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  • Panchayat fans elect early release, season 4 now drops on 24 June

    Panchayat fans elect early release, season 4 now drops on 24 June

    MUMBAI: Panchayat fans have spoken, and Prime Video has listened. The wildly popular rural dramedy is returning sooner than expected — with season 4 now set to stream from 24 June, pulling ahead from its earlier 2 July release date.

    What caused the shift? A quirky, tongue-in-cheek referendum-style campaign where cast members made mock “election promises” to release the show early — but only if fans cast their votes (read: likes, shares, hashtags).

    The social media blitz went viral, with the hashtag #PanchayatNow trending and a brigade of brands jumping into the fray with punny pleas and snackable slogans.

    From AJIO and Pepperfry to McCain, Taco Bell, Ixigo, and True Elements, everyone threw their hat into the digital ring. The campaign — crafted by The Zoya Co. — merged humour, nostalgia, and cultural relevance, turning brand posts into fan love letters.

    Speaking on this campaign, McCain India retail – digital lead, Sumati Kapur said, “Panchayat is more than just a show, it’s a reflection of the everyday Indian family dynamic, rooted in culture, community, and shared experiences. At McCain, we saw a natural synergy in collaborating with a show that every household relates to. Our hot and crispy snacks are a staple in family conversations, chai breaks, and everything in between just like the moments Panchayat so effortlessly captures. This partnership allowed us to create meaningful noise by placing McCain at the heart of relatable, real storytelling that resonates across generations.”

    The fan-first push is not just a win for early binge-watchers — it reflects Panchayat’s cult status. The series has struck a chord with audiences for its grounded humour and affectionate portrayal of small-town India.

    With season 4 promising a fiery face-off between Pradhanji and Bhushanji, and the usual dose of satire, soul, and sideways glances, the early drop is just the trailer to a bigger, better panchayat.

    Bring on the ballots — and the binge.

    Burger King: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Manju Devi ka manifesto menu mein chhap denge” IG

     

     

    Taco Bell: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Phulera ke har matdata ke liye Naked Taco Bilkul Muft Muft Muft!

     

     

    AJIO: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh hum naye kapdo ki gram sabha bula lenge  

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by AJIO.com (@ajiolife)

     

    Rapido: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Rapido parcel mein sirf lauki bhejenge

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by Rapido (@rapidoapp)

     

    PepperFry: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Sachiv ji ko bed linen ke sath Bed free.

     

     

    Abhibus India: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh har Phulera wasi ko milegi abhibus par ek free seat”

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by AbhiBus (@abhibusindia)

     

    TBH: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Lauki ke chips banayega TBH Honest style mein!

     

     

    Mc Cain: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Sachiv ji ke table par ab lauki nahi Mc Cain Aloo Tikki hoga

     

     

    Go Ibibo: “Agar Panchayat Jaldi Aagaya toh Binod ko Phulera ke bahar ki dunia hum dikhayenge

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by Goibibo (@goibibo)

     

     

  • About Antoine season 2 now streaming on Netflix in Americas and France

    About Antoine season 2 now streaming on Netflix in Americas and France

     MUMBAI: Streaming just got a little more heart. After making waves at global festivals and breaking ground with its nuanced portrayal of disability, About Antoine is back with a second season now streaming on Netflix across the Americas and France. The award-winning dramedy, co-produced by Just For Laughs and distributed globally by Just For Entertainment Distribution, follows the story of Antoine, a poly-handicapped young man and the fierce, funny, and tender family who navigate life with him. What sets the show apart isn’t just the rare subject matter, but the way it balances authenticity with wit, and hardship with hope.

    Now available in French and English, with Spanish and Portuguese subtitles, Season 2 continues to explore Antoine’s world with the same emotional candour that made it a festival darling. Think Banff Rockie 2025 nominee, MIPCOM Diversify TV Award winner, and Rose d’Or nominee, to name just a few of its accolades.

    “This is more than just a show, it’s a message in motion,” said Just For Laughs chief marketing officer Alex Avon. “With Netflix on board, we’re thrilled to bring About Antoine to even more people, reminding audiences everywhere what it means to triumph in everyday life.”

    Season 2 deepens the show’s emotional resonance, portraying the complexities of care, love, and family with warmth and unexpected humour. It’s storytelling that doesn’t shy away from struggle but always finds the spark in the story.

    For anyone looking to stream something meaningful, moving, and still manage a few belly laughs About Antoine just might be the feel-good binge of the season.

  • Z5 zips open micro-drama app, Bullet

    Z5 zips open micro-drama app, Bullet

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises (Z) has gone all-in on short-form content, announcing a strategic partnership with content start-up Bullet.

    The aim?

    To launch India’s inaugural micro-drama app, delivering high-intensity, bite-sized entertainment straight to your mobile, no faffing about. 

    This new venture sees Z, a bona fide content and technology powerhouse, team up with serial entrepreneurs Azim Lalani and Saurabh Kushwah, the brains behind Bullet.  Their creation promises fast-paced, creator-driven content, served up in snappy, vertical episodes – perfect for the TikTok generation with attention spans shorter than a Mumbai rickshaw driver’s temper. 

    Bullet, cunningly nestled within the Z5 ecosystem, plans to leverage its massive user base to pump out “masala-paced plots and emotional punch”4. Think binge-watching, but quicker than a bullet.  And because variety is the spice of life, it’ll be available across languages, drawing on Z’s rich content vault. 

    “As the digital ecosystem grows exponentially, we are constantly identifying several value-accretive opportunities to drive scale,” purred a company spokesperson for Z.  “Our strategic partnership with Bullet aims to build a competitive advantage for the future by identifying innovative formats and scaling them through our platforms to drive stronger monetization.”  Sounds like they’re ready to make a packet.

    Azim Lalani, co-founder & chief business officer at Bullet, waxed lyrical about the “next big shift” in content consumption, noting the influx of short-form content. “With snacky content increasingly capturing the audiences’ short attention span and keeping them engaged, the next wave of content consumption will encompass creators that nurture the ability to deliver intrigue and emotions in bite-sized formats,” he quipped.
     
    Meanwhile, Saurabh Kushwah, Bullet’s co-founder and chief technology & product officer, promised an app that not only “entertains but also enables,” boasting “gamified layers, AI-backed content ops, and a creator-first ecosystem.” 

    Sounds like they’re not just playing games, but building a whole new playground.

    This isn’t just about micro-dramas; it’s about Z cementing its place as a “content and technology company,” adapting to evolving trends faster than a politician changes their mind.  With Z5’s cutting-edge tech and consumer insights, Bullet is primed to hit the bullseye.

  • Azim Lalani co-founds Bullet, hopes to fire up the two-minute microdrama revolution

    Azim Lalani co-founds Bullet, hopes to fire up the two-minute microdrama revolution

    MUMBAI — Azim Lalani, the digital maverick who’s seen it all from India Today to Fanory, (a career of more than a score years) has now strapped on a new role — co-founder and chief business officer at Bullet, a mobile-first microdrama OTT platform that promises to shoot cinematic stories straight to your phone in under two minutes.

    With a sharp eye on Gen Z and a regional-first, multilingual content play, Bullet isn’t just banking on binge culture — it’s reinventing it. Backed by tokenomics and built on blockchain, the platform wants to do more than stream — it aims to spark a creator economy explosion.

    “As CBO, I’ll be driving business strategy, growth partnerships, content, and monetisation,” Lalani said. “We’re not just building a platform — we’re architecting a storytelling ecosystem that’s sustainable, scalable and rooted in innovation.”

    He gave a shoutout to co-founder and CTPO Saurabh Kushwah for leading the tech charge, and thanked the leadership at Zee Entertainment Enterprises for supporting new-age innovation.

    Lalani’s previous innings include launching Fanory to help creators go direct-to-fan with coin-based monetisation, leading Money9 at TV9, and steering convergence and brand solutions at Network18. Prior to that he did time at India Today, Rediff and Indian Express. 

    Now with Bullet, he’s loading the chamber with big ambitions — where every story is sharp, short, and shot with purpose. Creators, got a drama to drop? The stage is yours — but make it snappy.

  • Amazon MX Player drops trailer for esports dramedy ‘Gamerlog’

    Amazon MX Player drops trailer for esports dramedy ‘Gamerlog’

    MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player is leveling up its content game with Gamerlog, a slick new comedy-drama set in India’s turbo-charged esports universe. Produced by Abhinay Deo and Neeta Shah under RDP Pulp Fiction Entertainment and helmed by debutant director Arya Deo, the series is set to stream free from 12 June.

    The trailer introduces Raghu aka Maverick, a small-town genius with mad gaming chops who defies his parents to chase glory in Mumbai’s cutthroat gaming scene. What follows is a no-holds-barred adventure as he joins Team Gamerlog, a motley crew led by the feisty Joanna. Cue epic virtual battles, squad drama, and an emotional loot box of love, betrayal and brotherhood — all building to the grand prize: India’s biggest esports face-off, The Tournament of Champions.

    Frontlining the cast is Taare Zameen Par alumnus Darsheel Safary, flanked by Anjali Sivaraman, Chinmay Chandraunshuh, Kunal Bhan, Chetan Dhawan, Shubroy Chowdhury and Akash Menon.

    Reflecting on his character, Raghu, in the series, Safary shared, “Gamerlog is a world I could instantly relate to. While it’s rooted in gaming, the story goes much deeper, capturing the emotional highs and lows young people experience. It’s a show that’s fun, relatable, and something that not just avid gamers but families can enjoy together. It was an amazing experience to work with Abhinay, Neeta and the very talented debutant director Arya.”

    Deo added, “When my producing partner Neeta and I first heard this story, we were immediately struck by how compelling and layered the world of gaming could be. With Gamerlog, our goal was to tell a story that reflects the high-stakes world of E-sports while exploring the emotional realities young people face today. The show is fast paced, energetic and fun, but at its core, it’s about vulnerability, loyalty and grit. Arya, who assisted me for a long time and knows this world intimately, was the perfect choice to bring our vision to life. We are thrilled to collaborate with Amazon MX Player in bringing Gamerlog to life and can’t wait for audiences to meet these characters and step into their unpredictable world.”

    With Gamerlog, Amazon MX Player is clearly betting big on the joystick generation—and it might just be the underdog story we didn’t know we needed. Game on.

  • India TV’s grand screenplay: new OTT app offers a family plot twist

    India TV’s grand screenplay: new OTT app offers a family plot twist

    MUMBAI:  India TV, the erstwhile broadcasting juggernaut, has curtailed its dependence on conventional linearity, launching its brand-spanking-new India TV OTT App. This isn’t just another streaming service; it’s a calculated manoeuvre to expand the group’s digital footprint, offering a veritable smorgasbord of news, the cult classic Aap Ki Adalat, fitness regimes, devotional content, infotainment, lifestyle tips, and a plethora of podcasts.

    The timing is no coincidence, capitalising on the booming digital content industry where platforms enjoy a liberating freedom from the shackles of traditional censorship. This strategic pivot leverages India TV’s established reputation for credible news and its uncanny knack for understanding the Indian psyche.
    The move into the OTT arena is underpinned by a laser focus on “premium, exclusive and streaming audience-first content.”

    Forget dusty archives; this app is brimming with bespoke digital delights, including news, podcasts, learning shows, and even original AI-generated stories.

    What really sets the India TV OTT App apart in a rather crowded market is its commitment to delivering “meaningful content in a clutter-free, family-friendly space.”

    This audience-first gambit, coupled with OTT’s inherent flexibility and accessibility, positions India TV to significantly amplify its presence in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

    India TV managing director Ritu Dhawan said: “Our vision for the India TV OTT App is to be the single, trusted digital destination for every Indian family.” She added, “We’ve meticulously crafted it to deliver credible information and enrichment, fostering collective viewing experiences that truly strengthen family bonds. It’s our unwavering commitment to providing a safe, inclusive, and thoughtfully curated space for all.”

    For those keen to tune in, the India TV OTT app is readily available on the Play Store of Smart TV platforms. Designed for communal viewing, it spares households the tedious chore of flicking between multiple apps or wrestling with myriad subscriptions.

    Boasting a user-friendly interface, smart navigation, and seamless live streaming across genres, the app is undeniably future-ready. With this shrewd expansion into OTT, India TV continues to lead the charge in content innovation, reinforcing its pledge to serve a multi-platform, multi-generational audience with content that is not just credible and inclusive, but truly made for India.

  • Ted Sarandos spills the Netflix masala to Indian billionaire Nikhil Kamath

    Ted Sarandos spills the Netflix masala to Indian billionaire Nikhil Kamath

    MUMBAI: What happenswhen a video store clerk-turned-media mogul sits down with a new-gen Indian billionaire?

    Streaming gold. 

    In a riveting episode of People by WTF, Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos spilt the tea, dropped truth bombs, and dished out storytelling wisdom in an electric tête-à-tête with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. 

    From his Phoenix roots to Hollywood power tables—and yes, dinners with Shah Rukh Khan—Ted held nothing back.

    Sarandos shared his origin story: a would-be journalist whose real education came behind the counter at a video rental store. That humble setting gave him a ringside view of consumer desire—something he scaled up spectacularly at Netflix. “People hated late fees, but they loved discovering something new,” he quipped, summing up the genesis of Netflix’s ‘everything, anytime’ model.

    Sarandos’ India story was peppered with glam. He reminisced about his first meal with SRK—“very different in Mumbai than in LA”—and lauded Aryan Khan’s directorial chops in The Ba**ds of Bollywood*. His creative crush? Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “Heeramandi felt like a dare… he pitched it in LA like, ‘I dare you to make this’,” said Ted, still in awe.

    “For 10 years, I heard India was two years away,” Sarandos laughed. “Now, it feels truer than ever.” With local stories making global noise—think RRR or Kapil Sharma—Netflix doubled down. Sarandos noted that Indian audiences aren’t just watching Bollywood. They are binging Korean anime, true crime, Tamil action, and Turkish dramas with equal zest. “This market’s appetite is unmatched,” he said.
     

    Nikhil Kamath Ted Sarandos

    On leadership, Sarandos kept it brutally real. “Work-life balance? That’s a fantasy,” he shrugged. His playbook: take big swings, fail fast, and hire smart. He credited Netflix’s risk-positive culture to Reed Hastings, who saw streaming coming when dial-up ruled the world. “In 1999, Reed said, ‘Everything will come through the internet.’ It sounded crazy. Turns out, he was right.”

    Sarandos bet big on local stories going global. “Squid Game was never supposed to be a global hit. But great stories travel.” He stays bullish on AI—so long as humans lead the charge. “The art of the prompt will be a human skill,” he remarked, calling AI a cost cutter, not a creator killer. “It’ll help make better films, but won’t replace human imagination or emotion.”

    From gaming titles like Grand Theft Auto to video-forward podcasts, Netflix’s empire keeps expanding. Sarandos sees serious returns in content creation. “The best ROI? Still content. Delivery and monetisation are evolving faster than ever,” he noted.

    His advice to young creators? Make the coffee. “Be a PA, join a writers’ room, see if this is what you really want. Passion often follows excellence,” he urged, advising rookies not to reverse-engineer Netflix’s tastes, but pitch what needs to be told.

    The full episode of People by WTF featuring Ted Sarandos streamed on YouTube—popcorn highly recommended.

  • Zee5 reboots with a bang: new look, new packs, and a love letter to Indian languages

    Zee5 reboots with a bang: new look, new packs, and a love letter to Indian languages

    MUMBAI: Zee5 just hit refresh over the weekend —and it’s speaking your language, literally. The homegrown OTT giant has rolled out a bold new brand identity, tech-fuelled upgrades, and a strategic pivot that’s rooted in regional pride, promising to be India’s most culturally authentic streamer yet.

    With its shiny new tagline Apni Bhasha, Apni Kahaniyan (My Language, My Stories), Zee5’s relaunch isn’t just cosmetic. It’s a full-throttle shift to a language-first, audience-personalised platform designed to woo viewers from every Indian pin code—and beyond.

    From slick new UI/UX features and AI-powered recommendations to storylines inspired by folklore and forgotten heroes, the platform is now structured around three pillars: content, experience, and affordability. Each major Indian language will have its own vertical, with dedicated teams creating hyper-local narratives that speak straight to the heart.

    The streamer’s language packs start at Rs 120/month, while the Hindi + Punjabi + Bhojpuri bundle comes in at Rs 220/month. The all-access plan, covering everything from Bengali thrillers to Tamil dramas, is pegged at Rs 320/month. Annual variants are on offer too.

    Upcoming titles include:
    * Detective Sherdil and Chhal Kapat: The Deception (Hindi)
    * Sattamum Neethiyum (Tamil)
    * Maarigallu (Kannada)
    * Mothubaru Love Story (Telugu)
    * Aata Thambhahya Naay (Marathi)
    * Vibhishan (Bengali)
    * Inspection Bungalow (Malayalam)

    “Our new brand identity marks a pivotal step in our journey to become a deeply personalized, language-first platform that mirrors the diversity of Indian audiences,” says Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) president digital businesses and platforms Amit Goenka,. “Our strategic focus is clear – strengthen our footprint across India and global markets, deepen engagement through culturally relevant storytelling, and continue building a tech-enabled, scalable platform that’s personalized and intuitive. It’s a cultural shift in how consumers discover, connect with, and consume Indian entertainment globally.”

    Zeel chief marketing officer Kartik Mahadev added: “Our brand campaign with the tagline Apni Bhasha. Apni Kahaniyan is rooted in the idea that language is belonging, a celebration of a deeply personal emotion. A story told in your language feels like it’s lived in and not just watched. Going across seven languages, this multi-lingual campaign is designed to resonate with large and small towns alike, including tier two , tier three cities as well as with global audiences. Rooted in our language-first content strategy and hyper-local personalization, this campaign brings to life Zee5’s belief that in your language, stories are endless.”

    Zeel chief content officer Raghavendra Hunsur elaborated: “At Zee5, we’ve always believed that powerful storytelling begins with deep cultural insight. We’re deeply committed to serving audiences that have historically been underserved. By leaning into their realities, their languages, and their everyday stories, we’re expanding not just what we create-but who we create it for. Whether it’s long-form originals, short-form bites, or experimental formats, our goal is to delight viewers on their terms. This isn’t just a content strategy-with our language packs rollout, we are placing language at the centre of discovery, access, and engagement.”

    Zee5’s reboot to Z5 aligns with parent company Zeel’s  larger brand promise, “Yours Truly, Z”, and underscores the platform’s evolution into a truly Indian, truly inclusive digital home for stories in every shade and syllable.

    Watch the brand film here: Z5 – My Language, My Stories.

  • Content queen Ekta Kapoor inks storytelling deal with global streamer Netflix

    Content queen Ekta Kapoor inks storytelling deal with global streamer Netflix

    MUMBAI: One’s a streaming juggernaut. The other, a serial storyteller. Together, they’re set to write India’s next big entertainment chapter, one frame at a time.

    In a move that could reshape the contours of desi drama for global screens, Netflix and Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms Ltd. have inked a long-term creative partnership to co-create a diverse range of stories across formats and genres. The collaboration marks a major milestone for both powerhouses uniting Netflix’s premium production muscle with Kapoor’s cultural storytelling instinct.

    With hits like Kathal, Pagglait, Jaane Jaan, and Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare already under their belt, the duo’s past collaborations have blended mass appeal with narrative nuance. But this new deal isn’t just a sequel, it’s a universe-expanding reboot.

    Netflix India vice-president of content Monika Shergill summed up Ekta’s impact best. She elaborated: “Ekta has been a force in shaping Indian entertainment with unforgettable stories and characters that made it to pop culture, even before hashtags existed. Her creative instinct and deep understanding of the audience’s pulse have consistently set her apart in shaping what India chose to watch and love for more than two decades. At Netflix, our focus is to serve audiences with very diverse tastes and this  collaboration will bring unique stories in rooted ways, marking an exciting new chapter in our creative journey.” 

    Now, with this partnership, Kapoor’s flair for emotionally resonant, rooted tales is set to stream straight into the hearts (and queues) of Netflix’s 300 million-plus subscribers across 190 countries.

    For Kapoor, this tie-up isn’t just business, it’s a mission. Says she: “At Balaji Telefilms, storytelling has always been at the heart of everything we do — whether through cinema, television, or digital platforms. Partnering with Netflix, the world’s leading storytelling platform known for its premium content and constant innovation, is a big moment for us. It allows us to bring powerful, culturally rooted, and emotionally resonant stories to a global audience. The beginning of this new collaboration marks an exciting new chapter where we continue to push creative boundaries and deliver content that entertains, inspires, and connects people everywhere.”

    The first untitled series from the slate is already in advanced development, and if history is any cue, Kapoor’s next wave of characters will likely live rent-free in the minds of audiences for years to come.

    With Netflix betting big on local stories with global resonance and Balaji armed with two decades of insight into what India loves to watch the new partnership promises not just eyeballs, but emotional buy-in. After all, when Balaji’s drama meets Netflix’s dynamism, expect nothing less than a streaming superhit.

  • Nippon TV’s Golden SixTones lands on Netflix from 6 June

    Nippon TV’s Golden SixTones lands on Netflix from 6 June

    TOKYO: In a pitch-perfect move for pop fans, Netflix is rolling out Nippon TV’s Sunday night sensation Golden SixTones for global streaming starting 6 June. The zany variety show, fronted by Japan’s chart-topping boy band SixTones  (pronounced “stones”), becomes the first regular entertainment series from Nippon TV to be snapped up by the streamer for international audiences.

    Launched in April 2025 and clocking in at 60 minutes per episode, Golden SixTones has quickly hit the high notes in Japan — bagging ratings gold and topping social media charts every week. With Netflix now turning up the volume, the show will be subtitled in multiple languages and streamed worldwide, alongside its existing availability on Hulu and TVer in Japan.

    Packed with laughs, gourmet grub, quizzes and madcap competitions, Golden SixTones is a riotous studio variety show aimed at all age groups. The band’s infectious energy, mixed with celebrity guests and unpredictable segments, has already struck a chord with fans.

    Nippon TV producer Yoshihiro Miyazaki called the global release “an immense honour”, adding, “We can’t wait for fans around the world to experience the electric vibe that SixTones brings each week.”

    Netflix  director of content Rie Sawaoka echoed the enthusiasm: “We’re thrilled to partner with Nippon TV featuring the popular boy band SixTones, to audiences around the world. Netflix is committed to bringing the best of uniquely Japanese entertainment to our members globally, and we are honored to bring the energetic charm of SixTones and this wonderful program, produced by Nippon TV, to their existing fanbase and new viewers alike. We eagerly anticipate Golden SixTones  captivating audiences worldwide on Netflix, allowing them to experience the power of Japanese entertainment.”

    With Golden SixTones  now marching onto the global stage, it’s clear that this boy band isn’t just striking a chord at home — they’re set to rock screens worldwide.