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Tag: Amazon MX Player

  • Rise and Fall rises to the top on Amazon MX Player

    Rise and Fall rises to the top on Amazon MX Player

    MUMBAI: Talk about a reality check! Rise and Fall, Amazon MX Player’s latest digital blockbuster, has done everything but fall. The show has stormed into the record books as the most-watched series ever on the platform, amassing over half a billion views and holding its ground in India’s top OTT reality charts for six straight weeks.

    Produced by Banijay Asia, Rise and Fall threw 15 familiar faces including Pawan Singh, Dhanashree Verma, Kubbra Sait, and Kiku Sharda into a 42-day showdown of power, ambition, and strategy. Hosted by Ashneer Grover, the series saw audiences cast more than 11 million votes before crowning Arjun Bijlani as the ultimate winner.

    But the show’s real victory played out online, sparking over 10 billion social media views and a flood of memes, reactions, and fan edits. Hindi cinema and cricket stars from John Abraham to Ishan Kishan jumped on the bandwagon, amplifying the frenzy and turning the series into a cultural talking point.

    In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Rise and Fall aired daily on both Amazon MX Player and Sony Entertainment Television, bridging the gap between traditional TV and digital fandom. The result? Record-breaking engagement and a prime showcase for brands like Lux Cozi, Haier, and McDowell’s, which integrated into the narrative through clever placements and sponsorships.

    “The success and cultural impact of Rise and Fall have been phenomenal,” said Amazon MX Player director and head Karan Bedi. “It’s proof that entertainment and brand storytelling can converge powerfully to capture the nation’s imagination.”

    Banijay Asia founder and group CEO Deepak Dhar added, “This show redefined the scale and storytelling potential of Indian reality television. We wanted to blend ambition, strategy, and emotion in a format that feels fresh and globally resonant, and audiences have embraced it wholeheartedly.”

    Licensed through All3Media International and originally created by Studio Lambert in the UK, Rise and Fall has cemented itself as more than just another reality show, it’s a pop-culture phenomenon and a symbol of India’s evolving entertainment landscape.

  • Rise & Fall climbs to top as reality TV’s latest cultural power play

    Rise & Fall climbs to top as reality TV’s latest cultural power play

    MUMBAI: When it comes to reality television, what goes up must come down but for Amazon MX Player’s Rise & Fall, the only direction right now is up. Premiering on 6 September, the high-drama reality experiment has shot straight into the Top 2 original reality shows on Ormax ratings, winning fans across both metros and rural India. And the buzz isn’t limited to television screens, the show has already racked up a jaw-dropping 500 million social media views, turning reels, memes, and reactions into a second stage of drama.

    Hosted by Ashneer Grover, Rise & Fall drops 15 celebrity contestants spanning Bollywood, music, sports, entrepreneurship, and social media into a unique social experiment that examines the eternal tug-of-war between the powerful and the powerless. Over 42 days, alliances are built and broken, friendships tested, and betrayals executed with both tears and applause.

    The star-studded line-up features Arbaaz Patel, Aarush Bhola, Aahana Kumra, Aditya Narayan, Arjun Bijlani, Dhanashree Verma, Kubra Sait, Kiku Sharda, Anaya Banger, Nayandeep Rakshit, Bali, Akriti Negi with the first elimination seeing Noorin Sha bow out.

    “With Rise & Fall, Amazon MX Player is redefining reality television for India,” said Amazon MX Player director & head Karan Bedi. “We went back to the basics of what audiences want, not just spectacle and drama, but strategy, leadership, and emotion. By reimagining a global format through an Indian lens, we’re bringing viewers a bold, refreshing and powerful narrative that resonates deeply.”

    The opulent set, designed by National Award-winning art director Omung Kumar, provides the perfect stage for the drama. Behind it all, Banijay India’s powerhouse creative team has tailored the format to spark conversation across every medium and judging by the memes flooding Instagram and Twitter, it’s working.

    The show has also become a marketer’s playground. Amazon India head of advertising Girish Prabhu explained: “The response from brands has been phenomenal, they see real value in being part of Rise & Fall. Integrations feel natural and memorable, which is why sponsors like Lux Cozi, Orient Electric, Haier, Pintola, Avvatar Whey Protein, Envi, and HMD are seeing strong impact.”

    With streaming on Amazon MX Player, Prime Video, Fire TV, the Amazon shopping app, Airtel Xstream and airing on Sony Entertainment Television at 10:30 pm, brands also get the bonus of multi-platform reach.

    Rise & Fall isn’t just another unscripted series; it’s shaping up to be the OTT cultural moment of the year, where entertainment collides with hustle, and power shifts become prime-time spectacle. As fresh episodes drop daily at 12 pm, one thing’s clear, the only thing falling here are the contestants, while the show itself continues its meteoric rise.
     

  • Half CA adds up as ClearTax joins Amazon MX Player with AI tax twist

    Half CA adds up as ClearTax joins Amazon MX Player with AI tax twist

    MUMBAI: When taxes meet television, even filing feels binge-worthy. Amazon MX Player’s hit series Half CA Season 2 has inked a smart partnership with fintech leader Cleartax, blending reel drama with real-life financial wisdom.

    The tie-up rolled out with a special video starring Ahsaas Channa and Gyanendra Tripathi, introducing Cleartax’s Agentic AI pitched as India’s first 24×7 AI-powered tax expert on Whatsapp. From auto-computing taxes with just a PAN number to answering queries instantly in multiple languages, the tool aims to take the sting out of tax season while speaking the language of Gen Z.

    The collaboration clicks neatly with Half CA’s storyline. The series produced by The Viral Fever (TVF) and now streaming free on Amazon MX Player follows CA aspirants Archie and Niraj as they juggle ambition, academic pressure, and adulthood’s curveballs. Just as the show champions perseverance, the partnership underscores financial literacy as a real-world survival skill.

    Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani said the move was about impact beyond entertainment: “Millions relate to the struggles of CA students. Our partnership with ClearTax simplifies financial literacy in a way that feels authentic and engaging.”

    Cleartax founder Archit Gupta echoed the sentiment, pointing to its AI leap: “By automating complex tax processes on Whatsapp, we’re making planning and filing seamless. Teaming with Half CA lets us connect with a new generation, combining entertainment with tools to build confidence for the future.”

    Half CA S2 brings back favourites Ahsaas Channa, Prit Kamani, Aishwarya Ojha, Anmol Kajani, Gyanendra Tripathi, and Rohan Joshi. The show streams across MX Player’s footprint from mobile apps and Connected TVs to Amazon’s shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, Google TV, Xiaomi TV, and Airtel Xtreme.

    For viewers, it’s not just about watching dreams unfold on screen, it’s also about learning to add up in real life.

  • Amazon MX Player, Sony TV team up to stream and beam ‘Rise and Fall’

    Amazon MX Player, Sony TV team up to stream and beam ‘Rise and Fall’

    MUMBAI: Streaming is going prime time. Amazon MX Player, Amazon’s free video service, has joined hands with Sony Entertainment Television to take its buzzy new reality series Rise and Fall to a wider audience.

    In a first-of-its-kind distribution pact, episodes of the show will drop daily at noon on Amazon MX Player before hitting Sony TV at 10:30 pm, giving viewers the choice of mobile-first streaming or traditional appointment viewing.

    The gamble seems to be paying off. According to Ormax Media, Rise and Fall was the most-watched show in its launch week. Hosted by Ashneer Grover, the show packs 15 celebrities from across entertainment, sports and music into a towering set split between extremes: a penthouse for the “Rulers” and a spartan basement for the “Workers.” Contestants shuffle between privilege and hardship, testing their wits in a battle of ambition, survival and strategy.

    Amazon MX Player, director & head of content, Amogh Dusad called the partnership “a cultural moment,” adding that the bold and disruptive format deserved the widest possible reach. Akshay Agrawal of Sony Pictures Networks India said the tie-up reflects Sony TV’s mission to bring “unique and compelling” formats to millions of households.

    The show has also lined up big-brand backers, with Lux Cozi, Orient Electric, Haier, Pintola and Avvatar Whey Protein among its sponsors.

    New episodes of Rise and Fall stream daily for free at 12 pm on Amazon MX Player, available via the MX app, Amazon shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV and Airtel Xstream and air at 10:30 pm on Sony Entertainment Television.

  • Amazon MX Player gets its K fix with 18 CJ ENM dramas streaming for free

    Amazon MX Player gets its K fix with 18 CJ ENM dramas streaming for free

    MUMBAI: K is clearly for kickstart, as Amazon MX Player dives into the Korean wave with its biggest drama drop yet, an exclusive 18-title content deal with CJ ENM, one of the world’s most influential entertainment companies. Following Amazon’s acquisition of MX Player earlier this year, this marks the first official content package between the two players in India, and it’s a love story scripted for the country’s ever-growing K-drama fandom.

    Leading the line-up is Lovely Runner, the breakout romance that set global K-pop hearts fluttering, premiering on 8 September 2025. But the marathon doesn’t end there. Over the next four quarters, Indian viewers can expect a steady stream of fan-favourite titles from My Lovely Liar and Twinkling Watermelon to Wedding Impossible and Delightfully Deceitful. Each will roll out free of cost, dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, making them accessible to millions beyond the subtitle-savvy crowd.

    For MX Player, this is more than a content drop, it’s a sharp play in the AVOD streaming space, offering premium Korean dramas on a completely free model. “The demand for global content, especially K-dramas, has grown exponentially in India,” said Amazon MX Player director and head of content Amogh Dusad. “With 18 premium dramas many blockbusters now available in local languages, we’re thrilled to make these shows accessible at no cost.”

    CJ ENM, which has already proven its storytelling muscle worldwide, sees this as a milestone in K-content’s Indian journey. CJ ENM VP of international business Sebastian Kim called it a “very meaningful launch,” noting that the combination of strong casts, compelling narratives and high production values will strike a chord with Indian audiences.

    Viewers can catch the shows exclusively on Amazon MX Player across multiple touchpoints from the MX Player mobile and Connected TV app to Prime Video, Fire TV, Airtel Xtreme, and even the Amazon shopping app. With free access and familiar local languages, MX Player is betting that India’s growing K-drama community is ready to binge like never before.

    The partnership also underlines Amazon MX Player’s broader strategy: to blend global hits with local resonance, drawing new audiences through culturally adapted content. And with K-dramas now just a click away minus the subscription fee, the next big binge in India may well come with subtitles switched off and romance dialled up in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

  • Streaming to the top: Karan Bedi named OTT Leader of the Year

    Streaming to the top: Karan Bedi named OTT Leader of the Year

    MUMBAI: When it comes to India’s streaming wars, Karan Bedi is clearly playing in the big league. The head of Amazon MX Player has been crowned ‘Leader of the Year OTT’ at the 12th IAA Leadership Awards, held on 7 August 2025 at Taj Lands End, Mumbai. Instituted in 2013 by the International Advertising Association India Chapter, the awards celebrate excellence in business, marketing, and corporate leadership. This year’s jury, chaired by Colgate-Palmolive India MD & CEO Prabha Narasimhan, recognised Bedi’s role in steering Amazon MX Player to the forefront of India’s digital entertainment.

    Under his watch, the free streaming service has delivered a buffet of genres from cult thrillers like Aashram to emotionally charged dramas such as Mitti – Ek Nayi Pehchaan, high-octane action with Hunter S2 – Tootega Nahi Todega, and reality hits like Realme Hip Hop India Season 2. As per Ormax Media, 8 of India’s Top 50 digital shows in H1 2025 were from MX Player’s stable.

    The platform also boasts MX Vdesi India’s largest localised international content library, featuring dubbed global shows, anime, and films. It’s a strategy that has kept the service on advertisers’ radars while winning over audiences nationwide.

    “This recognition is for our entire team,” said Bedi. “Our mission is to deliver high-quality, free entertainment rooted in local stories, while enabling advertisers to reach audiences across India. Seeing our content resonate with millions is the most rewarding part of the journey.”

    With audience loyalty, advertiser trust, and an expanding content portfolio, Bedi’s leadership shows that in OTT, it’s not just about playing the game, it’s about changing it.
     

  • Realme Hip Hop India Season 2 becomes India’s #1 reality show of 2025

    Realme Hip Hop India Season 2 becomes India’s #1 reality show of 2025

    MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player’s Realme Hip Hop India Season 2 has cemented its place as the country’s biggest unscripted success story of the year. As per Ormax Media’s latest ranking of the Top 50 OTT Originals for H1 2025, the show emerged as India’s most-watched reality series, and the only one to trend for 11 consecutive weeks on Ormax’s weekly list of top OTT web shows.

    Season 2 brought India’s underground hip-hop dance movement into the mainstream with over 25 million unique viewers tuning in to witness raw talent, breakout performances, and deeply personal journeys. The series was anchored by judges Remo D’Souza and Malaika Arora, and amplified with appearances by leading personalities including Rajkummar Rao, Abhishek Bachchan, Raftaar, Sara Ali Khan, Munawar Faruqui, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Rohit Shetty, making it one of the most high-profile reality shows of the year. The finale crowned Shubhankar Gawde as India’s second hip-hop dance champion, capping off a season that redefined youth entertainment.

    Speaking on the show’s success, Karan Bedi, Head, Amazon MX Player, said: ‘Hip Hop India Season 2 stood at the intersection of culture, content, and commerce. It brought a powerful subculture into the mainstream and gave brands a credible, high-engagement platform to connect with young India. The response has been phenomenal both in terms of viewership and brand resonance.’

    The show raised the bar for branded content integrations and co-marketing at scale. Alongside title sponsor Realme, brands like Sprite, Tuborg, Pokémon, Spotify, and SpiceJet joined the movement in highly engaging ways. From innovative in-show integrations, immersive media ads, on-site and social media led gamification, to in-flight co-branding, Pokémon-themed dance acts, Spotify playlist integrations, the show created a high-impact ecosystem where brand narratives blended seamlessly with cultural moments.

    Echoing the sentiment, Amazon MX Player director and head of content, Amogh Dusad added, ‘With Realme Hip Hop India Season 2, we set out to showcase hip-hop not just as a dance form, but as a cultural voice. This season’s response proves that authenticity, when paired with relevance, wins big. We’re proud to see the franchise has become both a fan obsession and a brand magnet.’

  • Amazon MX Player announces the new season of the Munawar Faruqui starrer – First Copy

    Amazon MX Player announces the new season of the Munawar Faruqui starrer – First Copy

    MUMBAI: After a breakout debut that left fans buzzing and critics applauding, First Copy is all set to return with a new season later this year on Amazon MX Player, Amazon’s free video streaming service. Launched with Munawar Faruqui’s much-talked-about entry into scripted drama, the show quickly became a fan favorite thanks to its gripping narrative, nostalgic ’90s energy, and a performance that proved Faruqui’s versatility beyond the mic.

    Picking up from the suspenseful cliffhanger of the debut season, where Arif’s empire came crashing down, the upcoming season will dive deeper into the consequences of his rise, his fall, and his relentless drive to reclaim what was lost. Will the man who built his kingdom on charisma, chaos, and cinema find a way back? The new instalment of First Copy promises new twists, higher stakes, and an Arif the audience hasn’t seen before. The series boasts a powerhouse cast featuring Munawar Faruqui, Krystle D’Souza, Gulshan Grover, Saqib Ayub, Ashi Singh, Meiyang Chang, Inam Ul Haq, and Raza Murad — and has cemented itself as one of Amazon MX Player’s most talked-about titles of the year.

    Reflecting on the show’s overwhelming reception and his return, Faruqui shared, “First Copy was a big leap for me, my first acting project, and I honestly didn’t expect this kind of love. I think audiences really connected with Arif with all his imperfections, and that’s been humbling.  He is intense, passionate, and constantly looking for meaning in chaos. But his story? It’s just getting started. The new season will reveal a whole new side of him and I can’t wait for audiences to see what’s next.”

    With fans already dissecting every frame of the video drop, the countdown has officially begun. First Copy still has plenty of pages left to turn, and fans won’t have to wait too long for the new season, which will premiere on Amazon MX Player later this year.

    First Copy is available to stream on Amazon MX Player for free, available through its own app, on the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, Smart TVs, and Airtel Xtreme.

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  • Naseeruddin Shah steps into J.R.D. Tata’s shoes in Amazon MX Player’s Made in India – A Titan Story

    Naseeruddin Shah steps into J.R.D. Tata’s shoes in Amazon MX Player’s Made in India – A Titan Story

    MUMBAI – On the 121st birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna J.R.D. Tata, Amazon MX Player and Almighty Motion Picture unveiled the first look of their upcoming series Made in India – A Titan Story. The series sees veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah bring the legendary industrialist to life in a cinematic retelling of ambition, innovation, and nation-building.

    Produced by Prabhleen Sandhu, founder of Almighty Motion Picture, and directed by Robby Grewal with writing by Karan Vyas, the series charts the extraordinary journey of J.R.D. Tata and his pivotal role in shaping modern India.

    Joining Shah is Jim Sarbh as Xerxes Desai, the visionary founder of Titan, alongside Namita Dubey, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi, Kaveri Seth, Lakshvir Saran, and Paresh Ganatra.

    Slated for release early next year, Made in India – A Titan Story will stream free on Amazon MX Player across mobile, CTVs, the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, and Airtel Xstream, promising audiences a front-row seat to the story of an empire built on grit and genius.
     

  • Brands join the First Copy wave on Amazon MX Player

    Brands join the First Copy wave on Amazon MX Player

    MUMBAI: When a show strikes the right chord, it doesn’t just stay on screens, it creates a cultural movement. And that’s what First Copy on Amazon MX Player, Amazon’s free video streaming service has done. With its sharp, nostalgic tone and a title that practically writes its own punchlines, First Copy has sparked a trend no one saw coming. From FMCG to fashion and fintech, brands across sectors are joining in with a bold twist on their messaging, ‘Sirf ek original hai. Baaki sab first copy hai.’

    The phrase, now synonymous with the series, has become a campaign theme adopted by everyone from Bikaji, Pulse, and Sunfeast, to Aashirvaad, Lee, Tata Soulful, Vadilal, each one tipping their hat to their own originality while nodding to the series that’s made “first copy” a part of everyday conversation. From crunchy snacks to digital wallets, dairy products to denim, the show’s influence is cutting across categories. Whether it’s “Iske deewanepan ka koi match nahi! Pulse hi hai asli OG, baaki sab toh bas #FirstCopy!” or “Bikaji bhujia mein hai ORIGINAL BIKANERI JADOO! Baaki sab? #FirstCopy,” or “Sirf Sunfeast Dark Fantasy hai #HarDilKiFantasy, baaki sab #FirstCopy hai,” each activation cleverly inserts itself into the world of First Copy.

    Each brand is celebrating their product’s authenticity, while cheekily nodding to the show’s core theme that in a world full of duplicates, there’s only one worth watching. As the campaign continues to grow, First Copy has sparked conversations with multiple brands wanting to be a part of it. And in the age of scrolls, shares, and smart marketing, that’s the real original win. 

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