Category: GECs

Mumbai:  Tata Play Binge, has partnered with Travelxp as the latest addition to its entertainment portfolio and expands its OTT family to 25+ apps. Binge viewers will now be able to access premium travel and lifestyle content through Travelxp.

Travelxp is an OTT platform with shows dedicated to viewers who love the luxuries and intricacies of the travel and lifestyle, served at the comfort of their homes. With access to content around the world, Travelxp shows are dubbed in languages like English, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali, and also feature subtitles in numerous other regional languages. The platform hosts more than 600 travel stories from over 90 destinations in the world, including popular shows like The Gypsies, Backpack, Xplore India, World Heritage, Strictly Street and more.

Commenting on the addition of the new partner app, Tata Play’s chief commercial and content officer Pallavi Puri said, “With every new partnership our endeavour is to provide Tata Play Binge viewers a seamless and comprehensive streaming experience, giving them choicest entertainment under one roof. Travelxp is home to exceptional travel stories from around the world that will broaden the horizon of any travel enthusiast. We are delighted to have them onboard.”

Further adding to this, Travelxp CEO Tanay Chothani said, “I am thrilled to announce our partnership with Tata Play Binge, one of the leading players in the Indian OTT market. Our mission has always been to provide our viewers with the best travel and lifestyle content from around the world, and this collaboration will enable us to reach even more audiences across India. With this partnership, we are excited to offer our premium quality shows to Tata Play Binge’s existing subscriber base, and together, we look forward to delivering an unparalleled viewing experience to our audiences.”

Mumbai: Nish Hair, a homegrown hair extension brand Nish Hair by Parul Gulati, has experienced growth over the last five years in the market. Recently, the brand was featured on Shark Tank India, where founder Gulati showcased a range of hair extension products to the panel of sharks, including hair toppers with different bases, side bangs, full-head wigs, and more. The sharks were impressed with the quality of the products and the potential of the brand, with three sharks giving their offer to invest in Nish Hair.

Gulati founded Nish Hair with a vision to create a brand that caters to women of all hair types and backgrounds, with products that are hand-selected, stitched to perfection, and long-lasting. With a revenue of 6.7 crores last year, Nish Hair is committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect, empowering women to feel confident and beautiful. Hair extensions are not just for beautification purposes; they also play a crucial role in helping women who suffer from hair loss, thinning hair, alopecia, restricted growth, damaged hair, or are simply looking for a change in style. Nish Hair caters to all women’s needs, including cancer patients and those with severe hair issues.

Gulati expressed her excitement about receiving the fund and shared, “Being on Shark Tank has been one of my life’s top three moments. I always dreamed of pitching my ideas to the sharks and when the opportunity came, I jumped at it. I followed my gut and went with Amit Jain’s offer, which was the most appealing and I have immense respect for him. With the funds and learnings from the show, I aim to make Nish Hair more accessible, expand our product line to cater to men, and reach our goal of normalizing hair loss globally.”

Mumbai: COLORS’ new show ‘Bekaaboo’ chronicles the tale of two mystical beings, who are at war with each other in the ultimate struggle to rule over the multiverse and protect it. After pioneering fantasy fiction on television, two of the biggest creative entities in entertainment, COLORS and Balaji Telefilms have teamed up yet again for a fierce battle between the divine and dark forces.

Starring Shalin Bhanot, Eisha Singh and Monalisa in the roles of rakshas, pari and an antagonist, the fantasy drama captures the journey of a pari and rakshas, who share an ancestral enmity, but unpredictably fall in love. The show also stars popular actors Zain Imam and Shivangi Joshi in pivotal roles. Packed with the finest VFX, ‘Bekaaboo’ will premiere on 18 March and will air every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 pm, only on COLORS.

Talking about the show, Hindi mass entertainment Viacom18 chief content officer Manisha Sharma said, “At COLORS, we take great pride in providing a wide variety of stories, content and characters to our audience. Our commitment in fostering a creative ecosystem for the fantasy fiction genre has resulted in unparalleled popularity. Making the most of the momentum generated by this genre, we bring Bekaaboo, a visual extravaganza that showcases the ultimate clash of supernatural powers deciding the fate of the multiverse. Through this show, we are determined to take the fantasy fiction space a notch higher by offering the viewers imaginative worlds. Partnering with Ekta Kapoor, who has excelled in the art of fantasy fiction genre and storytelling is always an enriching experience for us and we cherish our long-term relationship that has only become stronger over the years.”

‘Bekaaboo’ revolves around a college-going girl Bela (Eisha Singh) with telepathic powers whose life changes as she meets a shy boy Ranav (Shalin Bhanot). Oblivious to their mystical legacies, both are caught in the age-old rivalry between the families of two powerful forces – pari and rakshas. After discovering their true identities as descendants of pari and rakshas, Bela and Ranav are torn between their love for each other and their quest to navigate the complexities of the multiverse.

Producer Ekta Kapoor said, “Balaji Telefilms is proud of creating a unique and distinct multiverse of mystical characters, particularly in the fantasy genre. Our latest offering, Bekaaboo, revolves around the mystical clans of pari and rakshas, caught in a battle between supremacy over the multiverse and their love. This character-driven story explores themes that have never been explored before on Indian television, making it a truly compelling viewing experience. Our previous collaborations in the fantasy genre with COLORS have been both successful and well-received by audiences, inspiring us to push the boundaries of storytelling. We are grateful to the channel for providing us with a wide canvas to innovate with and for being a platform for our imagination. We are thrilled to present a visually stunning world of pari and rakshas in Bekaaboo.”

Excited to be essaying the role of a rakshas, Bhanot said, “Rarely on television does one get the opportunity to play two polar sides of a character, one as an under-confident, gullible, and nervous boy, and the other as a powerful and invincible rakshas with a purpose to fulfil. I have always said that I am here to entertain and so for me being back on-screen acting and entertaining is exciting and with it, the response I have been getting for the look has been fabulous. I love the craft of acting and for me, the dual sides to this character make it a challenging thrill! I’m looking forward to working with COLORS and Balaji Telefilms, two powerhouses that are going to rewrite history once again, and this time I’m honoured that I too will get to be part of it.”

Set to be seen in the role of a pari, Singh said, “Bekaaboo marks my first foray into the realm of fantasy fiction, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. The chance to collaborate with two powerhouses in the genre, Balaji Telefilms and COLORS, was too good to pass. I’m thrilled about being seen in the role of a pari, who is entangled in a power struggle for supremacy over all the universes. She is oblivious to her lineage, and it is worth watching what happens when she finds the truth of her mystical roots. I’m confident that this story will not only leave the audience in awe of its visual appeal but also make them think about the triumph of good over evil.”

Playing the role of an antagonist, Monalisa said, “Bekaaboo marks my third collaboration with COLORS after Bigg Boss 6 and Namak Issk Ka. While I have been fortunate enough to be part of several fantasy dramas in my career, Bekaaboo is a first-of-its-kind show that showcases a clash of two mystical clans in a visually stunning manner. I will be seen essaying the role of a rakshasi, who is scheming for dominance over the human and rakshas world. She has a strong aura and that required me to don a certain look inspired by the leading ladies of the 80s era. I hope that the efforts and hard work in piecing this show together pay off and the audience is thoroughly entertained.”

Mumbai: Travelling is as much about savoring the journey as it is about experiencing the destination. This new show will take viewers on a sojourn of discovery of our culture, customs and bygone tales that will all be relieved via thrilling experiences on NEXA Journeys presents Konkan Diaries. The ten-episode show will acquaint us with the Maharashtrian belt of Konkan region and will premiere on 5 March, Sunday on Zee Zest and Zee Zest HD at 8pm and repeat telecast at 9pm every Thursday.

Konkan Diaries on Zee Zest and Zee Zest HD will be hosted by Addinath M. Kothare, a National Award-winning director, actor and producer, a popular face of Marathi cinema and famous for his performance in the Bollywood Blockbuster 83. Addinath’s infectious energy and spirited persona makes him an ideal host to take us on an adventurous, entertaining and thrilling journey across Konkan.

Driven by adventure Addinath himself partakes in unique experiences and challenges – from Alphonso Mango picking near Ratnagiri to performing in a traditional folk theatre with local artists and from trying his hand at catching and auctioning fresh catch with the Kolis of Harnai village to Beach glamping near Alibaug. Addinath will be seen living and experiencing the cultural vibrancy and architectural wonders of Konkan. The exploratory spirit of the host will also be seen as he tries his hand at puppeteering, boat-making and indulging in pakoras made from edible mangrove leaves. In the show Konkan Diaries, Addinath will give viewers an up-close and personal glimpse of the bountiful offerings and adventures of the unexplored Konkan region.

Speaking on the launch, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. chief cluster officer – west, north & premium channels Amit Shah said, “In our quest to enhance the viewer experience and in line with our promise to UNLIMIT, we are delighted to travel through the picturesque Konkan region and partner with Addinath to bring the unique culture and traditions of this region to our audiences. Our association with NEXA is fortified with each show through our synergies and content philosophy, and we are pleased to have them on board for this journey. We hope the myriad experiences in Konkan Diaries will enable our viewers to create a bucket list and have a great understanding of some often visited, yet unknown facts about the region. We are confident that watching this show will truly be a soulful experience for our audiences.”

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. senior executive officer marketing & sales Shashank Srivastava said, “Creating new and unique initiatives to bond with our customers has always been a priority at NEXA. And NEXA Journeys has played a significant role in achieving this objective through exclusive collaborations. Over the years, NEXA Journeys has been curating innovative experiences that are befitting of the choices of our discerning customers. We are excited about the upcoming Konkan Diaries series, which resonates with our commitment of introducing unique experiences for our customers. Through these one-of-a-kind NEXA Journeys, we enable our customers to discover unexplored facets of India and create a lifetime of memories. We aim to continue building on our strong partnership with Zee Zest and collaboratively work on developing captivating content for viewers.”

Speaking about the show, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. chief growth officer, advertising revenue Ashish Sehgal said, “We are glad to further strengthen our partnership with Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. via this exciting new show Konkan Diaries. Through our association, we have been weaving in NEXA’s objectives seamlessly into our programming and enabling our partners to narrate their story distinctively, through the shows.”

Show Promo Link:  https://zeezest.com/episodes/exploring-the-konkan-coast-594   

Mumbai: ZEE Biskope – a channel that hosts Bhojpuri’s blockbusters, has bought the biggest-ever event in Bhojpuri – International Bhojpuri Film Awards 2023. The property conceived by Yashi Films will be returning with its sixth edition after a gap of three years and this time only on a channel that best fits its scale – ZEE Biskope. The channel launches the event with a promise to compensate for the gap of three years by tripling the entertainment & grandeur at every level. The splendour of the event will be rising three notches higher with it being held in one of the world’s most celebrated cities – Dubai. The grandeur doesn’t end here. The event will be hosted in Coca Cola Arena – a stage that’s three times bigger than the last and one of the largest multipurpose indoor arenas in the United Arab Emirates. Planned to go on floor on 15 March, the event will mark a star-studded night that will witness the confluence of the entire Bhojiwood fraternity along with some of the big names from Bollywood. It will be a rewarding journey of acknowledging & felicitating the best talents in Bhojiwood across multiple award categories. The magnificence of the event is a testimony to the pride that Bhojpuri exuberates for its vibrant entertainment industry. In the truest sense the event will live up to its promise of “Bhojpuriya Jhumade Pura Burj Khalifa”.

The gala award ceremony will be graced by actor-dancer Govinda whose dreamy charm and stunning performance is sure to take the audience on a joyride. Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez will also perform in the ceremony. For the first time ever, the event will be hosted by three anchors – Sugandha Mishra, Sanket Bhosale & Paritosh Tripathi. The 3X narrative will continue with Bhojiwood’s three actors Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, Pawan Singh & Pradeep Pandey Chintu and top three actresses Amrapali Dubey, Kajal Raghwani & Smriti Sinha showcasing thier performances. Not just that. In a never seen before feat, the awards will not be given to movies of just one year but three years compensating the gap. The attraction will only get three times more when actors Manoj Tewari & Ravi Kishan will adorn the stage at Bhojpuri’s biggest starry event.  Audiences would be thrilled with the stellar presence of Bhojiwood’s youth stars Yash Kumar, Arvind Akela Kallu, Parvesh Lal Yadav & Ritesh Pandey. The actress of the industry – Harshika Punecha, Subhi Sharma, Neelam Giri & Anara Gupta are sure to charm the viewers with their fascinating aura. The channel plans to telecast a three offering around the show starting with a Curtain Raiser followed by a Red Carpet and then the Main Event. The telecast date is planned in the last week of March itself. It is sure to set a new benchmark in Bhojiwood’s history and viewer experience.   

Viewers of ZEE Biskope will also get a rare opportunity of voting for their favourites as part of the Biskope Fan Awards in three of the biggest categories – Best Actor, Best Actress & Best Film categories. All that they need to do is give a missed call on the respective numbers. This would be followed by an IVR call back where they can vote for their favourite nominees. This endevour is to ensure that the content is not just passively served to the viewers but they are actively engaged to be a part of this journey.

Speaking about this unique initiative, ZEEL chief cluster office – east Samrat Ghosh stated, “ZEE Biskope continues to charm and mesmerize audiences across age groups, gender and socio economic class through its unique movie & movie plus offerings. After a small hiatus, ZEE Biskope is coming back with IBFA which promises to take viewers to a magical universe of Bhojpuri films and Bhojpuri superstars. The initial response has been encouraging and we are seeing participation from some of the bigger brands. We will continue to win the hearts of consumers through the curated properties complementing our brand philosophy of ‘Aathon Pahariya Loota Lahariya’.”

Adding to this ZEEL chief channel officer, Bhojpuri cluster Amarpreet Singh Saini said, “ZEE Biskope always stands true to its promise of offering movie plus content and IBFA is a golden addition. Induced by the pandemic, viewers have missed this event for three years. Hence, to compensate for that gap, ZEE Biskope has curated this event with entertainment pulled up 3X higher at every level of the show. We also have extensive Marketing support planned for this event which would cover the TV, Digital, Radio & Print medium. With so much in the offering we are confident to get 3X love from Bhojpuri viewers this season.”

Mumbai: Longing to watch some of the best regional content but don’t want to spend those extra bucks? India’s telecom service provider, Vi has partnered with Sun NXT, the content provider in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada languages. The partnership offers Vi postpaid customers Sun NXT’s premium HD subscription with dual screen access (mobile & TV) at no extra cost, for a period of one year.

Vi users can enjoy their favourite movies, TV Shows and music videos in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada anytime, anywhere on their mobile phone or on their TV set, with the new Rs. 401 postpaid plan. In addition, Vi users can also access Sun Marathi and Bangla TV shows. From latest blockbusters like Raangi, Laatti Charge, DSP, Mahaveeryar, Thiruchitrambalam, Abbara, Annaatthe, Beast, Doctor to Popular TV shows like Ethir Neechal, Sundari, Premas Rang Yave, Vontari Gulabi, Kaliveedu, Kanalpoovu, Radhika and more on Music Videos, Live TV and other TV shows.

According to Vodafone Idea Ltd. CMO Avneesh Khosla said, “Digitally savvy users consuming content on the go, seek choice, freedom and flexibility. Our collaboration with Sun NXT not only further strengthens our content portfolio but also provides postpaid users access to the most exhaustive bouquet of movies, TV Shows and music videos in their preferred language, on their fingertips. We will continue to cater to the burgeoning demand for high quality regional content, through partnerships with the best in category players.”

The annual Sun NXT membership can be activated through Vi App. Users on the new 401 plan can activate their Sun NXT membership in three easy steps:

•     Download the Vi app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.
•     Go to plan benefit section and claim their Sun NXT membership
•     Register on Sun NXT app with their Vi postpaid number

Mumbai: In today’s age of clutter and information overload, Zee News, the first private news channel of India, has always been the catalyst for change. Taking this thought forward, Zee News has established a distinctive identity by redesigning the look and feel of its channel packaging, adding a vibrant colour palette, creating clear visuals, and breathing space for better viewer experience.

The new design was carefully curated from the findings of a detailed market research, which provided insights into audience preference. This helped arrive at an affectlab score which was imperative in the channel’s re-design. Metrics such as visual appeal earned attention from viewers, comprehension, discovery time, negative/positive emotions, etc were measured for its Broadcasting space.

The fresh look & feel, along with modernized approach bring to light the consistent efforts of the brand to redefine the credibility of the news being reported. The latest design update is in line with a more futuristic approach to connect deeply with Zee News viewers and attract new audiences through a better news viewing experience.

Emphasizing the brand philosophy and modern approach,  Zee Media Corporation Ltd. chief business officer Abhay Ojha said, “India has evolved and so have we. As the nation’s oldest and one of the leading news enterprises, Zee News has played a huge role in shaping the minds and hearts of our viewers and our country. In the cluttered News Broadcasting space, Zee News has been constantly enabling a modern brand metaphor that comprises an inclusive and progressive approach. We, at Zee News, continue to be the forerunner in ensuring impactful content consumption, taking into consideration the attention span of viewers spread across the country.”

“When it comes to marketing and building strong brand equity, the brand identity of the Zee news network is of paramount importance. We have refreshed our brand identity to keep our audience engaged through a visually appealing new look and strategized communication to ensure a consistent Top of the Mind recall for our channel, with a higher preference ratio.” added Zee Media Corporation Ltd marketing head Anindya Khare.

Mumbai: Yasukata Fukahori was speaking at the second edition of ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit 2023, on the topic of “India and Japan, Seventy Years of Friendship.” The summit has brought together policymakers, cultural ambassadors, industry experts, celebrities, and business leaders to discuss the critical role of India during the global churn and changing dynamics.

“Spiritual closeness between India and Japan is very deep. Indian people and Japanese people can understand each other. Relations between the two countries are the closest in the world. India and Japan are natural allies” said the consul-general of Japan in Mumbai, Fukahori.

Commenting on the future of Indo-Japanese economic ties, Fukahori added, “I predict a bright future between India and Japan economically.”

He further added, “Achieving the five trillion yen investment target in India within the next five years seems attainable. There is optimism that investments will continue to flow into India, and the cultural closeness between the nations also aids in this endeavour,”

The second edition of ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit is being held on the theme “Naya India: Looking Inward, Reaching Out.” Along with global leaders, 60  national and international speakers will share the stage this time. The two-day event primarily addresses India’s stand as a burgeoning economy and global leader in shaping the future.

Mumbai: The cost of streaming IPL on Digital across SD, HD or 4K ranges between 70x-500x of the TV subscription cost of only Rs 38 for two months. High data cost to limit the reach of IPL on Digital.

The concept of free digital streaming of IPL in India faces a harsh reality that will disincentivize the majority of viewers it was aimed to benefit. An essential underlying cost component that has been ignored is the cost of internet data that it takes to stream a live cricket match. In addition, when you compare that with the reality of the average monthly data consumption in India, two things stand out- firstly, there is a significant hidden cost that viewers will have to incur to stream IPL free on digital. Secondly, the cost of watching IPL on TV with the kind of penetration television has established makes it a clear favorite.

Data Cost – The Hidden Truth

The duration of a match in IPL is 3.5 hours on average and the data required to stream a match ranges from 3.6 GB for standard definition (SD) to a whopping 10.65 GB for 4k resolution. As per TRAI, the cost per GB is Rs 10 in India, which means a viewer will have to pay anything between Rs 35 to Rs 107 just to stream one match of IPL, and if a viewer is to stream even ten matches of IPL, the cost of data would catapult to Rs 350-Rs 1000. This data cost is exorbitant considering the average consumer today pays merely Rs 170/month for data. This means if viewers want to now stream just 10 IPL matches on mobile in the most basic resolution, their monthly mobile bill will increase by 3X at the least. Considering that social media and short form video content accounts for most of the monthly data consumption of a user, it is practically impossible to stream more than a few minutes of an IPL match unless users burn a hole in their pockets further.

Limited Data consumption among Indian consumers

The average data consumption across 2022 averages close to 17-18 GB per month. At best the usage goes up to 22.4 GB on an average, which indicates that streaming of IPL on smartphones will require a 10-15x increase in data consumption and a massive increase in the spending threshold of the average Indian user. Even the top tier of consumers that would account for highest data consumption are consuming only two GB data per day. When compared with the data requirements to watch IPL on digital in a higher resolution, the potential shortfall to meet the requirement among the top tier too is significant.

CTV – More hype less impact

CTV too faces critical challenges that will deter it from scaling during IPL. As it stands, there are two ways in which consumers can experience CTV viewing during IPL. The first is through CTVs powered by wired broadband and the second is by using the Jio Media Cable, where mobile data will be consumed to stream IPL on TV sets. Out of 31 million wired broadband homes in India, only 13 million homes powered by wired broadband are capable of CTV viewing, as per a Crisil report. Even in terms of cost, fiber broadband plans would cost a household anywhere between Rs 1000-2400 to be capable of streaming IPL. The cost of enabling high-speed wired broadband and the lack of scale it stands at currently are the biggest constraints for the digital streaming of IPL. In terms of the Jio Media Cable, the cost of data to power streaming from smartphones is exorbitantly high compared to already available alternatives. To stream one game of IPL in 4k resolution through the Jio Media Cable, viewers will have to pay Rs 266/match, which is astonishingly ~8x the cost of viewing the entire IPL in HD on television. Considering that over 95 per cent CTV homes are also HD homes, it is highly unlikely for CTVs to drive scale on IPL viewing.

Low Cost and Ease of Access Gives TV the Edge

IPL has consistently been a TV phenomenon over the years owing to its high penetration, ease of access as well as low cost of the subscription. The cost of watching the entire IPL in SD or HD is just Rs 38 over two months, which is similar to the cost of streaming just one IPL match in standard definition on smartphones. If the viewer wants to watch HD or 4k on smartphones, the cost compared to TV will be 30x-80x higher.

Even in terms of premium audiences, 95 per cent of CTVs in India have HD subscriptions. Therefore, high data costs and the lag-free experience that TV delivers will deter the scaling of CTV viewing for IPL.

The kind of scale TV offers is unparalleled. TV penetration in India stands at 226 million households and consists of 900 million viewers, a scale that is 2x of digital. Even HD homes in India are 70 million strong, 7x of CTV penetration.