ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • T-Series forays into streaming with A-list directors

    T-Series forays into streaming with A-list directors

    Mumbai: Indian music label and film studio T-Series has announced its foray into the world of streaming with A-list directors in India.

    The company’s OTT platform will create content across genres in partnership with renowned filmmakers including Aanand L. Rai (“Atrangi Re”), Anubhav Sinha (“Article 15”), Nikkhil Advani (“Mumbai Diaries 26/11”), Hansal Mehta  (“Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story”), Sanjay Gupta (“Mumbai Saga”), Bejoy Nambiar (“Solo”), Suparn S. Varma (“The Family Man”), Mikhil Musale (“Made In China”) and Soumendra Padhi (“Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega”).

    “With this expansion, we aim at offering original and exclusive binge-worthy content tailored for our viewers across the globe. It will also help us in tapping new markets. We are thrilled to be diversifying and becoming a creative hub for producing music, films, and web shows,” said T-Series chairman and MD Bhushan Kumar. “With the recent budget announcement by our finance minister, there is great progress in the pipeline with the introduction of 5G. It has been projected that rural India will be connected via optic fibres by the year 2025. The easy and cost-effective availability of the internet will provide a great boost to the world of OTT [streaming] and content creators all over, expanding their audience exponentially.”

  • MX TakaTak partners with chef Ranveer Brar for its latest offering ‘#BawarchiBrar’

    MX TakaTak partners with chef Ranveer Brar for its latest offering ‘#BawarchiBrar’

    Mumbai: Short video app MX TakaTak has announced the launch of a new property titled ‘#BawarchiBrar’ with chef Ranveer Brar.

    Starting 5 February with #DesiJugaad – viewers can stream interactive food content pieces that are quick & easy to make like Maggie Golgappa and an egg made on an iron, followed by #BachpanKaPyaar that will take you down memory lane of your favorite dishes as a child and #MainPakaunga where the chef himself will validate and bust some myths around certain dishes and ingredients, said the platform in a statement.

    Every Saturday at 7 pm, viewers can tune in to chef Ranveer Brar’s profile on MX TakaTak and watch the videos.

    MX TakaTak VP and head of content Parul Menghani said, “Categorised into three segments, #BawarchiBrar is an attempt to further expand our content buckets by bringing in food, which is an emotion to most people. We are certain that this IP will keep all food enthusiasts entertained and also appeal to viewers who are looking for unique and engaging food content on the platform.”  

     

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by MX TakaTak (@mxtakatak)

     

    With almost two decades of rich experience in the food industry, Lucknow-born celebrity chef Ranveer Brar enjoys a huge fan base owing to his authenticity, relatable cooking tips and fun banter with his fans. “This is the first time that I am part of such an interesting short format video concept which makes this collaboration with MX TakaTak all the more special for me. At some point or other in our lives, we’ve all had to be jugaadu when it comes to food and I know, sometimes – I still am. While cooking may seem tedious and intimidating for some, I plan to make it fun through this platform by sharing some of my personal tips and tricks, revisiting our school/hostel days through the dishes I make and even cooking in a kitchen with limited resources,” said Brar.

  • DNEG set to become the only Pure-play publicly-traded visual effects, animation company

    DNEG set to become the only Pure-play publicly-traded visual effects, animation company

    Mumbai: DNEG, a technology-enabled visual effects, and animation company, and Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in DNEG becoming a public company.

    Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will be renamed DNEG and it is expected that its ordinary shares will be listed on the Nasdaq. The combined company will be led by DNEG chairman and chief executive officer Namit Malhotra.

    A subsidiary of Prime Focus, DNEG creates visual effects and animation for feature films, television, as well as multiplatform content, with operations based in North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai and Mumbai)

    Commenting on this merger, DNEG chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra said, “This transaction creates long-term stability for our teams while also allowing us to exploit the tailwinds in the media and entertainment industry and the explosion in demand for content, which are huge growth drivers for our company. Leveraging our leading technology stack, DNEG is already making great strides into new growth areas such as gaming and content creation partnerships, and we are perfectly positioned to exploit massive new opportunities in the metaverse and the convergence of all forms of content creation.”

    DNEG’s work has earned the company six Academy Awards®️ for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY®️ Awards. Current and upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Uncharted (February 2022), Death on the Nile (February 2022), Moonfall (February 2022), Borderlands (2022), Stranger Things S4 (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), Knives Out 2 (2022), The Last of Us (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

  • ShortsTV opens entries for Best of India Short Film Festival

    ShortsTV opens entries for Best of India Short Film Festival

    Mumbai: ShortsTV, a 24×7 linear and OTT HD channel dedicated to short form video entertainment has announced the fifth edition of Best of India Short Film Festival. Aimed at providing global recognition to the works of Indian film makers, the festival gives winners the opportunity for Oscar consideration, a Hollywood theatrical release, and television broadcast deal with ShortsTV.

    The previous editions saw an overwhelming response with 2000+ entries every season and participation from Bollywood’s leading actors and directors including Prakash Jha, Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff, Radhika Apte, and Neena Kulkarni among others.

    Top five films shortlisted from the entries will win a theatrical release in Hollywood, while also qualifying for Oscar consideration. Additionally, they will be eligible for a television broadcast deal on ShortsTV. Leading up to the finale week, the festival will screen top 15 films for two days on ShortsTV.

    ShortsTV chief executive Carter Pilcher said, “2022 will be the year of Short films, and we are excited to launch the fifth edition of the Best of India Short film festival. This festival is the bedrock of our international hunt for the world’s finest short filmmakers and last year’s worldwide winner ‘Highway Nights’ came right here from India. This year we’re expecting even more exciting films and are excited to launch the careers of more great filmmakers.”

    “Short films are fast emerging as the preferred mode of entertainment for viewers across the globe. ShortsTV has always endeavoured to champion filmmakers and this festival has been helping Indian filmmakers to showcase their creativity to audiences across the globe. With the fifth edition of Best of India Short Film Festival, we are excited to bring together India’s best short films on a single platform and making their presence bigger than ever,” added ShortsTV president – Asia and festival director Tarun Sawhney.

    To be eligible for the competition entries need to be ‘narrative’ live action short films with a total running time of 40 minutes or less. It is necessary for either the writer, director or producer to be from India. The film should be presented in High Definition (HD) or DCP format. All films in a regional language (other than English) must include English subtitles. The last date for submission is 30 April, said the statement.

  • Toonz Media Group revives iconic show ‘Swat-Kats’ after 28 years

    Toonz Media Group revives iconic show ‘Swat-Kats’ after 28 years

    Mumbai: Animation company Toonz Media Group has teamed up with show creators Christian and Yvon Tremblay to co-produce a brand-new series of “Swat-Kats” 28 years after the original series was produced.

    The new series “Swat-Kats Reovlution” will be co-produced by Tremblay Bros. and Toonz Media Group and will be targeted at five to 11-year-olds. It will include new characters alongside the classic protagonists and villains.  

    “While ‘Swat-Kats Revolution’ is a new series, the DNA of what made it successful will remain,” said Christian Tremblay. “The character relationships, the smart and witty writing, the action, the imaginative stories, and the bigger-than-life villains will evermore be present. The new series will be contemporary and explore themes that the new audience will identify with.”

    “’Swat-Kats’ is easily one of the all-time classics in animation,” said Toonz Media Group CEO P Jayakumar. “It is a privilege for Toonz to revive this iconic show after all these years. We see tremendous potential for the property in the new context and among new audiences. We cannot wait to bring life to the new series under the supervision of Christian and Yvon.

    “Swat-Kats Revolution” is also set in the fictional mega-metropolis of Megakat City, where the two vigilante heroes fight off evil powers to keep their city from becoming a dystopian world. The series will be distributed worldwide by Toonz.

    “We are thrilled to enter into a strategic collaboration with Tremblay Bros for ‘Swat-Kats Revolution’ new franchise to bring the two iconic heroes into new contemporary stories and conflicts toward their nemesis,” said Toonz chief sales and marketing officer Bruno Zarka.

    “Swat-Kats” first aired in September 1993. The original series “Swat-Kats: The Radical Squadron” produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons became the number one syndicated animated show of 1994. The show was admired by viewers for its bold and eye-catching animation style, power-packed action, and energetic rock and roll background score besides its iconic theme music.

    The show, which gained cult status in the ‘90s, enjoys immense fan following across the world. SK Fandom, as the fan community of the series is popularly known, has kept the show alive amongst the community over the years through discussions, fan fiction, artwork, and a variety of fan projects and games over online groups and forums. The fan community had also raised substantial sums to revive the show through a Kickstarter fundraising campaign a few years ago.

  • Sony Interactive Entertainment acquires video game developer Bungie

    Sony Interactive Entertainment acquires video game developer Bungie

    Mumbai: Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that it will acquire video game developer Bungie in a deal that is estimated to be worth $3.6 billion.

    “Bungie’s world-class expertise in multi-platform development and live game services will help us deliver on our vision of expanding PlayStation to hundreds of millions of gamers,” said Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan. “Bungie is a great innovator and has developed incredible proprietary tools that will help PlayStation Studios achieve new heights under Hermen Hulst’s leadership.”

    Bungie is the developer behind the popular gaming franchise “Halo” and massively multiplayer online game “Destiny.” Post the acquisition, Bungie will continue to independently develop and publish games and will continue to be present on all platforms and not just Playstation.

    “In SIE, we have found a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independence that beats in Bungie’s heart,” said Bungie CEO Pete Parsons. “We will continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games. We will continue to drive one, unified Bungie community. Our games will continue to be where our community is, wherever they choose to play.”

    “I have spent a great deal of time with the senior team at Bungie and it is clear their experience and skills are highly complementary to our own,” said Playstation Studios head Hermen Hulst. “We will be ready to welcome and support Bungie as they continue to grow, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this incredible team.”

  • Tata Open Maharashtra onboards ShareChat, Moj to promote tournament

    Tata Open Maharashtra onboards ShareChat, Moj to promote tournament

    Mumbai: The Tata Open Maharashtra on Tuesday announced its partnership with social media platform ShareChat and short video app Moj. The tennis tournament has started at Balewadi Stadium in Pune on 31 January and the event will go on till 6 February.   

    This partnership will allow ShareChat and Moj communities to access engaging content around the sport, with a special category titled ‘Tata Open Maharashtra’ to be created under the sports tab in ShareChat, said the statement.   

    Tata Open Maharashtra tournament director Prashant Sutar said that the partnership will aim to reach out to a much larger audience, especially millennials and Gen Z. “The tournament has always attracted the audience with the participation of top names from the world and enjoys a great viewership in India. We are delighted to have a partnership with ShareChat and Moj for creating exciting content around the tournament to engage more audience,” he added.

    The fourth edition of Tata Open Maharashtra is organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association. Star Sports Select channel and Disney+ Hotstar are broadcasting the tournament on its network.

    “We are delighted to partner with Tata Open Maharashtra and give ShareChat and Moj communities the opportunity to witness a prominent tennis tournament. ShareChat & Moj are the perfect platforms to revel in sports and connect with tennis fans pan India,” commented ShareChat and Moj senior director of content strategy and operations Shashank Shekhar.

  • Netflix partners with Raj and DK for new series ‘Guns & Gulaabs’

    Netflix partners with Raj and DK for new series ‘Guns & Gulaabs’

    Mumbai: Netflix has partnered with Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK also known as Raj and DK for a new series titled “Guns & Gulaabs” under D2R Films productions.

    The series will be created, directed and produced by Raj and DK and written by Suman Kumar, Raj and DK, and Sumit Arora.

    The writer-director duo is the minds behind the hit series “The Family Man.” The new series will be the second collaboration between the pair and Netflix after their film “Cinema Bandi,” which was released on the OTT platform last year.

    “Netflix has always been a pioneering service offering constantly cutting-edge content,” said Raj and DK. “And we are super thrilled to associate with them on our latest venture! Last year, we had a great outing on Netflix with our indie gem, ‘Cinema Bandi.’ And now we look forward to a larger collaboration on our first Netflix series, ‘Guns & Gulaabs.’ We are especially thrilled to roll out this wicked genre mash with some of the finest cast and crew from our country.”

    “We are delighted to partner with the finest creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK for a series as distinct as their creative voice, ‘Guns and Gulaabs,’” said Netflix India series head Tanya Bami. “Bringing their unique storytelling style to Netflix, Raj and DK blend romance, crime and the inimitable humor that’s signature to the duo, into ‘Guns & Gulaabs’ which will captivate audiences in India and across the world.”

  • Namita Tiwari joins Wipro as director & head of CIS marketing

    Namita Tiwari joins Wipro as director & head of CIS marketing

    Mumbai: IT major Wipro has brought Namita Tiwari on board as director and head of CIS marketing.

    Announcing her new role, she wrote on LinkedIn, “I’m excited & grateful to share that I have joined Wipro, as Marketing Director & relocated to Bangalore. Looking forward to the challenges and finding smarter, innovative and faster ways to overcome them.”

    In this new role, Tiwari will be responsible for the innovation of the marketing strategies of the company and will be based in Bengaluru.

    She is a business storyteller and strategic marketing leader with expertise in creating next-gen marketing programmes that converge digital, brand and content. Prior to Wipro, Tiwari was associated with Tata Communications as senior manager, digital and content marketing. Previously, she worked with a number of companies such as Accenture, Coforge, HCL, Polaris and Infosys. 

    She is also a well-recognised guest speaker at the Symbiosis Institute of International Business and the Indian Institute of Management, Sirmaur. She has been a member of the CMO Councill since May 2021. 

  • discovery+ launches investigative docuseries ‘Dangals of Crime’

    discovery+ launches investigative docuseries ‘Dangals of Crime’

    Mumbai: Streaming app discovery+ has launched an investigative docuseries “Dangals of Crime – The Untold Truth About Indian Wrestling,” which traces the meteoric rise of the Olympic sport of Wrestling in India while exploring in-depth the dark underbelly of crime often associated with it.

    Former wrestlers and coaches, eminent sports journalists, and law enforcement officials weigh in with their experiences, insights and memories, in the two-part series produced by Vice Studios Production and directed by award-winning director Niyantha Shekar.

    Notable former coaches and wrestlers whose views are reflected in the documentary include names such as Satbir Singh, Virender Kumar, Anil Mann and Ramphal Mann.

    Wrestling is by far India’s most successful individual sport (seven medals) in terms of medals won at the Summer Olympics. Its popularity reached a crescendo after iconic wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt won three medals collectively across two successive Games (Beijing 2008 and London 2012). “Dangals of Crime” showcases this journey towards success and highlights the deep-rooted akhada culture, strict discipline and the unparalleled devotion that makes a champion wrestler.

    The series explores how the sport, which has been instrumental in bringing sporting laurels for India, has also been witness to some dark moments which overshadow its glorious journey and malign wrestling and its athletes.

    “Dangals of Crime delves deep into the realms of wrestling, a sport that has churned out some of India’s greatest homegrown champions. Reflecting on the sport in the most informative way, the discovery+ Original dissects every aspect of the making of a Pehelwan, coupled with its current realities and the crime related to it. It will surely leave our viewers thinking,” said Discovery Inc MD – South Asia Megha Tata.