Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: Malala Yousafzai, a name that echoes resilience, courage, and the relentless pursuit of education for all, has won the world over with her extraordinary journey. Born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan, Malala defied the limitations society imposed on her as a young girl and fearlessly championed the cause of education. Despite facing numerous challenges, including a near-fatal attack, Malala’s unwavering determination and indomitable spirit have made her an icon of activism and an inspiration to millions globally. On this special occasion of Malala’s birthday, learn her life story from her father’s lens in Let Her Fly on Audible.

Becoming the first speaker of the child assembly in Swat & the Recipient of National Awards

Malala defied societal norms and fearlessly advocated for girls’ right to education, even in the face of threats from the Taliban. “As Malala got older, her confidence in public speaking grew. She would take part in all the regular debating and speaking competitions, doing so well in them. Before the Taliban came, she became the first speaker of the Child Assembly in Swat, a position she won through an election.” Malala’s fervent advocacy for girls’ education in Pakistan soon caught the world’s attention.

Two key moments of recognition of Malala’s influence came at the end of 2011. “The first was when she was nominated for the National Children’s Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, she did not win it but we were so proud, that she would win two years later after the attack. However, Pakistan’s PM Yousaf Raza Gillani decided to honour her bravery with Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize – the award was named after her and became known as the National Malala Peace Prize.” As a result of this, at the request of a 14-year-old, the Prime Minister directed the authorities to set up an IT campus in the Swat degree college department. She was already starting to think of opening her organisation to help poor girls go to school. 

Emerging victorious in her fight against the Taliban

Malala’s father said, “The Taliban was such a powerful enemy and its pronouncements about women and girls’ education were so hateful and devastating for the lives of the girls that the need to speak out against them strengthened my bond with Malala. It became our mission, we were slow to become co-campaigners in a way.” On 9 October 2012, tragedy struck when a Taliban gunman boarded Malala’s school bus and shot her in an attempt to silence her voice. The attack left Malala critically injured, but her spirit remained unbroken. Instead of succumbing to fear, Malala emerged from the attack stronger than ever. “Malala began her second life with resilience, patience, and love. Her aim has always been that people who block her path will join her in the end. They will be part of her journey because of the peaceful way in which it is travelled”. As she recovered, her strength only intensified, transforming her into a global symbol of courage and determination.

Addressing the United Nations & Acceptance into Oxford University

Nine months after the attack, Malala was invited by former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to celebrate her 16 years of birthday by giving an address to the United Nations in New York. This may have been one of the deepest honours for the Yousafzais of the many that Malala’s father has recounted in ‘Let Her Fly’. When asked about Ziaduddin Yousafzai’s proudest moment to date, he mentions, ‘It was when the male principal of Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, made and served Malala a cup of tea. It was a moment so natural and so normal and therefore more beautiful and powerful for me than any audience Malala might have had — with a king, or a queen, or a president”. 

Becoming a Nobel Laureate

In 2014, Malala’s fearless advocacy and remarkable resilience were recognized on a global scale when she became the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17. This prestigious honour not only acknowledged her bravery but also elevated the importance of education as a fundamental human right. Malala’s acceptance speech resonated with people worldwide, urging governments, organisations, and individuals to join the fight for universal access to education. 

Launching the Malala fund

Malala’s activism extends beyond her foundation. In 2018, she launched the Malala Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting girls’ education worldwide. Through the fund, she has worked tirelessly to break down barriers preventing girls from accessing quality education, advocating for policy changes and investing in education initiatives.

Malala Yousafzai’s life is an extraordinary testament to the power of an individual’s voice to bring about change. Her story serves as a reminder that despite adversity, one person can ignite a flame of hope and inspire a generation to strive for a better future. Tune in to Let Her Fly on Audible now and let Malala’s courage and determination kindle the fire within you to champion the spirit of bravery!

Mumbai: BBC Hindi has announced the launch of Kalki Presents: My Indian Life in Hindi, after three hugely successful seasons in English from the BBC World Service.

The podcast, presented by Kalki Koechlin, is about being young and Indian in the 21st century. The Bollywood actor will meet and share young Indians’ remarkable stories from all over India.

https://www.bbc.com/hindi/podcasts/p0frdsxv

The first episode is about Tanya, a private detective who says everyone has a secret. We hear about some of the cases she has investigated. There was a student who Tanya followed to an unexpected place, a fiancé who couldn’t give up his dream and a husband whose affair potentially put his life at risk.

In episode two, Koechlin interviews a famous gamer with 34 million subscribers but none of them know who he is.  He says he thinks he knows how Spiderman feels – his identity hidden from the world.

Notably, the podcast won’t shy away from exploring some challenging subjects, and issues like dealing with body shaming which can impact mental health, and myth busting. In one of the episodes, Indian actor Rytasha Rathore opens up about being stereotyped about her weight and being offered a certain type of role, to which Kalki also adds her own experience of being stereotyped. 

Koechlin says, “I am delighted to present the BBC podcast ‘Kalki Presents: My Indian Life’ in Hindi for BBC Hindi after hosting three phenomenal seasons in English.  Through this podcast, I will bring you amazingly inspiring stories of young Indians, who have overcome tough challenges and achieved onwards and beyond.”

The podcast Kalki Presents My Indian Life is an All Things Small production for the BBC World Service.  All Things Small – part of Rainshine Entertainment – is a Mumbai based company, which focuses on telling true stories from South Asia. My Indian Life is its first project with the BBC.

It will also be available on BBC Hindi’s Facebook, YouTube, Gaana, Spotify, JioSavan and most worldwide podcast and audio streaming platforms.

Mumbai: Lloyd Xavier has been elevated as vice president – marketing at Zee5 w.e.f April 2023. He made this announcement via LinkedIn.  

Xavier joined Zee5 as marketing director in September 2021.

His post reads, “I am happy to share that I am starting a new position as Vice President – Marketing at Zee5.” 

Prior to his stint with the OTT platform, Xavier was working with Arha Media and Broadcasting as AVP marketing between December 2019 and August 2021.

Mumbai: OMTV, the leading spiritual OTT platform, today announced the launch of the new campaign #AppSahiSochSahi. The OTT platform has made a mark in a short span of time and is known to spread awareness regarding Indian Santan culture and foster a positive mindset among its viewers.

Our philosophy plays a crucial role in shaping our experiences and overall well-being in today’s fast-paced and interconnected world. Keeping this in mind, OMTV has embarked on this new journey and, through this hashtag, will be encouraging individuals to embrace a positive and constructive way of thinking. This movement aims to empower people to cultivate a healthy mindset and enable them in making informed decisions regarding their personal and professional lives.

OMTV Founder & MD Nitin Jai Shukla said, “Right from the inception, OMTV’s aim has been to inspire individuals to adopt a positive mindset by focusing on solutions, growth, and gratitude. We believe that by encouraging positive thoughts, individuals can overcome challenges, foster resilience, and lead happier & more fulfilling lives. With this thought, we are kick-starting this campaign and will be leveraging the power of technology and social media to spread this message”.

OMTV has been a pioneer in the spiritual OTT space, and its entire content programming is specifically curated to instil positive thinking, building self-awareness and empathy in the minds of its viewers. The focus has always been on showcasing clean content that will motivate viewers to be a better version of themselves. The content presented by OMTV is intended to evoke Garv (pride) or propagate Gyaan (knowledge). They are taking the same approach to the next level with this new campaign which suggests that if you are consuming informative and rich content and are on the right path, your thinking will also be positive.

A vital aspect of the #AppSahiSochSahi movement is cultivating self-awareness and empathy. Soon we will have an AI-generated feature on the App where one can ask questions to Krishna and the answer will be according to Gita teachings. Hence, by promoting self-reflection and introspection, OMTV aims to help individuals develop a deeper understanding of their thoughts and emotions. This heightened self-awareness can improve communication, interpersonal relationships and result in a more compassionate society.

Mumbai: JioCinema announced their expert panel for the two test series of India’s Tour of West Indies, starting 12 July. Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Wasim Jaffer, Aakash Chopra, Saba Karim, and Abhinav Mukund will come together to present the tip-off of India’s 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle on JioCinema for free.

The all-format bilateral tour starts 12 July with the first Test in Dominica followed by the second in Trinidad on 20 July. The two Test series also marks the beginning of Ishant Sharma’s new spell as an expert panellist.

Sharma is the second India fast bowler to have played over 100 Tests (105) and his best bowling figures in a Test match of 10/108 were recorded in the West Indies during the 2011 tour. On the same tour, another JioCinema expert Abhinav Mukund made his debut for India. Wasim Jaffer, who scored his career-best 212 at St. John’s in 2006, made his debut for JioCinema.

The three match ODI series begins 27 July and will be played in Barbados and Trinidad. The five-match T20I competition tips off in Trinidad on 3 August, followed by two matches in Guyana and the last two fixtures in Florida, USA.

JioCinema will offer fans their favourite sport in a never-seen-before presentation for free. Viewers will be able to watch the limited-overs action in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Bengali, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. This will be the first time a limited-overs bilateral series will be presented in 11 languages.

Mumbai: Amazon miniTV – Amazon’s free video streaming service is all set to shake up the dance community through its unique hip-hop based dance reality show, Hip-Hop India. With excitement running high amongst enthusiasts and viewers alike, the streaming service today revealed dance diva Nora Fatehi as the second judge on show. Fatehi will join choreographer Remo D’Souza as a co-judge, as the two scout for country’s next biggest Hip-Hop sensation, while enthralling audiences with their on-screen charisma and chemistry!

The poster features Fatehi in a unique avatar sporting a glamorous underground look. With the poster, Amazon miniTV also revealed that the show will be streaming for free on the service starting 21 July. Setting one of the biggest stages for the street dancers, Hip-Hop India is a journey of – Gully se Glory Tak. The show promises to bring alive #HipHopFever, celebrating the dance genre in its complete glory, promising to engage one and all in its riveting fervour.

Expressing her excitement on being part of the show, Fatehi said, “Hip-Hop India’ are literally the words that I like to shout out loud whenever I see anyone grooving and dancing. Hip-Hop is one of the coolest and most fun styles of dance that exists. To be a judge on this Amazon miniTV show and the fact that my co-judge is my dear friend, Remo D’Souza is nothing but pure excitement manifested into reality. Watch out for us India, because we are ready, are you?”

It’s time for hip-hoppers to showcase their craft and endure the biggest stage to express the beauty of dance with Hip-Hop India. The show will stream from 21 July, exclusively on Amazon miniTV for free within Amazon’s shopping app and Fire TV.

Mumbai: WATCHO, one of India’s fastest-growing OTT platforms, is all set to embark on an emotional rollercoaster with the launch of its upcoming web series, “GillHarry”. A heart-warming and enthralling journey that will sweep audiences off their feet. The web series is set against the backdrop of the city of love: Mumbai. This series takes viewers on a remarkable journey of love, determination, and the resilience of the human spirit. “GillHarry” is directed by Sanjiv Chadha and produced by Sixth Sense Entertainment & ShauShaa Entertainment.  

The story revolves around Harry, a wide-eyed dreamer from Nasik who moves to Mumbai in pursuit of work. In his search for a job, he crosses paths with Gill, a vibrant consultant and independent woman. As Gill assists Harry in finding work, she inadvertently saves her own position, as she has been struggling to recruit candidates. Sparks fly as they venture from Madh Island to Marine Drive, eventually, Gill and Harry fall in love and plan to spend their life together. But this happiness shatters with unexpected circumstances. Will Harry’s love endure the challenges thrown their way, or will the past overshadow their future?  

The star-studded ensemble of the web series brings the intricate characters to life featuring the talents of Sidhika Sharma, Prince Rodde, Zarina Wahab, Ravi Bhatia, Ameeta Nangia, Namitaa Sachdeva, and other amazing stars. Their top-notch performances and phenomenal chemistry make for an engrossing watching experience.  

Commenting on the launch, DishTV & WATCHO Dish TV India Ltd corporate head – marketing Sukhpreet Singh said, “WATCHO has consistently been adept at introducing cutting-edge content that keeps viewers craving for more, ‘GillHarry’ promises to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions, captivating viewers with its compelling storytelling, relatable characters, and unforgettable moments. This series transcends the boundaries of conventional romance, offering a fresh and nuanced perspective on love, and the complexities of relationships.”

Join WATCHO on this remarkable journey as they unveil the trials and triumphs of Harry and Gill’s love story. With each episode, viewers will be drawn deeper into their world, eagerly anticipating the next twist and turn. Tune in to ‘GillHarry’ and immerse yourself in a tale of love, resilience, and the power of true connection.

Launched in 2019, WATCHO Exclusives offer many original shows, including web series like Joint Account, Manghadant, Avaidh, Explosive, Aarop, Wajah, The Morning Show, Bauchaar-E-Ishq, Gupta Niwas, Jaunpur, Papa Ka Scooter among others. That’s not all, Watcho also offers Korean Drama and various other international shows. Last year WATCHO forayed into the OTT aggregation business with its signature Rs. 253 per month plan. Featuring 14 popular OTT apps, it is fast becoming the go-to destination for an all-in-one OTT subscription. Watcho also features a unique platform for user-generated content called Swag where people can create their own content and discover their potential. Watcho can be accessed on a variety of devices (including Fire TV Stick, Dish SMRT, Android, and iOS cellphones, and D2H Magic devices) or online at www.WATCHO.com

Mumbai: Creating anticipation for the extensive lineup of dubbed K-Dramas, Amazon miniTV has truly engaged the audience by localizing conversations across their social media platforms. In an interesting move, the brand transformed every aspect, making all communication on the platform exclusively in Korean. This comprehensive localisation sparked curiosity and engaged over 252,000 users, leaving them wondering what they will receive in response and encouraging over 100 users to respond further in Korean.

The usage of Korean language to respond on their social media handles has generated immense excitement and intrigue among users. The sense of anticipation, surprise, and engagement has created a buzz among users, adding a thrilling and dynamic element to their interactions on Amazon miniTV’s social media pages.

This language personalisation for response management was executed by GOZOOP Group’s HAWK, the agency on record to handle query management and listening for Amazon miniTV.

Amazon miniTV announced the launch of ‘miniTV Imported’, the streaming service’s new category that will provide International content dubbed in Hindi. The free streaming service, available on Amazon’s shopping app, will stream top global shows every month across multiple genres, ranging from Korean, Turkish, Mandarin and Spanish.

Mumbai: In an endeavour to captivate audiences with relatable and engaging content, JioCinema, India’s leading digital entertainment platform, and Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people, partner to bring the highly anticipated series, ‘Swipe Ride’ exclusively on its platform. Produced by Viacom18 Digital Ventures, ‘Swipe Ride’ by Tinder is a series that celebrates uninhibited, meaningful conversations about what Indian women really want from their dating lives. Streaming for free, the first episode of ‘Swipe Ride’ that features Uorfi Javed, went live on 7 July, only on JioCinema.

Popular social media content creator and actor, Kusha Kapila takes the driver’s seat once again to pick up Tinder members to meet their dates. Joining the two ladies for the journey will be a surprise celebrity guest. The trio chat about the nuances of dating, romance, what they want in a relationship, and how meaningful connections can take different forms on Tinder.

“Swipe Ride celebrates the diverse perspectives of young Indian women and their dating journeys in a relatable context. From having open dialogues on the importance of self-care, financial freedom, dating autonomy, to showing up with confidence and freedom of choice, young women daters are being fiercely honest and transparent about putting oneself out there for all kinds of possibilities,”  said Tinder and Match Group India GM Taru Kapoor.

Mumbai: OTTplay Premium, India’s first AI-powered streaming, recommendation, and content discovery platform, has announced its partnership with NXTPLAY, the digital media division of Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. (HGS). This collaboration will offer NXTPLAY users 17+ OTTs, 150+ live channels, 50,000+ movies & web shows and personalized recommendations to help navigate the OTT world.

Through this strategic alliance, OTTplay Premium serves as a powerhouse for NXTPLAY, offering enhanced and immersive viewing experience from 17 leading Indian and international platforms such as SonyLiv, Zee5, Hallmark Movies Now, Curiosity Stream, Tastemade+ and many others along with 150+ Live TV channels.

Leveraging the extensive library and expertise of OTTplay Premium, NXTPLAY gains a competitive advantage in delivering diverse entertainment OTT options and curated recommendations to its users. This partnership solidifies NXTPLAY’s position as a comprehensive OTT service and enables OTTplay Premium to widen its offering to a larger audience base. The OTTplay app is available on eight devices including Android TV, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, iOS, Android, web, Jio store and Samsung TV.

Commenting on the partnership, OTTplay Co-founder and CEO Avinash Mudaliar said, “OTTplay offers a unique and immersive single-platform experience, seamlessly integrating multiple OTTs and delivering personalized recommendations. Our core vision has always been to provide our consumers with the access to the most popular regional, mainstream and the best of International OTT content and fulfill their content needs. We are excited to announce that NXTplay users too can now access content from 17+ different platforms, while benefiting from handpicked AI-driven OTT recommendations from across all platforms, and indulge in a seamless OTT streaming experience on a single platform powered by OTTplay Premium.”

“NXTPLAY, building upon the success of our ‘ONEDigital’ solution, is committed to delivering a seamless and all-encompassing OTT experience to our consumers. Through our collaboration with OTTplay Premium, we are excited to bring the convenience of accessing digital TV, broadband, and an extensive range of OTT content, all consolidated on a single platform. This integration empowers NXTPLAY users with the ability to explore diverse genres, languages, and content offerings from 17+ OTT platforms, effortlessly. Our shared vision is to elevate the content consumption journey for our customers, prioritizing convenience and user-friendly accessibility,” said Hinduja Global Solutions whole time director and head of the media businesses Vynsley Fernandes, on the collaboration.