Mumbai: ‘Rajadhiraaj: Love. Life. Leela.’ – a mega musical on the life of lord Krishna that enchanted Mumbaikars, has taken over the skyline of Delhi with striking displays, stirring excitement for its arrival.
Premiering at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Auditorium, New Delhi from 29 November 2024, the spectacular production offers a unique blend of storytelling, music, and visual artistry. The show, conceptualised and created by Dhanraj Nathwani, promises an immersive journey of the two divine personas of Shri Krishna – Shrinathji and Dwarkadheesh.
Written by Padma Shri Awardee Prasoon Joshi and directed by musical theatre expert Shruti Sharma, this production brings to life Shri Krishna’s tales from Vrindavan to Dwarka. Featuring 180 artists, the show includes a powerful soundtrack of 20 original songs by Sachin-Jigar, blending Western symphonic music from Budapest with Indian classical, Haveli Sangeet, Rajasthani and Gujarati folk, and Hindustani semi-classical styles.
Omung Kumar’s detailed production design, alongside choreography by Bertwin D’Souza and Shampa Gopikrishna performed by over 60 dancers, enriches the immersive experience. Creatively produced by Parthiv Gohil and Viral Rachh, with story research by National Award-winning writer Raam Mori, the production features 1,800 custom costumes by celebrated designer Neeta Lulla, capturing the essence of divine playfulness and depth of the characters.
Brace yourself to dive into the journey of Shri Krishna and his timeless tales.
Mumbai: In one of the largest moves in Indian esports, Gladiators Esports has acquired Bengaluru-based Gods Reign, combining two of the nation’s esports powerhouses. With this acquisition, Gladiators Esports integrates Gods Reign, retaining the well-known Gods Reign brand for the esports team while all other content and marketing operations consolidate under Gladiators Esports. This alliance aims to streamline operations, strengthen brand identity, and harness the combined strengths of both teams.
Gladiators Esports remarked, “We are thrilled to welcome Gods Reign into the Gladiators Esports family. This acquisition reflects our commitment to elevating Indian esports and driving its growth. By integrating the renowned Gods Reign brand and its talented roster, we are not only broadening our reach and influence but also creating a nurturing space for our players and creators to excel. This marks an exciting new chapter, and we eagerly look forward to shaping a bright future for Indian esports.”
As part of this move, Gods Reign secures one of India’s most successful BGMI lineups, including top players who consistently perform on major stages with an impressive list of accolades.
Gods Reign, CEO, Rohith KR added, “This acquisition by Gladiators Esports represents a pivotal step for both Gods Reign and the Indian esports ecosystem. By combining our expertise, experience, and shared vision for advancing Indian esports, we are poised to deliver unmatched experiences and achievements. Our new BGMI roster, featuring both seasoned talent and fresh perspectives, embodies the high level of competition we’re committed to bringing. Through this strategic move, we aim to amplify opportunities for our athletes, engage our community in exciting new ways, and elevate Indian esports on the global stage.”
The new roster, led by In-Game Leader (IGL) Ammar Khan (Destro), includes players Justin Nadar (Justin) and Parth Garg (DeltaPG), who won the BGMI Series (BGIS) 2023 and BGMI Masters Series (BGMS) 2023 and took runner-up in BGMI Pro Series (BMPS) 2023. The team is further bolstered by Shubham Ranjan Sahoo (NinjaJOD), the BGIS 2024 champion, and coach Robin Singh (Robin), who recently led the team to a win in the Titans Rising tournament.
This elite roster earned approximately Rs 2.5 crore ($276,703) from esports tournaments in FY23, reflecting a track record they aim to surpass in future competitions.
IGL Ammar Khan, also known as Destro, expressed, “Having previously played with these talented players and achieved success together, returning to Gods Reign feels like a true homecoming and it’s an honour to reunite under this banner. This acquisition unites some of India’s top esports talent, all of whom are dedicated to constant improvement and focused on victory. With our combined strengths and support, we hope to set new benchmarks in BGMI and demonstrate our potential on both national and international stages.”
With rosters in games like Counter-Strike 2, Pokémon UNITE, and BGMI, along with gaming creators such as Thor Gaming, Harshdeep Singh, Red Parasite, Miss Senorita, and AJ Jeffy, Gods Reign attracts over 6 million YouTube subscribers and over 1 million Instagram followers. Together, Gladiators Esports and Gods Reign are set to make waves in India’s fast-growing esports and content ecosystems.
Mumbai: Hari Om OTT, India’s streaming platform for Vedic history and devotional content, has announced its new series Jai Mahalakshmi, featuring Puja Banerjee in the lead role. The series tells the story of goddess Mahalakshmi, embodying wealth, prosperity, and fortune. Blending traditional storytelling with modern production, it offers a visual portrayal of devotion, compassion, and wisdom.
In Jai Mahalakshmi, the divine goddess descends from her celestial abode to restore balance in the universe, confronting the chaos unleashed by the demon Kolhasur. With the guidance of Lord Vishnu and her own unparalleled wisdom and strength, she battles the forces of darkness to protect humanity and restore prosperity. The series beautifully showcases the goddess’s power, compassion, and timeless values as she overcomes challenges to bring peace and harmony to the cosmos.
Banerjee said, “After taking a break from the industry, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to play Mata Lakshmi. It truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime role, and as someone who has always held great belief in the goddess, it was deeply personal for me. I’ve fasted every Thursday in devotion to Mata Lakshmi, so portraying her on screen felt like a natural extension of my faith. This role allowed me to connect spiritually while bringing her grace, strength, and compassion to life. It’s more than just a character—it’s a journey of empowerment that I’m proud to share with the world.”
She further added, “The role demanded not just physical preparation but emotional depth. Her journey in the show is not just about the battles she fights but also about the wisdom she imparts. It’s an honor to bring this iconic character to life on screen, and I hope audiences feel inspired by her as much as I did portraying her.”
Hari Om OTT CEO Megha Agarwal said, “We are thrilled to bring Jai Mahalakshmi to audiences at a time that perfectly aligns with the essence of Mata Lakshmi’s story and the values she embodies. From the visuals to the storytelling, everything was crafted to deliver an epic experience, inviting viewers of all generations to explore the greatness and incredible journey of Mata Lakshmi. With Jai Mahalakshmi, we are proud to showcase India’s rich culture and heritage to the world, connecting audiences with our vibrant traditions and spiritual legacy.”
Hari Om OTT head of content Angira Vats added, “Our vision at Hari Om was to present stories that resonate with audiences of all ages. Jai Mahalakshmi is a testament to that goal, blending mythology with engaging visuals. We’re proud to bring such a culturally significant story to life for the first time on Indian OTT.”
Hari Om OTT, India’s first streaming platform dedicated to mythological, devotional, and spiritual content, brings forward the stories and values of Indian culture through original series, documentaries, music, and live broadcasts.
The platform is available on devices including Play Store, App Store, Google TV, Fire TV, Samsung TV, Apple TV, and LG TV.
Mumbai: In a move set to redefine India’s financial landscape, Reliance Jio Infocomm, the telecommunications arm of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), plans to launch its initial public offering (IPO) in 2025. Analysts project the company’s valuation to exceed $100 billion, positioning it as potentially the largest IPO in India’s history.
Reliance Jio has rapidly ascended to become India’s leading telecom operator, boasting 479 million subscribers. This growth underscores its robust business model and revenue streams, making it a prime candidate for public listing. A Reuters report highlights that RIL has “firmed up plans to launch the Reliance Jio IPO in 2025,” reflecting the company’s confidence in its market position.
In July, Global brokerage firm Jefferies estimated Jio’s IPO valuation at $112 billion, suggesting a 7-15 per cent upside for RIL’s share price. While the telecom arm gears up for its market debut, Reliance Retail’s IPO is expected to follow at a later date. The company aims to address internal operational challenges before proceeding with the retail unit’s public offering. This strategic sequencing ensures that each segment is optimally positioned for investor engagement.
The anticipated IPO aligns with Ambani’s 2019 announcement to list both Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail within five years. The forthcoming public offering is poised to attract significant investor interest, given Jio’s market dominance and growth trajectory.
As the Indian IPO market experiences a surge, with 270 companies raising $12.58 billion by October 2024, Jio’s entry is set to be a landmark event. The company’s strategic initiatives and market leadership position it to make a substantial impact on the financial markets.
Mumbai: Zee5 has announced its partnership with Cloud TV. This integration has given the audience exclusive and easy access to Zee5’s extensive library directly on Cloud TV, a smart TV OS available across four million devices in India. The company is further aiming to reach out to the audience within the age group of 18-45 tuning in during the prime evening hours of 6-10 pm.
Cloud TV users can now access Zee5’s premium content library, featuring assistant support in multiple Indian languages and universal search for discovering content across various apps. The interface provides direct access to a range of content, including films, TV shows, and originals, reinforcing Zee5 as a one-stop platform for immersive viewing.
Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra stated, “Zee5’s partnership with Cloud TV reflects our dedication to offering a seamless and enjoyable entertainment experience to our audiences at their convenience. This integration gives viewers the flexibility to enjoy their favourite content directly on television, leading to an on-demand, high-quality viewing experience at the click of a button, extending our reach making cutting edge content more accessible than before.”
Cloud TV COO & co-founder Abhijeet Rajpurohit stated, “We’re excited to welcome Zee5 to the Cloud TV ecosystem. This allows for easy access to Zee5’s fresh and exciting content library being directly available on Cloud TV devices and a seamless viewing experience for our mutual customers. With such partnerships, we aim to make entertainment seamless and diverse to our audience using smart TVs.”
Cloud TV is a smart TV operating system providing solutions for modern TV devices with features like an app store, content recommendations, live TV, voice assistance, a mobile remote app, and content search. Partnered with over 200 smart TV brands, Cloud TV aims to make entertainment more accessible across India.
Mumbai: Moneycontrol achieved the milestone of surpassing 10 crore (100 million) unique visitors in October 2024, according to data from Google.
Moneycontrol’s combination of stock markets data, financial tools, exclusive research on stocks and markets and business news that matters, backed by the power of transactions, has made it an irresistible proposition. Moneycontrol Pro, the platform’s premium subscription service, recently crossed one million subscribers, placing it among the world’s top 15. It has added cutting-edge features every few months to help savvy investors stay on top of markets. The Moneycontrol app is used by over 70 lakh ( seven million) active users per month and is growing rapidly.
“This is a monumental milestone and Moneycontrol has broken the ceiling as India’s premier digital finance platform,’ said Network 18 chairman Adil Zainulbhai. “This achievement reflects high consumer confidence in the cutting-edge markets data tools and content we offer on Moneycontrol which help users invest their money more smartly.”
“The fact that over 10 crore people chose to use Moneycontrol in just one month is a great vote of confidence in the quality of our content and the value it adds for retail investors looking to make investment decisions,’ said Moneycontrol managing editor Nalin Mehta.
Mumbai: OnePlay announced partnerships with SkyPro IPTV and Velosting to roll out India’s first integrated packages that combine IPTV with cloud gaming. While the collaboration with SkyPro IPTV allows users to enjoy AAA gaming and entertainment without the need for expensive gaming rigs, the partnership with Velosting aims to expand OnePlay’s gaming operations into the APAC region, enhancing infrastructure to deliver high-performance and low-latency cloud gaming experiences.
By partnering with SkyPro IPTV, OnePlay aims to deliver a unique entertainment experience that brings immersive cloud gaming experience to live TV and streaming services. In addition to the new packages, OnePlay is expanding its partnership with Velosting, a pioneering Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider, to enhance its data center infrastructure across India and the APAC region. With this partnership, OnePlay is currently expanding into the Noida, Hyderabad, and Kolkata edge-data center regions, which are currently under testing phase and set to go live this month. This expansion will enable OnePlay to deliver high-performance, low-latency cloud gaming and cloud PC experiences with sub-30ms latency across India, with plans to scale further across APAC.
Furthermore, OnePlay and Velosting are collaborating to develop a next-generation hybrid server stack and cloud solution that integrates AI, HPC, and gaming capabilities on a unified computer network deployed at the edge.
OnePlay co-founder & CEO Harshit Jain said, “This collaboration with SkyPro IPTV is a decisive move for the Indian entertainment landscape. By introducing the first-ever combined package for gaming with Live TV, we are not just meeting consumer demands for more entertainment; we’re ushering in a new era in entertainment that’s led by high-end gaming for all.”
SkyPro TV and Velosting director/CTO Pawanpreet Singh shared his enthusiasm for the partnership with OnePlay, stating, “We are excited to join forces with OnePlay to bring an all-in-one entertainment solution to the Indian market. This collaboration will allow consumers to seamlessly enjoy their favorite TV shows, live sports on IPTV, and immersive AAA gaming experiences, all within a single subscription plan. By offering such a comprehensive package, we are delivering greater value and flexibility to users, making high-quality entertainment more accessible than ever before.”
Talking about Velosting’s partnership with OnePlay, Singh added, “This marks an exciting milestone for both brands, as it will allow us to deploy cutting-edge infrastructure that ensures faster response times and seamless gameplay for gamers across India and the APAC regions. Together, we are committed to delivering exceptional experiences that meet the evolving needs of our users,” he added.
As consumers seek fresh entertainment experiences, these new collaborations highlight the growing trend of streaming and IPTV platforms integrating gaming into their offerings. With distinct subscription packages tailored to different user preferences, OnePlay is poised to transform the entertainment landscape, furthering its mission to make AAA gaming accessible to a wider audience.
Pricing details for the new packages will be unveiled closer to the official launch in November.
Bangalore – Paakashala launched Paakashala Diaries, a first-of-its-kind video initiative that dives deep into the vibrant world of food and the individuals who shape it. This project aims to showcase a multi-cuisine approach that reflects the diverse culinary landscape of India. Hosted by Chandru, a celebrated figure in South Indian cinema known for his role in Ganeshana Maduve, the 1st season promises an engaging exploration of Bangalore’s culinary heritage and beyond.
Unlike traditional cooking shows, Paakashala Diaries is a multi-series video project, each focusing on different aspects of the food industry. This format aims to showcase various culinary contributors and their untold stories. Beyond the surface level of cooking, it delves into the very essence of food culture, exposing the inventiveness, passion, and devotion that characterise India’s illustrious culinary history.
“As a multi-cuisine vegetarian restaurant brand, Paakashala has always been about bringing diverse flavours together. Through Paakashala Diaries, we aim to pull back the curtain on the culinary world, offering viewers a deeper understanding of the dedication and passion that drive Karnataka’s food scene,” said Paakashala director of marketing and associate VP of operations, Vyjayanti Adiga. “By sharing the stories of those behind the food, we hope to educate and inspire, shedding light on the many layers that make the food industry so dynamic.”
The six episode series consists of:
The first season of Paakashala Diaries consists of six episodes, each focusing on a unique aspect of Bangalore’s food scene.
1. Bangalore Female Food Bloggers
This episode dives into local female food bloggers’ journeys, challenges, and insights, offering inspiration for aspiring content creators and food enthusiasts alike.
This episode sheds light on the often-overlooked delivery partners. It explores their challenges, daily experiences, and the critical role they play in ensuring customers get their meals on time.
3. Bangalore Street Food Vendors
A behind-the-scenes look at the entrepreneurial spirit of Bangalore’s street food vendors, showcasing authentic local flavours and the dedication that goes into each dish.
4. Legendary Restaurant Owners from Bangalore
It features iconic restaurateurs such as P Chandrashekhar Rao, founder of Rao Ideal Solution, who is known for his restaurant industry leadership. Gopady Srinivasa Rao – Owner of several popular eateries including Eshanya Street Food Café, Taaza Thindi, Mayura, Cane-O-La, Nammoora Hotel, and Arogya Ahaara. B Chandrashekhar Hebbar – President of Karnataka State Hotel Association, former President of Bruhath Bangalore Hotel Association, and owner of Anna Kuteera. Vasudeva Adiga – Founder of Paakashala and Nandi Upachar, shares his journey of creating beloved dining spaces. Arun Adiga – Owner of the iconic Vidyarthi Bhavan, a restaurant synonymous with traditional South Indian cuisine, this episode highlights the innovation and perseverance required to build successful restaurants.
5. Bangalore Male Food Bloggers
This episode features male food bloggers sharing their journeys, challenges, and unique perspectives on the food blogging world. Premieres on: 25/10/2024
6. Paakashala Staff Journeys
This episode focuses on the dedicated Paakashala staff, sharing personal stories of their work, support during challenging times like COVID-19, and the community spirit that drives Paakashala.
Mumbai: After swooning fans with his heartfelt renditions and soulful originals, the singing sensation, Madhur Sharma, has released his EP ‘Reversion’, featuring a blend of various genres and his soulful voice. Alongside his EP, he has also announced his ongoing India tour with Team Innovation, offering fans a live experience of his originals and recreations in a multigenre medley.
Reversion highlights Sharma’s range, blending Afro and Indie pop elements and featuring a surprise wedding anthem. The EP includes tracks with distinct moods, from relaxed grooves to celebratory beats. Known for covers like Kiveh Mukhde and Kaali Kaali Zulfon Ke, Sharma’s new EP further establishes his unique and authentic style.
Sharma said, “It is an interesting time with many experimental pieces of music coming out. With ‘Reversion,’ we wanted people of all ages to resonate with the sound of the EP as we seamlessly incorporated genres across the board to add a diverse, fun, and inclusive sound to fans’ playlists. It was a rewarding experience to release the music.”
As ‘Reversion’ has revealed the undying passion that Madhur has for the craft, allowing fans to enter his world of creativity. He will also enthrall them with his India tour giving them an indelible musical experience of their lives, where groovy Bollywood meets Sufi mysticism.
“Nothing will ever compare to the immediate audience reaction to the piece of music you created, and this tour will be an opportunity to interact with my fans. I am indebted to them for showering love on all the music that I have released, and I hope this relationship will continue for eternity”, he further added.
The tour’s first stop was Hyderabad, and he will continue the tour across other cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Jaipur, and Pune while signing off the tour in the vivacious city of Ahmedabad on 15 February 2025.
Mumbai: In a major boost to India’s connectivity landscape, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched over 50,000 indigenous 4G sites nationwide, marking a transformative stride in the government’s Atma Nirbhar Bharat (ANB) initiative. Developed in partnership with leading Indian tech entities Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tejas Networks, the Centre for development of telematics (C-DOT), and ITI Ltd., BSNL’s expansive 4G network exemplifies India’s “Poorn Swadeshi” approach, relying entirely on homegrown technology.
With more than 41,000 of these sites now active, BSNL is significantly accelerating India’s digital outreach. As of 29 October 2024, the rollout includes 36,747 sites under the Phase IX.2 project and 5,000 additional sites under the 4G Saturation Project, financed by the Digital Bharat Nidhi Fund, previously the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). BSNL’s current momentum underscores a larger goal to establish over 1,00,000 4G sites across India, embodying the commitment to fully indigenous technological expansion.
Earlier this year, BSNL activated 15,000 4G sites as of July, 2024. In the past three months alone, the company successfully added over 25,000 new sites, a robust demonstration of Swadeshi technology’s power and BSNL’s dedication to providing reliable, high-speed connectivity across the nation.
