ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • TIL launches BrainBaazi, a live gaming and entertainment show on mobile

    TIL launches BrainBaazi, a live gaming and entertainment show on mobile

    Times Internet, India’s largest digital products company, announced the launch of its interactive live gaming and entertainment show – ‘BrainBaazi’. The show follows on the heels of Times Internet’s digital strategy and reimagines live video entertainment. Audience participation is facilitated through a downloadable app, currently made available on the Play Store for android devices.

    “At Times Internet, we think digital-first, and we wanted to reimagine what mobile video entertainment could be. And, so we built BrainBaazi, a completely new format for video entertainment. It’s a live trivia show, with real participation from the people who watch it. It’s engaging, exciting, and the thrill isn’t just watching someone else, but actually being in the show, as someone with a chance to truly win.

    We’ve built BrainBaazi to scale, using the latest and strongest technologies. We have carefully put together a stack of codecs along with proprietary handling of cues and quiz payloads to ensure realtime delivery of video and questions to millions of users with high diversity in devices and bandwidth. 

    Today, we’re excited to bring this to a wider audience. Our hope is to see this become the first true primetime show for millenials, with a reach that is competitive with television, and the engagement of an immersive digital product.

    BrainBaazi is built for India with a deep understanding of the nuances of its consumers and the infrastructure. It’s a major technical challenge to be able to have a real-time, responsive, live show at that scale, everyday, and we’re excited to put our platforms to the test”- said Gautam Sinha, CEO, TIL.

  • ‘Lightness of being’, a coffee table book to be launched on Jagjit Singh’s 77th birthday paying him an unforgettable tribute

    ‘Lightness of being’, a coffee table book to be launched on Jagjit Singh’s 77th birthday paying him an unforgettable tribute

    8th February will mark 77th birth anniversary of the man who made Ghazals synonyms with romance in India. On this special occasion, a seven cities musical concert has been planned to pay tribute to the Maestro starting with Mumbai on 8th.

    A special pack of a beautiful coffee table book, a DVD of never seen before footage from his Paris concert and a documentary called Kaagaz Ki Kashti based on Jagjit Singh’s life, made by Brahmanand Singh will be launched that day for the fans of Jagjit Singh.

    The documentary also  has people like Gulzar Sahab, Subhash Ghai and Jagjit Singh’s wife chitra sharing anecdotes about the maestro’s life.

    “While Jagjit was a man of depth and gravitas, he never took himself seriously. This is a small effort to pay a humble tribute to him. The book celebrates his life, music, success, failure, the pain and personal tragedies in all its glory, told through photographs and unheard of anecdotes .”Said Bharmanand Singh who is behind this effort to organize the 7 cities musical concert. 

    The evening is  aimed to recreate and reinterpret the maestro’s immortal, soulful and rare ghazals celebrating and bringing out the very essence of the magic created by Jagjit Singh.

  • Creative genius & YouTube star Rob to launch his 2nd YouTube channel – “Rob In the Hood”

    Creative genius & YouTube star Rob to launch his 2nd YouTube channel – “Rob In the Hood”

    After having been on TV for over a decade hosting and directing Art & Craft shows, YouTube star Rob is all set to launch his 2nd YouTube channel called Rob in the Hood!

    From inspiring others for many years, Rob will now talk about what inspires him – i.e. His LIFE, His STYLE, His MENTORS, His FRIENDS & FAMILY, His FAVORITE GADGETS / NEW GADGETS, His TRAVELS & ADVENTURES, His PEERS & FELLOW YOUTUBERS (#HisHomies)

    Says an enthused Rob, “Rob in the Hood is all about my space and my life . A get to know me beyond my art kinda channel. I will document my life as it happens, all my fun moments, my gadgets or even me just goofying around. Having studied film-making, Vlogging is definitely something I am going to enjoy doing.  As an artist I have always loved telling stories and this will be a fun platform for me to tell stories about my life in my style. My fans have been my greatest support and this has encouraged me to launch this new channel in collaboration with Sony Music. Hope you guys enjoy and get inspired with Rob in the Hood featuring #mylifemystyle as much as you did on my DIY art channel Mad Stuff with Rob”

    Adds on Sony Music India, Heads Kids Division, Anjana Devraj, “Over the years Rob’s fan base has been growing exponentially. It’s not just the kids anymore, as his fan base now also includes teens and millennials who have grown up watching him and have been influenced by him in some way or the other. This is a channel to get to know the ARTIST beyond his ART. A lot of people want to know Rob for who he is and what inspires him. This channel is for them! So apart from managing his ART and DIY channel on YOUTUBE (@madstuffwithrob) we decided that in partnership with Rob we launch another YouTube channel dedicated to the youth with content that not just appeals to them but also inspires them. The channel is LIVE now and we are confident that it will be as successful as Mad Stuff with Rob.”

    Rob’s successfully launched art and craft channel MAD STUFF WITH ROB on YouTube has got him a loyal following of ardent DIY fans. Fans who have grown up watching him, fans from international markets and art lovers globally!

  • Amazon Prime Video announces a new original series, Skulls and Roses

    Amazon Prime Video announces a new original series, Skulls and Roses

    Amazon Prime Video announces an all-new unscripted Amazon Prime Original series, Skulls and Roses, in collaboration with Monozygotic. Skulls and Roses, in a unique first-of-its-kind reality show format, combines 2 key youth hot-buttons: Romance & Adventure.   The show blurs the lines between romance and adventure reality shows to take contestants through a truly audacious and daring journey.

    Participants are invited to form couples and bonds of love on ‘Rose Island’, which are then tested for their authenticity and fortitude on ‘Skull Island’. The test is to find out which is stronger – the instinct to love or the instinct for self-preservation. The show is an ultimate test of choice – between love, trust, survival and betrayal and it forces participants choose between ‘WE’, and ‘ME’. Skulls and Roses will be hosted by television’s dynamic duo Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman, the faces behind several renowned reality shows.  Entries to participate in the exciting reality series are now open. Those interested in the bonds of romance and the thrill of adventure are invited to apply on https://www.facebook.com/skullsandrosescasting.

    “After announcing our foray into reality shows with comedy and music, we’ve seen great enthusiasm from Prime members,”  Amazon Prime Video India, Director, Content, Vijay Subramaniam said, “We’re excited to add even more variety to our offering and in collaboration with Monozygotic, bring a new bold concept to the unscripted content space that will continue to reinvent the way customers consume content in India.”

    Speaking about the show, Monozygotic, Raghu Ram said, “In today’s age of dating apps, young couples are finding it increasingly difficult to deal with the problems of a committed relationship. Consequently, more & more youngsters are making ‘stress-free’ life-choices of self-love & self-growth.  This generation is increasingly facing a dilemma of ‘we vs me’. Skulls and Roses magnifies both aspects of this dilemma as well as the consequences of their choices. What will you choose if ‘Love’ is the best chance to stay in paradise, but ’Survival’ can only happen alone?  I think that is an intriguing concept for us to delve into.”

    Speaking about the collaboration, Monozygotic, Rajiv Lakshman said, “It’s a first-of-its-kind format where the best of two opposite worlds come together on a reality show. With this venture we bring the excitement of reality shows, on-demand, to a personal screen at your home, college or commute. The concept is very intriguing and bold and we are thrilled to be able to breathe life into this project in collaboration with Amazon Prime Video.”

    Anyone above the age of 18 can apply for this show.  All you need to be is tough, adventurous, with the gumption to survive on this show.

    Amazon Prime Video has the largest selection of latest and exclusive movies and TV shows, stand-up comedy, ad-free across Indian and Hollywood movies, US TV shows, top/popular Indian and international kids’ shows, award winning Amazon Original shows along with content from top Bollywood, regional, Indian and international studios – all available in one location/service.

    To watch these and other new release Hollywood and Bollywood movies, US TV shows, kids’ programming and Amazon Originals, please visit www.PrimeVideo.com or download the Amazon Prime Video app today and sign-up for a Prime membership.

  • The Screen Patti ties up with BigRock to release it’s new web show – Zeroes

    The Screen Patti ties up with BigRock to release it’s new web show – Zeroes

    When we say 4 people trying to do a start up the first thing that pops up in the mind is Pitchers. Well that’s what motivated our SINGLES’ (an established TSP property) to step out in the sun and begin with their own startup. Badri, Shivankit and Abhinav, later joined by Jassi, are on their own in the startup world now and the reality is a lot different, wacky and overwhelming than they expected. Watch the trailer here.

    TSP released the first episode of the 3 episode series and it has already crossed 1mn views in 3 days. Episode 2 releases on 9th Feb on TSP’s Youtube Channel.

    Parikshit Joshi, Writer – Zeroes, says: As a writer I loved creating characters who are a little delusional about themselves, just like me. The fun thing about these characters is that they can do pretty much anything without knowing whether it’s right or not. And this time, these four delusional characters were thrown in the world of start-up. 

    Talha Siddiqui, Writer – Zeroes, says: For me, Zeroes is about the story of characters who create an impression of having ‘No Value’. You would never want them in your team. But if these Zeroes are placed properly, the more zeroes you have on your side, the bigger you are.

    Shreyansh Pandey, AVP – Content Strategy says: After recently crossing 1 MN subscribers on the channel, we are coming up with our second web show ZEROES which revolves around 4 average guys trying to start-up. TSP is known for it youthful humor and that’s what we’re trying to do with this show as well. That’s why, we are trying to experiment with these characters who we describe as sometimes hungry, always foolish.

    At BigRock, we are always looking at ways to simplify the process of getting businesses online. With internet penetration in India reaching over 450 million users, the need to get online is now more important than ever before. In the past year, India has seen an influx of over 1000 tech startups alone. A major part in the journey of building a brand begins with finding the right domain name”, says Shashank Mehrotra, Managing Director, APAC at Endurance International Group (EIG).

    “Through our partnership with Neustar and TVF, we aim to reach out to young Indian aspirants who may have groundbreaking ideas which can be turned into successful businesses, but very often do not know where to start. We believe we can help them kick-start their journey by offering them a .co domain name which is not only widely available, but also demonstrates credibility when networking with investors and customers.”

  • Zee Mundo aims to quench thirst for Bollywood in Hispanic areas

    Zee Mundo aims to quench thirst for Bollywood in Hispanic areas

    MUMBAI: The Hispanic population has always been associated with entertainment and merrymaking. Much of the Spanish-speaking areas are also big television addicts. Given that Spanish is the second most widely spoken languages of the world, there is also a bustling TV market that caters to the vast Spanish regions.

    That doesn’t deter them from experimenting with newer content. Hispanics have also been bitten by the Bollywood bug due to its affinity for fun and frolic in several of its movies. Catering to this demand is Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) channel Zee Mundo. Launched in September 2016 for the Hispanic market in the US and then for the Latin American market in 2017, it is the first pay-TV channel that shows Bollywood entirely dubbed in Spanish with over 200 movies on display and two series.

    It recently underwent a revamp of its website to include a video-on-demand (VOD) catalogue.

    Hispanics are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the US and are the country’s youngest demographic, with a median age nearly a decade younger than the population at large. There are 11 million Hispanic pay subscribers in the US.

    The popularity of the platform is covering 12 countries. ZEEL content business evangelist & president strategy – international business Rajeev Kheror says, “Zee Mundo has 3 million subscribers in the Americas including Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Peru, Chile and US Hispanic. It will be launching in Argentina soon. The Facebook fan following is more than 400k with a total reach of 7MM. Furthermore, the launch of its website carrying exclusive content has doubled its page views three months after it launched.”

    Adding to this, ZEEL head of business, US Hispanic & Latin America Javier Lopez Casella says, “The website zeemundo.com is the first to exhibit movies in streaming. We have 3MM subs in 12 countries, launching soon in Colombia, Chile and Argentina. Within 3 months of the launch, we have 300k page viewers.”

    ZEE Mundo has access to the entire library of Zee movies and series and plans to premiere two top recent Bollywood movie hits per month exclusively dubbed in Spanish and in HD. To add on, Kheror says that it has launched a new property named Zee Mundo Specials including breathtaking Bollywood show business, red carpet, facts of celebrity life, award events and concerts.

    “Zee Mundo has 100 per cent of rights for all digital platforms: catch up, VOD, OTT and TV everywhere. It is unique in the market, second window of Bollywood and has content that has never seen in Spanish in Pay,” added Casella.

    Both romance and action movies are the most watched as well as the internationally awarded epic stories like Jodha Akbar. However, the most interesting fact is that Spaniards are in love with Shah Rukh Khan. “Shah Rukh Khan leads the list of talent favoured by all Spanish-speaking Americas followed by top talents such as Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone, Ashkay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor,” shares Kheror.

    The expansion for Mundo in the Americas consists of spreading awareness among the consumers to know about the latest of Bollywood content and celebrities through local media in key markets, movie bloggers and influencers. Kheror adds that they will be generating engagement involving the consumer (Bollywood dance contest, become a Bollywood movie critic), educating the consumer of similarities between the Bollywood culture and Latin Americas through ZEEMILITUDES (Zeemilarities in English) campaign, by launching ‘positive acceptance campaign’ of the Spanish word Si (yes) = Zee, by promoting and showcasing celebrity and off-air content via zeemundo.com, partnering with local sites to generate brand and channel awareness and by participating in Bollywood-driven (for example dance and movie showings) and Indian influenced (Holi, the festival of colors) programmes.”

    In the content bouquet of Zee Mundo, movies and shows of different genres like romance, drama, action, comedy, suspense, thriller and more are available. Surprisingly, Zee Mundo has a classic collection of both old and new Bollywood movies including Badlapur, NH10, Don, Shamitabh, Chennai Express, Laksh, Khoobsurat, Naach, Main Prem ki Deewani Hoon, Vivah, Mausam and many more.

    Last year, a notable exception was the Spanish-language Netflix series Narcos that went raging through the world. Many critics and fans appear to have embraced the Spanish stars speaking in their own language instead of English.

    Also Read:

    Regional OTT content more than just catch-up TV    

    2017: The year OTTs went regional in India

    Zeel numbers up on higher ad revenue in third quarter

  • SonyLIV celebrates 5 glorious years

    SonyLIV celebrates 5 glorious years

    MUMBAI: SonyLIV, launched in January 2013, completes 5 years this month. The launch of SonyLIV set the tone for the OTT industry in India. Over the last 5 years, SonyLIV has grown with the digital ecosystem and garnered key insights on the rise of video content, engaging mobile experience, power of choice to the consumer, transformation in payment mechanisms, data science and machine learning to better understand consumer behaviour better. As a brand, it has also paved the path for other national and international players to enter this category in India.

    Aligned to its vision of transforming the video-on-demand space with edgy, relatable, and top-notch content, SonyLIV has many first to its credit. Through the journey of 5 years, SonyLIV has not only introduced new content formats like original web-series, including those in regional languages but also established a presence in top Indian metros.

    Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) EVP and head-digital business Uday Sodhi said, “We take immense pride in the fact that we introduced OTT to India. Over the 5 years, we have learned, grown and been a vital part in building the digital ecosystem in our country. Post the launch of SonyLIV, we have seen a number of home-grown players enter the field along with some international heavyweights. The presence of all these players has further helped increase awareness about OTT as a platform among Indians and created a competitive environment that is beneficial to the industry as a whole. On our 5th anniversary, we would like to thank our viewers, advertisers and partners for being part of this remarkable journey and take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment towards providing great content and a supreme digital viewing experience. We LIV to Entertain and we will continue to entertain.”

    SonyLIV also went beyond the ordinary entertainment and became the first OTT player to have over 4000 hours of food content and over 3000+ live matches and 4000+ hours of football action among other content. The brand has some of the best cricket properties and presently are the exclusive internet and mobile broadcaster for the India Tour of South Africa. SonyLIV has also enriched viewer experience by launching many contextual short films that not only entertain but also mirror trends in society.

    SonyLIV is home to the widest range of sporting properties including cricket, football, tennis, WWE, UFC, basketball and much more.

    The future for SonyLIV is towards more regional content acquisition and curation to cater to the rural audiences, which is where the next wave of consumption is estimated. SonyLIV is also building an app environment for lower bandwidth consumption. SonyLIV is taking strict measure and working closely with all partners to ensure no ad frauds happen while also ensuring brand safety.

    Also Read:

    Uday Sodhi bets long on short films on SonyLiv

    LoveBytes 2: SonyLiv’s Sodhi says prime focus is youth issues; international Aus matches after Diwali

    SonyLiv partners Pocket Aces, brings Filter Copy & Gobble originals

    Regional OTT content more than just catch-up TV    

  • Official Chukyagiri, returns with Season 2 as Official CEOgiri

    Official Chukyagiri, returns with Season 2 as Official CEOgiri

     MUMBAI: After a fantastic debut, Arré’s hit web series, Official Chukyagiri returns with Season 2. This time, however, the tables have turned, and the plot revolves around the elusive CEO of the office, essayed by India’s leading digital star, Sumeet Vyas.

    The heartwarming dramedy, setin the corporate world, first launched in September 2016to universal acclaim. It brought to lifea typical office environment, populated by a motley crew of identifiable characters: the wide-eyed intern, the bullying boss, the cocky IT head, the witty yet endearing Janitor Chacha, and the crazy, complex CEO, who, in the first season,existed only as a tough-talking drone.

    This world was presented through the perspective of Spandan Chukya, a hopeful intern from a small town, who has cometo Mumbai like lakhs of similar aspirants hoping to make it in the city of dreams… only to realisethat “Yahaan Jagah Milti Nahin, Banani Padti Hai”.Season 2, however,pivots to anotherperspective; that of the CEO, a.k.a, D, a.k.a, the drone and his worldview of corporate life.

    Sumeet Vyas, India’s leading digital star, who was revealed as the CEO in the drone, will take centrestage as the star of Season 2. Joining him will be the original hit cast of Season 1 – Aahana Kumra, Gopal Dutt, Sunny Kaushal, and Anand Tiwari – who will have pivotal roles to play, alongside new characters played by Eisha Chopra and Pranay Manchanda.

    This season is presented by Digene,a leading over-the-counter antacid,in association with Dabur Red Gel Toothpaste and Bankbazaar.com, theworld’s first neutral online marketplace for instant customised rate quotes on loans and credit cards. Digene, known for its cooling action and presence in various unique Indian and International flavors and multiple formats (gel, tablet, powder and pudina pearls) is a natural fit to a show centered around the lives of corporate professionals. As a dependable solution to acidity, gas, indigestion and other modern ailments that stem from our lifestyles, eating habits, late working hours, it is integral to the lives of hardworking professionals. The central promise of the brand is organically woven with the setting and script of the series.

    Season 1was conferred an Official Honoree at the 21st Annual Webby Awards and is one of the most watchedand loved web series in the country.Viewers have engaged with it on Arré and Arré’s multiple channels on YouTube, Facebook, JioTV, Yupp TV, Jio Cinema, SonyLIV, Ola Play, Vodafone Play etc. This new season will also be available across all these platforms, in line with Arré’s unique platform-agnostic model for original content.

    Sumeet Vyas said, “I am looking forward to playing a bigger role in the second season of Official ChukyagiriCEOgirifor Arré. I am particularly excited about playing a character like D – someone who is deeply flawed and emotionally complex but also charming and suave. I look forward to the challenge ahead and can’t wait to see how it all turns out.”

    Jaideep Singh, Director, Arré,said,“This is a franchise that we plan to spin into multiple seasons, and you will soon see iterations in regional languages as well. For Season 2 of this well-loved series, we’re delighted to partner with Digene, an iconic brand. It is a perfect fit, considering the show is set in a corporate environment, and forms part and parcel of the characters’lifestyles. With support from our sponsors, ensemble cast, and creative collaborators, we are confident that this season will break new ground and help expand the fast-growing audience base of Arré.”

    The show is produced for Arré by Amritpal Singh Bindra and Anand Tiwari of Still and Still Moving Pictures who also produced Season 1. Amritpal Singh Bindra said, “After the roaring success of Season 1, we are very excited to continue our working relationship with Arré and take the show a notch higher. This time, the focus has been to create a plot-driven story with the addition of dynamic characters. With double the drama and double the fun, we hope that the audiencetoo will show us double the love.”

    This latest original series comes on the back of several successful and award-winning hits from Arré over the last 18 months.These include A.I.SHA My Virtual Girlfriend, The Real High, I Don’t Watch TV, Arré Ho Ja Re-Gender, and Fitoor Mishra Ki CommentArré. While Season 1of A.I.SHA has won 14 awards across prestigious web festivals such as LA Web Festival, South Florida Web Festival, Asia Web Awards, CMO Asia Branding Excellence Awards, and the Washington Roman Pictures Network.TV, Official Chukyagiriwas a Webby Honoree. and Season 2 of A.I.SHA has just won again at the South Florida Web Festival.

  • Amazon Prime Music to add Tips Music to its ever-expanding ad-free selection

    Amazon Prime Music to add Tips Music to its ever-expanding ad-free selection

    Amazon today announced the launch of Tips Music, adding more than 25,000 chart-topping tracks to a vast catalog of millions of Indian and international songs on Amazon Prime Music. Soon to be launched as a Prime benefit at no additional cost, Amazon Prime Music will also include the latest releases from Tips Music on its ad-free streaming service.

    “With the addition of Tips Music’s catalogue of 25,000 hit songs to our selection of music, Amazon Prime Music customers in India will soon be able to enjoy the super hit 90s Bollywood melodies, taking them down memory lane. Customers will also have an easy discovery of one of the largest collection of Indian devotional music across songs by deities, playlists for the morning prayers or just enjoy uninterrupted chants stations to get through the day, all ad-free on the Amazon Prime Music app” said Sahas Malhotra, Director, Amazon Music, India.

    “Tips Music is one of India’s leading music labels and has a catalog that has some of the biggest hits from the 90s’ up to today. A catalog that boasts of super hits like Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, Race, Ramaiya Vastavaiya, Kismat Konnection, Barsaat, Taal, Mann, Pardes, Raaz, Raja Hindustani and more. Tips Music has a catalog that covers an era where melodies ruled the Indian music industry. The label has a host of releases lined up and will be available on Amazon Prime Music,” said Kumar Taurani, MD, Tips Music.

    Amazon Prime already offers unlimited free One-day and Two-day delivery for over 11 million products online to over 100 cities, 30 minutes early access for members on top deals and more benefits for an unparalleled shopping experience and instant access to latest movies and TV shows. Customers who are not already Prime members can learn more about the program at www.amazon.in/prime

  • VIVO IPL 2018 player auction clocks 5X viewership

    VIVO IPL 2018 player auction clocks 5X viewership

    As VIVO IPL 2018 fever gathers momentum, the player auction for the season witnessed record viewership numbers on Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform.  The highly anticipated event – a potent mix of famous team owners, and bids for the world’s best loved cricketers – registered record numbers on the platform with a 5X increase in viewership compared to the previous season.

    While IPL has grown each year since its inception, 2018 promises to be an inflection point in its history as Hotstar and Star Sports reimagine it into a 6-month extravaganza, with technology at the heart of the experience.

    With the intent to be the singular destination for all things IPL, Hotstar also today announced plans to roll out the fastest cricket scorecard in the country – with load time under 0.5 seconds. The new scorecard unit will be available to all Hotstar users when they open the app.

    The seemingly simple feature packs in complex coding under the hood to provide the live score, with zero lag, to over 250 million varied devices across the country. With the fastest load time compared to any other cricket score feed, the feature is designed to minimize friction for the user, completely eliminating the need to search for the score anywhere else. The feature will be rolled out with the first Vivo IPL match on 6 April 2018.