Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: Applause Entertainment, a leading content studio in India, is elated to have three of its web-series – Scam 1992, Criminal Justice, and Undekhi, have been listed among the “IMDb Top 50 Most Popular Indian Web-Series of All Time”. These series have not only received critical acclaim but have also resonated with audiences, solidifying their status as timeless classics.

Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is a gripping portrayal of the infamous stockbroker Harshad Mehta and the financial scandal that shook the nation. The series is renowned for its outstanding performances, meticulous storytelling, and its ability to transport viewers to the 1990s.

Criminal Justice, based on the British series of the same name, is an enthralling crime drama that takes audiences on a thrilling journey through the Indian judicial system. With its intriguing plot, brilliant cast, and realistic portrayal of the Indian legal framework, Criminal Justice captivated viewers and received acclaim for its compelling narrative.

Undekhi, a crime thriller set in the picturesque landscapes of Manali, delves into the dark underbelly of society through its riveting storyline. The series fascinated viewers with its edgy narrative, powerful performances, and exploration of complex moral dilemmas.

These accomplishments reaffirm Applause Entertainment’s commitment to creating immersive and high-quality content, showcasing their expertise in storytelling and their ability to connect with audiences.

Mumbai: InMobi has appointed Inderbir Singh Pall as the new chief technology officer (CTO) for InMobi Advertising Platform. With more than 10 years of experience with InMobi, Pall will play a crucial role in elevating the company’s technology roadmap, and spearheading innovation initiatives in the market.

Pall will oversee InMobi’s technology strategy, product development, and engineering teams, ensuring their seamless alignment with the company’s overarching vision and objectives. Pall takes the helm as the company has seen a 25 per cent year-over-year growth across the businesses. Pall will continue leveraging machine learning and generative AI technologies to help InMobi solutions to continue to evolve to the current market dynamics.

Mumbai: Following the substantial success of Playground Two which garnered more than 100mn reach, 80 min time spent per viewer and 125k peak concurrence, Rusk Media, a leading full stack Gen-Z first digital entertainment company is back with a brand new gaming IP – the Playground Exhibition Cup (PGEC) 2023 powered by Duolingo.

The pioneering tournament will bring together six of India’s biggest content creators including Ajey Nagar (CarryMinati), Ashish Chanchlani, Tanmay Singh (Scout), Harsh Beniwal, Nischay Malhan (Triggered Insaan), and Naman Mathur (Mortal), with the aim of transforming the competitive gaming landscape in India.

The PGEC 2023 marks the grand opening of Playground’s highly anticipated annual programming and will pave the way for the exhilarating ‘Playground eSports League’ followed by the exciting ‘Playground Season 3’. The PGEC 2023 promises to be a thrilling journey that will unite gaming enthusiasts through its electrifying, nail-biting action and showcase the best gaming talent in the industry.

Through its groundbreaking approach of forging entertainment with gaming, Playground has established its position as one of the most prominent IPs in the gaming world.

Playground in association with its partnering sponsors bagged two awards at ABBY’s 2023 including a silver for the ‘Most Innovative Use of Gaming’ in association with KFC and a bronze for ‘Innovative Use of Branded Content’ in association with charged by Thums Up. It also won the ‘Best Digital Strategy’ at EMVIES 2023 for KFC, and ‘Best Use of Social Media for Content Marketing’ at SAMMIE 2022, Best Digital Marketing Campaign for a web original’ at ScreenXX 2022.

“We are thrilled to announce the Playground Exhibition Cup 2023 which is an effort to redefine competitive gaming tournaments in the country. Through the Playground IPs, we have constantly strived to tap into the Gen-Z audience by pushing the boundaries of entertainment and merging it with gaming to provide a memorable experience of the highest quality. However, with PGEC 2023 we have crafted an innovative tournament that will cater to the hardcore gaming demographic of the country and propel competitive gaming to unprecedented heights,” said Rusk Media CEO Mayank Yadav.

The PGEC will feature a total of six teams with five of these teams hailing from the prestigious Playground 2 (PG2), including:

The Dare Dragons are mentored by CarryMinati and captained by Jay Khatri

The AAA Werewolves were led by Triggered Insaan and captained by Vanshaj Singh

The Power Phoenixes are commanded by Harsh Beniwal and captained by Harshit Kashyap (Kanary)

The OP Unicorns are guided by Scout and captained by Harshit (Gunshot)

The KO Krakens, spearheaded by Ashish Chanchlani and captained by Nikhil (Bloodline)

Joining them will be the dynamic raging centaurs who will be mentored by Mortal and captained by Raviraj (Sunlord).

The tournament boasts an impressive prize pool of up to Rs 25 lakhs with the player MVP prize money amounting to Rs five lakhs, while the winning team and runners-up are awarded Rs ten lakhs and Rs five lakhs, respectively.

The tournament is powered by Duolingo and the overall experience will be enhanced by its exclusive Grooming partner Bombay Shaving Company, its Travel partner EaseMyTrip and its voting partner Rumble.

Fans will be treated to an immersive gaming experience with the tournament being streamed live on Playground’s channel on Youtube from 9 – 25 June at 6:30 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

PLAYGROUND

Mumbai: Sportiqo, a blockchain-based fantasy cricket platform that was launched in India in February 2023, with a unique choice for users to invest or trade in players, just like stocks saw exceptional revenue growth with an increase in the user base and influx of transactions during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

The IPL 2023 season was a turning point for the company, as it witnessed a whopping four-fold increase in its user base. This surge in popularity translated into a gross trading volume of Rs 18 crores, with an average of over 10,000 transactions per day.

During the course of the 2023 IPL, Sportiqo also announced the launch of its exciting new digital campaign featuring renowned cricketer Robin Uthappa. The company has also partnered with over 75 creators across various genres which aided Sportiqo to generate substantial buzz about its platform among its target audience. This collaborative effort helped increase brand awareness and garner a larger user base, contributing significantly to the overall revenue growth.

Capitalising on the massive popularity of the IPL, Sportiqo planned various initiatives to attract and retain more users. Throughout the tournament, the brand introduced exciting promotional campaigns, such as the super trader contest and the consistent trader bonus to motivate users to return to the application and trade regularly. In addition, Sportiqo’s AI-powered pricing and trading algorithms led to exciting gameplay and high user engagement during live IPL matches.

Looking beyond the IPL, Sportiqo’s daily active user count on the app has reduced slightly after the tournament. However, it remains significantly higher than the pre-IPL period. The success and growth witnessed during the IPL have undoubtedly expanded Sportiqo’s user base and positioned the company as a leading player in the virtual stock market space.

“I am happy that our revenue and user base has grown. These pillars stand as a testament to our commitment to creating value and revolutionising the way people stay connected with our application. I am sure that going forward, our numbers will only grow from here,” said Sportiqo  chief product officer and co-founder Anindya Kar.

Sportiqo marked the beginning of its operations in India in the month of February and has amassed 150,000 active users following its beta launch. The company has raised $1.25 million (Rs 10 crores) in the seed round from angel investors with a focus on product development user acquisition in its first phase post-launch. The cricket stock market has already covered the International League T20 (ILT20), Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Indian Premier League (IPL).

Mumbai: Touted as one of the most expensive Indian films ever made, Prabhas and Kriti Sanon starrer Adipurush is set to release on 16 June. After creating buzz with the trailer and song, the makers of the mythological magnum opus launched a second trailer at a pre-release event in Tirupati. Ahead of its theatrical release, YouGov reveals consumers’ reactions to the trailer and their intent to watch the film.

Since the beginning of the year, YouGov has been assessing trailers and teasers of upcoming movies to generate a screen appeal test (SAT) that evaluates the level of excitement and viewership intent generated by trailers or teasers. Each trailer is rated on seven metrics, to give a combined appeal score, which is an average of the seven underlying measures of interest.

Our data shows that Adipurush trailer scores high on most metrics among the general population. Recall, which measures the reach that the trailers have managed to build till date is high for Adipurush (at 57 per cent), much higher than the average recall of all the trailers tested since the beginning of the year (41 per cent). Interestingly, it is at par with the last box office mega blockbuster- Pathaan (58 per cent).

The trailer scores high on other metrices as well- such as buzz (measures the word-of-mouth potential), delivery (a measure of how well the trailer can land the main plot/idea of the story) and likeability (a measure of how much viewers like the trailer).

Among all the things, music and special effects were the most appealing factors and more than three in five (63 per cent) urban Indians claimed to like these aspects of the Adipurush trailer. Half liked it for its concept/story (52 per cent) and dialogues (50 per cent).

When it comes to watching the film, nearly two in five urban Indians (39 per cent) said they will watch it in a theatre. One in five (19 per cent) will wait for it to release on a video streaming platform, and less than one in ten (7 per cent) will wait for it to come on TV.

A look by age shows that among all the age groups, GenZ are least likely to see Adipurush in a theatre. Almost a third of GenZ consumers (32 per cent) said they will watch Adipurush in a theatre, compared to two in five millennials (43 per cent) and GenX (41 per cent) respondents who said the same. They are more likely to wait for the film to release on an OTT platform (22 per cent) as compared to others.

A look by city-tiers shows that tier-3 residents are less likely to catch a show in a theatre as compared to residents in other city tiers. Age-wise segregation in city-tiers reveals interesting data. While millennials are most likely to watch the film in a theatre in tier-1 cities (at 59 per cent), in 2-tier cities, this sentiment is the strongest amongst the GenX population (at 58 per cent).

Using YouGov’s Screen Appeal Test (SAT) content creators can test various versions of a trailer, identify drivers of appeal and understand the big screen potential of their films.

Mumbai: Gritty, nerve-wracking, and filled with an undying amount of suspense! Thriller titles just have something special about them, constantly keeping you on your toes, awaiting the next twist. Some have your eyes glued to the screen while some have you looking from behind a blanket. Lionsgate Play satisfies your craving for thrilling experiences with its collection of captivating titles like The Devil You Know and American Psycho, where unpredictability reigns supreme. So saddle up and prepare to watch some of the most nail-biting, blood-rushing titles you can lay your hands on.

For a dose of spine-tingling thrillers, here is a list of titles to look out for on Lionsgate Play:

The Devil You Know

What happens when your family turns out to be your greatest enemy? When formerly-incarcerated Marcus Cowans discovers the possible misdeeds of one of his brothers he finds himself in a personal dilemma of protecting his brother or protecting the rest of his loved ones. With a stunning cast of Wu Omar Epps, Michael Ealy, Michael Beach, Theo Rossi, and Erica Tazel the film looks to provide audiences with a drama jam-packed with an aura of mystery to keep you on your toes.

Shining Vale

Possessed, depressed, or just going (batshit) crazy? Shining Vale follows the story of Patricia ‘Pat’ Phelps as she moves into an old mansion far away from their city home. Wanting a fresh start with her husband after having an affair, she tries to play the good wife, only to realize the mansion isn’t all that it seems. The iconic Courtney Cox is supported by Gus Birney, Mira Sorvino, Sherilyn Fenn, and Greg Kinnear.

Piranha 3D

Fear the Ocean! As sudden underwater tremors hit, a school of pre-historic man-eating piranhas is set free in a water resort, and they’re hungry. In a kill-or-be-killed scenario, a group of strangers, led by a local cop, must fight for their survival as the carnivorous fish get closer to drawing blood. The movie shows Elisabeth Shue, Kelly Brook, Christopher Lloyd, and Jerry O’Connell in pivotal roles.

American Psycho

Who doesn’t love a little blood? Patrick Bateman sure does, as he goes from a young Wall Street hotshot by day to a murderous serial killer by night. A victim of his own bloodlust, Bateman keeps pushing the boundaries of what he can get away with, but when will it stop? Watch Christian Bale deliver the performance of a lifetime in American Psycho.

Till Death

Even death couldn’t do them apart! After what was supposed to be a romantic evening on the ten-year anniversary of their stale marriage, Megan wakes up handcuffed to her husband’s dead body. Stuck alone in the cold will she be able to survive her husband’s evil plan? The brilliant Megan Fox is supported by Eoin Macken, Callan Mulvey, and Aml Ameen.

The Girl From Plainville

Following the true story of Michelle Carter, The Girl From Plainville showcases her relationship with Conrad Roy III, leading up to his eventual suicide. Diving deep into the texting-suicide case, her journey from being in a happy relationship to her conviction of involuntary manslaughter is seen. The series sees Elle Fanning in a never-seen-before role alongside Colton Ryan, Chloe Sevigny, and Cara Buono.

Mumbai: In a whirlwind of audio fantasies, the audio series has achieved a remarkable feat. Pocket FM’s six fantasy audio series with their gripping storytelling have conquered their spots in IMDb’s coveted Top 50 Fantasy Podcast Series. This index serves as the ultimate yardstick for exceptional fantastical tales. Besides, these were the only Indian inclusion in this global listing.

Pocket FM’s remarkable audio series has made a strong impression on audiences. ‘Number Zero’ stands out at an impressive 12 spot, immersing listeners in its unique storytelling. Following closely behind is ‘Hiss – Rebirth of a Destroyer’ at the 14 spots, captivating with its gripping narrative. ‘Mahabali Mayank’ weaves enchanting mythological elements, securing the 16 spots, while ‘Super Yoddha’ finds popularity among fantasy enthusiasts at the 24 spots. The ‘Immortal Warrior’ and ‘Aflatoon Daddy’ claim the 38 and 40 spots, showcasing Pocket FM’s diverse and captivating content.

S. Sridhar, the accomplished writer behind ‘Super Yoddha,’ expressed immense joy at the resounding success of the audio series. “I’m overjoyed as a writer to see ‘Super Yoddha’ reach the top ranks of the fantasy podcast list on IMDb. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our hard work is being recognized and appreciated. This achievement strengthens our dedication to providing outstanding content and showcases the remarkable talent and creativity in the Indian audio-entertainment industry. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to our loyal listeners for their unwavering support and gratitude to Pocket FM for their consistent backing. With this accomplishment, we’re even more inspired to bring our audience even more captivating and engaging experiences”. 

Other notable podcasts included ‘The Sandman’ at the numero-uno spot, ‘The Batman Audio Adventures’ at the second spot, ‘Batman Unburied’ at the third spot, ‘Marvel’s Wastelanders’ at the fourth spot, ‘Marvel’s Wastelanders Hawkeye’ at the fifth spot, ‘Intra Quest’ at the 13 spots, ‘Birds of Empire’ at the 14 spots, ‘Bookbukners’ at the 23 spots. 

Mumbai: PallyCon, a leading provider of content protection and multi-DRM solutions, has announced the release of their Multi-DRM Client SDKs for Flutter and React Native.

These software development kits are engineered to empower cross-platform app development by seamlessly integrating DRM-protected video content into apps, while ensuring enhanced security and anti-piracy measures.

In today’s digital landscape, reaching a wider audience through cross-platform apps is crucial for OTT service providers. However, incorporating DRM-protected video content into these apps has been a challenge, threatening content security and revenue streams. PallyCon’s Multi-DRM Client SDKs for Flutter and React Native provide a comprehensive solution to overcome these hurdles.

Key Features of PallyCon Multi-DRM Client SDKs:

1. Easy Integration: The SDKs offer a user-friendly solution that simplifies the integration of DRM-protected content into cross-platform apps. OTT service providers can now focus on building exceptional apps, leaving the complexities of DRM integration to PallyCon.

2. Seamless Streaming and Downloading: PallyCon’s SDKs support both streaming and downloading of DRM-protected content, ensuring a smooth user experience across a wide range of Android and iOS devices.

3. Wide Compatibility: The SDKs are compatible with major platforms such as Flutter and React Native, making it accessible to a larger developer community. This compatibility enables developers to create feature-rich apps with robust content protection mechanisms.

By leveraging PallyCon Multi-DRM Client SDKs, OTT service providers can protect their valuable content from piracy and safeguard their revenue streams. With PallyCon handling the intricacies of DRM integration, developers can focus on delivering exceptional user experiences and expanding their reach in the competitive OTT market.

“We are excited to introduce our Multi-DRM Client SDKs for Flutter and React Native,” said INKA Entworks MD APAC Govindraj Basatwar. “With these SDKs, we aim to empower OTT service providers to create secure, cross-platform apps without the complexities of DRM integration. Our goal is to help them protect their content, monetize effectively, and delight their users.”

Mumbai: Disney Star, the official broadcaster for the ICC World Test Championship Final (WTC), has received a tremendous advertiser response both for its television and OTT platforms. Star Sports Network has onboarded 15 sponsors and Disney+ Hotstar has roped in 13 sponsors across categories ahead of the much-awaited tournament that gets underway from June 7 to 11, 2023.

Star Sports’ sponsors include Bajaj Allianz, LAYER’R SHOT, Pokerbaazi, MRF, Samco Securities, Jindal Panther Steel, Ultratech Cement, DBS Bank, Atomberg Technologies, Maruti Suzuki, Charged By Thums Up, Hero Motocorp, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Livguard Energy Technologies, Allied Blenders and Distilleries. In addition to the 15 sponsors, Star Sports has also onboarded 40 advertisers and over 45+ brands.

Baazi Games has come on board as the co-presenting sponsor and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund is the co-power sponsor on Disney+ Hotstar. A legion of national and international brands like Bajaj Allianz, Scaler Academy, Policy Bazaar, Paisa Bazaar, Club Mahindra, Coca Cola, HSBC, Maruti Suzuki, Uber, L’Oreal and Castrol have been signed as associate sponsors.

“The increasing curiosity surrounding the ICC World Test Championship Final between two cricket heavyweights is sure to generate excitement in the country. We have collaborated with advertisers from various domains, across Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar to help them achieve their desired business objectives through this marquee event. The response has been overwhelming so far, resulting in the sale of all key features well in advance. We are optimistic about delivering an exhilarating tournament experience to our valued advertisers,” said Disney Star head of network Ad sales Ajit Varghese.

“Excited to announce Atomberg’s broadcast sponsorship of the World Test Championship final. Cricket on television has been an integral part of our media mix over the last 2 years and played a big role in scaling up our reach and awareness metrics, ultimately helping the business grow from 25 cr/month to 100 cr/month. And contrary to popular belief, if you can incorporate cricket intelligently in the media mix, it is not prohibitively expensive,” said Atomberg Technologies founding member & CBO Arindam Paul.

‘’At ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, we are dedicated to empowering investors with our comprehensive range of mutual fund products. Through Disney+ Hotstar, during the upcoming ICC World Test Championship, we recognize the immense opportunity to engage with our target audience via Connected TV and mobile. Our aim is to generate brand awareness and encourage people to invest into mutual funds. Our association with Disney+ Hotstar ensures a seamless fusion of cricket’s exhilaration and the potential for financial growth,’’ said ICICI Prudential AMC head of marketing, digital & customer experience Abhijit Shah.

The ICC World Test Championship Final will commence from 7 to 11 June, 2023 and the tournament will be broadcasted live on Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar.

Mumbai: India’s first regional and independent music streaming platform Damroo has announced that it has raised an undisclosed amount in seed round funding. The round was led by a host of marquee investors, including Marwari Catalysts, one of India’s fastest-growing startup accelerators, and popular poet-litterateur Dr. Kumar Vishvas. The early-funding round also saw the participation of revered Jagadguru Nimbarkacharya Shriji Maharaj, along with corporate leaders Umed Singh Rao and Ratnawali Singh. The company has declared that it envisions leveraging the fresh capital towards Platform upgradation & performance, branding & promotion, user acquisition & retention, content creation and team building & structuring.

“Despite the entertainment and music industries scaling fresh heights, there is a persistent struggle among independent talents in our country. While they are deprived of a level-playing field due to streaming giants’ populist approach, the regional audience too, which is buzzing with aspirations and resources, remains very poorly served. In other words, as I always say -the richest Bharat is poorly served, and we are here to fill this void. We are encouraged by the faith shown in Damroo by all investors” said Damroo founder and MD Ram Mishra.

Sushil Sharma, founder of Marwari Catalysts, a startup accelerator with over 60 portfolio startups, added, “We have been instrumental in the growth of the country’s D2C space by strengthening startups with products built by Bharat, for Bharat. We relate with Damroo’s ethos to cater specifically to artists, audiences, and brands/businesses alike in the regional and vernacular space. Ram’s diverse and rich experience of 20 years in the Indian music industry further ticks the critical founder-business fit aspect. Furthermore, this investment is a manifestation of our undeterred zeal to support homegrown brands amid the prevailing competitive scenario.”

Noted poet, author, and litterateur Dr. Kumar Vishvas also spoke on the occasion, highlighting the need to promote and support talent at the grassroots. “India has always been identified as a culturally vibrant land that is home to innumerable great artists. No matter which part of the country you hail from, no matter what your mother tongue is, music is probably in the blood of every Indian. It is a matter of enormous satisfaction to back a platform where regional artists, music lovers, and localised businesses across linguistic boundaries get access to exactly what they seek.”

Damroo intends to foster a 360-degree ecosystem for regional & independent artists, wherein they can earn, grow and own the copyright of their music in a most transparent environment. Home to diverse musical genres, including folk, classical, devotional, contemporary, etc, Damroo India is also functional in the domain of Sync License Rights. With the regional music industry currently holding over 40 per cent of the Indian music market share, Damroo has swiftly emerged as a game changer for scores of talented artists and localised businesses in the remotest parts of the country.