Category: iWorld

Sony Pictures Entertainment, SonyLiv & One Digital join hands for ‘Passengers’

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment India (SPE) and SonyLiv have teamed up with One Digital Entertainment for SPE’s next release, Passengers.The action thriller starring Hollywood’s Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence is being released in India on 6 January 2017 in 3D in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

“We are absolutely thrilled at having the opportunity to produce a song featuring Raftaar, who is an instant hit and very popular amongst millennials. The song is highly inspired by our sister concern, Sony Pictures Entertainment’sPassengers. Apart from Raftaar, Jubin Nautiyal and Shirley Setia have also lent their voice in this track.

Sony Pictures Networks EVP and SonyLiv head for digital business Uday Sodhi said: “We Liv to Entertain. We are very confident that our audience will enjoy this latest addition and look forward to produce more such songs in the near future.”

Raftaar, whose digital portfolio is handled by One Digital Entertainment, has created a special rap for Passenger’s promotions in India.http://www.sonyliv.com/dplnk?schema=sony://asset/5262307239001

Titled Aadat, the song captures the romance element of the film between the two strangers (Pratt and Lawrence) who discover love as they battle imminent death to save the lives of 5000 sleeping passengers on a sinking space ship. Aadat will be played in theatres across India before the English and Hindi versions of the film.

“Being associated with a studio as big as Sony Pictures Entertainment is not only exciting but also a great pleasure. The concept of promoting a Hollywood film in this manner is very innovative and executing this was equally great. We are confident that Raftaar’s connect with the youth will grab the attention of not only the music and movie fanatics but also reach a wider audience base,” added One Digital Entertainment COO and co-founder Gurpreet Singh Bhasin.

Sung by Jubin Nautiyal and Shirley Setia along with Raftaar, It has been written by Sukumar Dutta and penned by Amit Kumaran.SPE MD Vivek Krishnani said, “Passengers brings Hollywood’s two top stars together for the first time. Both are youth icons and it was therefore natural for us to look at ways to engage with the youth. With Raftaar being a popular name amongst the millennials, we were confident that partnering with him would be an interesting opportunity for us to create exciting content that finds resonance with the masses in India. With the support of SonyLiv’s team and their effort along with One Digital Entertainment we are excited to share Aadat with the audiences”

December 28, 2016
Sony Pictures Entertainment, SonyLiv & One Digital join hands for ‘Passengers’

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment India (SPE) and SonyLiv have teamed up with One Digital Entertainment for SPE’s next release, Passengers.The action thriller starring Hollywood’s Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence is being released in India on 6 January 2017 in 3D in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

“We are absolutely thrilled at having the opportunity to produce a song featuring Raftaar, who is an instant hit and very popular amongst millennials. The song is highly inspired by our sister concern, Sony Pictures Entertainment’sPassengers. Apart from Raftaar, Jubin Nautiyal and Shirley Setia have also lent their voice in this track.

Sony Pictures Networks EVP and SonyLiv head for digital business Uday Sodhi said: “We Liv to Entertain. We are very confident that our audience will enjoy this latest addition and look forward to produce more such songs in the near future.”

Raftaar, whose digital portfolio is handled by One Digital Entertainment, has created a special rap for Passenger’s promotions in India.http://www.sonyliv.com/dplnk?schema=sony://asset/5262307239001

Titled Aadat, the song captures the romance element of the film between the two strangers (Pratt and Lawrence) who discover love as they battle imminent death to save the lives of 5000 sleeping passengers on a sinking space ship. Aadat will be played in theatres across India before the English and Hindi versions of the film.

“Being associated with a studio as big as Sony Pictures Entertainment is not only exciting but also a great pleasure. The concept of promoting a Hollywood film in this manner is very innovative and executing this was equally great. We are confident that Raftaar’s connect with the youth will grab the attention of not only the music and movie fanatics but also reach a wider audience base,” added One Digital Entertainment COO and co-founder Gurpreet Singh Bhasin.

Sung by Jubin Nautiyal and Shirley Setia along with Raftaar, It has been written by Sukumar Dutta and penned by Amit Kumaran.SPE MD Vivek Krishnani said, “Passengers brings Hollywood’s two top stars together for the first time. Both are youth icons and it was therefore natural for us to look at ways to engage with the youth. With Raftaar being a popular name amongst the millennials, we were confident that partnering with him would be an interesting opportunity for us to create exciting content that finds resonance with the masses in India. With the support of SonyLiv’s team and their effort along with One Digital Entertainment we are excited to share Aadat with the audiences”

December 28, 2016
OTT spreading in India, but 50% still prefer TV as first screen: Chrome

MUMBAI: Six per cent of urban India accesses OTT services on a daily basis and 24 per cent of the population do so on weekly basis. However, what is more interesting is that more than 50 per cent of the viewers still prefer TV as the first screen for viewing, according to a latest study done by Chrome Data Analytics and Media.

The study, titled ‘Now Streaming: OTT’, examines the rise and penetration of OTT players in India and covers key aspects of the tech’s evolution, which primarily gives broadcasters, advertisers and the industry, in general, an insight into key target markets. The report further captures profiling nuances of an OTT content consumer.

Some of the highlights of the report are the following:

# Exclusivity of content helps increase awareness and eyeballs for an OTT platform.

# User experience on smart phones plays a vital role in driving penetration. Currently, smart phones account for 29 per cent penetration.

# More than 75 per cent of the audience prefers free services with ads as they are already paying for Internet services.

# If the above is taken into account, rest of the population is ready to pay for the services with subscription amount varying on the basis of gender, age group and geography.

# The potential of ‘Offline’ mode in India is quite high because of inadequate infrastructure and high cost of unlimited Internet.

# The potential of ‘Offline’ mode varies with gender, age group and geography of the consumer.

# The same viewer behaves differently over television and OTT. Solo viewing is not the only reason for pushing viewers to an OTT platform.

# OTT players should focus on regional content as inclination or demand for (Indian) regional content is increasing.

Talking about the growth potential of OTT, Chrome DM founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna said, “The entire Internet base, which is 464 million today, qualifies for OTT’s growth potential. However, infrastructure enhancement and low cost unlimited internet plans are the key drivers that will exponentially help in reaching and further increasing the potential base itself.”

The OTT study also outlines the consumer profiles in detail by classifying them into broad segments. The characteristics defined for each of them gives consumer insights.

December 28, 2016
OTT spreading in India, but 50% still prefer TV as first screen: Chrome

MUMBAI: Six per cent of urban India accesses OTT services on a daily basis and 24 per cent of the population do so on weekly basis. However, what is more interesting is that more than 50 per cent of the viewers still prefer TV as the first screen for viewing, according to a latest study done by Chrome Data Analytics and Media.

The study, titled ‘Now Streaming: OTT’, examines the rise and penetration of OTT players in India and covers key aspects of the tech’s evolution, which primarily gives broadcasters, advertisers and the industry, in general, an insight into key target markets. The report further captures profiling nuances of an OTT content consumer.

Some of the highlights of the report are the following:

# Exclusivity of content helps increase awareness and eyeballs for an OTT platform.

# User experience on smart phones plays a vital role in driving penetration. Currently, smart phones account for 29 per cent penetration.

# More than 75 per cent of the audience prefers free services with ads as they are already paying for Internet services.

# If the above is taken into account, rest of the population is ready to pay for the services with subscription amount varying on the basis of gender, age group and geography.

# The potential of ‘Offline’ mode in India is quite high because of inadequate infrastructure and high cost of unlimited Internet.

# The potential of ‘Offline’ mode varies with gender, age group and geography of the consumer.

# The same viewer behaves differently over television and OTT. Solo viewing is not the only reason for pushing viewers to an OTT platform.

# OTT players should focus on regional content as inclination or demand for (Indian) regional content is increasing.

Talking about the growth potential of OTT, Chrome DM founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna said, “The entire Internet base, which is 464 million today, qualifies for OTT’s growth potential. However, infrastructure enhancement and low cost unlimited internet plans are the key drivers that will exponentially help in reaching and further increasing the potential base itself.”

The OTT study also outlines the consumer profiles in detail by classifying them into broad segments. The characteristics defined for each of them gives consumer insights.

December 28, 2016
Qyuki partners with Emotionalfulls to recreate the magical experience of the 90’s with ‘ Woh Din’

MUMBAI: Parle G, a household brand for decades revisits the magical era of 90’s with ‘Woh Din’. This five-part web series is a reminiscence of the simplicity of the days gone by, one that was marked by our love for cricket, movies and household biscuit, Parle G.

Woh Din is the story of a nine-year-old boy named Babu and his best friend Shreedhar growing up in the small town of India. The series sketches the joys of childhood beautifully with an endearing story line and in the process, integrates Parle G into it effortlessly; so much so that it goes on to become a third character in the show.

Each of us have had our brush with Parle G at some point while growing up. The coming together of Woh Din and Parle-G is the pathway that leads backs to warm anecdotes, so vivid in our minds, yet never to return. Each 20-minute long episode chalks the ethos of the era, just as we have lived them.

Qyuki brand solutions head Juhi Mehta shares, “The growing appetite for web series makes the foray into the digital space as a natural progression for any brand. However, Parle G deviates from the pop culture identify so heavily present in the digital forum. Qyuki Digital Media helped provide the much required ‘’away from the norm’’ experience. Woh Din serves as the perfect brand solution simply because it is a story about growing up in the 90’s, the decade so widely popularized by the brand over the years. The sheer magic of family and familiarity, the cultural shocks with new beginnings, almost everything that a kid in the 90’s has experienced, has been dished out in an all-new manner. You can call it Qyuki’s latest attempt at redefining pop culture! ”

Biscuits Category head Mayank Shah says, “With young consumers consuming media across multiple screens beyond TV, our goal was to produce engaging content that captures emotional moments and how the brand was part our growing up years. With growing appetite for web series among youngsters, it is a natural progression for any brand. Qyuki’s ‘Woh Din’ serves as the perfect brand solution simply because it is a story about growing up in the 90’s, an era so widely captured by the brand and its ethos. We’ve all had our share of Parle-G and with time, it has acquired a taste of nostalgia within us.

Sandeep Jha co-founder EmotionFulls added “The idea to recreate the 90’s has been an ongoing desire for long. Having grown up in that era, we wanted the new generation to know what it was like back then. More importantly, we wanted to provide our generation something to reminisce about. What better brand than ‘Parle-G’ to partner with, one that has witnessed it all while being an important part of our childhood”.

December 27, 2016
Qyuki partners with Emotionalfulls to recreate the magical experience of the 90’s with ‘ Woh Din’

MUMBAI: Parle G, a household brand for decades revisits the magical era of 90’s with ‘Woh Din’. This five-part web series is a reminiscence of the simplicity of the days gone by, one that was marked by our love for cricket, movies and household biscuit, Parle G.

Woh Din is the story of a nine-year-old boy named Babu and his best friend Shreedhar growing up in the small town of India. The series sketches the joys of childhood beautifully with an endearing story line and in the process, integrates Parle G into it effortlessly; so much so that it goes on to become a third character in the show.

Each of us have had our brush with Parle G at some point while growing up. The coming together of Woh Din and Parle-G is the pathway that leads backs to warm anecdotes, so vivid in our minds, yet never to return. Each 20-minute long episode chalks the ethos of the era, just as we have lived them.

Qyuki brand solutions head Juhi Mehta shares, “The growing appetite for web series makes the foray into the digital space as a natural progression for any brand. However, Parle G deviates from the pop culture identify so heavily present in the digital forum. Qyuki Digital Media helped provide the much required ‘’away from the norm’’ experience. Woh Din serves as the perfect brand solution simply because it is a story about growing up in the 90’s, the decade so widely popularized by the brand over the years. The sheer magic of family and familiarity, the cultural shocks with new beginnings, almost everything that a kid in the 90’s has experienced, has been dished out in an all-new manner. You can call it Qyuki’s latest attempt at redefining pop culture! ”

Biscuits Category head Mayank Shah says, “With young consumers consuming media across multiple screens beyond TV, our goal was to produce engaging content that captures emotional moments and how the brand was part our growing up years. With growing appetite for web series among youngsters, it is a natural progression for any brand. Qyuki’s ‘Woh Din’ serves as the perfect brand solution simply because it is a story about growing up in the 90’s, an era so widely captured by the brand and its ethos. We’ve all had our share of Parle-G and with time, it has acquired a taste of nostalgia within us.

Sandeep Jha co-founder EmotionFulls added “The idea to recreate the 90’s has been an ongoing desire for long. Having grown up in that era, we wanted the new generation to know what it was like back then. More importantly, we wanted to provide our generation something to reminisce about. What better brand than ‘Parle-G’ to partner with, one that has witnessed it all while being an important part of our childhood”.

December 27, 2016
SonyLiv showcases funny insights into marital life with ‘Married Woman Diaries’

MUMBAI: Tired of melodramatic soaps that you really can’t relate to? If you are craving for something different and fresh to keep you entertained, then SonyLiv, has just the show for you. The platform is all set to roll out Married Woman Diaries, an original digital series directed by Kabir Sadanand which chronicles the lives and issues of an urban couple through the perspective of the female partner.

With every episode showcasing the issues, differences and disagreements that the couple deals with on a daily basis, the 10 episodic web series will be available on the platform 26 December. Episodes will range in duration from 12 to 15 minutes and will offer funny insights into marital life, from the wife’s point-of-view.

Produced by Frog Unlimited, the show is a humorous take on the lives of Shweta, a stand-up comedian, played by Suzanna Mukherjee, and her husband Rishi, a senior marketing manager in an ad agency, played by Abhishek Rawat.

“With their entertainment sensibilities having evolved beyond the run-of-the-mill, the Indian web viewer is on the lookout for new and relevant content that breaks free from the stale formulaic formats. Given the novelty of the concept and the relatability of the situation, we are confident that the forthcoming original, web-series, ‘Married Woman Diaries’, will be a massive hit with our millennials, underlining our new brand proposition of We Liv to Entertain,” said Sony Pictures Networks India EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

As different as chalk and cheese, the two are still head-over-heels in love with each other even after two years of being married. But as Shweta deals with the changes in her husband post marriage, love seems to be gasping for breath amidst wet towels and messy kitchens, leading to hilarious situations that firmly establish that marriage.

This show is completely in sync with SonyLiv’s renewed brand ethos, ‘We Liv to Entertain’, and underlines the platform’s status as the ultimate destination for experiencing diverse, high-quality entertainment with engaging stories and a talented troop of performers.

December 26, 2016
SonyLiv showcases funny insights into marital life with ‘Married Woman Diaries’

MUMBAI: Tired of melodramatic soaps that you really can’t relate to? If you are craving for something different and fresh to keep you entertained, then SonyLiv, has just the show for you. The platform is all set to roll out Married Woman Diaries, an original digital series directed by Kabir Sadanand which chronicles the lives and issues of an urban couple through the perspective of the female partner.

With every episode showcasing the issues, differences and disagreements that the couple deals with on a daily basis, the 10 episodic web series will be available on the platform 26 December. Episodes will range in duration from 12 to 15 minutes and will offer funny insights into marital life, from the wife’s point-of-view.

Produced by Frog Unlimited, the show is a humorous take on the lives of Shweta, a stand-up comedian, played by Suzanna Mukherjee, and her husband Rishi, a senior marketing manager in an ad agency, played by Abhishek Rawat.

“With their entertainment sensibilities having evolved beyond the run-of-the-mill, the Indian web viewer is on the lookout for new and relevant content that breaks free from the stale formulaic formats. Given the novelty of the concept and the relatability of the situation, we are confident that the forthcoming original, web-series, ‘Married Woman Diaries’, will be a massive hit with our millennials, underlining our new brand proposition of We Liv to Entertain,” said Sony Pictures Networks India EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

As different as chalk and cheese, the two are still head-over-heels in love with each other even after two years of being married. But as Shweta deals with the changes in her husband post marriage, love seems to be gasping for breath amidst wet towels and messy kitchens, leading to hilarious situations that firmly establish that marriage.

This show is completely in sync with SonyLiv’s renewed brand ethos, ‘We Liv to Entertain’, and underlines the platform’s status as the ultimate destination for experiencing diverse, high-quality entertainment with engaging stories and a talented troop of performers.

December 26, 2016
Less-cash to digital economy the goal, but remonetisation behaviour uncertain, feels Jaitley

NEW DELHI: Huawei Telecommunications India CEO Jay Chen has said that demonetisation and the resultant shift to digital economy will help India bridge the digital gap and transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

Addressing a ‘Digital Economic Forum 2016’ organised by Times Network in association with Huawei India, Chen said “Today India is at the centre of the world’s attention thanks to the vision and leadership of the present Government. Key national initiatives have given an impetus to the Indian economy. Digital India specifically, is the engine of all the key initiatives. We believe the recent drive by the Government towards digital payments is the heart of a digital economy. The recent high value currency demonetisation is a lifetime opportunity for India to leapfrog into a digital economy.”

Other speakers included Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and those present included Vodafone India External Regulatory Affairs Director P Balaji, Mobikwik founder andf CEO Bipin Preet Singh, Shopclues founder Sanjay Sethi and State Bank of India MD Praveen Kumar. The forum included a panel discussion on ‘Digi-Monetisation: Sparking a less cash economy in India’ that involved participation from key industry experts.

Jaitley said, “Management of the economy does not depend on the kind of slogans people create. India is an economy that has been suffering with a high cost of capital. The ultimate goal is to digitise the economy. A less-cash economy is supplemented with a digital economy. There is no settled behaviour as to how people will behave when remonetisation sets in. Digitising the economy gives us a great opportunity. Over the next few years, the incremental impact of Digi- monetisation will also be felt in the economy. Lastly, we should make political funding transparent.”

Goyal said “Digital push was an integral part of demonetization exercise. Any move as big as demonetisation is bound to have some small issues. Today telecom companies have confirmed that spectrum is no longer an issue. Once the person gets addicted to digital transaction, then the possibility of fraud will also reduce. Currently we are looking for a change in the working and mindset of the country. As we say that, the country’s youth have a lot of potential for innovation. Lastly, I would like to congratulate the Times Network for such an initiative like Digital Economy Forum.”

Times Network executive editor Navika Kumar moderated Q and A sessions with Jaitley and Goyal.

Times Network MD and CEO M K Anand said, “As a successful media company we have to be aware of the pulse of our audience. In the last 12 years, we have seen a distinct change in the mood of this country. Indians are in a hurry to progress. And they are willing to undergo pain if needed to quickly move forward. We have aptly captured and reflected this mood of the nation in our hallmark tagline NOW or Nothing. This mood of the people is reflected by the most action oriented government that this country has seen in a long while. Demonetisation or remonetisation as we call it is an expression of Now or Nothing. As India’s premium network for influencers, we believe it is within our power and mandate to contribute to this historic endeavor. Amongst a series of initiatives aimed at bringing clarity and accelerating much needed understanding and action in this area, the Digital Economy Forum has been designed to look at Digitisation as a means and an end to Demonetisation and the benefits thereof.”

December 24, 2016
Less-cash to digital economy the goal, but remonetisation behaviour uncertain, feels Jaitley

NEW DELHI: Huawei Telecommunications India CEO Jay Chen has said that demonetisation and the resultant shift to digital economy will help India bridge the digital gap and transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

Addressing a ‘Digital Economic Forum 2016’ organised by Times Network in association with Huawei India, Chen said “Today India is at the centre of the world’s attention thanks to the vision and leadership of the present Government. Key national initiatives have given an impetus to the Indian economy. Digital India specifically, is the engine of all the key initiatives. We believe the recent drive by the Government towards digital payments is the heart of a digital economy. The recent high value currency demonetisation is a lifetime opportunity for India to leapfrog into a digital economy.”

Other speakers included Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and those present included Vodafone India External Regulatory Affairs Director P Balaji, Mobikwik founder andf CEO Bipin Preet Singh, Shopclues founder Sanjay Sethi and State Bank of India MD Praveen Kumar. The forum included a panel discussion on ‘Digi-Monetisation: Sparking a less cash economy in India’ that involved participation from key industry experts.

Jaitley said, “Management of the economy does not depend on the kind of slogans people create. India is an economy that has been suffering with a high cost of capital. The ultimate goal is to digitise the economy. A less-cash economy is supplemented with a digital economy. There is no settled behaviour as to how people will behave when remonetisation sets in. Digitising the economy gives us a great opportunity. Over the next few years, the incremental impact of Digi- monetisation will also be felt in the economy. Lastly, we should make political funding transparent.”

Goyal said “Digital push was an integral part of demonetization exercise. Any move as big as demonetisation is bound to have some small issues. Today telecom companies have confirmed that spectrum is no longer an issue. Once the person gets addicted to digital transaction, then the possibility of fraud will also reduce. Currently we are looking for a change in the working and mindset of the country. As we say that, the country’s youth have a lot of potential for innovation. Lastly, I would like to congratulate the Times Network for such an initiative like Digital Economy Forum.”

Times Network executive editor Navika Kumar moderated Q and A sessions with Jaitley and Goyal.

Times Network MD and CEO M K Anand said, “As a successful media company we have to be aware of the pulse of our audience. In the last 12 years, we have seen a distinct change in the mood of this country. Indians are in a hurry to progress. And they are willing to undergo pain if needed to quickly move forward. We have aptly captured and reflected this mood of the nation in our hallmark tagline NOW or Nothing. This mood of the people is reflected by the most action oriented government that this country has seen in a long while. Demonetisation or remonetisation as we call it is an expression of Now or Nothing. As India’s premium network for influencers, we believe it is within our power and mandate to contribute to this historic endeavor. Amongst a series of initiatives aimed at bringing clarity and accelerating much needed understanding and action in this area, the Digital Economy Forum has been designed to look at Digitisation as a means and an end to Demonetisation and the benefits thereof.”

December 24, 2016