Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: The piracy landscape consumer surveys commissioned by the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) show that while piracy rates remain stable in many countries around Asia-Pacific, we have seen notable increases in piracy rates in Thailand and Taiwan, with a discernible increase also in Hong Kong. Notably, rights holders face challenges in procuring effective and efficient site blocking in all three of these countries. These consumer surveys acknowledge site blocking as an effective tool to mitigate piracy harm.

For those countries that are implementing site blocking effectively, there continue to be demonstrable effects in behavioral change with 62 per cent of consumers in Indonesia and 64 per cent in Malaysia indicating that they have changed their viewing habits as a result of pirate sites being blocked. Both of these countries have long-running, effective and efficient regulatory blocking regimes. In Singapore, one of the first countries in the region to allow rights holders to protect their content via the provision of judicial site blocking measures, it is notable that after almost ten years of this measure being in place, Singapore has the lowest percentage of consumer piracy in the region, with only 39 per cent of consumers pirating. However there remains issues with the time and cost involved with obtaining site blocking orders in Singapore.  

Encouragingly, the survey also shows huge unmet potential as more than 60 per cent of consumers across the region said they would subscribe to legitimate services if there was no pirate content available on social media and messaging platforms.

CAP general manager Matt Cheetham noted, “The evidence continues to show that site blocking, when implemented in an efficient and effective way, is an incredibly powerful tool to both stop online piracy, and direct consumers towards legitimate content.” As with the 2022 survey, the data points towards an ongoing consumption of pirate content via social media and messaging platforms. However, Cheetham also noted, “The surveys also show the benefits of consumer education with a growing awareness amongst consumers of the negative consequences of piracy, particularly via illicit profiteering and malware.”

This is the second time CAP’s YouGov consumer surveys were undertaken across several countries at the same time. The surveys will continue to be repeated across the same countries annually, and in doing so, will continue to provide longitudinal analysis of consumer behaviour trends towards piracy and enforcement measures around the region.

Mumbai: Music has always been an essential driving force for people to achieve a thing or the other in their lives. From depression to expression of emotion, music has been a helping hand. With the evolution of music through different eras, the music taste of people as well as the ways of earning a livelihood through music has also significantly varied.

Exploring the in-depth insights of the age music industry and more, Indiantelevision.com caught up with Create Music Group India president Manu Kaushish.

With over two decades of experience in digital content monetisation and distribution, Kaushish has played an instrumental role in bringing music from India into the digital world. He has created history by entering into the first major digital monetisation deal for Indian content on RealNetworks, paving the way for Indian music to be heard by audiences across the globe. He was also recently featured on Billboard International Power Players List for the second consecutive year in a row. Billboard International Power Players List recognises the contribution of music industry leaders and international music executives from across the globe.

Create Music Group is a data-driven media and technology company that was founded in 2015. In 2020, the company was named #2 on the INC 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Companies in the US. Create works with some of the world’s most prominent artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg and Tory Lanez. With such a strong foundation, Create is well-positioned to continue revolutionising the music industry and breaking new ground in the years to come.

Edited Excerpts:

On the quality of true melody of music composed/produced today as compared to a few decades ago

The quality and true melody of music are subjective and vary from person to person and definitely vary by generations. If you ask a teenager what they think about music that was created a few decades ago or a grandparent what they think about today’s music, you will get completely divergent answers

The Indian music industry has undergone significant changes with the rise of digital distribution and changes in consumer demand. These changes have led to a shift in the way music is produced, marketed, and consumed. 650 million Indians, nearly half the country’s population, are below the age of 25. Younger listeners are slowly but surely becoming the driving force to change the traditional listener base and will pave the way for more global trends to grow in the Indian music space. So, I don’t think that music today has degraded, it has just changed to the sound that reflects the current times.

On the uniqueness and diversity of genres in classical and regional music. What steps are being taken to promote this globally?

The first major step that the industry can take is to make Indian classical and regional music more accessible to people around the world. This can be achieved by first ensuring that a rich catalog of this content is available on all major global streaming platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. The second step is to create organic collaborations with global artists to introduce the rich heritage and sounds of Indian music to a global audience. The third step is to make this content accessible to global TV shows and films for sync opportunities.

Create Music Group is already working with notable classical and regional labels and artists to provide a platform for global distribution, royalty collection and Film/TV Sync placements. We have also facilitated collaborations between Indian classical artists such as in-between Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash with Punjabi singers such as Devika to create tracks such as “Jaaniya” and “Holle Holle” that have millions of streams on digital platforms.

On the differentiation of the Indian music industry as compared to the global music industry in terms of opportunities and challenges

The music industry in India has some unique characteristics that set it apart from global markets. India has an extremely diverse music culture and a wide range of regional languages; however, the film industry has historically played a significant role in the discovery and consumption of music. Unlike the rest of the world, where genres like pop and hip hop are more popular and profitable, film music continues to dominate the Indian music industry and accounts for the majority of the revenue. This had been a challenge as it was hard to compete with the reach and budgets of film music.

However, the Indian music industry has also seen significant growth in the last three years, with the rise of Indie artists and the increasing adoption of music streaming platforms and digital music consumption. India is driving Spotify’s international expansion and is now in the top five territories in total users for the platform after just four years of operations. “Naatu Naatu” won at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. “Maan Meri Jaan” by King became a top-30 hit on Spotify through the volume of streams from Indian listeners. This means that not only is consumption changing, but the music being created is changing as well. I see tremendous opportunity in both domestic and international music from Indian artists and labels in India and Create is well-positioned to help drive and deliver this music to audiences globally.

On being the President how are you approaching artists and labels in India? What is the USP of Create Music Group?

We approach working with artists and labels in India with a focus on three key areas:

Artist focus: I believe that artists are the heart of the music industry, and we are committed to helping them develop their sound and listener base, distribute their music to all global streaming platforms, maximise revenue collection, obtain film/TV sync opportunities and pitch for brand endorsements.

Label focus: I am also committed to building strong relationships with labels in India. We already work with regional music powerhouses and our goal is to expand label partnerships for distribution, global revenue collection and collaboration.

Technology focus: I am a strong believer in the power of technology and data to transform the music industry. We are committed to using technology to help artists and labels reach new audiences, monetise their music, and build their brands.

I believe that Create Music Group is uniquely positioned to help artists and labels in India succeed. We have a strong track record of working with the biggest artists from around the world including Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg, and Tory Lanez. The company also owns several media properties, including Flighthouse, the #1 channel on TikTok, The Nations network of influencer channels and numerous top Instagram channels, comprising an audience of over 400 million global followers.

Besides the strong international presence, we have a deep understanding of the Indian music market with teams in Chennai and Mumbai. With such a strong foundation, I believe that we are well-positioned to continue revolutionising the music industry and breaking new ground in the years to come.

On balancing the creative and business aspect of the industry? What is the role of innovation and experimentation in the company?

Create Music Group is a company that is committed to balancing the creative and business aspects of the music industry. We believe that the best music is created when artists have the freedom to be creative, and when they have the support, they need to succeed in the business world.

How do we balance this? In one word: teamwork. Our artist teams and our business teams work together to devise plans that focus on creating music that is unique and using data to deliver it to the right audiences. We are also committed to innovation and experimentation, as we believe that these are essential for success in the music industry. The music industry is constantly evolving, and artists who are willing to try new things are more likely to succeed. This means being open to new genres, new sounds, and new ways of marketing and distributing music.

As an example, we noticed that one of our tracks called “Bangalore Bounce” by Ian Allen was getting a lot of traction on Instagram Reels in India. Our teams reached out to JioSaavn, Wynk, Hungama and Gaana and all these platforms immediately understood the data and gave us very prominent placements to highlight the track. This success was a combination of creative and business and of course the forward-looking attitude of editorial teams at these platforms.

On promoting diversity and inclusivity in the Indian music industry? How do you ensure that underrepresented voices and perspectives are given a platform?

At Create, we have a diverse team of employees who come from different backgrounds and cultures. Our teams are located in Chennai and Mumbai and this diversity of thought and experience helps us to better understand and connect with artists from all walks of life. We are committed to signing artists from all over India, regardless of their gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. This is apparent in the breadth of languages that we have in our repertoire of music including Hindi, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu to name a few. We believe that everyone has a story to tell, and we aim to be a platform for all voices.

Mumbai: For more than 60 years, K Asif’s glorious epic ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ has enchanted legions of fans across the globe. And now after more than 200 spellbinding performances across six Asian countries, its sublime stage adaptation, ‘Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical’, premieres in North America.  The 13-city tour kicks off in Atlanta on Friday, 26 May with stops in New York, Chicago, Toronto, and more.

This is also India’s longest-running Broadway-style extravaganza and has been directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and produced by Shapoorji Pallonji Group. It will be presented in North America by Cinema on Stage and will bring to a global audience a timeless love story intertwined with the silken skeins of India’s syncretic culture and its rich dance, musical, cinematic, and theatrical traditions.

Director Feroz Abbas Khan said, “There cannot be a better way to end the pandemic-induced lull than to take ‘Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical’ to an international audience. We are well aware of how challenging it will be to keep the energy levels up as we travel from one city to another with a vast crew and learn to familiarise ourselves with a new venue every time, but we are looking forward to it. The last few years of not being able to perform have made us all hungry, and we will invest even more passion and diligence than ever before in every performance and ensure that this tour is a massive success. A very big element of this project is the way Mayuri Upadhya has choreographed dance sequences to do justice to the majestic musical score, and we are sure that the audiences will love every moment of it.”

Creative & strategic vision for the musical Deepesh Salgia added, “Seven years back, when we green-lighted this project, we had not imagined that it would run for 19 seasons and travel to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, and now North America. There is a lot of technical and logistic expertise that goes into a massive show like this, but what really makes it universally loved is its emotional core and the love story of Salim and Anarkali. And of course,  this is India’s most expensive theatre production and leaves audiences everywhere enchanted with its intricately choreographed dance sequences, spectacular lighting, exquisite costumes by Manish Malhotra, and live singing.”

India’s first Broadway-style musical boasts a cast and crew of more than 150 people, and has been met with all-around accolades following its 2016 premiere in Mumbai. In 2017, it won seven out of the 14 BroadwayWorld India Awards, including Best Play, Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Choreography, Best Original Set Design, Best Original Lighting Design, and Best Ensemble Cast.

This tribute to K Asif’s masterpiece has evolved as a musical of unprecedented scale, intensity, and grace and is perhaps the finest moment in Indian theatre.

As Deepesh said, ” We at Shapoorji Pallonji are extremely delighted to bring this musical play to a country that prides itself in creating a global ecosystem for a theatrical production.”

Mumbai: Mother’s Day is a special day to honour the most important women in our lives – our mothers. This special video by Skinnsi and RVCJ captures the true essence of a mother’s love and how it shapes our lives, even as we grow older. From one generation to another, we learn from our mothers and take care of them just as they took care of us when we were younger. It is truly heartwarming to witness this unique bond between a mother and her children through this touching video.

Moms are the backbone of our families and the glue that holds them together. Despite all the challenges they face, they remain strong, loving, and supportive of their children in every way possible. This Mother’s Day let’s take a moment to appreciate all the wonderful moms out there who give us endless love and support. To get started, watch the full video now only on RVCJ Media’s YouTube Channel! 

RVCJ Media co-founder & CRO A Aziz Khan produced a beautiful tribute to mothers everywhere. His production was heartfelt and meaningful, highlighting our love and appreciation for all mothers worldwide.  It is truly a unique way to show your love and appreciation for those who have done so much to shape us into who we are today.

Mumbai: Mother knows best! (sing in Mother Gothel’s voice) – a phrase that’s stuck and prevailed through time just like our moms on a sick day. With Mother’s Day around the corner, what better way to celebrate these special women in our lives than by treating them to a movie night? Whether you are celebrating with friends and family or planning a special day for the woman in your life, Lionsgate Play has you covered with films and series that recognise the joys and challenges of motherhood. So, this Mothers Day buy your mom some flowers and celebrate her with these spunky yet heartwarming titles. Side note: a box of her favorite snacks might come in handy.

From wholesome comedies to tear-jerking dramas, here is a list of titles to look out for on Lionsgate Play:

Hiccups & Hookups

Relationships may fade away but family is forever! Showcasing the true strength of a family bond, Lionsgate Play’s Indian original Hiccups & Hookups takes you through the story of a recently divorced mother, Vasudha (Lara Dutta) and her teenage daughter Kay, as they move in with Vasudha’s younger brother Akhil (Prateik Babbar). They carefully navigate dating, relationships and life with each other’s help and support.

Gaslit

A Julia Roberts classic, Gaslit, is an Emmy Award-winning film which showcases a modern take on the famous Watergate scandal of the 1970’s. Comprising strong women and mothers, the film throws light on the untold stories and forgotten characters from a time that will always be remembered.

Becoming Elizabeth

One with the Queen mother! This Mother’s Day, watch the rise of Queen Elizabeth to eventually take the throne. Becoming Elizabeth follows the younger years of Queen Elizabeth I, an orphaned teenager who becomes embroiled in the politics of the English court on her journey to securing the crown.

Run The World

It’s a woman’s world! Run The World is a comedy show about a group of fierce and vibrant black women who live, work and play in Harlem on their journey to world domination. At its core, the series is an  unapologetic ode to womanhood and highlights the beauty of female relationships, wherein they not only survive – but also thrive together. This Mothers Day enjoy the company of strong and powerful women who inspire you on multiple levels.

Single Mom’s Club

No one understands a mother like another! ‘Single Mom’s Club’ follows a group of single mothers who help ease one another’s burdens and reclaim their freedom. As their stress begins to lessen, these moms learn that finding love again might just be possible.

Bad Moms

Sometimes they’re our best friends but mothers can sometimes be our biggest villains! A mother’s duress is truly unmatched, and when three overworked, overstressed moms get pushed beyond their limits, they decide to shrink their responsibilities and lead a life of love. Bad Moms gives an  insight into the rollercoaster life of mothers, making us appreciate everything they do for us.

Tune into Lionsgate Play on 14 May to celebrate Mother’s Day with the special women in your life.

Mumbai: Power, politics, betrayals and more- the most influential and powerful Gaikwads are back. Disney+ Hotstar today announced the trailer of Hotstar Specials’ City Of Dreams Season 3. Produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Kukunoor Movies and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. Starring the versatile Atul Kulkarni, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Priya Bapat, Eijaz Khan, Sushant Singh, Rannvijay Singha and many others in pivotal roles, releasing on 26 May, 2023 on Disney+ Hotstar.

Bolder, stronger, fierce on the outside but shattered on the inside, will the Gaikwads fight all that comes their way and continue to sustain their place of authority in this gamble of politics? This season, step into the murky world of politics as Ameya Gaikwad (Atul Kulkarni)  and Poornima Gaikwad (Priya Bapat) come together to protect their legacy from their rivals and external forces.

Talking about the show, Atul Kulkarni said, “City Of Dreams Season 3 delves deep into the web of politics, the Gaikwad’s and all that surrounds them. Working on this show has been a creatively satisfying experience and my character, Ameya Rao Gaikwad has seen a graph of growth at each step. He undergoes a significant transformation in this season, through a series of events that fundamentally alter the core of his persona. Audiences will see a new evolved take on the relationship Ameya shares with Poornima. Associating with Disney+ Hotstar and with Nagesh Kukunoor has been a great experience across all 3 seasons for such a spectacular show.”

Talking about the series, Sachin Pilgaonkar said, “Jagdish Gaurav has grown consistently in a subtle way and this season too will expose him differently. I have thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Applause Entertainment, Nagesh Kukunoor and Disney+ Hotstar for earlier 2 seasons City of Dreams and for season 3 as well. The fight for power in politics is indeed a world of its own. While the cr ux remains the same, City of Dreams is explored very differently this time and I am sure audiences will enjoy it.”

Talking about the show and her character, Bapat said, “This season, Poornima’s character is extremely complex, emotional and layered. She navigates life one step at a time and attempts to strike the perfect balance between the turmoil of her personal life and the urge to come back even more powerful, to protect her legacy. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Disney+ Hotstar across all seasons. Moreover, It was an incredible experience to work with such seasoned actors like Atul Kulkarni, Sachin Pilgaonkar and I am looking forward to audience reactions this season.”

 

Talking about the show, Eijaz Khan said,  “Season 3 brings with it a different side to Wasim Khan and a realization that his true self lies in being a fearless cop. His friendship with Poornima evolves as the story progresses. This time around, Wasim is on a mission to cleanse the city from its roots. Collaborating with Disney Hotstar has been incredible throughout and I am excited and hope fans and audiences enjoy the new season.”

 

Mumbai: Bharti Airtel, one of India’s telecommunications service providers has announced that it will offer content from FanCode to its subscribers. Airtel Xstream now offers content from 19 OTT platforms, the largest bouquet of OTT platforms for consumers offered by any provider across mobile and large screen formats.  

FanCode is India’s digital sports destination. It has partnered with domestic and international sports leagues and associations across multiple sports. The streaming platform has rights to offer sporting content from across the globe such as Carabao Cup, Copa Del Ray, EFL Championships, Women Super League in Football, FIH Pro Hockey League, Rugby 7’s, Yuva Kabaddi League and Tamil Nadu Premier League and Legends League in Cricket.  

Airtel Digital CEO Adarsh Nair when speaking of the venture said, “We are delighted to welcome FanCode to Airtel Xstream. It has always been our endeavor to offer quality content to our customers, and the addition of FanCode significantly augments the portfolio of our offerings.  

FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco said, “We are excited to be partnering with Airtel to bring FanCode on the Airtel Xstream platform. Airtel’s premium offering will help us further increase the reach of FanCode and give sports fans access to thousands of hours of LIVE sports that they love.

Airtel is looking to achieve 20 million paid subscriptions for Airtel Xstream and looking to bring onboard marquee content partners from across the states to its roster of OTT content partners. Airtel has also brought on-board Social Swag, an influencer commerce platform backed by celebrities such as Akshay Kumar, Rana Daggubati and Mahesh Bhupathi.

Mumbai: Elara Capital senior vice president – research analyst Karan Taurani mentions that Disney Hotstar loses 15-16 per cent of the India paid subs base over last two quarters (Q4CY22 and Q1CY23); expect this to bottom out next quarter as IPL season ends, which see subs loss of another 10 -12 per cent (base of 61mn – 90 per cent India subs) next quarter (Q2CY23), which in turn will mean a total paid subscriber loss of 25-30 per cent largely in line with our estimates of 30-35 per cent subs loss.

He explains, “Further, ARPU’s may also see convergence, as IPL remains the most expensive, which Hotstar lost to Jio Cinema in the new media rights bidding last year.

Expect a potential negative impact of 50 per cent on overall revenue in CY23 for Hotstar , as IPL had a large share in the AVoD revenue base (approx. 60-65 per cent)and also had a sizeable share in the SVOD revenues (approx 40 per cent).

Hotstar may be able to make up for the above loss of subscribers over the medium to long term, by investing heavily in original content (films and web series across languages); further, Hotstar also has a very strong catch-up TV content catalogue, as they are leaders on linear TV front in key markets (urban GEC, regional GEC genres).”

Taurani further adds, “However, investment in original content is a long gestation strategy, as content has to click with the audience, and platform will need to invest in content marketing

We thereby don’t expect a respite for Hotstar’s Indian ARPU (at USD 0.59 per month now), due to the loss of major content properties; in fact there is a high probability of reduction in ARPU due to the loss of IPL and Jio Cinema giving IPL and other premium content (films, movies) free.”

“We expect net loss to remain for the platform, despite IPL moving away, as the negative impact of loss in revenue will not be able to offset the cost (IPL had turned profitable in fourth year – 2021)  (the platform reported net loss of Rs  3.5bn in FY22); the platform (Disney Hotstar) will lose substantial market share in India’s OTT market (down from 17 per cent earlier towards 8-9 per cent in CY23 – post IPL content moving away),” he tells.

Mumbai: Lock, load and shoot – and boy, did it fire well! Keanu Reeves starrer John Wick: Chapter 4 surpassed all set expectations and made waves at the Indian box office with its colossal success. The fourth installment in this Baba Yaga series, beat all its predecessors to become the highest grossing film in the franchise and the 47th highest grossing Hollywood title in India leaving fans in awe of the punches and punchlines. This Lionsgate film made its presence heard and left people feeling an emotion that only Keanu could make them feel. After its release in India on 23 March, John Wick: Chapter 4 has completed a triumphant run of 50 days and continues to run in cinemas across the country. JW4 released in more than 1000+ cinemas in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, thus making the installment the widest release of the franchise.

With a gross collection of INR 59 crores (as on 10 May 2023), the action-thriller took away the title of being the highest-grossing Hollywood title of 2023 in India as of date. It topped other major releases like Black Adam, Top Gun Maverick, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania , and The Batman assuring Hollywood fans all over the country that the Boogeyman’s legacy lives on.

Talking about John Wick: Chapter 4’s milestone, Lionsgate India VP Gayathiri Guliani said, “John Wick: Chapter 4 surpassed all our expectations to become something that’s much bigger than a film; an emotion. We are glad that the audience showed so much love and stellar support from our partners taking us towards 50 glorious days at the box office.  Lionsgate is proud to be a part of this cult-favorite franchise and our aim will always be bringing viewers the best.”   

PVRINOX Pictures distribution head Rajesh Das said, “PVRINOX Pictures have been an integral part of the John Wick journey in India from its humble origin when the first installment hit the theatres in 2014. It’s been overwhelming to see how the sequels have evolved from being an unknown indie production into one of the biggest action movie franchises of all time. Seeing the strong & compelling content coupled with the huge demand amongst a wide demographic, we were extremely bullish in positioning, promoting & assertively distributing this fourth chapter across a maximum number of cinema chains. The unprecedented box office success & audience euphoria is a testament to the cult following it has garnered among our movie-going audiences.”

Lionsgate and PVRINOX Pictures released John Wick: Chapter 4 in theaters on 23 March in India, and the movie continues to lure movie-goers into theatres.