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Category: iWorld

  • Bengaluru gears up for Comic Con 2025

    Bengaluru gears up for Comic Con 2025

    MUMBAI: Comic Con India is returning to Bengaluru on 20 and 21 December at KTPO, Whitefield, promising a weekend of cosplay, comics, gaming and immersive fan experiences.

    The 13th edition of Bengaluru Comic Con is set to unite cosplayers, gamers, artists and live performers, offering aspiring creators a platform to showcase their work and connect with fans and industry professionals. Highlights include the National Cosplay Championship, exclusive merchandise, interactive fan zones, gaming arenas and sessions with leading comic book creators, anime artists and directors.

    Nodwin Gaming co-founder and md, Akshat Rathee, said, “Bengaluru Comic Con has its own flavour. Only here can you find a coder debugging all week and then showing up on the weekend dressed as Darth Vader. The city’s fandom is restless and inventive. Every edition here feels electric, proof that pop culture runs deep in India’s tech capital.”

    Comic Con India, ceo, Shefali Johnson, added, “Fans here don’t just come to watch, they come to build, share and celebrate together. Bengaluru turns Comic Con into something bigger than the event itself, blending creativity, gaming and cosplay with the city’s culture of innovation.”

    Last year’s edition drew over 50,000 attendees, with more than 5,000 cosplayers. International guests included American comic creators Ron Marz and Jamal Igle, while Indian studios such as Tadam Gyadu, Raj Comics, Indusverse, Sufi Comics and Amar Chitra Katha showcased their work. The event also featured stand-up performances, a 40,000 sq. ft. gaming zone with tournaments and VR experiences, alongside themed attractions like the Superman Zone and Minecraft Movie booths.

    Tickets for Bengaluru Comic Con 2025-26 are now live exclusively on the District app.

  • Oneindia taps Sushant Yattam to spearhead video push

    Oneindia taps Sushant Yattam to spearhead video push

    MUMBAI:  It’s hoping that this appointment will help it go one up on competition. Oneindia, India’s multilingual digital news platform, has named Sushant Yattam as business head for video as it seeks to capitalise on the country’s surging appetite for video content. The appointment signals the platform’s ambitious pivot towards video-first revenue generation and audience expansion.

    Yattam brings 15 years of media and entertainment experience to the role, having held senior positions at Wizcraft, Qyuki Digital Media, Walt Disney India and UTV Indiagames. His brief centres on scaling Oneindia’s video operations and developing creator-led content strategies across the platform’s network.

    “Video represents the future of digital storytelling and revenue growth,” says Oneindia chief business officer Sunder Venkatraman.  “With Sushant’s proven track record in scaling businesses and creator innovations, we’re positioned to lead the market in building an innovative video ecosystem that truly represents Bharat.”

    The platform, which reaches over 280  million users, sees significant scope for video expansion as Indian audiences increasingly shift towards multilingual video formats.  Yattam aims to develop scalable intellectual properties that blend data-driven insights with regional storytelling.|

    “Audiences worldwide are rapidly moving towards video and multilingual formats,” Yattam notes. “Oneindia is uniquely positioned not only to lead this transformation in India but also set benchmarks for digital markets globally.”

    The appointment comes as Indian digital platforms face intensifying competition for video eyeballs and advertising revenue in one of the world’s fastest-growing internet markets.

  • ChuChu TV appoints Cookbook Media to drive North America expansion

    ChuChu TV appoints Cookbook Media to drive North America expansion

    CHENNAI:  Chennai’s own ChuChu TV, the preschool YouTube sensation with a global following, has appointed New York-based Cookbook Media as its exclusive content and consumer-products representative for North America. The deal marks the Indian brand’s most aggressive international push yet, aimed at transforming its digital stardom into a broad entertainment and retail franchise.

    Under the mandate, Cookbook will broker distribution of ChuChu TV’s existing catalogue and forthcoming releases to broadcasters, streamers and AVOD platforms across the United States and Canada. The agency will also steer licensing deals spanning publishing, toys, apparel, live entertainment, gaming and digital products. Experiential activations and retail partnerships are on the slate, with Cookbook showcasing the brand at major markets including Mipcom in October.

    “From humble beginnings, ChuChu TV has grown into one of the most loved and watched preschool brands worldwide,” said founder Vinoth Chandar. “We see tremendous opportunity to connect with children and families in North America through new formats, consumer products and experiences, and we are excited to work with Claudia and Rob to bring these dreams to life.”

    Cookbook co-founder Claudia Scott-Hansen called ChuChu TV “a global success story that has captured the hearts of children and families everywhere”. Her partner Rob Bencal added: “We are in the golden age of fandom. Consumers have so many ways to show their love for favourite brands and characters. This is the perfect moment to expand ChuChu’s reach and make it a true lifestyle brand for preschoolers.”

    Launched in 2013, ChuChu TV began with animated nursery rhymes and simple songs. It now commands more than 180 million subscribers and over 100 billion views across multiple YouTube channels, with its flagship feed regularly ranking among the platform’s top ten worldwide. Its blend of bright animation and catchy tunes has won a loyal audience of children and parents from India to the Americas.

    By tapping Cookbook’s franchise-management expertise, ChuChu TV aims to convert that digital dominance into a 360-degree presence on screens, shelves and stages—turning a once-humble YouTube channel into a North American preschool powerhouse.

  • Micro-dramas set to race to $9.5 b global market as China leads the charge

    Micro-dramas set to race to $9.5 b global market as China leads the charge

    SINGAPORE: Micro-dramas, once a fringe curiosity, are now a juggernaut. China’s revenues rocketed from $0.5 billion in 2021 to $7 billion in 2024 and will overtake the domestic box office this year, according to Media Partners Asia’s latest study, The Micro Drama Economy 2025.

    More than 830 million Chinese viewers are tuning in, nearly 60 per cent paying or transacting. Profitability is no longer theoretical: DramaBox booked $323 million in revenue and a $10 million net profit last year, while ReelShort (Crazy Maple Studio) has scaled fast despite heavy costs.

    Outside China the market hit $1.4 billion in 2024 and is on track for $9.5 billion by 2030. Affluent women aged 30–60 drive demand in the United States, while younger mobile-first audiences dominate Asia.

    Artificial intelligence is accelerating the boom, from content personalisation and rapid creative iteration in China to dubbing and localisation worldwide.

    “There are too many players with limited differentiation and too much churn, but winners are emerging,” said MPA executive director Vivek Couto. “Production is cheap but distribution is costly. Success depends on speed, scale and repeatable IP. China shows what’s possible when content is tied to social and payments rails, while the US proves the global opportunity. Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Latin America are next.”

    The report maps viewership patterns, key demographics and profitability benchmarks, charting how micro-dramas leapt from niche experiment to multi-billion-dollar global category.

  • Karma drops truth bombs in ‘Zi Freestyle’ as 64 Bars returns for season 3

    Karma drops truth bombs in ‘Zi Freestyle’ as 64 Bars returns for season 3

    MUMBAI: Bar none, hip-hop just got real. Def Jam Recordings India and Red bull have teamed up once again to unleash season 3 of Red Bull 64 Bars, the platform that strips rap back to its purest form, 64 lines, no hooks, no fluff, just raw lyricism and storytelling.

    https://open.spotify.com/album/1NZfcJlmwxaOt9z9tTIePU?si=od7C1BNBQhe6eZk9uu0YDg

    The season opens with a bang as rapper Karma joins forces with producer Stunnah Beatz on “Zi Freestyle” a track that sways from smooth, jazz-soaked textures into a hard-hitting beat, mirroring Karma’s verses that blend vulnerability with bravado.

    “Working on Zi Freestyle was an incredible experience,” Karma said. “The format pushes you to focus on the essence of the craft, pure bars and storytelling. Stunnah’s production was the perfect canvas to lay down my truth.”

    Launched globally, Red Bull 64 Bars challenges both rising and established MCs to showcase skill over spectacle. It’s about words, rhythm and authenticity, not chart hooks. Last year’s standout, Vazan by Sambata, became a fan favourite, and season 3 promises to push the envelope further.

    Industry leaders say the format is fuelling India’s hip-hop movement. “Red Bull 64 Bars is one of the most exciting platforms for hip-hop in India,” said UMG India & south Asia, new business & brand partnerships, svp & business head, Preeti Nayyar. “With Def Jam as the perfect home, this collaboration reflects our commitment to championing new voices and celebrating India’s music culture.”

    Adding to that, UMG, head of independent artist collective, Sumedhas Rajgopal, noted: “The format gives artists the freedom to express themselves in the most authentic way. With season 3, we’re bringing fresh performances from rappers and producers who’ll keep pushing boundaries.”

    Zi Freestyle by Karma and Stunnah Beatz is now streaming on all major platforms, setting the tone for a season that proves when it comes to hip-hop, it’s all about the bars.

  • Game of cons Dreamhack x Comic Con 2025 powers up in Hyderabad

    Game of cons Dreamhack x Comic Con 2025 powers up in Hyderabad

    MUMBAI: Grab your capes, consoles and comic books Hyderabad is about to become the nerdiest city in India. Dreamhack India 2025 is teaming up with Hyderabad Comic Con for a three-day pop culture takeover from 31 October to 2 November, promising a mash-up of esports battles, cosplay showdowns, comic book launches and retro gaming nostalgia.

    The festival, celebrating Dreamhack’s sixth anniversary in India, lands at a time when fandom culture is booming. Last year, Comic Con Hyderabad drew over 40,000 fans, and organisers expect to top that number this year as gamers, cosplayers and comic collectors converge for what’s being billed as India’s ultimate geek carnival.

    The line-up is stacked: Pan Fest (BGMI) brings daily lobbies for fans to squad up, KO Fight Night revives arcade rivalries with Tekken 8, Super Smash Bros and Street Fighter VI, while Chess at Dreamhack adds cerebral fireworks with Rapid and Blitz formats. The iconic Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) zone returns, letting fans lug in their PCs, consoles or mobiles (or rent high-performance rigs on-site) to play non-stop across the weekend.

    And it’s not all about pixels and joysticks the Retro & Board Games Zone will tug at nostalgia with Contra, Pac-Man, Tetris and good old-fashioned Carrom and Ludo. Throw in comic launches, cosplay showcases, music gigs and shopping alleys, and the festival promises to be a sensory overload of fandom culture.

    Nodwin Gaming co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee called it “a one-of-a-kind celebration where gaming meets pop culture,” while Comic Con India CEO Shefali Johnson said the partnership takes Hyderabad Comic Con’s magic “to the next level.”

    With tickets now live on District App and official websites, Hyderabad is gearing up for three days of caffeine, costumes and controllers proving once again that when it comes to fandom, the more, the merrier.

  • Delhi HC blocks 35 websites for pirating JioStar’s films and TV shows

    Delhi HC blocks 35 websites for pirating JioStar’s films and TV shows

    MUMBAI: Streaming pirates just hit a legal firewall. The Delhi High Court has barred 35 rogue websites from illegally streaming films, TV shows and web series owned by JioStar India Pvt. Ltd., handing the broadcaster a decisive win in its fight against online piracy.

    The order, delivered by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, came in response to JioStar’s plea alleging widespread copyright infringement of its premium content. Among the pirated titles were blockbusters like 12th Fail, Drishyam 2, Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, alongside hit shows such as Anupamaa, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Bigg Boss, and Legends of Hanuman.

    Citing provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957, the Court ruled that the defendants were prima facie infringing JioStar’s exclusive rights under Section 14(d). It granted an ex parte ad-interim injunction, noting that the “balance of convenience” favoured the plaintiff and unchecked piracy risked causing “irreparable harm.”

    The banned sites include familiar piracy hubs such as serialmaza.my, 5movierulz.cash, vegamovies-nl.quest, tamildhool.net, sungohd.com, biggbossott3.com and hdhub4u.fail.

    The Court went further, granting JioStar a dynamic injunction, a powerful tool that allows the company to block not only the current domains but also mirror sites, alphanumeric variants, and redirect links that pop up to dodge takedowns. The Registrar has been empowered to swiftly add such sites once evidence is presented.

    Key directions include:

    ●    Domain registrars to suspend and deactivate domains, while sharing registrant details such as IP addresses, payment records, and contact info within four weeks.

    ●    ISPs to block access to the listed websites within 48 hours.

    ●    DoT and Meity to ensure ISP compliance via official communications.

    The order leaned on precedent set in the UTV Software Communication Ltd. v. 1337x.to (2019) case, where rogue website criteria from brazen infringement to silence on takedown notices were codified.

    The ruling comes as JioHotstar, one of India’s largest OTT platforms with 100,000 plus hours of programming, faces relentless piracy threats. Industry watchers say piracy not only drains revenues but discourages investment in original content, making such judicial backing critical.

    Summons have been issued to the defendants, who must file written statements within 30 days. Replications, if any, follow in another 30 days. The matter returns to court for pleadings on September 18, 2025, and for further hearing on January 20, 2026.

    For now, at least, the pirates have been benched but the game of digital whack-a-mole is far from over.

  • Calling the shots TCS and Vodafone Idea dial up AI for customer delight

    Calling the shots TCS and Vodafone Idea dial up AI for customer delight

    MUMBAI: Hello, future calling! Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has struck a five year deal with Vodafone Idea (Vi) to rewire the telecom giant’s business support system (BSS) with an AI driven digital backbone designed for speed, smarts and seamless service.

    At the heart of this transformation are TCS’ flagship platforms Hobs and Twinx. While HOBS will serve as the agile, stable and integrated foundation for Vi’s customer touchpoints, TwinX will inject intelligence with AI/ML driven analytics and scenario simulations. Together, the duo aims to fast track product launches, personalise interactions and deliver resilient performance in an industry where milliseconds matter.

    For Vi, the stakes are high. The new platform promises to help the operator launch new products faster, adapt to evolving customer needs, and elevate service responsiveness. “With this partnership Vi is embarking on a transformative journey to redefine customer experience,” said Vodafone Idea Limited CTO Jagbir Singh adding that AI infused BSS will set a “new standard” in digital experiences.

    The partnership builds on a 15 year relationship between TCS and Vi, anchored in TCS’ 25 plus years of expertise in the communications, media and information services sector. Operating out of 105 delivery centres, TCS supports over one billion telecom subscribers across 45 countries, a scale that few IT majors can match.

    “By leveraging our advanced AI capabilities and flagship products, we are committed to transform customer engagement and operational efficiency for Vodafone Idea,” said TCS president & country head for India Business Ujjwal Mathur.

    Beyond customer delight, TCS has positioned the programme as part of its larger “Made in India, for India and ready for the world” vision, with sustainability, sovereignty and security woven in.

    As India’s telecom sector braces for the next digital leap, this tie up underscores how technology heavyweights and telcos are dialling up AI not just to connect millions, but to reimagine what a call, a click or a customer interaction should feel like.

  • Aaj Tak reels in half of Insta news buzz with 110 million actions

    Aaj Tak reels in half of Insta news buzz with 110 million actions

    MUMBAI: When it comes to news on the ’gram, Aaj Tak isn’t just scrolling, it’s ruling. The Hindi news giant has clinched a staggering 51 per cent share of Instagram actions in August 2025, according to the latest Comscore Social report, making it the undisputed champion of digital engagement.

    The numbers tell the story. Aaj Tak racked up an eye-popping 110 million total actions on Instagram, dwarfing its nearest competitor News24, which managed 26.3 million (12.3 per cent share). The gulf only widens from there: ABP News clocked 21.5 million (10 per cent), The Lallantop 13.6 million (6.3 per cent), and NDTV India 12.4 million (5.8 per cent). The rest, from Zee News to Republic Bharat, trailed in single digits.

    What’s driving this dominance? Aaj Tak’s digital-first playbook: snappy Reels, interactive storytelling, and a sharp grasp of Gen Z and millennial habits. The strategy doesn’t just deliver eyeballs; it’s delivering engagement that outstrips the combined total of all its rivals put together.

    For brands, the implications are hard to miss. With half the Hindi news universe’s Instagram buzz flowing through its account, Aaj Tak offers a reach and resonance that no competitor can match.

    The Comscore recognition cements what viewers and advertisers already know: Aaj Tak has successfully married editorial credibility with social-native flair. In an age where attention spans are measured in seconds, the channel has mastered the art of turning the scroll into a stop and then into a share.

  • India streams ahead with 601 million OTT users in Ormax 2025 report

    India streams ahead with 601 million OTT users in Ormax 2025 report

    MUMBAI: When it comes to streaming, India is no longer buffering, it’s booming. Ormax Media has unveiled the fifth edition of The Ormax OTT Audience Report: 2025, pegging the country’s OTT universe at a staggering 601.2 million viewers (60.12 crore), or 41.1 per cent of India’s population.

    The report, based on a robust survey of 15,600 respondents across urban and rural India in June and July 2025, defines an OTT audience as anyone who has watched at least one online video free or paid in the past month. While the audience base grew by 10 per cent year-on-year, the rate is slightly slower than the 13–14 per cent surge in 2023 and 2024.

    Paid subscriptions are also gaining ground, with 148.2 million active subscriptions (including telecom bundles and aggregator deals) recorded in the report. Meanwhile, the most dramatic growth has come from the living room: India’s Connected TV user base now stands at 129.2 million, translating to 35–40 million homes, marking a jaw-dropping 87 per cent jump in just a year.

    Ormax Media Founder & CEO Shailesh Kapoor said the Connected TV surge was a turning point: “India has long been regarded as mobile-first, but this sharp rise in CTV usage signals a paradigm shift in viewing behaviour.”

    Since its launch in 2021, the Ormax OTT Audience Report has become the industry’s go-to yardstick. This year’s edition goes further, adding fresh parameters on time spent, preferred languages, content formats, and media habits. Ormax head of business development (streaming, Tv & brands) Keerat Grewal said these updates were driven by industry feedback: “The 2025 edition widens the scope, complementing business and monetisation insights with a richer picture of content consumption.”

    The full report, available on subscription, is aimed at streaming platforms, advertisers, media agencies, investors, and production houses, offering a data-backed lens on the ever-expanding OTT ecosystem.