Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services, a leading broadcast technology and media services provider, announces it is showcasing the global company’s comprehensive portfolio of cloud-first media services and distribution technologies at Broadcast Asia 2023 in Singapore, 7 – 9 June (Booth 5k1 – 07).

The show will feature Planetcast’s suite of best-in-breed products, led by its end-to-end cloud media suite, with its Cloud.X playout solution, and its powerful range of teleport solutions, including Uplink, Downlink, Turn-around, Playout, and Disaster Recovery services. Planetcast will also demo its RECASTER managed service for global content delivery over IP. Following its recent acquisition of Desynova, Planetcast will be showcasing the company’s post-production-centric supply chain management solution, Contido.

Planetcast boasts of four geographically diverse teleports in Asia Pacific, broadcasting over 300 channels and supporting 24×7 live services for top broadcasters such as Disney, Viacom, Sony, TV18, Shemaroo, B4U, The Q, News Nation, TV9, and Times Network. Planetcast ranked seventh in the World Teleport Association’s (WTA) Independent Top Operators for 2022.

In addition to the region’s most advanced teleport solutions, visitors to the Planetcast stand will see one of the industry’s most comprehensive cloud playout systems in action, trusted and utilised by the world’s most demanding global media companies, including Disney Star, Star India, Viacom 18, and Doordarshan, the premier public broadcaster in India. Other world-leading clients include Amazon Prime Video, Discovery, and Sony.

The show will also see the APAC debut of Planetcast’s Contido cloud-native content supply chain management platform for the Asian market – added via Desynova, an international leader in global Media Asset Management (MAM) for media and entertainment companies. The addition enhances its MAM offering to deliver a leading-edge, cloud-based solution designed to handle video processing and publishing across multiple platforms.

“We’re excited to bring our latest product innovations to Broadcast Asia this year, including our unique multi-location Asian teleport services and our best-in-class live solutions currently being used globally by the Indian Premier League rightsholders,” said Sanjay Duda, the newly appointed chief executive officer of Planetcast Media Services. “The team are looking forward to showcasing our proven expertise and product portfolio of solutions designed specifically for high-value media production and distribution throughout APAC. With satellite and IP network transport, playout, asset management, OTT, FAST and a growing portfolio of post-production services, we’re proud to be APAC’s leading one-stop shop for media ecosystem. At the show, visitors to our booth will see how our programme of continual innovation enables us to stay number one in Asia.”

At Broadcast Asia 2023, Planetcast will showcase how it enables broadcasters and other media and entertainment companies to deliver more content more efficiently while growing monetisation avenues. Innovative services and solutions that Planetcast is demonstrating at its booth include:

CLOUD.X, its full-featured cloud playout platform, which enables FAST workflows and rapid ad insertion in partnership with Wurl, a world leader in dynamic ad insertion for streaming TV;

Planetcast’s end-to-end Teleport services, driven by advanced, fully- automated multi-location teleport facilities in India and Singapore;

The new comprehensive combination of Contido and the company’s existing MAM.C solution to power any media company’s content management needs;

RECASTER – a dynamic and robust IP transport managed service, which delivers a secure internet stream from anywhere to anywhere, be it one or more linear channels or a live sports stream watched by hundreds of millions;

Playout Disaster Recovery – Cloud-based DR solution that provides incredibly cost-effective protection against broadcast service disruption;

OTT – End to end OTT platform and services offered in collaboration with Switch Media.

“It’s an exciting time to return to Broadcast Asia after recently attending NAB 2023. Planetcast has its foundations in Asia and has expanded to become a global media services company. Through working for some of the world’s largest entertainment companies across international markets, I believe that our global experience enables us to bring an extra layer of functionality and performance to our services aimed directly at the APAC marketplace, as we truly become a media solutions company without borders,” concluded Duda.

Mumbai: In the vast realm of OTT entertainment, certain characters manage to transcend the screen and embed themselves deep within our hearts and minds. These iconic fictional personas have become more than just actors playing roles – they’ve become cultural phenomena. From uproarious comedies to gripping thrillers, let’s delve into the captivating world of these remarkable characters that have left an indelible mark on the OTT landscape, igniting conversations and sparking endless admiration.

Here’s how the iconic characters have left a lasting impression on youngsters throught these hilarious memes.

Abhishek in Panchayat

Jitendra Kumar who had previously delivered an impressive performance in the film Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan brought the character of Abhishek to life in Panchayat, a show widely loved by all. It is the story of a youngster who has an engineering degree and ends up as a secretary of a panchayat office in a village. Jitendra carried this comedy-drama majorly on his shoulders and impressed the viewers with his acting skills. The two seasons are currently available on Amazon Prime. Season two of the show ended with Abhishek receiving transfer orders and we can only expect an even more interesting season three.

Detective Boomrah in Detective Boomrah

Sudhanshu Rai reprised this iconic character of Detective Boomrah on screen, which has already been a sensation on social media, audio podcast platforms as well as radio. The audience loved the character in a sci-fi web series, where a man appears mysteriously in a locked room, and then jumps off the roof only to vanish mid-air. As Detective Boomrah and his partner Sam try to solve this case, another resident jumps off the roof in a similar way and Boomrah follows him. How the detective unravels this mystery is praiseworthy. The uniqueness of Detective Boomrah as a character lies in the kinds of cases he takes up.

Hathi Ram Chaudhary in Paatal Lok

Jaideep Ahlawat had earlier essayed interesting roles in Raazi and Gangs of Wasseypur. It was his role as Hathi Ram Chaudhary, an honest Delhi police officer that showcased his acting skills. Out to solve the case of a failed assassination, his seniors never believed that he would be able to solve it. As the series moved forward, his character was revealed layer by layer and the audience starts rooting for him. His performance was much appreciated and he won the Best Actor award in a drama series by Filmfare’s OTT awards. The show is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Aarya Sareen in Aarya

The diva, ex-Miss Universe Sushmita Sen delivered this performance with a punch as she charmed the audience in this crime thrillers. The story revolves around Aarya Sareen who is a mother of two children and a great wife. Life takes a turn when her husband, a pharma baron is killed under mysterious circumstances. However, slowly her husband’s illegal business is revealed to her and she ends up becoming what she hated the most. The first two seasons of the show saw Sushmita rise and shine, the third one is highly anticipated. The show is available on Diseny+Hotstar.

Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur

Pankaj Tripathi brought the character alive of Kaleen Bhaiya, a mafia don who rules Mirzapur, a small town in the purvanchal area of Uttar Pradesh. This character became his redemption as his hard work as an actor was recognised in this one. The series based in Hindi heartland became instantly popular with the audience, and the portrayal of Kaleen Bhaiya was much loved, apart from other characters of the show. Season one and two are currently streaming on Amazon Prime, while the third season is expected to be released soon.

MUMBAI: The Chennai Super Kings-Gujarat Titans (CSK-GT) Tata IPL 2023 saw old concurrent viewing records being shattered, just as the first innings was ending. JioCinema which has been streaming the final – along with broadcaster Star Sports  on payTV –  registered a massive  32 million concurrent viewers. The previous best by JioCinema was 25 million, and before that it was 18.6 million which was set by Hotstar.

For most of the match, the viewership was around 1.8 to two million. But it shot up to 3.1 miilion with the 21 year old Sai Sudharsan belting almost every delivery that was hurled at him either into the stands or to the boundary. Sudharshan scored a quick fire 96 to take GT to a massive 2014-4 at the end of the first innings. It finally rose to 32 million when Sudharshan went berserk with his bat.

Will this record be broken when CSK comes to bat? Most likely. Cricket fans can’t seem to get enough of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in what many believe might be his last playing season in the IPL.

Mumbai: Tiger Shroff ensured Bollywood’s foray into the Indian Esports industry with his decision to invest an undisclosed amount in Revenant Esports, one of India’s esports teams. The decision was announced in a joint press release on Monday.

This strategic investment comes as a huge boost to Revenant Esports who now plans to utilize the latest funding to bolster their Esports rosters, content creators, and bootcamp infrastructure as well as invigorate their ambition of cementing Revenant Esports’ name as the finest Esports organisation in India and expanding its footprint globally.

“We are delighted to welcome Tiger Shroff to the Revenant Esports family. Everyone is well aware of his fondness for gaming and connects with the millennial and Gen Z audience. In Revenant he has the perfect platform to be more actively involved with the Indian gaming community. The entertainment industry starting to set foot in the world of gaming is massively beneficial to the industry as it helps spread awareness about its potential and importance among the not-so-informed Indian population. Tiger’s massive fanbase and his zeal for gaming will accelerate our vision of creating an enriching and engaging ecosystem for our organization as well as for the Esports community as a whole,” said Revenant Esports CEO & founder Rohit Jagasia.

First-gen entrepreneur, Jagasia initially started with a single-game roster in BGMI for Revenant Esports in 2021 which has now grown many folds with the organization presently having multiple content creators and multi-game rosters that not only compete in innumerable major Esports tournaments but also win laurels for the country.

Shroff shares a great passion for fitness, games, and MMA and is also an avid Esports enthusiast who has made his passion for gaming known by engaging in various gaming activities in the past. The young superstar’s decision has initiated the coming together of the two most powerful genres in cinema and esports-a cocktail of which has all the ingredients to be the most successful brand alliances.

Speaking on what this association means to him, Shroff said, “Revenant Esports is one of the biggest names of the Esports landscape in India and I am delighted to be a part of it. They have achieved commendable success in such a short span and with the gaming and Esports revolution taking the country by storm I am confident that Rohit’s and my passion, knowledge, and vision will help us to achieve remarkable success and experience. Being an ardent gamer myself and having followed the industry closely, I also hope to use this association as a launchpad to more meaningful growth in the sector.”

Revenant Esports boasts of being home to some of the country’s best Esports talents as well as the leading content creators. The organization has proved its mettle on the regional and international stage by triumphing in multiple international tournaments such as the BGMI: Master Series(Star Sports) Valorant: Valorant Challengers League South Asia, Pokemon Unite: Asia Champions League 2023, Brawl Stars: ESL Masters Japan, Apex Legends: ALGS Split 2 playoffs, and CODM: World Championship 2021.

In recent times, they have brought on-board three of the most watched content creators in the Indian Gaming scene which are Emperor Plays, Bitty and Ayush is live and plans to add more valuable creators in the upcoming months.

Last year, their Pokemon Unite roster became the very first Indian team to represent the country at the Pokemon Unite World Championships in London.

As per the recently launched FICCI-EY report “Windows of Opportunity”, the number of Esports players across all competitive level games in India increased from 600,000 in 2021 to 1 million in 2022, and it is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2023. The number of brands investing in Esports in India grew from 72 in 2021 to 80 in 2022, and it is estimated to reach 100 in 2023.

Revenant had recently onboarded high-profile brand associations with global brands like AMD, PUMA, CORSAIR and CYBEART. This investment from a key Bollywood icon further proves how the entertainment industry can leverage the Indian Esports industry with its limitless potential.

 

Mumbai: Mirchi, city-centric music and entertainment company partnered with Radio City, India’s leading FM radio station to commemorate the 20 anniversary of radio broadcasting in Delhi, a historic milestone in the industry. For the first time in radio’s history, the two stations teamed up to produce a one-of-its-kind radio program #20saalbemisaal, which discussed radio’s evolution as a dynamic and influential medium.

In a monumental commemoration, Mirchi RJs Naved and Sayema along with Radio City RJ Ginnie united as co-hosts for the #20saalbemisaal show. Transporting listeners back in time, they delved into radio’s pioneering connection with people in the pre-digital era, sharing industry experiences, career anecdotes, and impactful campaigns. The RJs passionately explored radio’s transformative journey as an entertainment medium, emphasizing the pivotal role jocks played in shaping its future. And that’s not all!  Mirchi hosted the Radio City team at their studio for celebrations. 

ENIL, Mirchi business director Kamal Jethva said, “We are thrilled to witness the momentous occasion of Mirchi and Radio City’s remarkable 20-year journey in radio broadcasting in Delhi. This celebration represents a harmonious union of our platforms, demonstrating the profound impact and lasting resonance of radio as a medium. It reaffirms the enduring power of radio to connect, entertain, and inform, and we are humbled by the unwavering love and support of our listeners. Mirchi is the largest “hyper-local medium” for brands who are looking at Radio, Digital, Audio & Video content and BTL solutions. Mirchi has been an entertainment and city connect brand for listeners. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to delivering best-in-class entertainment, ensuring that our listeners experience unparalleled offerings for years to come”.

Radio City chief creative officer Kartik Kalla said, “We feel ecstatic and nostalgic about revelling 20 years of Radio City and Mirchi in radio broadcasting in Delhi. It is indeed a proud moment for us to celebrate two decades of entertaining listeners and contributing positively to their lives. The two leading FM radio stations coming together to celebrate such a momentous occasion showcases the harmony among players within the radio industry and also highlights the success of the radio medium. Leading RJs from both radio stations created magic on-air through their #20saalbemisaal show by transporting listeners to reminisce about old days. Radio City has always provided top-notch infotainment to audiences through its content innovation and groovy music and we will continue to engage our audience with relevant content through campaigns, podcasts, music, updates and much more even in the upcoming years”.

Mumbai: Way2News, a hyperlocal digital news app, has announced that it has doubled down its efforts to combat fake news by making significant investments across its entire news publishing cycle. By leveraging the power of AI and human intelligence, Way2News has instituted a series of advanced measures to ensure that its users receive only reliable and authentic news.

The platform’s overall initiative is aimed at protecting the very fabric of society by delivering news that is trustworthy and unbiased. Way2News employs a blend of cutting-edge technology and human interface to effectively identify and flag fake news articles. It has also established a team of fact-checkers who manually verify news articles before publishing them on the platform.

Addressing the critical problem of fake news, Way2News founder & CEO Raju Vanapala said, “We understand the detrimental impact of fake news on society and are committed to tackling this issue head-on. Our AI is equipped to analyze names, numbers, and dates linked to a topic at a primary level. By cross-referencing them with similar or linked topics, we can make informed decisions about the accuracy of the information. We remain steadfast in our mission to provide trustworthy and relatable news to a billion Indians. Our fact-checking models are continuously evolving and ensuring that accurate and verified information reaches its users.”

According to the comprehensive report on crime in India published by the National Crime Records Bureau, the instances of filed cases related to the dissemination of fake news were 486 in 2019, 1,527 in 2020, and 882 in 2021. The state-wise data further provides insights into the regions most affected by this issue. Amongst the states mentioned, Telangana stands out prominently, with 218 reported cases in 2021, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of the total cases in that year. This figure surpasses all other states, indicating the highest concentration of incidents in Telangana. Additionally, the city of Hyderabad recorded 84 cases in 2021, which is the highest amongst other cities.

Headquartered in a region heavily affected by fake news, Way2news is focused on addressing the problem within its immediate surroundings and has taken action on 150 instances of fake news thus far, demonstrating its prominent role in combating the proliferation of misinformation.

Way2News has programmed its algorithms in a manner that it can detect critical patterns, manipulated content in images and videos, and potential red flags, despite the complexity of techniques used for manipulation.

“Fake news often exhibits less information density with less concise and less specific details. At Way2News, we are integrating linguistic signals into our AI systems. We analyse the factuality of a story based on previous misinformation reported as well as subjective and hyperbolic tones used.” added  Vanapala.  

To uphold credibility and counter misinformation, Way2News has implemented a unique code system across all its stories. Each story displayed on the app includes a clickable link in the format way2.co/xyzx, which serves as an identifier. This link allows users to easily fact-check the authenticity of a story and avoid forwarding false information. By encouraging users to verify information through the provided link, Way2News aims to prevent the spread of fake news. Additionally, it maintains a robust social media presence, actively engaging on platforms such as WhatsApp and Twitter.

Way2News has been successful in identifying and removing various fake news articles from its app. Over the years, it has taken various measures to identify the source of fake news and take corrective measures.

Mumbai: JioCinema is all set to showcase the gripping amalgamation of mythology with science with the premiere of the highly anticipated Asur 2, streaming exclusively for free from 1 June. After creating a stir with the first look promo, the platform has doubled up the excitement and unveiled the trailer. Directed by Oni Sen, Asur 2 starring Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti, Ridhi Dogra, Anupriya Goenka, Amey Wagh, Meiyang Chang, Gaurav Arora, amongst others in key roles promises a spell-binding experience with its intense plot and nail-biting suspense.

The devastating events of season one take a heavy toll on everyone involved in the hunt for Asur. Season two chronicles the rise of the dark side and continues the high-octane chase as the CBI is racing against time to gather evidence and hunt down the serial killer. The mystique backdrop of Varanasi brings alive the mythological connect alluded throughout the narrative, coupled with spine-chilling visuals that accentuates the curiosity for the second season of the sur-asur saga. Asur 2 is produced by Bombay Fables, Sejal Shah, Bhavesh Mandalia, and Gaurav Shukla, showrun and created by Gaurav Shukla.

Arshad Warsi shared his excitement for the launch of the show and said, “Asur is very special to me, the journey has been fabulous, personally and cinematically. It was overwhelming to see the love that poured in for the show and we as a team had been as eager as the audience was for the release of the second season. The second installment of shows come with a different set of expectations and pressure, but when something like this mounts up, it’s rewarding. The fandom has reignited, and we can’t wait to see the reactions with its release on JioCinema. I’ve been waiting for a long time for you all to see this.”

Barun Sobti expressed his feelings and said, “For me, Asur has been an emotional awakening. I owe it to this show to unravel so many facets of me as an individual, and as an actor. It is also the love of the audience that made Asur what it is today. I can assure you that Season 2 is worth the wait and is sure to create an uproar.”

Ridhi Dogra further commented, “When I read the script for Asur, I knew we had something big in our hands but the kind of reaction the series has received has been every bit surreal. Season two was always on the cards, but we needed time to do justice to the story and to the fandom of the show. We’re all geared up to showcase our labour of love on JioCinema!”

Anupriya Goenka also stated, “Asur has been one of the most crucial roles for me, I am extremely proud of the show and have worked with some of the most creative minds in the process. It’s heartwarming to see the love it’s getting from every nook and corner…We’re excited and emotional at the same time to bring season two on JioCinema for you all, and we’re certain that this will be loved the same way the first season was.”

Mumbai: Setting up and running an OTT platform involves a lot of strategising and brainstorming over macro issues like content strategy, monetisation models, CDNs, audience prioritisation and marketing. But, as far as the viewer is concerned, the real action happens when they click on a video player and sit back to watch your content. 

While this may seem like a simple, intuitive action, the reality is that choosing a video player for your OTT platform is as involved a decision as any. It’s the last mile in delivering a viewing experience that makes customers stay and keep coming back for more.

As OTT platforms have proliferated, they have created a complex ecosystem of tech stacks, streaming protocols and monetisation models. But, the final objective all players vie for is giving their audience the best viewing experience. To meet the needs of this diverse market, estimated to create revenues of $1.01 billion by 2026, a large number of video players are now available, creating a cluttered ecosystem. While TheOplayer, Brid.tv, BitMovin and JW Player are popular names; the market is an alphabet soup of brands ranging from Akamai to Wowza, including big names like Apple, Android, IBM and Comcast. Each has its own functionalities and caters to different market segments. Some players are open-source, others offer premium products with advanced functionalities. Some are standalone players; others are part of a broader OTT solution. Prices differ widely, ranging from free to exorbitant. All of which makes identifying an optimum video player a challenge in itself. Adding to this complexity is every OTT platform’s ambition to be the next Netflix – that’s as expensive an aspiration as they come!

Is there a way to deliver viewing experiences that create affinity for your OTT brand without burning a hole in your pocket? Sure, there is.

First and foremost, how well does the video player do its most fundamental job?

The very basic requirement of any video player is instant loading and trouble-free streaming. With the variety of content options at hand, people are increasingly intolerant of interruptions in their viewing experience. If your content doesn’t get served up on demand or freezes midway after hitting play, your viewers will likely go elsewhere and may even be dissuaded from returning.

Loading speeds depend significantly on the end-user’s Internet connection. So your player needs to function efficiently even on low-bandwidth connections. Given that 38% of market growth is likely to come from the APAC region, where Internet connectivity is still unreliable in many places, having a quick-loading player is a hygiene factor that takes precedence over many other considerations.

Does the video player offer functionality on demand?

While everybody wants to be Netflix or YouTube, the reality is that these platforms have evolved as they have grown. While it may be tempting for you to opt for a player with all the bells and whistles, remember that these come at a cost, which in most cases can be hefty. Besides this, every functionality adds to the player’s size and can end up making it too heavyweight to be able to load and function instantly.

A good choice of video player is one which is light to deploy but lets you add specific functionalities when needed. For example, if you have live streams in your content mix, your player should be capable of offering AI-based close captioning when it senses a live feed. Or, if you offer serial content, your player should allow users to transition to the next episode intuitively.

When choosing a video player, begin with the bare minimum, and add only what you need.

How well does the video player integrate with the rest of your tech stack, devices and apps?

The video player is the final frontier of your platform – the actual interface through which you engage with your audience. Having a customised player that integrates perfectly with your backend platform is essential to providing a great user experience.

The player should easily port on your app and support devices popular among your audience. It should support your chosen monetisation model, for example, disabling viewers from playing premium content if they are not paid subscribers. It should also come with easily embedding functionality on third-party platforms, devices and websites, giving your platform a wider reach.

Besides technology, as the public face of your platform, your video player is an important marketing tool. An ideal player should offer skins and style guides that allow you to customise it to visually match your brand values and guidelines.

Does the player tell you everything you need to know?

In a world of personalized everything, the most significant area of integration that a good video player must offer is analytics support. As your platform’s audience interface, your player can be the most critical source of the all-important customer insight that fuels your business. 

Besides audience insights, video players should also be able to detect quality issues like lag, slow loading or buffering issues, enabling your teams to rectify them on the fly. While some players are part of bigger platforms offering analytics as an add-on, the very least a good video player should be capable of is integrating with an analytics solution to maximise the value of your data.

Price vs viewing experience: It doesn’t have to be either-or

Keeping these three factors in mind should ease your task of choosing a video player. 

While price is an undeniable factor, the sheer range of video players – standalone or solutions, open source or paid – makes it more than likely that there’s one out there that meets your exact needs, balancing price point with viewing experience and analytics insights.

The author of this article is ViewLift co-founder & president Manik Bambha.

Mumbai: JioCinema, the official digital streaming partner of IPL 2023, has continued to break world records of digital sports viewing, as it clocked over 1500 Cr. video views in the first seven weeks.

The first qualifier match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans held on Tuesday, once again reached the highest ever concurrent viewership on IPL. In the final overs of the second innings, the concurrency soared to 2.5 Cr., captivating a massive audience.

This season has been a game-changer in terms of digital concurrency, surpassing the previous IPL record of 18.7Mn viewers set in 2019. Remarkably, more than 13 matches this season have exceeded the peak concurrency benchmark of 18Mn.

JioCinema breached the peak concurrency records of IPL twice before. On April 12th, the platform clocked a 2.23 Cr. peak during the Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals match. Five days later, during Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings fixture, surpassed its own record with a concurrency of 2.4 Cr. 

After the unprecedented response to date, JioCinema released 360-degree viewing feature to delight fans, showcasing the power of immersive fan engagement on digital. Viewers have enjoyed the unique language feeds including Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, and Gujarati and digital-only features like Multi-cam, 4K, Hype Mode, and have revelled in exciting, action-packed and exclusive content including highlights, top player interviews including Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Faf Du Plessis, Rashid Khan, David Miller through partnerships with top IPL teams.

JioCinema has 26 top brands partnering for their digital streaming of IPL 2023, including (Co-Presenting Sponsor) Dream11, (Co-Powered) JioMart, PhonePe, Tiago EV, Jio (Associate Sponsor) Appy Fizz, ET Money, Castrol, TVS, Oreo, Bingo, Sting, AJIO, Haier, RuPay, Louis Philippe Jeans, Amazon, Rapido, Ultra Tech Cement, Puma, Kamla Pasand, Kingfisher Power Soda, Jindal Panther TMT Rebar, Saudi Tourism, Spotify and AMFI.

Mumbai: The walls of this boarding school echo lies and conspiracies – Disney+ Hotstar drops the trailer of their upcoming mystery drama, School of Lies. Wrapped in the intense mystery of a missing child, this gritty thriller is headlined by Nimrat Kaur, Aamir Bashir, Geetika Vidya Ohlyan, Sonali Kulkarni and Jitendra Joshi. Inspired by true events and produced by BBC Studios, School of Lies is created by Ishani Banerjee and Avinash Arun Dhaware, directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware and will begin streaming on Disney+ Hotstar starting 2 June 2023. 

At RISE – the boarding school, when a 12-year-old Shakti goes missing, things start to spiral out of control, revealing the hidden skeletons in the closet of the boarding school. Will they unravel the mystery? Will they be able to find Shakti? School of Lies also stars Varin Roopani, Divyansh Dwivedi, Aryan Singh Ahlawat, Hemant Kher, Parthiv Shetty, Adrija Sinha and Aalekh Kapoor in pivotal roles. Tune in to Disney+ Hotstar to know more.

BBC Studios India productions general manager Sameer Gogate said, “The School of Lies is an enthralling mystery inspired from a set of true events. The Show is set in a boarding school that is plagued by the disappearance of a young boy and exposes the systemic failures and the plight to unravel the truth, while showcasing the myriad of emotions and situations children face every day as they brace life. It brings to light the intricate lives of young students as they grow up, their families and the boarding school ecosystem. We are excited to continue our long-standing partnership with Disney+ Hotstar and super excited about this association with Avinash & Nimrat and the cast and crew who have been pivotal to this show.”

Nimrat Kaur, playing the character of Nandita Mehra, the school counselor in Disney+ Hotstar’s School of Lies said, “With the shoot of School of Lies, I learnt about the layered complexities of children and how they can reveal a new side to them every step of the way. This unique series, inspired by real life events,  brings forth mind bogglingly unpredictable occurrences behind the closed gates of a fictional boarding school. Playing the highly complex role of a guidance counselor in this establishment with the dilemma of having to choose between the right and the necessary path of action in unprecedented life situations was not only tremendously rewarding but an experience that’ll forever be close to my heart.”

Avinash Arun Bhaware creator and director said, “School of Lies is the story of a child’s loneliness, disconnect and repression. Also the story of a child’s freedom, magic and more. Every child, in a boarding school or otherwise, will go through these phases at some point or the other. In today’s world, children are much more sensitive and exposed. School of Lies is a story of the times we live in, and an attempt to look with empathy at all the forces within us that may liberate or destroy us.”

School of Lies is a drama thriller set in the fictional Dalton Town, surrounded by hills where a young 12-year-old boy goes missing from a private boarding school RISE, and the subsequent domino effect it causes as the truth is only as complex, as simple. A tale of shame, anger and grief, the narrative explores various stakeholders as the mystery unfolds- young boys on the cusp of adulthood, an aging teacher with a terrible secret, a distant counselor with a moral conflict and a panicking mother in denial. School of Lies is also the story of two young explorers as they discover life and magic. It all collides over eight episodes to reveal a stunning secret.

Join the search for Shakti and get buckled up for the skeletons in the closet of RISE with School of Lies, streaming exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar from 2 June 2023 onwards.