Category: Press Release

All Indians Matter in Apple Podcasts, Spotify top picks

The All Indians Matter podcast has been featured as the top pick in Apple Podcasts’ ‘New & Noteworthy’ section and has shot up to No 11 on the Apple India charts after debuting at No 24. Earlier this month, it was among the top picks in Spotify’s ‘News & Politics’ section.

The All Indians Matter podcast is helmed by former journalist Ashraf Engineer and is presented by IdeaBrew Studios. It was launched on Independence Day eve this year. The podcast is a home for commentary and conversations with and about India on issues that matter.

The podcast features commentary by Engineer – who held leadership positions in some of India’s top newsrooms and continues to write for various publications and platforms besides making radio appearances for international radio stations. It also features conversations with experts on issues ranging from the economy to agriculture, the media and everything in between.

The weekly podcast has 16 published episodes already and is available on Spotify, JioSaavn, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Hubhopper. About 20% of its listenership is from countries other than India and 80% of the audience is between 18 and 30 years of age. The show has also seen steady subscriber growth across platforms since launch.

“I launched www.allindiansmatter.in in early 2020 as a digital home for high-quality commentary on issues that matter to India. The idea was to explain how various events matter to citizens’ lives and why they should care about them. I was fortunate to receive the support of some veteran journalists and commentators, who contributed to the website. A few months later, IdeaBrew Studios suggested I extend the effort to a podcast – an idea that excited me,” said Engineer, who is now part of a strategic communication consultancy but retains his journalistic sensibility and links.

Aditya Kuber, co-founder of IdeaBrew Studios, said: “Our studio is a digital-age storyteller. We present quality content across genres, from news commentary to sports and lifestyle. All Indians Matter is special because it was our first presentation and we couldn’t be happier with its success. Amid the media noise and clutter, audiences are craving content that truly makes sense of their world for them – especially in the audio format. So, there is space for quality commentary on current affairs and national issues. Engineer, with his journalism background of nearly two decades in media organisations, has the right credentials for it. That it’s working is evident in the way audiences – especially the young – are taking to the podcast and also in the recognition the platforms are giving it.”

For more information, contact Aditya Kuber on aditya@ideabrews.com/9823799121.

October 29, 2020
The Bonn Group of Industries added a new flavour Choco nutty to its premium cookies range

With the biscuit industry one of the fastest-growing food segments in India, leading FMCG player the Bonn Group of Industries has launched Choco nutty cookies, giving consumers another reason to indulge in their most loved cookies segment Chocolate & nuts. The Choco nutty cookies are rich in cocoa, nuts and choco chips, which are poised to deliver delightful experience to chocolate lovers.

These rich chocolate cookies which create a magical blend of exceptional chocolate-nutty flavour, are the most popular flavor among kids and youngsters. India is considered a potentially huge FMCG market because nearly 50% of its population is under the age of 25 years. Gifting and celebratory occasions are a popular trend among consumption favoring online-glued millennial generations. and Premium biscuits are the ideal gift in this age group.

“The addition of the chocco nutty cookies to our product portfolio is one more step in the direction of staying in tune with the evolving taste needs of a modern-day consumer. It will also help us gain increased penetration in the high biscuit consuming states of Punjab, Haryana & Delhi NCR. Biscuits are the second of our core business products which we intend to incrementally expand with greater value-for-money and innovative output. This will facilitate Bonn’s strategic expansion while assuring the brand remains sustainable in the long run”, said Mr. Amrinder Singh, Director, Bonn Group of Industries.

The choco nutty cookies are available in 50-gram packs priced at Rs.10. These premium cookies with rich chocolate flavour are added with choco chips & nuts for the chocolate lovers who want to try something new & delightful. Choco nutty cookies are rich in butter (also). Unlike bread and other bakery products, biscuits in India, are popular both in urban and rural demographics with proportions of those consuming them going up to 94% and 83% respectively. The changing lifestyle and increased consumption of packaged food during COVID-19 pandemic are the main drivers of the industry. The FMCG sector as a whole is the fourth largest sector in the Indian economy and provides employment to around 3 million people accounting for approximately 5% of the total factory employment in India.

October 29, 2020
Shemaroo TV and Shemaroo MarathiBana channels to be now available to Vi Movies & TV subscribers

MUMBAI: Shemaroo TV and Shemaroo MarathiBana, broadcast channels from the house of Shemaroo Entertainment have already become household names and are loved for their respective genres in General Hindi Entertainment and Marathi Movie category. To diversify the content offering the channel has inked a strategic partnership with Vi Movies & Tv, where millions of Vi Movies & Tv users will be able to access the Shemaroo TV and Shemaroo MarathiBana content through live linear channel offering.

The association will further strengthen Vi Movies & Tv current content portfolio and provide unlimited entertainment to its subscribers. The users will have access to Shemaroo TV’s popular and entertaining gamut of shows, across various genres likes Mythology, Drama, Horror, and other Original shows. In addition to this through the partnership, users will have access to Shemaroo MarathiBana, a Marathi movie channel that will entertain Vi Movies & Tv subscribers by offering high-quality Marathi movies.

Both the linear TV channels have been entertaining the audiences since their launch and have been successful in providing a friendly and entertaining distraction during the tough time, similarly Vi Movies & Tv has also been at the cusp of this change and has ensured each user is entertained through their offerings. Providing rich content to its users, through this association, the users will be able to access both the channels on a single platform and experience unlimited entertainment.

October 28, 2020
Mzaalo launches AVOD platform

New Delhi: Mzaalo, a blockchain-based video streaming application today announced the launch of its AVOD platform. The gamified video ecosystem is designed to reward consumers for viewing content on the platform. Mzaalo's system is secured by blockchain, trusted infrastructure for content and brands to own engagement and commerce for their users.

The AVOD platform offers consumers 50,000+ hours of premium content from over 25 content partners. The content library features a mix of Bollywood and regional movies, original series, music videos, linear television programing and more that will be available in Hindi and nine other Indian regional languages.

The wide-ranging content catalogue will attract users who can enjoy an immersive experience in which they can earn for watching content, interacting with the community, inviting friends as well as sharing, liking, and commenting on social media platforms. The process of watching content and being incentivized in the form of blockchain-based rewards adds to Mzaalo's credibility in building engagement, loyalty and driving growth.

The earned reward coins are stored in the users' digital wallets and can be spent on premium experiences, physical merchandise, partner products and services, digital goods, games, and charitable giving. Mzaalo plans to on-board established brand partners spanning across range of categories such as health & fitness, fashion, accessories, electronics, travel, wellness, and much more.

Mzalo COO Vikram Tanna said, "Technology is increasingly becoming the centre of every human interaction. Also, brands today are adopting to innovate and engage with users by creating bespoke, experiences without disrupting the entertainment journey. Mzaalo’s consumer-centric ecosystem is the first to reward consumers for their time and attention. Moreover, our engagement algorithm is designed for advertisers to build valuable user–brand experiences based on data transparency and privacy.”

Mzaalo has conducted consumer research across the country to understand user sentiments towards sharing personal data on various platforms and the process of selecting winners and rewarding customers. Understanding the requirement of user privacy and data protection, Mzaalo created an ecosystem that addresses consumers' needs by providing a rewarding entertainment experience in a trusted environment.

Mzaalo shall adopt a secured Decentralized Ledger Technology (DLT) to establish a trusted entertainment ecosystem where participants derive value from their contribution to the network. Additionally, users will be empowered to take control of their digital identity and shall be gratified for valuable behavior such as providing engagement on the platform through recommendations and for bringing peers onto it.

October 28, 2020
Zee Telugu celebrates 10th Zee Telugu Kutumbam awards amidst glitz and glamour

MUMBAI: After nine successful years of entertaining the audience, Zee Telugu returned with the tenth edition of Kutumbam Awards 2020. It was a glorious evening in Hyderabad where the red carpet was rolled for the Zee Telugu family to felicitate them and celebrate the exceptional talent in the Zee Telugu Family.

This year, the Kutumbam awards was unique right from the stage and set up was designed to give the viewers cinematic theater and jaw dropping experience as well as would offer the viewer a visual delight when the show is on-air on TV. Zee Telugu has outdone itself this year with the agility of their approach. In keeping with the new normal, adhering to the government regulations, and most importantly in the interest of people’s safety, the award function was held in a restricted studio setup.

It was an evening high on glitz, glamour and entertainment anchored by Pradeep Machiraju, Ravi and Shyamala. There were high-octane and fun-filled performances by the Zee Telugu Kutumbam, providing the audiences with the much-needed thrill for the on-air show. The stage was set on fire with performances of beautiful Namita along with Jani Master Gang and ‘Ishmart Shankar’ fame Nidhi Agarwal. Zee Telugu’s female fiction stars like Yashmi Gowda, Anusha Hegde, Varsha HK, Jaya Kavi, Sunanda Malasetti, Pooja Moorthy and Sireesha danced on the tunes of romantic tunes followed by soulful & high-octane tunes sung by Yasaswi and paid tribute to Late Singer S.P. Balasubramanyam.

A night charged with energy; the event was graced by Queen of South Indian Cinema Ramya Krishnan, Shruti Hassan, Namita, Nidhi Agarwal, Stalwarts of Telugu Cinema S.V. Krishna Reddy & Achi Reddy, Lakshmi Manchu, Omkar, VN Aditya, Vijay Kumar Konda among others. Zee Telugu’s finest actors and brilliant technicians across all their fiction and non-fiction shows were honored for their incomparable contribution towards making the channel one of the most beloved general entertainment channels in the Telugu states

Don’t forget to tune in for some big bang performances and dazzling celebrations of the tenth edition of the Zee Telugu’s Kutumbam Awards on 1 November 2020 at 5 pm only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD.

To ensure you do not miss out on your favorite Zee Telugu shows, choose the Zee Prime Pack that includes Zee Telugu, and Zee Cinemalu alongside seven other top channels of the Zee Network that cater to the daily entertainment needs of your entire family at Rs 20 per month only. For further information, contact your DTH or Cable operator.

October 28, 2020
Faboom Witnesses Significant Increase in its User-Engagement During IPL 2020

NEW DELHI: Indian Premier League 2020 has been taking over the audience with a bang, the buzz for cricket as a sport is only seen elevating by every match. The cricket fever has not only glued the nation to the screen passionately but also has them biting their nails with commendable performances by their favourite cricketers. Faboom, a leading fantasy sports platform, has also observed exceptional growth and intense audience engagement during this tournament. People are indulging into online gaming and thus catering to their dream of playing alongside cricketers virtually. In a short span of time, Faboom has made a permanent place among gaming enthusiasts in India.

IPL is known to be one of the fascinating cricket leagues in the world, driving a more profound engagement amongst the sports fanatics. However, during these unprecedented times, people weren't able to view their favourite series in-person from the stadium, and the matches were decided to be staged behind closed doors. But to the audience's surprise, Faboom made it possible for them to engage in them by offering a wholesome virtual gaming experience to them where they can leverage their knowledge and skills of cricket, football and other sports. This has positively impacted the brand rapport in the market and further resulted in a substantial uptick in adoption and traction on its website. Faboom has become the preferred choice of sports buffs across the country.

Pratik Kumar, Co-founder at Faboom said, “IPL is the biggest sports league which enjoys a huge fan following amongst cricket enthusiasts and is seen catching more traction by every passing year. The series of matches were enjoyed in the stadiums earlier but due to the current outbreak of the pandemic that hasn't been possible. However, even during these trying times, people have been able to participate in Fantasy Gaming from the comfort of their homes and all the Gaming apps have been witnessing an increasing engagement. This has further resulted in 300% growth of Faboom and is inspiring us to continue to elevate the level of sports in the country and beyond.”

Faboom creates exciting content for sports lovers across the nation and spicing up their cricket fantasies with unparalleled and unique formats where the participants can play in teams and enjoy a real-life experience on a digital platform.

October 27, 2020
Critically acclaimed American dystopian drama, ‘Fast Color’ to premiere on MN+ and Romedy NOW

Mumbai: Offering some of the most celebrated Hollywood movies of all time to its viewers, MN+ and Romedy NOW will simulcast the Indian Television premiere of the American supernatural movie, ‘Fast Color’ this Sunday October 25, at 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

Written and directed by Julia Hart, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, and Saniyya Sidney, Fast Color narrates an inspiring story of redemption, recovery and healing, featuring three generations of strong women coming to terms with their special abilities. Set in the American Midwest, in a dystopian near-future, the movie allows space for questions and confusion. The story revolves around a woman named Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who is forced to go on the run when her superpowers are discovered. She flees back to her family where she begins to mend the broken relationships with her mother and daughter and learns that the power she needed was inside her all along. With an introspective take on the superhero movie, Fast Color is a sci-fi film which exploits the superhero ethos, leaving audiences pondering at the end. The movie received praise for its visual style, performances, direction, and stimulating story.

MN+ and Romedy NOW treat its viewers this weekend with a movie that explores the universal theme of superpower with an empowering narrative that fits today’s era.

October 24, 2020
ZEE5 Global named ‘Digital Content and Streaming Service of the Year’ at the 2020 Telecoms World Middle East Awards for 2nd consecutive year

ZEE5 Global, the largest and most comprehensive digital entertainment platform for Indian content, has won the ‘Digital Content and Streaming Service of the Year’ award for 2020 at the Telecoms World Middle East Awards for the second consecutive year.

The virtual awards ceremony, held on 13th October 2020, was part of a Telecoms World Middle East event in Dubai. The winners were chosen by a panel of expert judges brought together by Terrapinn, the organisers of the annual Telecoms World Middle East Conference and Awards. The awards recognize outstanding performance in key telecom-related areas across the region and recognize those players that make this one of the most dynamic sectors globally.

“We’re thrilled to be named the Digital Content and Streaming Service of the Year, that too for the second consecutive year. This award is a recognition of the tremendous love for our content across markets, the partnerships we have forged in the shortest span of time and our continuous initiatives to bring the best of Indian and South Asian content to our audiences worldwide. The Middle East is an especially important market for us, and we are very glad that our efforts and ambitions are being recognised here with this highly coveted award.” said Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global

Catering to not only South Asians but also mainstream audiences across countries, ZEE5 is today, with over 125,000 hours of on demand content and 60+ live TV channels, the largest single point destination for Indian content globally. From expanding its global reach through strategic partnerships across key global markets, to establishing itself as a premium advertising destination, the platform has achieved massive success at rapid speed during the past year. It has also been recently featured as one of the top 10 streaming apps downloaded globally and the sixth most downloaded Android app, by Sensor Tower.

The brand has also grown from offering 12 content languages at launch to now offering content across 18 languages, including Arabic, filling a growing demand among audiences for language content. Fast moving into its next phase of growth, it will soon launch multiple localized content and other initiatives in priority markets like Bangladesh and Middle East.

October 23, 2020
Celebrate This Glorious Victory Of Good Over Evil With Some Of The Greatest Heroes And Villains This Sunday On &flix And &PrivéHD

A time of happiness, the festival of Dusshera celebrates a new era, ushered in by the victory of good over evil. On this auspicious day, watch as evil is extinguished with fury and vengeance as glorious battles and fierce action awaits you on Sunday, 25th October 2020 only on &flix and &PrivéHD.

The greatest superheroes to walk the face of earth assemble for a battle of anger and grit against a foe who shows no mercy in Marvel’s Avengers. This is then followed by Stan Lee’s most loved creation in Spiderman: Homecoming starring Tom Holland as Spiderman and Michael Keaton as the villain, Vulture. The perfect zombie apocalypse never existed until now, an action comedy starring Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg return to kick zombies in Zombieland: Double Tap.

It is never easy to face your fear or your biggest enemy, but to succeed over it is also your greatest accomplishment. &PrivéHD underlies the significance of this day by showcasing a wide range of award-winning features that depict the triumph of righteous over wicked. With a daylong binge starting at 7 in the morning, gear up for a clash of a lifetime with world war drama feature Pearl Harbour, sci-fi thriller Life, a dystopic film starring father-son duo, Will and Jaden Smith in After Earth and many more.

Savour the victory today by tuning in to &flix and &PrivéHD to watch some of the greatest battles come alive with an all-day binge

October 23, 2020
Zee Tamil Kutumbam Viruthugal 2020 wraps up

MUMBAI: Zee Tamil is back with the third season of the Zee Tamil Kutumbam Viruthugal 2020. The red carpet was rolled out to felicitate the stars and celebrate the talent within the channel.

This year, the Zee Tamil Kutumbam Viruthugal held a prelude event for the nomination process of best award categories while making the voting process for the favourite award categories completely digital. In keeping with the new normal, adhering to the government regulations, and most importantly in the interest of people’s safety, the award function was held in a restricted studio setup.

The evening was high on glitz, glamour and entertainment, with high-octane and fun-filled acts by the Zee Tamil Kutumbam. There was Nanda Master and Chandini’s special dance performance, Sree Kumar and Naksatra’s dance sequence, soulful and electrifying tunes sung by SaReGaMaPa stars, followed by Suryavamsam family performance to name a few. This year the stage & set-up was designed to give the viewers a complete cinematic theatre experience delivered to their TV screens.

The event was graced by Tamil Nadu minister D Jayakumar, and the who’s who of Kollywood – Vijay Sethupathi, Aishwarya Rajesh, Parthipan, Director Ameer, Bhagiyaraj, MS Baskar, Harish Kalyan, Singer Sreenivas, Manobala, RK Suresh, RK Selvamani, Cheran, Vijay Antony, Sharanya Turadi, Parvati Nair, Director & Actor Ramesh Kanna was present. Zee Tamil’s finest actors and brilliant technicians across all their fiction and non-fiction shows were honoured for their contribution to the channel.

Zee Tamil Kutumbam Viruthugal 2020 will be aired in three parts, every Sunday, starting 25 October to 8 November. Below are the timings.

· Red carpet – 25 October; 1:30 pm

· Main Event Part 1 – 25 October; 2:30 pm

· Main Event Part 2 – 1 November; 2:30 pm

· Main Event Part 3 – 8 November; 2:30 pm

The winners of the Zee Tamil Kutumbam Viruthugal 2020 are as follows:

Best Award Category:

Best Actor – Jai Akash (Neethaane Yenthan Ponvasantham)
Best Actress – Nakshatra (Yaaradi Nee Mohini)
Best Villi – Mounika (Rettai Roja & Sembaruthi) and Chaitra Reddy (Yaaradi Nee Mohini)
Best Comedian – Indiran (Sathya)
Most Popular Marumagal – Reshma (Poove Poochudava)
Most Popular Maamiyaar – Yuvasree (Sathya)
Most Promising Actor (Male) – Nandha Master (Gokulathil Seethai)
Most Promising Actor (Female) – Asha Gowda (Gokulathil Seethai)
Most Popular Appa – Sairam (Neethaane Yenthan Ponvasantham)
Most Popular Amma – Soniya Bose Venkat (Neethaane Yenthan Ponvasantham)
Best Supporting Actor (Male) – Bharath (Yaaradi Nee Mohini & Gokulathil Seethai)
Non-Fiction Special Award – GENES
Best Serial – Neethane Yenthan Ponvasntham
Best Pair on-screen – Puviarasu & Ashwini (Oru Oorla Oru Rajakumari)
Favourite Award Category:

· Favorite Hero – Karthik Raj (Sembaruthi)

· Favorite Heroine – Shabana Shahjahan (Sembaruthi) & Ayesha (Sathya)

· Favorite Pair On-Screen – Karthik Raj & Shabana (Sembaruthi)

· Favorite Villain – Lakshmi (Sembaruthi)

· Favorite Anchor – Priya Raman (Genes)

· Favorite Serial – Sathya

Special Award Category:

Lifetime Achievement Award – Nalini
Rising Star – Anjana Srinivas (Endrendrum Punnagai) & Aira Agarwal (Raja Magal)
Find of the year – Darshana Asokan (Neethaane Yenthan Ponvasantham)
Youngest Talent of Zee Tamil – Sanjay (Rettai Roja)
Contribution to Cinema & Television Special Award – L Raja
Contribution to Cinema & Television Special Award – Sabitha Anand
Contribution to Cinema & Television Special Award – Kavitha
Best Non-Fiction – Thamizha Thamziha
Voice of Zee Tamil – Karu Palaniappan
Socially responsible film of the year – Ka Pae Ranasingam
Technical Award Category: –

Best Director (Fiction) – NV Natarajan; Sathya
Best Director (Fiction) – Narayana Moorthy; Oru Oorula Oru Rajakumari
Best Screenplay – SJ Lober Samy; Sathya
Best Dialogue – N Ramana Gopinath; Sathya

October 23, 2020