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Category: iWorld

  • Techno Gamerz leads Delhi AI Legends to victory at #PlayGalaxy Cup

    Techno Gamerz leads Delhi AI Legends to victory at #PlayGalaxy Cup

    MUMBAI: The stage was set for one of the most anticipated creator-led esports tournaments of the year with the #PlayGalaxy Cup Z Fold Edition, a high-octane Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) tournament that brought together 48 top gamers of the country.

    A total of four intense matches were played, and after a thrilling showdown, Team Delhi AI Legends, led by Techno Gamerz, emerged victorious to claim the championship trophy with a whooping cash prize of Rs 2,40,000.

    Hosted by Samsung, the tournament featured 12 powerhouse teams, each led by a Hero Gamer including top stars like Techno Gamerz, Mythpat, Desi Gamers, SlayyPoint, and GamerFleet. With 4 players per team, they battled it out in high-stakes BGMI matches packed with strategy, synergy, and skill.

    Sharing his excitement, Samsung India VP, head of product marketing, Aditya Babbar said, “We wanted to create a platform where India’s top gamers could showcase their skills while celebrating innovation in mobile gaming. This tournament reflected the spirit and thriving community of esports gaming.” He further added, “Here creators and players alike get a new dimension of immersion, multitasking, and more control, transforming every match into a cinematic, high-performance experience”.

    With over five million+ engagement across platforms and 100M+ reach, the #PlayGalaxy Cup Z Fold Edition was one of the largest creator-driven esports showcases in India. From high-stakes zone battles to surprise clutch wins, the BGMI tournament delivered moments that will be remembered for seasons to come.

    Managed by Opraahfx, Ujjwal Chaurasia aka Techno Gamerz, is India’s biggest individual gaming YouTuber with a massive 46.7 million subscribers. After leading his team to victory, he shared his excitement saying, “This was more than just a tournament. It felt like a celebration of the gaming community we’ve all helped build over the years. Leading a team and competing alongside such incredible gamers, was next level.”

    As per the 2025 India Mobile Gaming Insights Report by Sensor Tower, India saw 8.45 billion mobile game downloads in FY 2024-25, making it one of world’s largest mobile gaming markets. While the gaming scene has been growing steadily, India has now firmly made its mark on the global gaming stage and events like these are pumping excitement and support to the rising gaming ecosystem.

    The tournament showcased the perfect teaming of how technology and gaming go hand in hand to support the Indian gaming space. Innovative technology breaking limits and offering high octane gaming performance.

    From creators with massive YouTube followings to celebrated BGMI esports pros, the roster represented the true stars of India’s gaming universe.

  • Balaji Telefilms goes big on movies and OTT, trims TV bets

    Balaji Telefilms goes big on movies and OTT, trims TV bets

    MUMBAI:  Balaji Telefilms is flipping its script. In a year marked by a strategic overhaul, the Ekta Kapoor-backed entertainment house has declared a decisive pivot from television towards high-growth verticals: movies, digital streaming, and branded content.

    Addressing analysts on its FY25 earnings call, group chief executive and CFO Sanjay Dwivedi outlined a transformation roadmap: “Movies will be our growth engine, digital will scale next, and television—once our mainstay—will become the third line of business.”

    The studio reported consolidated revenue of Rs 453 crore in FY25, down from Rs 625 crore the previous year. Yet net profit surged to Rs 84.6 crore from Rs 19.4 crore, largely due to a rights-heavy strategy in film and digital. The PAT margin stood at 18.7 per cent, and the company ended the year with Rs 172 crore in cash and mutual funds.

    Balaji’s OTT platform ALT Balaji saw a turnaround. Once burning Rs 120–145 crore a year, its cash burn has now dropped to just Rs 35 lakh a month. The platform added 3.29 lakh subscriptions in Q4 FY25, with total active subscribers crossing the 2 million mark.

    The company is also phasing out its pure SVOD model in favour of a hybrid SVOD–AVOD play, supported by a short-form vertical content app called Kutting. YouTube strategy and advertiser-funded content (AFP) are set to bolster revenue.

    Crucially, Balaji sealed a long-term content partnership with Netflix, spanning original films, binge series, telenovelas, and reality formats over 3 to 7 years. “This is not a one-off deal—it’s a foundational alliance for the future,” said Dwivedi.

    Balaji is betting on movies to power future growth. It has de-risked the vertical by recouping up to 90 per cent of production costs via pre-sales and co-production deals. In FY25, films contributed 30 per cent to revenue.
    Its upcoming slate includes Vrushabha (starring Mohanlal), the Priyadarshan-directed Bhoot Bangla with Akshay Kumar, and Vvan, a collaboration with TVF featuring Sidharth Malhotra.

    The studio targets 6 theatrical releases per year and is building on a franchise playbook with sequels like Dream Girl, LSD, and Shootout.
    TV content production touched 133 hours in Q4, with four shows on air. However, broadcaster yields remain 25 per cent below pre-Covid levels, and Balaji is cautious about further TV expansion.

    “TV is a volume game now. Rates aren’t recovering. We’ll stick to 6–8 shows a year, with a cap around Rs 350 crore,” said Dwivedi.

    New shows include Bade Achhe Lagte Hain – Phir Se and a reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
    The company is also experimenting with AI-led production, launching a series titled Kalnagri on its platform. Regional expansion is on the cards, starting with Tamil and Telugu.

    On YouTube, Balaji hit 1 million subscribers in a month, banking on a mix of new shows and IP-retained repurposed content—especially as Indian viewers seek alternatives to banned Pakistani serials.

    Balaji has a Rs 300 crore B2B order book from leading OTT platforms. It expects digital to contribute 20–25 per cent of revenue in two years. The company is not planning a spin-off of the digital business for now, but hints at unlocking value once scale justifies it.

    “We are storytellers, not just platform owners,” Dwivedi said. “Our job is to find the next big content wave—whatever the screen.”

  • Samar Khan takes on additional role as chief content officer for DocuBay and EpicOn

    Samar Khan takes on additional role as chief content officer for DocuBay and EpicOn

    MUMBAI: Veteran filmmaker and journalist Samar Khan has been appointed chief content officer for IN10 Media Network’s DocuBay and EpicOn, effective July 2025. This new responsibility comes in addition to his current role as chief executive officer of Juggernaut Productions, also a part of IN10 Media.
    With over 25 years of experience in content creation, writing, directing, and producing for television and films, Khan is set to spearhead the content strategy for the two specialized platforms.

    As CEO of Juggernaut Productions since April 2019, Khan has been instrumental in developing a robust concept bank. His extensive background includes pioneering entertainment journalism with India’s first 20-minute entertainment news program, “Bollywood News,” heading the TV division at Red Chillies Entertainment, and leading the OTT platform for Sahara Group. He is also the author of “SRK – 25 Years of a Life” and has creatively produced numerous acclaimed shows for both OTT and television.

    This dual leadership position underscores IN10 Media Network’s commitment to strengthening its content offerings across its diverse platforms under Khan’s seasoned guidance.

  • Scents of purpose as Mangaldeep expands its ‘Sixth Sense’ fragrance panel

    Scents of purpose as Mangaldeep expands its ‘Sixth Sense’ fragrance panel

    MUMBAI: Who needs sight to sense greatness? At Mangaldeep, fragrance creation is being reimagined, one heightened sense at a time. ITC Mangaldeep, India’s leading incense brand, is proving that scent goes beyond sensory pleasure, it can also be a catalyst for purpose, pride, and inclusion. With the expansion of its “Sixth Sense Panel” to 180 visually impaired individuals, the brand is building a fragrance development process where ability, not disability, takes centre stage.

    Launched in 2021, the initiative taps into the clinically established superpower of the visually impaired: an enhanced sense of smell. Now comprising panelists from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata with academic and professional credentials to match this one-of-a-kind team is actively shaping Mangaldeep’s latest offerings. So far, it has influenced hits like Sandal, Rose, Lavender, and Marigold incense variants.

    In June 2025, 30 new panelists completed a specialised olfactory training programme, where they fine-tuned their scent articulation across fragrance families from fruity to floral, woody to oudh. With access to Mangaldeep’s in-house experts and structured evaluation tools, these panellists are now key contributors to product innovation, turning scent into a shared language of dignity.

    “This is no CSR tokenism. The Sixth Sense Panel has become integral to how we develop fragrances,” said ITC Ltd divisional chief executive for agarbatti & matches business Gaurav Tayal. “It brings us perspectives we’d otherwise miss.”

    The initiative draws inspiration from research at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute, which found that the visually impaired often possess superior olfactory faculties, a super-skill Mangaldeep is now mainstreaming into the fragrance industry.

    Former Blind Cricket World Cup winner Mahender Vaishna, now a panellist, called the experience “empowering and dignifying,” while Radio Udaan co-founder Minal Singhvi  credited the programme with helping her rediscover joy, confidence, and creative purpose.

    At its core, Mangaldeep’s inclusive innovation is about rewriting the narrative around disability not through sympathy, but through strength. In the process, it’s proving that the soul of scent lies not in how it’s seen, but in how deeply it’s felt.

    As brands across sectors explore meaningful inclusivity, Mangaldeep is lighting the way, one fragrant step at a time.

  • Swiggy serves up LOLs as it swaps menus for memes on the ‘gram

    Swiggy serves up LOLs as it swaps menus for memes on the ‘gram

    MUMBAI: Once known for delivering food, Swiggy is now delivering punchlines and the internet’s loving every byte. Somewhere between “order now” and “out for delivery,” Swiggy pulled off a rebrand no one saw coming. What began as a food delivery app is now dishing out cultural currency in bulk, using meme-first content, creator collabs, and moment-led mayhem to claim a spot as one of India’s most culturally fluent brands online.

    Gone are the days of the polished influencer integration. Swiggy’s digital strategy is now built on a different recipe: creators who feel real, trends that begin in group chats before boardrooms, and humour that’s more Instagram DM than advertising brief.

    Remember the viral “croissant” mispronunciation? What could’ve been just another fleeting laugh became a nation-wide earworm, thanks to creator Prashant and Swiggy’s impeccable meme timing. Then came the “Tedhe Medhe Guy”, the blank-staring student Shagun, Pakistani creator Abuloo, even lookalikes of Virat and Rohit, all roped into the brand’s ever-expanding ‘content kitchen’.

    Swiggy’s collab with internet oddballs Famous Ram and Khushi for the IPL season, or its chaotic creator-led push for Group Ordering, shows its refusal to play it safe. This isn’t content engineered for awards, it’s built for shares, comments, chaos and connection.

    “We don’t just create content, we co-create with the internet,” said Yukti Satija, who helms Swiggy Food’s social media. “Participating in trends is not enough, we’re here to start them.”

    It’s working. With millions of organic views and minimal ad spend, Swiggy’s feed has morphed into a digital dhaba for India’s meme-hungry audience. No filters, no frills just hyperlocal humour that hits harder than a 3 am paratha craving.

    “There’s often a tendency to dismiss unpolished creators as ‘cringe’, especially those outside the metros,” Yukti notes. “But we’ve learned that the internet rewards honesty over polish. Realness beats reelness.”

    Swiggy’s Instagram bio sums it up: khaana khau raat bhar, crazy collabs karu har baat par. In a digital world full of filters, this food app is staying deliciously unfiltered and redefining what it means to be a brand online.

  • Mission Sponsor Possible as Special Ops 2 locks in 14 brand partners

    Mission Sponsor Possible as Special Ops 2 locks in 14 brand partners

    MUMBAI: Espionage has never looked so marketable JioHotstar’s Special Ops 2 is back, and it’s bringing more than just bullets and secrets to the screen this 18 July. It’s bringing brands. Fourteen of them. Special Ops 2, the latest instalment of the hit thriller franchise, is already making headlines before its premiere not just for its high-stakes cyber warfare plot, but for its impressive brand line-up. With 14 marquee sponsors on board, the show has set a new benchmark in branded entertainment for scripted Indian OTT content.

    From automobiles to FMCG, and personal care to mutual funds, Special Ops 2 has attracted a cross-sectoral advertiser base that includes Hyundai, Jaquar & Co, Directors Elaichi, Asian Paints, UTI Mutual Fund, Envy, Philips, Lux Industries, Domino’s, JK Cement, Oppo, Swiggy, Toothsi, and Sony Bravia. This marks the highest-ever sponsor count for a title under the Specials banner on JioHotstar.

    “With Special Ops, we’ve built an iconic IP that delivers both cultural impact and business value,” said JioHotstar head of revenue entertainment & international Ajit Varghese. “This kind of brand response speaks to the power of premium storytelling and the platform’s ability to deliver engaged, meaningful audiences at scale.”

    Returning to the screen is Kay Kay Menon as Himmat Singh, the stoic intelligence officer at the centre of the action. But this time, he’s stepping into a more shadowy world of cyber espionage, system sabotage, and faceless digital enemies, a timely theme in an age of digital vulnerability.

    The rise in sponsorships also underscores how advertisers are shifting focus towards long-form, high-quality original series as strategic storytelling platforms. JioHotstar’s previous original, Criminal Justice Season 4, similarly drew widespread brand attention, signalling a growing trend in content-backed advertising integrations.

    Special Ops 2 premieres on 18 July exclusively on JioHotstar, and if the buzz (and brand budget) is anything to go by, this mission’s already a success before its first intel drop.

  • Vikas Boni appointed Crunchyroll’s India lead for global distribution & partnerships

    Vikas Boni appointed Crunchyroll’s India lead for global distribution & partnerships

    MUMBAI: Vikas Boni has taken on the role of senior director and India lead for global distribution & partnerships at Crunchyroll, the world’s leading destination for anime and fandom. Based in Mumbai,  Boni’s mandate is to shape the next phase of growth for Crunchyroll in the region. He commenced his new role in July 2025.

    With over 16 years of experience across the media and digital landscape, Boni specialises in building high-impact partnerships, driving revenue growth, and leading content-driven businesses at scale.

    Prior to joining Crunchyroll, he served as business head & chief operating officer at Stars N Stripes, an award-winning digital marketing agency, from April 2023 to June 2025. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing and implementing the agency’s go-to-market strategy, aiming for a tenfold expansion within five years. His responsibilities included managing the agency’s overall profit and loss and establishing four distinct growth services: Studio SNS (branded content division), Social Circle (social media management), Shortcuts (short video content and tech solutions), and In The Air (creator platform).

    Boni also held significant leadership positions at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd  for over 13 years. His roles there included vice president and head of content licensing & partnerships for JioTV & JioTV+, where he led content licensing, acquisition, and partnerships to enhance the content portfolio and drive value for Jio Platforms Ltd.

    He also served as vice president and head of partnerships for Voot Select & Voot Shots, leading global partnerships for Voot and launching the short-form video product Voot Shots. Additionally, he was vice president and head of MTV Beats, business planning & content partnerships (YME), overseeing business planning and strategic partnerships for Viacom18’s Youth, Music & English Entertainment cluster. He played a pivotal role in launching and scaling youth-focused platforms like MTV Beats, MTV Indies, and Voot Shots.

    He began his career as an assistant manager in the strategy group at TAM Media Research from December 2007 to March 2010. Boni holds an MBA in marketing and a BE in information technology from the University of Mumbai.

  • Dream11 elevates Yash Mehta to director of product marketing content

    Dream11 elevates Yash Mehta to director of product marketing content

    MUMBAI: Dream11 has announced the promotion of Yash Mehta to director of product marketing content, effective July 2025. In his new role, Mehta will spearhead the product content division, focusing on orchestrating innovative product marketing campaigns to significantly boost feature and platform adoption, engagement, and retention. 

    Dream11 highlighted that Mehta’s team has already contributed to increased product usage through interactive and data-informed content strategies. He will now be responsible for leading content performance across various channels, including push notifications, banners, emails, and static web pages, while developing user-centric, data-driven creative solutions and spearheading innovative interactive intellectual properties to enhance user adoption and retention. 

    Prior to this promotion, Mehta served as senior manager, product marketing | content at Dream11 from August 2023.  In that capacity, he was instrumental in maintaining and growing product marketing channel click-through rates (CTRs), including 3.5 per cent for push notifications, 20 per cent for stories, seven per cent for banners, 30 per cent for app inbox, 16 per cent for in-apps, and a 52 per cent email open rate. He also led a team of five on adoption, engagement, and retention initiatives through interactive content strategies. 

    Mehta’s nearly decade-long experience in content strategy and campaign orchestration includes stints at MTV India, National Basketball Association (NBA), and Ozy Media. He previously held roles such as integrated marketing associate at Ozy Media and production trainee, digital and social content publishing at the NBA. His career began as a social media executive at Merry Men in April 2011. 

    He holds a master’s degree in integrated marketing and digital marketing from NYU School of Professional Studies, graduating in June 2018. He also earned a master of business administration (MBA) from Lala Lajpatrai Institute Of Management and a bachelor of commerce (B.Com.) in marketing from H.R. College of Commerce & Economics.

  • Global gadgets go desi as Gripit brings top tech to Prime Day shoppers

    Global gadgets go desi as Gripit brings top tech to Prime Day shoppers

    MUMBAI: This Amazon Prime Day, the world’s coolest gadgets are getting a Gripit-powered passport to Indian homes. Gripit, the homegrown trailblazer bringing global tech to Indian doorsteps, is shaking up Amazon Prime Day with a showcase of international innovations available at home-friendly prices and with desi-style service to match.

    From robotic vacuums and portable projectors to off-grid power banks and smart locks, Gripit’s curated collection reads like a wishlist for the future-forward Indian shopper. And now, for a limited time, they’re up for grabs at never-before-seen deals.

    Leading the charge is the Narwal Xplus Robotic Cleaner at Rs 22,990, a sleek domestic droid designed to mop, vacuum and moonwalk its way through Indian dust. Pair that with the Yale 100NXT Smart Lock at Rs 8,999 and you’ve got a home that’s as secure as it is spotless. Fancy power on the go? The Ecoflow River 2 Power Station at Rs 19,999 is ready for your next camping trip or power cut.

    Other Prime Day standouts include:

    ●    BISSELL Little Green carpet cleaner – Rs 4,999

    ●    CHUWI GemiBook Xpro Laptop – Rs 16,990

    ●    LOOP Quiet 2 Earplugs – Rs 1,499

    ●    OBSBOT Meet 2 AI Camera – Rs 12,490

    But this is more than just a flash sale Gripit is redefining global-to-local shopping. With a 330 plus strong service network, free installations across metro cities, and even virtual support for remote regions, the company is setting new standards in customer experience. They’ve also promised service turnaround in under seven working days, a feat in the fragmented Indian tech retail space.

    And there’s more coming soon. Gripit will soon launch a dedicated mobile app, where users can book live product demos, schedule free doorstep trials, and explore international tech innovations, all with a few taps.

    “Amazon Prime Day is the perfect platform for us to connect global tech with Indian aspirations,” said Gripit co-founder & CEO Sagar Mehta. “We’re not just offering deals, we’re democratising access to world-class experiences.”

    In a world where e-commerce often stops at shipping, Gripit is delivering something rare cutting-edge tech with a local soul. So if your shopping cart’s ready for a glow-up, now’s the time to Gripit and go.

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • Applause Entertainment hits a hat-trick with streaming blockbusters in 2025

    Applause Entertainment hits a hat-trick with streaming blockbusters in 2025

    MUMBAI: It’s applause all the way for Applause Entertainment, the Aditya Birla Group-backed content powerhouse, as it scores three back-to-back streaming hits in the first half of the year. With Black Warrant on Netflix, Criminal Justice: A Family Matter on JioHotstar, and The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case on Sony LIV, the studio has cemented its grip on India’s OTT throne.

    Each show didn’t just top viewing charts, they trended, triggered conversations, and won over both audiences and critics alike.

    As the studio preps to blow out eight candles this August, its track record is already worthy of a standing ovation. With 55+ titles under its belt, spanning scam sagas (Scam 1992), courtroom thrillers (Criminal Justice), political dramas (Tanaav), and now real-crime docuseries (Black Warrant) Applause is proving to be more than just prolific. It’s relentlessly fearless.

    And the curtain isn’t falling anytime soon. Applause’s future slate includes fresh seasons, original films, documentaries, and the much-anticipated Hansal Mehta-directed Gandhi series. All signs point to a studio scripting a legacy with ambition, artistic risk, and audience obsession at its core.

    Reflecting on the studio’s recent successes, Applause Entertainment managing director, Sameer Nair. “At Applause, our job is to keep telling stories – ambitious, audacious, disruptive, and rooted in their imagined reality. The medium may change but strong storytelling always finds its way to audiences. Black Warrant with Vikramaditya Motwane, Criminal Justice with Rohan Sippy, and The Hunt with Nagesh Kukunoor, each tackle very different worlds, yet they’ve all struck a chord. That’s the thrill of this game; not just chasing hits but working with diverse creators to build a body of work that entertains audiences and creates memories. For us, it’s about staying curious, taking creative risks, and constantly raising the bar.”  

    In a content landscape crowded with noise, Applause isn’t just creating content, it’s creating conversation. And in 2025, it’s clearly got everyone talking.