Category: GECs

Mumbai: IN10 Media Network is ready to expand its market share in the Hindi entertainment space with the launch of its second general entertainment channel – Nazara.

IN10 Media Network managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Keeping in line with our vision to scale our broadcast business, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new GEC channel – Nazara. We are confident it will be a successful addition to our varied bouquet of channels and look forward to providing more content options to the GEC viewers.”

The channel aims to capture the audience’s interest with shows from varied genres like drama, crime, comedy, mythology, and many more.

Nazara AVP – content & strategy Preeti Kedia added, “Our latest offering, Nazara, will bolster our hold in the Hindi-speaking markets. We will collaborate with the best in the industry by focusing on telling stories that are entertaining, engaging and relevant in today’s times. We aim to be the go-to destination for entertainment.”

The channel has numerous originals in the pipeline and are under production.

The network has five channels (EPIC, ShowBox, Filamchi Bhojpuri, Gubbare, and Ishara) on air catering to different genres and meeting the varied content consumption of Indian audiences.

Nazara will go on air on 1 April, and will be available on leading platforms across India.

Mumbai: Reflecting the cultural diversity of the country in its culinary repertoire, MasterChef India on Sony Entertainment Television has enthralled viewers with home cooks from different parts of India bringing alive a mélange of flavours in their innovative dishes. Celebrity chefs Ranveer Brar, Vikas Khanna, and Garima Arora as the trio of judges on the show, have been instrumental in highlighting the history of different cuisines and mentoring the cooks in their journey on this intense food adventure. MasterChef India is a Sony Entertainment Television success story, which has exemplified how synergies are driven for its partners through custom content solutions.  Presented by Amul, MasterChef India is co-powered by Pushp Masale and Fortune Refined Soyabean Oil, special partner is India Gate Basmati Rice while Cremica Ketchup and Vinod Cookware are associate sponsors. Weaving a narrative which showcases the power of seamless brand integrations, the channel has delivered impact and built brand affinity for its sponsors.

For example, the Farm to Table challenge was crafted to showcase and bring alive Amul’s organic range of products and stepping out of the comfort of the MasterChef India kitchen, the contestants were taken to the organic farms in Anand, Gujarat. The challenge was for them to pick and choose ingredients from the farm to curate a special ‘International Brunch Spread’ with the fresh produce. In this first of its kind challenge, the home cooks were joined by Amul managing director Jayen Mehta and agronomist Sarvadaman Patel as well.

Each brand adds value to the show’s narrative and, as a result, has earned a spot in the viewers’ share of mind and heart. The heart and soul of Indian cuisine are fragrant and aromatic spices which impart taste, flavor and aromas to the dishes being cooked. The Pushp Desi Twist Challenge was curated to give an Indian twist to international dishes that effectively highlight the range and versatility of the Pushp masalas.

As a format, this is a reality show that enables authentic integrations without being intrusive whilst building meaningful brand messaging. After weeks of intense cook offs, a few of the contestants had the good ‘Fortune’ to meet with their loved ones in the ‘Ghar ka Khaana’ challenge – which highlighted the range of Fortune products in the pantry selection. The home cooks were tasked with cooking a dish that defines their family’s heritage and culture, using the core ingredient brought by their family members which made contestants and judges reminisce about fond memories of their homes. Integrations such as this subconsciously seed trust and build brand recall.

Likewise for India Gate Basmati Rice, integrations were crafted on the insight that when it comes to our loved ones and the food we eat, we do not like to compromise even on the tiniest details. Driving the business objective of adopting packaged rice over loose rice for India Gate Basmati Rice and its benefits, the reality show saw contextual integrations led by the contestants who said that they do not wish to compromise with the quality of the dish and hence they have used India Gate Basmati rice.

MasterChef India is telecast every Monday to Friday at 9 pm only on Sony Entertainment Television and is streaming on SonyLIV.

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) head—Ad sales network channel Sandeep Mehrotra said, “MasterChef India is a platform where brands across product categories have found the right voice, reflecting the ethos of the integrated product that enables brands to achieve their key objective. We’re delighted to have partnered with such prestigious brands from the F&B industry; our sponsors add value to the show as well, and thus we add purpose to each other making it a win-win situation for all stakeholders.

Mehta said, ‘’Amul is a part of India’s history, particularly its food culture. It has been a trusted player in the F&B industry, and our products have been a part of Indian households since the inception of the brand in 1946. Sony Entertainment Television’s MasterChef India, a well-known and well-liked global format in culinary reality television was the perfect fit for us to associate with. In fact, we have been associated with this show since its debut in India in 2010. Going beyond conventional product integrations, Amul presents MasterChef India shot an episode at an organic farm near Anand in Gujarat to highlight the importance of organic food and encouraging organic farmers as well. This was perhaps for the first time in any MasterChef show, anywhere in the world. We also ran the Amul Cheese Contest this season that saw a great response wherein home cooks cooked using Amul cheese driving brand affinity for us. Our collaboration with MasterChef India perfectly meets the needs of both the brand and the show.”

Pushp (Brand) India Pvt Ltd MD Surendra Surana said, “MasterChef India is the ideal reality television show for a brand like Pushp to be associated with. Pushp’s top priority is to build trust and provide the consumer with the right ingredient to flavour their food. When the MasterChef India Kitchen sees its contestants cook up a storm in the kitchen with our products, the viewer is more likely to trust the brand and replicate these dishes at their own homes. Amongst other deliverables, the smell test was a novel idea that was executed for Pushp for the first time on MasterChef India, and we’re happy to collaborate with a show such as this.

Adani Wilmar Ltd. head of media Sanjay Adesara said, “The usual promotional mediums are so saturated and predictable that it’s imperative to shift to a different and integrated content medium to promote our products. Formats like MasterChef India are one of the most authentic platforms to provide this opportunity to relevant brands like us, and we’re delighted with the value offered across multiple touchpoints through this season.”

KRBL business head India market Ayush Gupta said, “We were launching a new category defining communication for India Gate Basmati and what better platform than MasterChef. The show has successfully helped us to integrate our communication objective to drive preference for packaged India Gate rice over “Khulla rice.”

Mumbai: OnePlus, the leading global technology brand, today announced a strategic partnership with JioCinema for the upcoming season of the TATA Indian Premier League. The latest collaboration is set to offer OnePlus TV users access to JioCinema’s extensive library of international and regional content, particularly its enriching portfolio of popular sports content which includes the ongoing Women’s Premier League and Indian Premier League 2023. The partnership is also set to strengthen JioCinema’s viewership in India, tapping into OnePlus’ rapidly growing smart TV user community.

OnePlus TV users will be able to access a host of first-time features while watching the TATA IPL on JioCinema, such as 4K streaming, multicam presentation, and 12 different languages across 16 unique feeds.

Marking the partnership, OnePlus India senior spokesperson, shared, “Since the introduction of the first OnePlus TV in 2019, we have emerged among the leading smart TV brands in the country. This rapid success is a result of our dedication to provide an unparalleled, immersive smart TV experience to our community. The partnership with JioCinema will further elevate this effort and help provide our users access to incredible content curated across genres and languages, bringing them a true entertainment package.”

“We are delighted to partner with OnePlus offering the best sports action including the inaugural edition of TATA WPL and the upcoming season of TATA IPL as it is a step ahead in our journey to build accessibility to world-class offerings for fans,” said a Viacom18 spokesperson. “OnePlus TV consumers will be able to enjoy an unmatched live sport viewing experience on JioCinema and will unlock a different level of match viewing excitement giving them a great degree of control over how they prefer watching their favourite sport.”

A relatively recent entrant in the smart TV segment, OnePlus has successfully established itself among the leading smart TV players in a rapid fashion. The brand has emerged as the fastest-growing smart TV brand in the first half of 2022 in terms of shipments with an incredible 123 percent  YoY growth, as per the latest counterpoint India smart TV shipments model tracker report for Q2 2022.

In February 2023, OnePlus announced the launch of its OnePlus TV, the OnePlus TV 65 Q2 Pro – the latest addition to the brand’s premium Q Series portfolio which debuted in 2019. with the launch of the OnePlus TV Q1 Series. The OnePlus TV 65 Q2 Pro offers top-notch smart TV performance with smarter features, incredible visuals, and immersive sound quality while serving as the ideal entertainment and gaming hub. The OnePlus TV 65 Q2 Pro is available for Rs 99,999 on OnePlus.in, Amazon.in, Flipkart.in, OnePlus Experience Stores as well as the major offline partner stores.

Mumbai: Shemaroo, one of India’s media and entertainment powerhouse, has joined forces with Capital Block, a Web3 consultancy known for crafting fan engagement-based strategies for sports and entertainment brands. This strategic partnership aims to establish a strong global presence for Shemaroo’s Virtasy digital collectibles project within the NFT ecosystem. The collaboration leverages Capital Block’s expertise in Web3 and NFT strategy to establish Shemaroo’s Virtasy as a significant player in the global NFT ecosystem. Together, these industry powerhouses are set to redefine the rules of the game, and propel Shemaroo to new heights, solidifying its position in this emerging industry.

Capital Block, a Web3 marketing agency, brings a wealth of experience in the sports and media industries to the table, making them the ideal partner for Shemaroo’s NFT project, Virtasy. Regarded as one of the top players in the industry, the agency boasts an exceptional track record of forging successful partnerships with industry giants such as Binance, Tezos, AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Legia Warsaw, McLaren, and even Cristiano Ronaldo, which are a clear testament to their unmatched expertise and unwavering credibility.

And now, in a strategic partnership with Shemaroo, Capital Block is set to advise, guide and activate a first of its kind digital collectibles launch with their invaluable insights and expertise. With their support, Shemaroo will ascend to the top of the industry, reaching a wider audience and cementing their position as a major player in the WEB3 space.

Virtasy will offer a unique digital experience to its fans and customers by providing access to exclusive community experiences. The company is committed to leveraging the power of blockchain technology to provide a secure and transparent platform for creators and fans to engage with each other.

Speaking about the collaboration, Shemaroo CEO Hiren Gada said, “Shemaroo has been a pioneer in adopting new technologies and cutting-edge solutions. Our partnership with Capital Block is the latest step in our ongoing quest to stay ahead of the curve. We are thrilled to collaborate with Capital Block, a true leader in the NFT industry, to establish a strong presence in the global NFT ecosystem. We recognize that marketing NFT projects requires specialized knowledge and skills, as it involves reaching a niche audience of collectors and investors who are interested in this new and emerging market. With Capital Block’s wealth of experience and expertise in the sports and media industries, we’re confident that we’ll be able to successfully navigate this complex landscape. This partnership is the perfect match, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Capital Block CEO Timothy Mangnall said, “We are delighted to be working with Shemaroo on this project. We believe that NFTs have the potential to transform the entertainment industry, and Shemaroo is well-positioned to lead this transformation. We look forward to collaborating with them to develop a strategy that will engage fans and enhance their global presence.”

The partnership between Shemaroo and Capital Block marks a new chapter in the digital entertainment industry, where NFTs are becoming an increasingly important part of the landscape. With this collaboration, Shemaroo is set to become a player in this space and deliver engaging experience for its audience and unlock potential for its stakeholders.

Virtasy is built by Seracle, a Web 3.0 full stack infrastructure company, building decentralized applications since 2018. Seracle’s Web 3.0 platform includes trade infrastructure or Whitelabel exchange, DeFi & DAO infrastructure, Non-Fungible Token infrastructure, and Metaverse Infrastructure solutions. The comprehensive Web3 solutions are built under the expertise of Seracle CEO Ex-Oracle Ex-Nexo & a Fintech expert Shrikant Bhalerao and Seracle CTO Ex-HSBC & machine learning whiz Akshay Soam. Being a bootstrapped revenue-generating company, Seracle has served 30+ clients in Canada, the United States, France, the UK, Thailand, and India over the last four years and helped them invigorate their Web3 journey.

Mumbai: Star Bharat has recently announced its plan to revert to its previous programming style of airing shows five days a week. Furthermore, the channel is also launching a new initiative that involves the re-airing of its iconic mythological programs, such as ‘Radha Krishn’ and ‘Devo Ke Dev… Mahadev’, on Saturdays starting from 25 March 2023.

The decision to bring back ‘Radha Krishn’ and ‘Devo Ke Dev Mahadev’ on weekends came after an outpouring of demand from viewers. Starting on 25 March, the shows will telecast every Saturday, with ‘Radha Krishn’ airing from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM and ‘Devo Ke Dev…Mahadev’ airing from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The channel believes that this move will allow viewers to engage with their favorite shows in a more consistent manner.

Star Bharat’s decision to bring back its iconic mythological shows stems from the fact that they were immensely popular when they first aired. The channel hopes that by re-airing these shows, a new generation of viewers will have the opportunity to experience them.

The channel is enthusiastic about its new programming line-up and encourages viewers to tune in and relive the enchanting magic of its iconic mythological shows once again. As always, Star Bharat is dedicated to providing quality entertainment to its audience and believes that this move will help viewers reconnect with their favorite shows.

Mumbai: Shemaroo, India’s media and entertainment powerhouse, has announced the appointment of two more key executives to further strengthen its leadership team. Arpit Mankar has been appointed as head – non-Bollywood category and Abhishek Joshi will be head of ShemarooMe, the OTT platform of Shemaroo.

As head of Non-Bollywood Category, Mankar will be responsible for developing an overarching content strategy for various regions in India and abroad. Mankar comes with over 20 years of experience in the media & entertainment industry, having worked in leadership roles at Star India Pvt. Ltd., Sony – AXN Networks and Reliance group. In his last stint at Disney-Star, he served in key positions including head of programming strategy for Star Plus and general manager – Star Bharat, responsible for delivering viewership and profitability targets for the Hindi GEC. In this new role, he will be reporting to Shemaroo COO Arghya Chakravarty,  and will be a part of the executive committee.

Joshi will be overseeing the strategy, planning and operations of the platform. He will be responsible for driving revenue, subscriber acquisition and will be leading a team of cross-functional executives to maximize growth. In his last role, Joshi was the business head of SVOD & head of business partnerships at MX Player. Through his career spanning more than two decades he has worked with leading M&E players like Sony Pictures Networks India, Zenga Media Pvt. Ltd. (ZengaTV), Reliance Big Pictures, Sony Liv & ABP Group. He will be reporting to  digital business COO Zubin Dubash.

Chakravarty said, “We are excited to onboard Abhishek and Arpit in our leadership team at Shemaroo. Their proven track record and diverse skill sets will be invaluable assets as we continue to drive growth and innovation across various B2C businesses. I extend my heartiest congratulations and wish them great success in their new roles.”

Shemaroo is committed to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence, and these new seasoned industry leaders are a testament to that commitment. The company is excited to onboard Mankar and Joshi and watch them thrive in their career at Shemaroo.

Mumbai: Did you know that if you laugh for 15 minutes, your mind and body will thank you? So, this is your chance if you are a fan of memes or if you prefer telling classic knock-knock jokes. Whatever your humor preference is – whether it’s slapstick, dark, or sarcasm – Moj has got you covered! In celebration of the International Day of Happiness, short video app, Moj, has launched the second edition of its popular comedy fest – Moj Comedy Universe. The comedy talent fest will kick off on 20 March at 7:00 PM with a special launch challenge called “Hasna Jaruri Hai” on the Moj app (LIVE). This challenge invites creators and users of the app to showcase their impeccable comic timing and compete with each other in a battle of wits. Over the next 40 days, creators will face four unique hashtag challenges, each with a different format, to win prizes worth INR 1.5 lakhs.

The Moj Comedy Universe, one of the biggest online comedy challenges, is back with the best comedy creators showcasing a wide variety of comedy content from stand-ups to satires. Popular Moj creators such as Veer Indori, Parul, Anjali Jain, Kishan, Kavita Solanki, and Sachin Gupta will participate in this year’s edition. The launch challenge, called Hasna Zaruri Hai will feature ten pre-selected Moj users battling it out with popular Moj comedy creators in a head-on battle where the first one to laugh will be out of the competition.

For the next 40 days, the Moj Comedy Universe will feature a series of entertaining challenges for users. The first challenge, #TUTUMainMain, will showcase family and couple comedy from 20 to 29 March. The second challenge, #ComedyMunch, will highlight stand-up, mimicry, and quirky roasts from 30 March to 8 April. The third challenge, #MojMemeMania, will feature the best memes from 9 to 18 April. The final challenge, #SilentComedy, will challenge creators to make the audience laugh without speaking from 19 to 28 April. Ten winners will be selected per challenge, and the champions will be gratified with exciting prizes. Judging for each round of the Moj Comedy Universe will be based on the engagement and quality of the content created, a.k.a; how many people were unable to stop laughing!

Talking about the campaign, Moj and ShareChat Sr. director, content strategy Shashank Shekhar said, “Moj Comedy Universe embodies Moj’s core values of entertainment, creativity and humor. The user community will have a one-of-a-kind chance to celebrate the International Day of Happiness by participating in a meticulously planned festival of laughter filled with creative challenges. The creators can demonstrate their comedic talents to a larger audience through our platform. Moj is committed to being the ultimate destination for Indian youth seeking entertainment, creativity, and space for digital stars to showcase their talent and connect with brands. As a fun destination, Moj offers a platform for niche creators such as comedians to reach a large audience, grow their following and succeed in their digital careers.”

Moj provides a unique platform for creators to showcase their talent and gain brand recognition, taking a step closer to their dream of a successful career as digital stars. The app is a fun destination that offers niche creators, including those in comedy, opportunities to engage with a vast audience, increase their reach, and build a massive following.

Mumbai: Sony YAY!, India’s kid’s entertainment brand, has established a licensing and merchandising portfolio, in the last six years. With a toonverse of over 120 characters, the brand offers its partners value-based additions that help brands resonate with the spirit of this generation.

The channel’s dynamic toonverse comprises of an eclectic mix of homegrown and acquired toons, such as cat duo Honey Bunny, Oggy, from Oggy and the cockroaches, the super boy Kicko with his super car from Kicko Superspeedo and many more. 2022 also saw Sony YAY! introduce Naruto, for the first time ever on television. Adding another feather to its cap, the channel has now also bagged the title of being the first master licensee for the anime in India. In its first Direct-To-Etailor partnership with The Souled Store, the Naruto product line has already broken records with the biggest first day sale. As a part of this partnership, The Souled Store already offers a wide range of categories of official Naruto merchandise, spanning across apparels, accessories, footwear, and personal care. Not just this, very soon the fans of Naruto will also be able to avail the merchandise across many more categories which include – home furnishings, consumer electronics, toys, crockery and much more.

With brand partnerships like these, Sony YAY! endeavours to use its expertise of understanding audiences and equity of its characters to consistently bridge the gap between brands and their target group. By lending its characters and expertise in communication, Sony YAY! always works towards partnerships that echo the spirit of the new generation, with each association bringing a unique value addition. These partnerships range from promotional licensing with Honey and Bunny on Dabur milkshake and frappe packs, to experiential mobile games with Zapak and App On, customised apparels with Best Seller, or even funky home furnishings with comfy bean bags.  

Sony YAY! business head Leena Lele Dutta said, “At Sony YAY!, we believe in creating an ecosystem of characters that will lend themselves to not just engaging with kids, but also help in expanding the width of the business. While we already have the licensing rights for our homegrown IP’s, we have also obtained the licensing rights for our acquired content which will help us to stay committed to our promise of always bringing fans closer to the characters that they love.”

The Souled Store co-founder & director Harsh La said, “This was an opportunity we simply couldn’t miss and we jumped at the chance to partner with Sony YAY!, the leading kids’ entertainment brand. We were thrilled to offer anime enthusiasts the official Naruto merchandise that they had been yearning for. Our collaboration has proved to be a resounding success, with sales skyrocketing from day one. We look forward to uncovering many more opportunities for collaboration with Sony YAY! in the future.”

Mumbai : Sony Aath has announced its latest original series titled Gultemama. This family comedy show tells the story of a Bengali hamlet Galadpur and its people through the character of Gultemama, who spends his entire day gossiping with his friends. He is someone who is frequently on the receiving end of his own tricks.

Through its depiction of the well-known adda culture of the villages, Gultemama tries to introduce viewers to Bengali daily life. An unemployed 40-year-old man is the main character. He takes the practise of his “Adda” very seriously and considers it to be a disciplined art. Gultemama is happy with his life even if he is jobless. The program promises to increase the entertainment value by bringing viewers on a joyride of laughter and excitement.

A leader in Bengali entertainment, Sony Aath offers viewers a wide variety of programming, including dramas, comedy, reality shows, and more. The channel’s dedication to creating compelling programming that appeals to viewers of all demographics is continued with the release of this most recent original series.

Sony Pictures Networks India English Cluster & Sony Aath chief marketing officer & business head Tushar Shah said,”We are proud to bring forth, yet another family animation show catering to a wide range of Bengali audiences. Set in the backdrop of a typical Bengali neighborhood, ‘Gultemama’ will further strengthen our offering in the light-hearted comedy genre. With this show, we hope to continue entertaining audiences with authentic and relatable stories that resonate with them.”