ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • Voot unveils five new short films

    Voot unveils five new short films

    MUMBAI: Deviant desires, wicked love, and tangled truths, VOOT Originals ‘SHORTCUTS’ Produced by Tipping Point, a Viacom18 Studios Production, has unveiled the next set of five short films. The originals started streaming from 8 February with the first set of five clutter breaking shorts.

    After a successful run of its first showcase of films such as Derma, Googly, Joy Ride, Bauma and Chacha and Cheetah’s trip on the platform, Voot is now streaming the second set of films Teaspoon, A(U)nusual day, Maya, Grey and Glitch.

    The show Teaspoon is all about a couple that lives with a paralytic father-in-law who has a habit of calling Kavita by tapping a teaspoon against the bedpost. Frustration is triggered as he never does this when her husband is at home. A series of incidents become ingredients for a Molotov cocktail ultimately leading to a disturbing end.

    AUN A(U)nusual day showcases a photographer’s trials with a tribal man who lacks the wisdom of human interaction. The show Maya explores various facets of her life and relationship but takes a twist when the mother goes missing. The story ends by uniting past lovers through a tragic trail of events. Yet another show, Grey, is Inspired by true events, this unique story will portray characters of an autistic man and an inane cop and their quirky take on murder and investigation with amazing sound effects. The show Glitch entails a 12-year-old enters his bathroom to take a shower only to discover the tap which takes him back in time. His curiosity encourages him to travel back in time several times and solve a quarrel between his parents over a lost ring.

  • Eros Now, Jean-Claude Biguine India collaborate

    Eros Now, Jean-Claude Biguine India collaborate

    MUMBAI: Eros Now, the cutting-edge digital over-the-top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform owned by Eros International, a global Indian entertainment company, has announced a special partnership with French salon and spa chain, Jean-Claude Biguine (JCB).  In India, where the entertainment industry influences beauty trends, this strategic alliance offers Jean-Claude Biguine India’s clients access to the world of entertainment through the OTT player’s massive library of over 11,000 films, original web-series, music, and short-format content – Eros Now Quickie.

    Customers utilising services at the premium salon chain can now further enhance their ‘me time’ experience while indulging in beauty regime by enjoying compelling content from across genres. The offer of an Eros Now premium subscription will be available across all JCB outlets in India to JCB’s paying customers.

    Commenting on the partnership, Eros Digital CEO Rishika Lulla Singh said, “Eros Now has emerged as a market leader in curating special plans to cater to the growing demand for digital content. We always work towards creating innovative partnerships to reach a diversified audience. This alliance with Jean-Claude Biguine India brings together the best of both worlds – entertainment and beauty – and works as a gateway for beauty enthusiasts to enjoy unlimited entertainment on Eros Now.”

    Jean-Claude Biguine India CEO Samir Srivastav said, “It is our constant endeavour to promote client delight and experiences at Jean-Claude Biguine Salons. It also means stepping up to become more cognizant of potential needs. With a constant rise in digital engagements through interactive, entertainment apps, it was befitting for us to join hands with Eros Now. Through this initiative, we also hope to effectively add more value to the long-standing relationships with our clients.”

  • T-Series ventures into digital space with web series, films

    T-Series ventures into digital space with web series, films

    MUMBAI: After proving to be the mogul of music industry and establishing themselves a successful film studio, T-Series is all set to enter the digital space with web series and web films. Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series along with producing films and music videos have ventured out into locking scripts for web-shows and web-films. With growing demand for digital content, the production house has decided to expand their avenues and explore a new yet a familiar territory of digital space. The new venture will be headed by one of the oldest confidante of T-Series, Vinod Bhanushali, who is currently the president- media, marketing, publishing (TV) and music acquisitions at T-Series.

    Speaking on the expansion, head honcho of T-Series, Bhushan Kumar says, “This is the time to expand into digital space with shows and films. There exists a huge audience across the globe that you reach out to with this medium. Web-shows and web-films have an audience for all kinds of genres of storytelling and different languages as well. Along with producing films, we want to create content for digital space and give a platform for new directors and storytellers.”

    Bhanushali, who has worked with T-Series for around two decades, along with his team has already started working on scripts and pre-production of few series and films. T-Series is already working with digital platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Zee5 and other such platforms for digital distribution of their home productions. Speaking on his new role, Vinod Bhanushali, says, “Digital viewership is growing at a rapid speed and is a huge platform that needed to be tapped by us. Web shows and films has its own set of audience and is a huge market as everyone – all ages, races, languages, community across the world are hooked on to it. There are some stories that are not meant for the 70 mm screen yet they are needed to be told. They are commercial yet strong content films. With a new space that has evolved, web-shows and web-films have become a huge demand which is tested and proven to be successful. We have a lot of scripts coming to us every day and many of them are a perfect fit to this medium. We want to give a chance to these storytellers to bring forth their stories. T-Series will now become a platform to produce these stories and associate with our existing digital platforms to release our content.”

    Music has always been an important aspect of all T-Series films. Even with the new space which will explore fiction, non-fiction stories on digital platform, music will still be a very integral part.

  • ZEE5 lines up 72 new originals till March 2020; continues focus on regional market

    ZEE5 lines up 72 new originals till March 2020; continues focus on regional market

    MUMBAI: Ushering in its first anniversary, ZEE5 announced an extensive line-up of 72 new Originals on the platform till March 2020. Staying true to ZEE5’s founding philosophy of focusing on regional content, this includes shows across multiple genres and languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali and Malayalam. The fastest growing OTT platform in the country also announced an anniversary offer where subscribers can avail a 30 per cent discount on both annual subscriptions – all access and regional, as well as an additional 50 per cent cashback on Paytm.

    The extravaganza was attended by some of the biggest names from showbiz across regions including Arjun Rampal, Saqib Saleem, Pooja Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt, Goldie Behl, Guneet Monga, S Sreesanth and many more from the Bollywood industry, Parambrata Chatterjee and Raima Sen, Payel Sarkar, Riddhi Sen from Kolkata, Kathir from Chennai, Sujay Dahake, Vikram Gokhale from the Marathi entertainment industry, and so on.

    “It is a very proud moment indeed for us as we celebrate the first anniversary of ZEE5. A year in, we have seen how ZEE5 has, in fact, bolstered the network channels’ fanbase through its Before TV and catch-up content offerings. With its strong content library, the platform has established a niche for itself in the regional markets of our country – a space that has always remained a focus for us as a group. In the next few years, we will be investing in ZEE5 to make it the most widely subscribed and viewed Indian entertainment app globally, ” international broadcast business and Z5 global CEO Amit Goenka commented.

    “This past year has been an enriching journey for each one of us who have been a part of it and being the fastest growing OTT platform in the country is testimony to the continual efforts of the team and support from our partners. Since our launch in February 2018, we have achieved milestones not just on the content front, but under multiple pillars including partnerships and technology. Our aim through all our initiatives has been to bring a seamless viewing experience for our subscribers, no matter where they are or what their preference is. The learnings have been immense, and from it we have emerged – stronger and bigger. In 2019, our aim is to outdo ourselves in terms of the concepts & shows and technology we drive through ZEE5 and the announcements today are proof that we are fully poised to take this on,” ZEE5 India CEO tarun Katial said.

    “The regional markets is where the future of entertainment lies – our next viewers will come from there. We are cognizant of this and building an ecosystem to add more value to our stakeholders in these markets. To celebrate our first anniversary, we have a special offer for our subscribers as well,” he added.

    At the star-studded event, ZEE5 unveiled the logos of the following shows:

    •             Hindi – Rangbaaz Season 2, Karenjit Kaur Season 3 (with Sunny Leone), High Priestess (Amala Akkineni’s digital debut), Skyfire, The Final Call (starring Arjun Rampal and Sakshi Tanwar), Mystic Rose, The Sholay Girl (starring Bidita Baig), Mirror (a short film), 377 (starring Maanvi Gangroo and others), Poison (starring Arbaaz Khan, Freddy Daruwala, Tanuj Virwani), Bandit Queen

    •             Telugu – Ms Subbulakshmi (starring Lakshmi Manchu), G.O.D. – Gangs of Dharmapuri (starring Aditya)

    •             Tamil – Postman

    •             Bengali – Sharate Aaj (starring Parambrata Chatterjee, Payal Sarkar and Riddhi Sen)

    •             Marathi – Sex, Drugs and Theatre, Hutatma (starring Anjali Patil, Vaibhav Tatvavadi & Abhay Mahajan)

    •             Malayalam – Aarpoo, Porn Ok Please

    To celebrate the anniversary, ZEE5 has launched a special 30 per cent discount on both annual packs – all access at Rs 999/- and regional at Rs 499/-. This is applicable from 14 February to 31 March; in case subscribers pay via their Paytm account, they will get an additional 50 per cent cashback on these rates.

  • This Valentine’s Day, VOOT asks you to share the love and ignore the drama

    This Valentine’s Day, VOOT asks you to share the love and ignore the drama

    This Valentine’s Day, Voot’s all set to interest its viewers with some love, some slips, and all the drama that comes with the two by means of a cheeky video series. The ‘Day of Love’ is celebrated with some short, quirky and admittedly real videos that show all that goes down if you address your loved one by a wrong ‘name’. We’d watch these rather carefully before that Valentine’s dinner this year.

  • Amazon Prime Video greenlights six new India originals, Mirzapur to get season two

    Amazon Prime Video greenlights six new India originals, Mirzapur to get season two

    MUMBAI: Amazon Prime Video today announced the greenlighting of more than 20 new and returning Prime Original Series to go into production in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, Japan and Mexico. In addition to delighting local audiences, many of the Prime Original series will be available to stream for a global audience on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    “We’re delighted to announce the commissioning of more than twenty new and returning series, to be produced in seven countries across three continents around the world. We know that customers watching Prime Video everywhere want to see authentic stories, set in their own countries, and to invest in characters that can reflect their own experiences and diversity,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. “We’re excited and committed to amplifying the voices of storytellers from all over the world and to bring their visions to life for our viewers worldwide.”

    “We know our worldwide audience are thirsty for local shows from the best local voices, and we’ve already seen a great customer reaction from Prime Original international series such as the UK’s The Grand Tour and All or Nothing: Manchester City, Germany’s You Are Wanted, India’s Breathe and Mirzapur, Mexico’s Un extraño enemigo and LOL: Last One Laughing and Japan’s Hitoshi Matsumoto Presents Documental,” said James Farrell, Head of International Originals. “As well as delighting local audiences, we’re excited to showcase the work of these talented local writers, directors, producers and actors to be enjoyed by an international audience of more than 100 million Prime members worldwide.”

     New Prime Original series announced today include:

    The Power – UK

    The contemporary global ten-part thriller The Power is written and created by award-winning British author Naomi Alderman, and based on Alderman’s international best-selling and award winning novel. The Power will be produced by Sister Pictures and is Executive Produced by Jane Featherstone (Broadchurch, The Split, Utopia), Naomi de Pear (The Bisexual, Flowers), Naomi Alderman and Reed Morano (The Handmaid’s Tale), who will also direct. The series is produced by Tim Bricknell (Trust, Taboo) and will be shot on location around the world. The Power is the latest UK Prime Original drama series to go into production, and will premiere on Amazon Prime Video worldwide in over 200 countries and territories.

    La Templanza – Spain

    The new Spanish Prime Original drama La Templanza is a dramatic love story set in the 1860's spanning Mexico, Cuba, London and Spain. The series is based on the eponymous bestselling novel by María Dueñas produced by Atresmedia Studios. La Templanza will go into production in 2019, before being released on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    El Cid – Spain

    Created and produced by Zebra Producciones and written by Luis Arranz and Adolfo Martinez, the new Spanish Prime Original series, El Cid, retells from a contemporary perspective the story of the most famous Spaniard in history, a man trapped between two worlds and two cultures. A nobleman, a hero, a mercenary, a vassal, but also a man who could have been king. El Cid was centuries ahead of his time and became transcended by his own legend. Production will start in 2019 leading to a release in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    Untitled drama series – Italy

    Written by celebrated Italian writers Nicola Guaglianone and Menotti, the first ever Italian Prime Original drama series is a crime drama set in Milan in the late eighties which tells the story of a shy, insecure teenager who becomes the youngest member of the mafia, not for money, ambition or the desire of power, but to win the love of her father. Produced by Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani's Wildside for Amazon Studios, the show will begin filming in 2019 before launching exclusively on Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories around the world.

    Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo – Germany

    A new German Prime Original series, Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo, is based on the controversial 1978 autobiographical book of the same name [We Children of Bahnhof Zoo]. Adapted for television under head writer Annette Hess (Weissensee, Ku'damm 56/59) and her writers room, this new series tells the story of Christiane F. and her dysfunctional friends, who as teenagers descend into the gritty drug scene of 1970’s West-Berlin. Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo is a modern re-telling of a shocking but compelling story. Produced by Oliver Berben (The Verdict, Shades of Guilt I + II, The Typist, Perfume, Shadowhunters) and Sophie von Uslar (NSU – German History X, Tannbach – Line of Separation) for Constantin Television, the series will go into production in 2019 before being released on Prime Video in Germany. Philipp Kadelbach (Perfume, Generation War, SS-GB) will be directing.

    Bandish Bandits – India

    A new Indian Prime Original, Bandish Bandits is a romantic musical created by Still and Still Media Collective. Directed by Anand Tiwari and written by Amritpal Singh Bindra, Bandish Bandits is a young, dynamic love story between Radhe, a skilled Indian classical singer shackled by centuries of tradition and Tamanna, a free-spirited pop star who makes up for her mediocre talent with her skills as a seasoned performer. Despite coming from very different worlds, the two set out together on a journey of self-discovery to see if opposites, though they might attract, can also adapt and go the long haul. Bandish Bandits will launch exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in 2019 for customers in India and across 200 countries and territories.

    The Last Hour – India

    Created and directed by Amit Kumar (Monsoon Shootout), with Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia (Amy) as Executive Producer, the new Indian Prime Original, The Last Hour is a crime thriller with a supernatural twist set in a small picturesque hill station in the Himalayas. The Last Hour will go into production in January 2019 before being released on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    Untitled drama thriller series – India

    Created by Sudip Sharma (writer of NH 10 & Udta Punjab) and produced by Clean Slate Films, this new Indian Prime Original series is an investigative thriller that also acts as a scathing commentary of modern day Indian society and politics. The series will go into production in February 2019 before being released on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    Untitled drama series – India

    A new Indian Prime Original series, this youth-focused political drama from writer/producer/director Ali Abbas Zafar (Sultan & Tiger Zinda Hai) explores the dark corners of Indian politics. Where powerful politicians, and those who aspire to be, sow chaos and manipulate others to control the country, ruthless pragmatism contrasts with the frustrations and aspirations of contemporary India and the ideals of the country’s youth. The series will go into production in March 2019 and will be released on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    Untitled Reality Series – India

    Produced by OML, the reality series is a comedy talk-show hybrid where celebrities try their hand at stand-up comedy for the first time. The show is created and hosted by comedian Sapan Verma, member of East India Comedy (EIC).  Each episode will bring together a renowned stand-up comedian and a famous celebrity as they explore the celebrity’s life, discuss moments they found funny while the comedian guides the celebrity to write a comedy set for the first time. Each episode will have Sapan, the guest comedian and the celebrity performing in front of a live audience at a local comedy club.

    Comicstaan (Tamil) – India

     Created and produced by OML (Comicstaan), Comicstaan (Tamil) is a regional language spinoff from Amazon Prime Video’s highly successful Prime Original Series – Comicstaan. Comicstaan (Tamil) is the search for the next big Tamil stand-up comedian, where 6 contestants compete every week in different genres of comedy, judged by an audience and a panel of judges. The contestants are mentored in different genres of comedy by veteran Tamil comedians. In every episode, the contestants, with the help of the mentor, prepare a set and perform in front of a live audience. The finale sees the judges and mentors performing live for the audiences.

    El Presidente – Mexico

    Produced by Oscar‐winning director Pablo Larrain’s production company Fabula (Jackie, A Fantastic Woman) and Gaumont (Narcos), El Presidente, a new Mexican Prime Original series, is a true crime series inspired by the real-life characters and events behind the 2015 “FIFA Gate” corruption scandal.  The series explores the scandal from the  angle of a small‐time Chilean football club president who rises from obscurity to become a key player in a $150MM bribery conspiracy. El Presidente will go into production next year before launching exclusively on Prime Video in  more than 200 countries and territories.

    Untitled sci-fi/horror comedy – Mexico

    This exciting new series takes viewers through a rollercoaster horror story with high doses of suspense and dark humor throughout an apocalyptic battle of epic proportions. With production set for 2019 from Dynamo (Narcos, El Chapo) and Red Creek Productions (Sins of My Father), the new Mexican Prime Original will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories.

    El Juego de las Llaves – Mexico

    The new Mexican Prime Original, El Juego de las Llaves, is a comedy about long-term monogamy, self-realization and desire, set in modern day Mexico City. The series follows four long-lasting couples who are friends that one day decide to swing. In the comedic aftermath, each character must face the impact of the decision they’ve made on their relationship and personal outlook on sexuality. El Juego de las Llaves will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in Mexico and more than 200 countries and territories, excluding the US.

    Untitled Political Thriller Series – Mexico

    In this upcoming Mexican Prime Original series co-produced with Televisa , Mexico City plays the backdrop to an intense and intertwining story comprised of politicians, assassins, government spies and drug cartels all clashing in a struggle to seize control of leadership of both Mexico’s government and its underworld. The series is currently in production and will launch exclusively in 2019 on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories.

    Como Sobrevivir Soltero – Mexico

    A new Mexican Prime Original series produced by Campanario, Addiction House and Sony Pictures, Como Sobevivir Soltero (How to Survive Being Single) is a one-hour dramedy series is a fictionalized take on the life of Mexican actor Sebastian Zurita and a group of his millennial friends who are all unlucky in love. Rich with dramatic comedy, this Spanish language series set in Mexico City explores the highs and lows of what it's like to be single and searching for love in a macho Mexican culture that is rapidly evolving. The series enters the world of Sebastian, an actor whose life seems perfect until one day he discovers his fiancé is cheating on him. Hitting bottom, Sebastian is reunited with his single friends, and their comedic journey ensues as they try to navigate today’s dating market – dictated by apps and algorithms-. Como Sobrevivir Soltero begins production in 2019 and will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

    Untitled Social Issue Series – Japan

    An unscripted Prime Original produced by VICE MEDIA JAPAN, this new social issue series will be the very first original content collaboration between the global youth media company and Amazon Prime Video. Tackling various topics through VICE's authentic and alternative lens, in-depth documentaries will explore socially relevant issues, with each feature followed by spirited panel discussions headlined by popular entertainers and diverse panels of guest commentators.

    New original series announced today:

    The Bachelorette – Japan

    The Bachelorette is a local version of the American reality dating competition format that has aired continuously for 14 seasons in the US since 2003, when it was created as a spinoff of The Bachelor. In The Bachelorette, gender roles are reversed and women are put in the driver’s seat when a single Bachelorette embarks on a journey to find her future husband from a pool of eligible male contestants.

    Returning Prime Original series announced today include:

    Mirzapur Season Two – India

    Mirzapur, which premiered worldwide on November 16, 2018, has been greenlit for a second season. This riveting drama series tells the journey of two brothers lured by the idea of power only to be consumed by it. Mirzapur is an amped-up portrayal of India’s heartland and youth — a world replete with drugs, guns, and lawlessness, where caste, power, egos and tempers intersect and violence is the only way of life. Season two, produced by the makers of the International Emmy-nominated series Inside Edge, created by Puneet Krishna and directed by Gurmmeet Singh will depict the story of this violent world which, when coupled with greed for power, changes people and asks for sacrifices. The show will go into production in 2019 before being released on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    HITOSHI MATSUMOTO Presents Documental Season Seven – Japan

    The wildly popular Japanese Prime Original series will return for a seventh season in 2019.  Created and hosted by iconic comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto, Documental is a variety show where 10 idiosyncratic entertainers bet money and their comic pride in an anything-goes, “battle of laughter behind closed doors” for a chance to win a prize of 10 million Japanese Yen. The title “Documental” is a neologism created by Hitoshi Matsumoto from “documentary” and “mental.” The rules are simple: 10 participants bet one million Japanese Yen to enter a room together for six hours. Any person who laughs is immediately evicted, so the challenge is to make others laugh without laughing themselves.

    LOL: Last One Laughing Season Two – Mexico

    Based on Japan’s immensely popular format from HITOSHI MATSUMOTO Presents Documental, and originally developed by Hitoshi Matsumoto, LOL: Last One Laughing season one premiered December 14 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories. Hosted by actor, writer, director and mega-star comedian, Eugenio Derbez (Overboard, How to be a Latin Lover), LOL features ten renowned comedians in a no-holds-barred “battle of laughter behind closed doors” where the aim is to make each other laugh. The last person who manages to keep a straight face wins a cash prize of one million pesos. LOL is produced by Derbez’ 3Pas Studios and Endemol Shine. Production on season two of the series will begin in 2019.

    Diablo Guardian Season Two – Mexico

    Adapted from Xavier Velasco’s award-winning novel of the same name, Diablo Guardian will return for season two with Paulina Gaitan (Narcos), Andrés Almeida (Y Tu Mamá También) and award-winning actor Adrián Ladrón (La 4ª Compañía). In its first season, Diablo Guardian follows the troubling story of Violetta (Gaitan), an adolescent from Mexico who is frustrated with her life and in a moment of desperation steals USD $100,000 from her parents and crosses the border to reach New York City, where she has fantasized about starting a new life. But instead of a living a dream, Violetta is awoken to a harsh reality when she runs out of money, sending her into the arms of the villainous Nefastófeles (Almeida).  Produced by Televisa Alternative Originals for Amazon Studios, season two will premiere exclusively on Prime Video next year and will be available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

    The Grand Tour Season Four – UK

    Today’s news follows the recent announcement that the UK produced Prime Original global hit, The Grand Tour, has also been renewed for a fourth season. Season three of The Grand Tour launches worldwide on 18th January, 2019. Amazon announced in December that The Grand Tour series four will see Clarkson, Hammond & May ditch the tent and take on big adventure road trips that fans around the world love.

  • Shemaroo Entertainment starts OTT journey banking on its popular titles

    Shemaroo Entertainment starts OTT journey banking on its popular titles

    MUMBAI: Content powerhouse Shemaroo Entertainment has taken the OTT dive. The new platform ShemarooMe will have seven distinct categories on offer – Bollywood Classic, Bollywood Plus, Gujarati, Kids, Bhakti, Ibaadat and Punjabi. Rather than focusing on the rat race, Shemaroo perceives the new journey as a “marathon”. The company does not want to overspend or lay a hand on every genre.

    The new OTT platform also provides consumers with the freedom to pick and choose the categories of content and pay for them separately. Individual category plans cost Rs 49 per month and Rs 499 per year while the all-access plan costs Rs 99 per month and Rs 999 per year. However, the platform will work on the freemium model.

    While Shemaroo Entertainment has produced a number of popular Bollywood movies, the company won’t house every title on the new platform. Talking to Indiantelevision.com, Shemaroo Entertainment CEO Hiren Gada said that the titles which don’t fit with the segmentation or serve consumer needs will not be added to the platform.

    Gada said the platform now has access to overall about 2000 films and 1000+ hours of non-film content. Going forward, the content library will be refreshed every week. He also added that the first three months of refresh line up is already in place but the new entrant has no plan to jump on the web-series bandwagon like other OTT platforms.

    “We want to be true to these segments. We neither want to confuse the customers nor shift focus on our efforts and resources. I will rather strengthen the categories I am serving than doing something which is unlike me,” Gada added.

    A mass media campaign will be rolled out across print, television, radio, outdoor for promoting ShemarooMe. Apart from that, digital dominates the marketing plan heavily.

    “Today we have so many users on our digital platforms who are relevant target audience. Someone who is using Filmygane, or any other Shemaroo YouTube channel, is a natural audience for us. So focus will be on how to inform them, invite them and help them transit from there to here. We don’t know how many of them will transit and at what pace that will happen. That’s too new for us,” he commented.

    While there are over 35 OTT platforms in the country, differentiating the new product to attract more consumers is definitely a challenge. Gada said that there is a large fan base that will consume content if it is familiar territory. According to him, there are people looking for new content and an equal amount looking for familiar content. He added that the ability to provide consumers with familiar content is one of the most important propositions of ShemarooMe.

    Gada said that the whole business model of the OTT platform has been developed in way so that it does not put pressure on Shemaroo Entertainment’s overall expenditure. He also said consumer feedback will play a very important role in course correction leading to addition and removal of certain content.

    “Through ShemarooMe, we wish to pamper Indians with great content that can be watched over and over again. Great content needs greater technology. Our content is offered on a state-of-the-art, robust platform, with a roadmap of features to woo our audiences. From live to linear to VOD content, we have all forms of consumption options available. We will be expanding our OTT distribution through strategic partnerships to offer exciting content across multiple platforms catering to the target audience and we do hope this is cherished by our audiences who have supported us for over 55 years,” Shemaroo Entertainment Digital COO Zubin Dubash commented.

  • Tastemade continues to expand its linear OTT footprint with Amagi

    Tastemade continues to expand its linear OTT footprint with Amagi

    MUMBAI: Amagi, a global leader in cloud-based technology for TV and OTT broadcasters, today announced that Tastemade, a Santa Monica-based global media company with a mission to inspire the taste of a generation, has added its latest distribution partner for its linear channel and VOD content offering – now on Comcast, YouTube TV, Philo TV, Sony’s PlayStation Vue, and T-Mobile, all powered by Amagi.

    “We have grown our TV audience rapidly across several distributors in less than a year. Having a single technology solution that has allowed us to scale in this way played a key role in this success, setting the foundation for further expansion domestically and internationally,” said Jeremy Strauss, Head of Business Development at Tastemade.” Amagi’s award-winning playout solutions and experience with digital first networks were key ingredients – it gave us the technical superiority, flexibility, and scalability to expand our TV footprint”.

    For Tastemade, Amagi deployed CLOUDPORT – a true cloud playout platform built on Amazon Web Services (AWS) public cloud infrastructure, supporting both linear OTT and VOD content delivery to multiple platforms. It packed in advanced features such as automation, dynamic graphics, and remote monitoring to create a broadcast-grade TV experience for viewers. The entire workflow was configured and managed using CLOUDPORT’s simple web-based interface which improved overall broadcast efficiencies, reducing transition and training time for Tastemade.

    “Tastemade, in a short period of time, has built a very attractive and loyal audience,” said Deepakjit Singh, CEO, Amagi. “We are delighted that they have chosen Amagi cloud solutions to create engaging viewer experiences and enhance their content availability across platforms. Our expertise in linear OTT and VOD delivery puts us in a very unique category of technology suppliers who can provide a holistic solution.” added Deepakjit Singh.

    Amagi has deployments in 40+ countries and delivers more than 160 channels to audiences worldwide. In addition to Tastemade, Amagi clients include industry heavyweights such as Turner Broadcasting, Viceland, Discovery, Viacom18, Quest TV, Zee TV, and digital networks – Cinedigm, CuriosityStream, TYT Network, Shout! Factory TV and more.

  • SonyLIV celebrates the season of love this valentine’s day

    SonyLIV celebrates the season of love this valentine’s day

    MUMBAI: ‘There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved’.

    Valentine’s Day is a serious affair for couples in love.  India’s first premium video on demand (VOD) service, SonyLIV, is all set to bring an exciting line up this Valentine’s Day. The OTT platform is giving a chance to its viewers to be engrossed in the season of love through movies, web originals, short films and romantic songs streaming live on the platform.

    Valentine’s Day is an excuse to binge watch your favourite movies with your loved ones making the entire experience worthwhile. SonyLIV is playing cupid by bringing non-stop romantic drama and captivating experiences for its viewers with movies like Aashiqui 2, Ram amongst others.  But why stop there, SonyLIV keeps you on the edge of your seat with some web originals that will make you binge watch romantic series like Lovebytes, Married Woman Diaries, The Good vibes, The Big Bong connection to name a few. SonyLIV even brings to its viewer’s short romantic films like Gulmohar, Guzaarish, Us & Them, Ansuni amongst others. How can a V’Day be complete without SonyLIV?

  • The Quest for Life in the Fast Lane – GoQuest Digital Studios Announces Association with Motul India for Indian Motorsports

    The Quest for Life in the Fast Lane – GoQuest Digital Studios Announces Association with Motul India for Indian Motorsports

    MUMBAI: Continuing with its trend of associating with the biggest International Motorsport clients, GoQuest Digital Studios (GQDS), the only independent end-to-end boutique content studio in the world backed by GoQuest Media Ventures, today announced its association with Motul India. The association comes as a major boost to the growing popularity of motorsports propelled by GQDS’s impressive production of the recent show on Volkswagen Ameo Cup series.  

    Arguably the most familiar brand in global motorsports arena, Motul is a 160-year old world-class French engine performance lubricant brand.  It is present in more than 80 countries, and is a pioneer in design and distribution of high-quality lubricants with higher technical value added. It has also been the supplier for some of the best international official racing teams and automobile manufacturers and is also a known sponsor of famous races.  The brand joining hands with GQDS comes at a time when the latter is bringing motorsports to the forefront among Indian masses and popularizing it in the country like never before.

    GQDS took charge of the Volkswagen (VW) Ameo Cup series in 2018, and developed a show that scores high on every aspect-production quality, exciting narrative and offering a great entry point to new fans of racing. The 9th edition of the Ameo Cup also pushed aside stereotypes with the participation of women drivers, whose journey was covered in great detail by GQDS. This progressive and unique understanding of the stance along with leadership in Motorsports was one of the prime factors which led Motul to partner with the content production and distribution platform.

    Commenting on the association, Darshan Bhatt, Director, GoQuest Digital Studios said, “With its huge presence across a number of exciting international championships such as MOTO GP and World Superbike Championship, Motul’s association with GQDS will substantially add to enhance the Indian motorsport experience. We are giving our participants as well as our audiences a first-hand look into the world of racing, and Motul has been on the tracks for many decades. The supercharged turbo rally we recently held with Motul and Throttle97 at Buddh International Circuit is further testament to the racing culture we hope to cultivate amongst sports enthusiasts in India. The turbo rally saw a number of beautiful and powerful cars driven by enthusiasts, but the highlight of the day was the shared passion for the sport and the thrill of it all amongst each one of us who were involved. We are beyond excited to be associated with Motul, which will take Indian motorsports a notch above the rest.”

    Speaking of the same, Mr. Preetam Goswami, Marketing Head, Motul India said, “We are happy to be associated with GoQuest Digital Studios and Throttle 97 as the performance partners for their Track Day Event. Motorsport has been Motul's focus since the 1950s. Over the years, we have forged strong technical agreements with some of the world's most quality-minded Original Equipment Manufacturers like Nissan Nismo, Toyota etc. There is a perception that Motul is exclusively for motorbikes. Through such associations we want to communicate that we are also meant for cars. With our 100% synthetic racing range for cars, we've been supporting many passionate teams in India. The idea is to create awareness and build brand equity for our passenger car oils. Our dynamic range of passenger car oils is engineered to protect and enhance the performance of your car throughout its lifetime.”

    Bringing motorsport events to Indian masses has not only caught the eye of the motorsports junkies but has also proved to be popular amongst those outside the community, both in terms of following the series as well as interest in understanding the nuances of the thrilling sport. With associations such as the one with Motul, GQDS has further underlined its identity as the symbol of the rise of motorsports in India, making the racing experience a much sought after part of the Indian sports enthusiasts sporting diet.