning actor, known for her acting prowess in Kannada, Telugu, Hindi & Tamil Cinema. She enjoys a huge fanbase across the nation and was declared as the ‘National Crush of India’ by Google in 2020. Apart from her stunning skills as an actor and dancer, Indian fans adore her happy-go-lucky nature and style statement.

Mumbai: Mumbai’s ultimate destination mall Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai is known for curating the best experiences for its customers and for hosting the most spectacular Indian and international concerts in the city. In keeping with the high-energy performances, Sanam, the renowned Indian music band is all set to enthrall fans with an electrifying live performance at their favorite indoor venue partner Dublin Square.

Known for their soulful renditions of classic Bollywood songs and their original compositions, Sanam lead by vocalist Sanam Puri along with Samar Puri on lead guitar, Venky S on bass guitar, and Keshav Dhanraj on drums, has garnered a massive fan base both in India and abroad. The concert promises to be an evening filled with soulful melodies, electrifying performances, and an atmosphere of sheer musical magic. Fans can expect to be enthralled by Sanam’s unique blend of contemporary pop, rock, and Sufi music, all delivered with their signature style and captivating stage presence. 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to witness Sanam Live in concert, an experience that will leave you spellbound and craving for more!

Date: 21 July 2023
Time: 7 pm
Venue: Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai
Price: Rs 799 onwards 

Tickets: https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/sanam-live-in-concert/ET00361766

Mumbai: India’s Entertainment & Media industry is expected to reach Rs 6,828,944Cr (US$73.6bn) by 2027 at 9.48 per cent CAGR. These figures come from PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2023-2027, the 24 annual analysis and forecast of E&M spending by consumers and advertisers across 53 territories in 13 sectors.

PwC India, chief digital officer and leader of technology, media & telecom, Manpreet Singh Ahuja stated, “As the adoption of emerging technologies such as AI, ML and the metaverse increase, the range of use cases will broaden, leading to a significant disruption in the media industry. Media companies and content creators are already striving to provide more interactive and immersive experiences to viewers. We anticipate that Media & Entertainment enterprises will invest heavily in the transformative ideas of the future to maintain relevance with their audiences.”

PwC India, partner & leader – entertainment & media, Rajib Basu said, “The Indian Media and Entertainment outlook for the next few years will show an exciting pace of growth. We have a good view of how the industry has reset itself after the pandemic. Increased mobile penetration and the use of digital technologies are poised to disrupt existing channels and create new possibilities in the years ahead for the sector. It is increasingly becoming important for traditional media and entertainment businesses to adopt the right strategies for growth as they face competition from digitally powered businesses.”

Key findings for India in this year’s Outlook include:

OTT Video: With new launches from international players and increasing “pay-lite” options, OTT revenue has surged in recent years, expanding a further 25.1 per cent in 2022 to reach INR 148,554Cr (US$1.8bn). This is over six times the revenue of 2018. The market will continue to grow at an impressive rate, increasing at a 14.3 per cent CAGR to produce revenue of INR 288,855Cr (US$3.5bn) in 2027. This will be driven by the competitive SVOD sector, which accounted for 78.1 per cent of market revenue in 2022. Although subscription service revenue will expand at a 13.0 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 214,578Cr (US$2.6bn), advertising-supported services (AVOD) will grow at a higher rate, albeit from a lower base.

Video games & Esports: India is the second-fastest-growing video games market in the world behind Pakistan. India’s total video games and esports revenue was INR 140,301Cr (US$1.7bn) in 2022 and is expected to reach Rs 346,626Cr (US$4.2bn) by 2027, increasing at a formidable 19.4 per cent CAGR. Year-on-year growth in 2022 was 28.8 per cent, a slight slowing of 2.1 percentage points over the previous year. Although growth will continue to slow across the forecast period, it will remain significantly faster than the global average.

Internet advertising: The Indian Internet advertising market is among the fastest-growing in the world, with a 12.3 per cent CAGR expected to see total revenue climb from Rs 363,132Cr (US$4.4bn) in 2022 to Rs 651,987Cr (US$7.9bn) by 2027. There will be growth across the market over the forecast period, with the strongest performances coming in the mobile sector, where an overall CAGR of 13.7 per cent is expected to push total revenue from Rs 255,843Cr (US$3.1bn) to INR 478,674Cr (US$5.8bn). In the wired sector, revenue will increase from Rs 115,542Cr (US$1.4bn) to INR 173,311Cr (US$2.1bn), at a CAGR of 8.9 per cent.

Newspapers & consumer magazines: India’s consumer book market will increase at a 3.7 per cent CAGR between 2022 and 2027, with total revenue increasing from Rs 90,783Cr (US$1.1bn) to INR 107,289Cr (US$1.3bn). Most of the growth will come from the electronic books sector, where revenue will see an impressive increase at a 10.3 per cent CAGR. In the print sector, growth will be more modest, with increase at a 1.7 per cent CAGR expected. Print still dominates the Indian market, accounting for 80.1 per cent of total revenue in 2022, with electronic books making up the other 19.9 per cent. Electronic books will gain ground over the forecast period, making up 27.2 per cent by 2027.

Out-Of-Home Advertising: India’s out-of-home (OOH) advertising market is rapidly expanding. In 2022 total OOH revenue increased by 63.4 per cent, this saw revenue valued at a new high of INR 56,202Cr (US$681mn). This pace will be sustained for years to come. An increase at a 9.9 per cent CAGR will outperform every other OOH market in Asia Pacific and the world over the forecast period. OOH has a low penetration rate in India and a number of hurdles have held back further development to date.

TV advertising: India’s TV advertising market recovered rapidly from the COVID-19 pandemic downturn, with revenue expanding 19.0 per cent in 2021 and 11.9 per cent in 2022 to reach INR 387,891Cr (US$4.7bn). There remains considerable room for growth with advertisers keen to access India’s vast population and large live audiences. TV ad spend will grow at a 6.4 per cent  CAGR to reach INR 536,445Cr (US$6.5bn) in 2027. At this time, India will be the fourth-largest TV advertising market globally, after the US, Japan and China. The market’s expansion continues to be based on economic development and an increasing proportion of households having television sets.

Cinema: The Indian cinema sector suffered badly during the COVID-19 pandemic but is now rebounding rapidly. Total cinema revenue in India was up sharply in 2022, reaching Rs 90,783Cr (US$1.1bn), up from INR 3317Cr (US$402mn) in 2021. Revenue is expected to reach INR 189,819Cr (US$2.3bn) by 2027 representing an increase at a 15.1 per cent CAGR. Admissions are also rebounding. They were at 379mn in 2021 but went up to 986mn in 2022 and are expected to reach 1.4bn by 2027.

Music, Radio & Podcast: India’s total music, radio and podcasts market passed the Rs 82,530Cr (US$1.0bn) milestone in 2022 to reach Rs 90,783Cr (US$1.1bn) and is forecast to reach Rs 123,795Cr (US$1.5bn) in 2027. Radio and recorded music revenue are the key drivers. As Indian consumers log onto their favourite streaming platforms en masse, the business for recorded music added over Rs 16,506Cr (US$200mn) in the five years to 2022. India’s relatively small live music market has rebounded, and eclipsed pre-pandemic results. Revenue from live is expected to come in at Rs 10,398Cr (US$126mn) in 2023 and lift to Rs 11,884Cr (US$144mn) by 2027, a CAGR of 5.5 per cent.

PwC Germany, Global Entertainment & Media Industry Leader, Werner Ballhaus said, “We have seen impressive growth in the entertainment and media industry over the past two years following a surge in demand for digital products during COVID-19. However, macroeconomic challenges, increased industry competition, and a reduction in production costs – particularly in digital services and experiences – have reduced revenues and consumers’ willingness-to-pay. If companies in the EM industry are to successfully engage consumers and drive growth, they need to transform their service-offerings and tap into new and emerging markets and technologies, such as Asia and generative AI.”

Applause Entertainment, managing director, Sameer Nair said, “At a macro level, with our population size, digital and financial connectivity, the ever-increasing appetite for content, and the overall economy growing, getting to $75 billion by 2027 seems doable.

The critical questions are however more micro and specific. Will theatres survive? Can OTTs alone support the movie industry? Have we maxed out on SVOD? How soon will linear TV die? Can the Digital Advertising business support all the platforms? Is the idea of quantity over quality programming viable? Will Gaming survive the Regulator? What new disruption in Content & Distribution is in the offing? Is AI really going to help reduce costs?

It’s actions and answers to questions like this which will decide the percentage split of the macro $75 billion in 2027, resulting in individual winners and losers, even as the industry grows.”