ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • ShemarooMe collaborates with Sony India

    ShemarooMe collaborates with Sony India

    KOLKATA: ShemarooMe has today announced its association with Sony India to expand the Smart TVs content library, further enhancing the accessibility and convenience for consumers. With this association, the ShemarooMe app will now be available for streaming exclusively on select BRAVIA Smart TVs. The all-in-one platform offers a wide range of multi-genre, multi-regional content, including Bollywood Premieres, Bollywood Classics, Shemaroo Kids, and the best of Devotional, Comedy and Regional content.

    Online content consumption has increased rapidly as consumers are confined to their homes due to the lockdown and are accessing streaming services from multiple screens such as tablets, laptops, mobile phones and smart TVs. During these unprecedented times, this partnership further deepens ShemarooMe’s reach by providing seamless access to BRAVIA’s vast number of consumers in the country as well as enables the latter to expand its Hindi and regional entertainment portfolio with the OTT platform’s exciting slate of popular shows and movies.

    Talking about this announcement, Shemaroo Entertainment digital COO Zubin Dubash said, “We are extremely delighted to have partnered with Sony India to help expand their entertainment portfolio with ShemarooMe’s diverse content catalogue. Over the years, Sony’s BRAVIA television has truly revolutionized the way Indians watch content. With this strategic association, we aim to expand our OTT distribution and transform the TV viewing experience for consumers, giving them access to our rich legacy with the added convenience of streaming blockbuster Bollywood as well as regional movies and live events, seamlessly on their television sets.”

    Sony India BRAVIA Business head Ranvijay Singh added "We are glad to partner with Shemaroo Entertainment and help amplify their diverse content portfolio across India. BRAVIA Televisions have a legacy of offering the most immersive viewing experience and with a rapid increase in the online content consumption, we are positive that this partnership will offer wholesome entertainment to our consumers.”

  • VOOT Select launches The Gone game, a show shot remotely during lockdown

    VOOT Select launches The Gone game, a show shot remotely during lockdown

    KOLKATA: Voot Select is all set to launch its next big original The Gone Game. As a service that launched just on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic, Voot Select has truly unleashed the potential of OTT. Backed with its critically and commercially acclaimed shows like Asur, Marzi, The Raikar Case and Illegal, the next from  VOOT Select – made for stories is The Gone Game – a show that breaks the barriers of space and location to deliver on a gripping and compelling story.

    Voot Select has noted a stellar growth trajectory and with offerings such as the upcoming season of Bigg Boss being available on the platform before TV, launch of premium content in regional languages and originals like The Gone Game, the platform is all set to further accelerate its growth in the next few months. 

    Speaking about the journey of Voot, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said: “Voot has had a tremendous growth trajectory since launch. Being the last entrant in the broadcaster backed OTT category, we quickly catapulted to being the second largest AVOD player. We launched Voot Select on the heels of the ongoing pandemic, however the lockdown truly unlocked the value of a premium service and in a very short time frame we have grown to be home to some of the best original and international content.”

    “Voot Select has witnessed tremendous growth since the launch in early March of 2020. Being the most recent SVOD entrant in the broadcaster backed OTT category, it's heartening to see how much ground we've been able to cover in such quick time. Beyond subscription numbers we've also grown in reputation to become home to some of the finest original web series in the country. I have no doubt that "The Gone Game” will join the list of celebrated stories from Voot Select," Rakshit added.

    Shot entirely in isolation during the lockdown, The Gone Game has been executed through remote direction, ingenious cinematography and limited equipment. Marked by nuanced performances and inimitable viewing experience, the show will build intrigue and unravel a mystery at every step of the way. Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, The Gone Game is a one of a kind and a never-seen-before concept that puts creative freedom in the hands of the cast of the series to innovate while shooting from their homes.  

    Commenting on the launch of The Gone Game, Voot Select, Viacom18 Youth, Music and English Entertainment head Ferzad Palia said, “Voot Select has had a tremendous first 150 days. Subscriber growth has surpassed all estimates by a long, long way. This spectacular success of the platform comes on the back of Originals, Before TV Content & our International offering. The lockdown has provided a further boost to the rapid rise in subscriber growth. We have innovatively navigated through the challenges of the lockdown and continued to create the best in content and viewing experience for our audience. The Gone Game has a gripping storyline, top drawer cast, and has been shot entirely from home with utmost precision and skill. The thrill and excitement of the show will deliver top-notch entertainment.”  

    Set in a global pandemic, with a nation in lockdown, the story starts amidst a mysterious disappearance.  Sahil Gujral is gone. Did he fall prey to the virus? Or is something more sinister at play? 2020 has changed the world forever, but for the Gujral family, the nightmare has just begun.Backed with a power-packed cast including Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rukhsar Rehman, Lubna Salim, Indraneil Sengupta, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia, The Gone Game will stream on Voot Select from 20 August.

    Sukesh Motwani of Bodhi Tree Multimedia said, “It will not be wrong to say that we made it from scratch as we were working with very limited resources and shooting entirely from home. It was challenging but our entire team in association with Voot Select and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat built the concept and storyline of the show creatively without compromising on the output. We were lucky to have a fantastic cast and crew that collectively helped us put a great show together. We are certain that the audience are in for a thrilling ride.” 

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  • Eros STX Global forecasts 50 mn monthly paid subscribers for Eros Now by 2022

    Eros STX Global forecasts 50 mn monthly paid subscribers for Eros Now by 2022

    KOLKATA: Eros International and STX Filmworks completed the big Bollywood-Hollywood merger last month. The newly combined company Eros STX Global Corporation forecasts 50 million monthly paid subscribers for Eros Now and generate $1 billion in revenue for the calendar year 2022.

    Eros Now reached 33.8 million paid monthly subscribers and 205.8 million registered users as of 30 June. “Despite the business challenges arising from the pandemic, Eros STX has seen a substantial increase in both new subscriptions and consumer engagement on the Eros Now platform driven by increased time spent at home as well as fewer out-of-home entertainment options available,” Eros STX Global co-chairman and CEO Robert Simonds said.

     “Eros Now has a strong slate of films and original series scheduled for release over the coming quarters, and the Company expects this to help drive continued growth in the paying subscriber base in India and around the world. Consumers are watching more content on the platform than ever before, an acceleration of growth that will provide strong tailwinds to the combined business for the coming quarters,” he added.

    Simonds seems extremely optimistic about Eros Now as he said it has one of the largest libraries of local and regional language content in the Indian marketplace which would take a significant investment of capital for a competitor to even try to replicate it. He also cited the independent, third-party valuation that was done in February which valued Eros library at $1 billion approximately. 

    Other than Eros Now, Eros STX’s co-production with some of the largest global players like Amazon and Netflix also opens another growth window for the company. 

  • Lionsgate Play celebrates one year anniversary, geares up to launch an exclusive app

    Lionsgate Play celebrates one year anniversary, geares up to launch an exclusive app

    KOLKATA: The global content leader and Hollywood studio house Lionsgate entered Indian OTT market in August 2019 with its premium streaming service product, Lionsgate Play. The brand launched its operations in the country by forming a strategic alliance with Vodafone Idea. With this collaboration, subscribers of Vodafone Play and Idea Movies and TV gained access to Lionsgate Play's enormous library of Hollywood content, which is populated by renowned franchises and films like La La Land, Twilight series, John Wick series, Wonder, Dirty 30, Knives Out, American Pie and many more.

     Correspondingly, for unparalleled distribution, Lionsgate Play strategically formed alliances with other telecom partners having enormous reach in India like Airtel for Airtel Xstream app and Jio for JioFiberJioTV+ to give customers of the Indian telco access to Lionsgate’s portfolio of feature film content. Further, Lionsgate Play made itself available on JioTV+ and what began as a smart phone-led content revolution transitioned and expanded to encompass consumer televisions and other large screens in the home.

     With the tremendous response received from the Indian viewers, Lionsgate Play launched Blockbuster Friday series – releasing one new film every Friday. Blockbuster Friday series showcased films from various genres such as horror, comedy, drama, action, thriller, sci-fi and romcoms. This resulted in the rise of viewership and increased stream time per user. Lionsgate Play also hosted Digital Movie Premiers of the Oscar nominated films like Knives out and Bombshell along with John Wick 3to name a few.In addition, Lionsgate Play dubbed many of its popular titles in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bhojpuri for regional-speaking cinema lovers, for them to enjoy Hollywood movies in their preferred language.

    Now having tested the Indian waters and receiving great response from viewers, Lionsgate Play is all geared up to launch an exclusive app very soon. The app will house Cult Hollywood Movies, Popular Global TV shows and a few premium Original Indian shows that are being currently developed. All and all the company is further strengthening its offering as a premium content provider to Indian users.

     Commenting on the partnership,  Lionsgate South Asia managing director Rohit Jain said,“Lionsgate Play’s collaboration with telecom partners in India has witnessed surge in viewership with each passing month. As a premium Hollywood content brand, we introduced fresh quality content for our consumers and provided content as per demands whether it was for action thrillers or romcoms. We made sure there is content for everybody. We are ecstatic about Lionsgate Play’s success on these platforms. We will continue to invest in technology and expand our library for our userbase in India.”

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  • VOOT’s “Asli Fans – Bigg Boss Edition” shines light on the Digital success story of the national reality phenomenon

    VOOT’s “Asli Fans – Bigg Boss Edition” shines light on the Digital success story of the national reality phenomenon

    The age of #AsliFans are here – Fans who don’t just watch a show but live the experience. They follow every move of their favorite stars and binge on happenings behind the scenes.  They are fearless in sharing their views and influence the masses. Bigg Boss Season 13 with an unprecedented 40 million watchers on VOOT unraveled the mighty prowess of #AsliFans. With the next season of the landmark category defining show in the horizon, VOOT has curated an insight driven report – #AsliFans: Bigg Boss Edition that showcases the power of #AsliFans, their intent, loyalty and content preferences. The insights throw light on the continuously transforming yet unifying fan-platform connect and the content consumption habits across the length and breadth of our country for India’s most loved show- Bigg Boss.

    On releasing a report on Bigg Boss and its #AsliFans, Gourav Rakshit, COO – Viacom18 Digital Ventures said, "Bigg Boss is more than just a show for its fans across India. It is a way of life. Bigg Boss’ fans are committed and dedicated and are also ambassadors of the show in some form or another, online as well as offline. The fans are a testimony to the success of Bigg Boss beyond TV. The playbook gives advertisers and brand owners an insight and deeper understanding into the behavior of these unique Bigg Boss fans on the digital platform which is extremely interesting and intriguing from a brand and advertising standpoint."

    The Bigg Boss Playbook unearths five distinct behavior-shaping trends of #AsliFans that gives us a glimpse into the rulebooks of entertainment:

    Unmatched scale: At unmatched scale, tens of millions #AsliFans flocked to VOOT to shatter records and make Bigg Boss the #1 digital entertainment property by clocking 1.5+ billion views and 20+ billion minutes of watch-time on Season 13. This is 1.5X the number of online food deliveries in India last year, and equivalent to the time required to walk around the globe 40,160 times respectively! 

    Know it All: FOMO-struck, #AsliFans want to know it all. VOOT satiates this relentless desire through a robust suite of VOOT Exclusives such as Unseen Undekha, Cutless, Bigg Buzz etc. With 3000+ exclusive content pieces that contribute to 30%+ viewership, VOOT Exclusives consumption has been on a meteoric rise with 2 out 3 viewers now watching both full episodes and VOOT Exclusives.

    Love to Express: #AsliFans love to express and made themselves heard and counted in every way possible through a myriad of interactivity formats. VOOT made 300+ million interactions possible between the fans and Bigg Boss through Voting, Video Vichaar, Pulse Meter, etc.

    Vocal on Social: #AsliFans go vocal on social where VOOT is the preferred destination for conversations on everything Bigg Boss. We hit a billion not just in our Views counter, but also on social media with touching a billion impressions on social campaign.

    Love for brand partners: #AsliFans extend their love beyond content to brand partners, who find innovative avenues to engage with them and drive brand stories. With eight digital sponsors and a plethora of inventory advertisers on S13, #AsliFans overwhelmingly embraced the brands in their fandom.
     

  • Micromax aims to make a comeback: Reports

    Micromax aims to make a comeback: Reports

    NEW DELHI: Homegrown smartphone brand Micromax is reportedly planning to make a comeback to the Indian market. This time, the company is banking on the government support, with its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme which was announced recently. The company said that it would invest Rs 500 crore towards manufacturing and research and development, as per an online report. The brand also plans to launch 20 new phones by the end of the next fiscal.

    The PLI scheme will help boost local manufacturing as part of government’s initiative to make India self-reliant (Aatmanirbhar). The PLI scheme was announced on April 1, 2020, under the National Policy on Electronics 2019 shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales (over the base year) of goods manufactured in India and covered under target segments, to eligible companies, for a period of five (5) years subsequent to the base year as defined.

    Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma in an interaction with a leading daily said that the company was looking to regain its spot in the smartphone market through the multiple handsets it has planned to launch in the future. He also mentioned that the phone would look to disrupt the market.

    On 15 August, the smartphone brand had also uploaded a teaser across its social media handles captioned “73 years of independence or being in dependence? On our 74th independence day, let’s stop being doosron pe nirbhar and become truly Atmanirbhar. Are you ready to join the revolution with us?”

    Due to the influx of Chinese brands including Xiaomi, Oppo, the homegrown smartphone brands got wiped out of the smartphone market. Reportedly, Xiaomi is currently leading the smartphone market with a 30 per cent market share.

  • SonyLIV unveils teaser of Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story

    SonyLIV unveils teaser of Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story

    KOLKATA: ‘SonyLIV 2.0’ has significantly upped its game in original premium content space. After releasing successful shows like Avroadh, Undekhi, it has now released a teaser of its upcoming show Scam 1992. Directed by Hansal Mehta, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is about the real-life 1992 stock market scam involving the eponymous stockbroker, which led to major reforms, including the formation of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Mehta has adapted a book on the 1992 stock market scam. The teaser of ‘Scam 1992’ has been unveiled featuring Pratik Gandhi, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Sharib Hashmi. The story is set in the 1980’s and 90’s Bomba. At the beginning of the teaser, Sharib tells Shreya, about a Rs 500-crore fraud which has taken place. “We wrapped a mammoth 85 days shoot spanning 6 months, 550 pages, 170+ characters, and 200+ locations. It was tough but eventually satisfying. A great team saw this (and is still seeing it) through all the limitations and adversities. #Scam1992 is THEIR show. Thank you team!,” Mehta tweeted.

  • Applause Entertainment partners with Wattpad to promote ‘Avrodh’

    Applause Entertainment partners with Wattpad to promote ‘Avrodh’

    MUMBAI: In a novel move to connect with Gen Z and millennial audiences, Applause Entertainment has partnered with Wattpad, the global entertainment company and a storytelling platform, to promote the recently released war thriller, Avrodh.

    The campaign saw Applause Entertainment connect with Wattpad’s massive, engaged community of Gen Z and millennial readers and writers, inviting them to share their stories and poems that explore the Independence Day themes of my patriotism or meri deshbhakti. Inspired by Applause Entertainment’s hit series Avrodh, the campaign caters to Gen Z and Millenials who are keen to rediscover and reimagine patriotism with a renewed outlook.

    Through August, the campaign will select the most unique tales submitted by the Wattpad community, to be used in other promotional channels for Avrodh. Stories will be turned into compelling graphics for social media to reach a wider audience both on and off of Wattpad. Applause Entertainment shared their favourite stories and poetry to promote the show to their target audience on social media on 15  August 2020, each of which received exciting cash prizes.

    The campaign has already generated significant results for Applause Entertainment, with thousands of entries that have generated tens of thousands of reading minutes in less than a week since launch on Wattpad. Cross-platform promotion to Wattpad’s massive audience of Gen Z readers continued over the Independence Day weekend.

    Applause Entertainment head of marketing and revenue Yogesh Manwani said, “With the increased online activity in India, it is very difficult for a brand to have a genuine interaction with its target audience at scale, especially if it's a younger demographic. Wattpad stood out in that aspect as it allowed for a direct connection to millions of Indian Gen Z & Millennial users who love to create and engage with stories around our show’s messaging. We are amazed by the overwhelming response by our target audience and look forward to sustain the momentum on social channels.”

    Wattpad India country head Devashish Sharma said, “Wattpad offers something truly unique for brands through its massive global community that spends billions of minutes each month deeply engaged in reading, writing, and sharing world-changing stories. Our work with Applause Entertainment went beyond the ordinary fan engagement. We are creating authentic content, curated from the show’s target audience, to promote the show among Gen Z and millennials. The campaign does not just tap into audience excitement, it makes the target audience genuine collaborators. That’s the power of storytelling and Wattpad.”

    Wattpad is one of the world’s leading destinations for diverse Gen Z and Millennial creators to share their voice. Each month, more than four million writers of all ages share stories on Wattpad, inspiring and engaging with Wattpad’s global community of more than 80 million people.

  • Terribly Tiny Tales launches first ever web show “Butterflies” in association with Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk

    Terribly Tiny Tales launches first ever web show “Butterflies” in association with Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk

    MUMBAI: The makers of some of the most loved short films, Terribly Tiny Talkies, with love from Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, have launched their first ever mini-series titled Butterflies that captures the sweet essence of young love. Even in these trying times, the young find a way to go the distance for their love.

    Butterflies is an anthology of three stories of young love – of teenagers, college-goers and young adults in their mid-twenties. But irrespective of age, we all experience love in the same remarkable ways with the initial blushes, the nervousness, the “butterflies in your stomach”, the second thoughts, an avalanche of emotions. Terribly Tiny Talkies and Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, in their signature style, wrap all these emotions in a delectable package with this web show which stars prominent actors like Apoorva Arora, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Urvi Singh, Mrinal Dutt, Anshuman Malhotra and Viren Vazirani.

    Speaking on the release of their first-ever web show, Terribly Tiny Tales CEO Anuj Gosalia said, “Butterflies, created by Terribly Tiny Talkies is a magical coming together of our premium storytelling and the memorability of an iconic brand that is Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk. After partnering on Such-A-Pyaar for Valentine’s Day this is our second association with Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk facilitated by the team at Wavemaker. What’s been most exciting is that Sharanya Rajgopal (Studio Head – Terribly Tiny Talkies and show creator) and the writers’ room have brought alive the joy and innocence of going that extra mile for someone you love for three different age groups beautifully – by even shooting some parts in Paris. We’re on our way to reach 3 million+ views on the films but the love in the comments has been the most special.”

    Butterflies is live on TTT’s YouTube channel & Facebook. TTT is also sharing snackable stories around this show’s theme which will be published on their Facebook, Instagram & Twitter across the three weeks.

  • Star India, Jio reach consensus for IPL 2020, report suggests

    Star India, Jio reach consensus for IPL 2020, report suggests

    KOLKATA: In the past couple of days, there have been speculations floating around a Star India-Jio deal for IPL 2020. The two companies have come to an agreement finally that will allow subscribers of select Jio mobile plans to watch IPL 2020 for free. In addition to that, Jio Fiber users of certain plans will also be able to watch it for free, according to media reports.

    The report also added that Jio will be providing free IPL 2020 streaming on its Rs 401 and Rs 2,599 mobile recharge plans. However, the plans mentioned already provide users access to Disney+ Hotstar.  Viewers without a subscription to Disney+ Hotstar or free access to the service will be able to stream only five minutes of the IPL 2020 matches.

    When the news broke out that IPL might not be available for Jio users to watch this year, experts suggested there might be a huge impact on the digital reach of the tournament. It has always been estimated that a large number of IPL’s digital reach came on the back of Jio deal.

    Given the fandom of the greatest cricket showbiz in India, Disney, which owns Star India, planned to launch Disney+ combining with Hotstar during March to exploit the popularity of IPL. Owing to the postponement of the league due to pandemic, it delayed the launch slightly. Hence, it can be assumed that Star India will leave no stone unturned to boost the digital reach of Disney+ Hotstar.