ITV

Tag: Balaji Telefilms

  • Netflix gets competition as Hooq enters Singapore market

    Netflix gets competition as Hooq enters Singapore market

    MUMBAI: Team Netflix, please take note. Video streaming service Hooq is now available in Singapore. It launched in the Philippines early last year, and has since expanded to Thailand, India and Indonesia. In India, Hooq plans to invest $2 million on home-grown content.

    Hooq is a joint venture by Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

    The platform has a catalogue of over 20,000 movies and television shows, comprising both Hollywood and regional content. Apart from Hollywood content, Hooq has presently sourced Indian films and shows from studios like Rajshri Productions, Reliance Entertainment, Shemaroo Entertainment, Balaji Telefilms and Whacked Out Studios. With the cost of making original English language shows high, the platform is considering Hindi and other Indian language content.

    It gives users access to Hollywood, Filipino, Indonesian and Indian content but there are plans to add Korean, Malay and Chinese content within the next 90 days.

    In Singapore, a subscription costs from $8.98 a month, to $78.98 for 360 days ($6.58 a month). Discounts are available for longer subscriptions. Hooq has also partnered with Singtel to offer prepaid streaming data bundles starting at $7 for 1 GB of streaming. More bundles will be available for the customers in the next few months.

  • Netflix gets competition as Hooq enters Singapore market

    Netflix gets competition as Hooq enters Singapore market

    MUMBAI: Team Netflix, please take note. Video streaming service Hooq is now available in Singapore. It launched in the Philippines early last year, and has since expanded to Thailand, India and Indonesia. In India, Hooq plans to invest $2 million on home-grown content.

    Hooq is a joint venture by Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

    The platform has a catalogue of over 20,000 movies and television shows, comprising both Hollywood and regional content. Apart from Hollywood content, Hooq has presently sourced Indian films and shows from studios like Rajshri Productions, Reliance Entertainment, Shemaroo Entertainment, Balaji Telefilms and Whacked Out Studios. With the cost of making original English language shows high, the platform is considering Hindi and other Indian language content.

    It gives users access to Hollywood, Filipino, Indonesian and Indian content but there are plans to add Korean, Malay and Chinese content within the next 90 days.

    In Singapore, a subscription costs from $8.98 a month, to $78.98 for 360 days ($6.58 a month). Discounts are available for longer subscriptions. Hooq has also partnered with Singtel to offer prepaid streaming data bundles starting at $7 for 1 GB of streaming. More bundles will be available for the customers in the next few months.

  • Wealth creation conversation for women; BTVi hosts show with Jhunjhunwala

    Wealth creation conversation for women; BTVi hosts show with Jhunjhunwala

    MUMBAI: BTVi, India’s premiere English business channel, hosted the biggest wealth creation conversation of 2016 – Women & Wealth with Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, India’s most influential stock market wealth guru and ace investor. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, in her capacity as the driving force behind the NGO – People for Change, Balaji Telefilms Jt. MD Ekta Kapoor were a part of the conversation to share their experience in this regard.

    The event which was anchored by BTVi executive editor Siddharth Zarabi along with Thomson Reuters presenter Radhika Bajaj brought together women business leaders, young women, aspiring entrepreneurs and women professionals across sectors on a single platform to discuss this topic.

    Jhunjhunwala said, “As women and wealth are synonymous, earning wealth by legitimate means holds utmost importance. I would suggest don’t try to time markets and have holding power in investments.”

    Irani said, “We need such insightful initiatives for better understanding of investment and wealth. We at People for Change, hope to strengthen women from all financial groups, to take responsible wealth decisions for themselves and their families.”

    Kapoor said, “I have been a risk taker myself in my earlier stages of financial planning. Women are management gurus, they manage home finances efficiently and have the ability to manage wealth as well. With responsible insights from people like Jhunjhunwala, women can outshine in wealth creation.”

    Zarabi said, “This initiative brought together women in business under one roof to educate them on how to take financial decisions. The show is aimed at equipping women with the right kind of information that would prepare and empower them to take specific steps towards planning their future and explore wealth creation opportunities.”

  • Wealth creation conversation for women; BTVi hosts show with Jhunjhunwala

    Wealth creation conversation for women; BTVi hosts show with Jhunjhunwala

    MUMBAI: BTVi, India’s premiere English business channel, hosted the biggest wealth creation conversation of 2016 – Women & Wealth with Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, India’s most influential stock market wealth guru and ace investor. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, in her capacity as the driving force behind the NGO – People for Change, Balaji Telefilms Jt. MD Ekta Kapoor were a part of the conversation to share their experience in this regard.

    The event which was anchored by BTVi executive editor Siddharth Zarabi along with Thomson Reuters presenter Radhika Bajaj brought together women business leaders, young women, aspiring entrepreneurs and women professionals across sectors on a single platform to discuss this topic.

    Jhunjhunwala said, “As women and wealth are synonymous, earning wealth by legitimate means holds utmost importance. I would suggest don’t try to time markets and have holding power in investments.”

    Irani said, “We need such insightful initiatives for better understanding of investment and wealth. We at People for Change, hope to strengthen women from all financial groups, to take responsible wealth decisions for themselves and their families.”

    Kapoor said, “I have been a risk taker myself in my earlier stages of financial planning. Women are management gurus, they manage home finances efficiently and have the ability to manage wealth as well. With responsible insights from people like Jhunjhunwala, women can outshine in wealth creation.”

    Zarabi said, “This initiative brought together women in business under one roof to educate them on how to take financial decisions. The show is aimed at equipping women with the right kind of information that would prepare and empower them to take specific steps towards planning their future and explore wealth creation opportunities.”

  • Colors Naagin II to slither in on 8 October

    Colors Naagin II to slither in on 8 October

    MUMBAI: Who ever thought that the traditional age-old contrived tale of snakes taking human form to avenge their parents death? Well Ekta Kapoor, Raj Nayak and Manisha Sharma did. And the trio had a runaway Naagin on their hands last year on Colors, which ran on weekends on the channel for eight months. So much so that it reached numero uno status even in Pakistan.

    Nayak and Sharma decided to give it a break to accommodate other weekend programmes. Three months later, it is ready to make a comeback in Naagin season II on 8 October at 8 pm.. Season I saw it became the No1 show across television channels within 30 episodes of debut. The show proved to be a game-changer for Colors.

    In the first week of the launch itself, the fiction show ‘Naagin’ overtook the top five programmes on Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs). Additionally, ‘Naagin’ also became one of the first weekend shows which totted more ratings than the top-rated weekday shows.

    Says Colors CEO Raj Nayak: “Naagin has been a gloriously successful proposition for us, whose precise casting, gripping narrative and flawless execution has found appeal with audiences across the country, and has redefined the 8pm slot on weekends. As content creators, our challenge with a show like this was to weave the perfect narrative connecting childhood folklore to its real-life projection on screen, thus making Naagin a landmark show. It has been the numero uno show amongst Hindi GECs, and the feedback that the rushes have received gives us confidence that the second edition will surpass all previously set benchmarks.”

    Naagin, in its first season, highlighted a saga of love laced with revenge. As the story drew to a close, Naagin claimed triumph over evil. Ritik (Arjun Bijlani) and Shivanya became parents to a young girl, Shivangi. And, as time passes, Naagin 2 will progress by 24 years, now focusing on Shivangi’s life as she blossoms into a young woman, against the scenic backdrop of Dehradun.

    Says Colors programming head Manisha Sharma: “With Naagin, we opened up another genre of entertainment for the viewers. Naagin created history with its compelling storyline to become the unprecedented No 1 show on Indian television. And now, as we kick off Naagin 2, here’s another tale with a shape shifting snake at its helm that will once again make fantastical characters television’s newest stars.”

    Balaji Telefilms producer Ekta Kapoor adds: “Naagin is a very special show for me. The show marked my first foray in the mystical genre, and empowered us to explore a different kind of storytelling altogether. As we march ahead, we bring together not only the show’s original cast, but also a volley of newer faces who will narrate Shivangi’s tale, as she takes the mantle of being the Nagmani’s protector forward. This season we are raising the bar on visual effects to incorporate newer technologies, and will put together a tight and engrossing narrative to heighten viewer experience and build intrigue like never before.”

    To promote Naagin 2, Colors has devised an extensive integrated marketing campaign across mediums including print, cable and DTH, radio, news channels, OOH, cinema, etc. This will be complemented by a robust digital campaign incorporating multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. . The channel has also planned on-ground activations aligned with the Colors Golden Petal Club across multiple markets. Sources indicate that a marketing budget of round Rs 2 crore has been kept aside for the show.

  • Colors Naagin II to slither in on 8 October

    Colors Naagin II to slither in on 8 October

    MUMBAI: Who ever thought that the traditional age-old contrived tale of snakes taking human form to avenge their parents death? Well Ekta Kapoor, Raj Nayak and Manisha Sharma did. And the trio had a runaway Naagin on their hands last year on Colors, which ran on weekends on the channel for eight months. So much so that it reached numero uno status even in Pakistan.

    Nayak and Sharma decided to give it a break to accommodate other weekend programmes. Three months later, it is ready to make a comeback in Naagin season II on 8 October at 8 pm.. Season I saw it became the No1 show across television channels within 30 episodes of debut. The show proved to be a game-changer for Colors.

    In the first week of the launch itself, the fiction show ‘Naagin’ overtook the top five programmes on Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs). Additionally, ‘Naagin’ also became one of the first weekend shows which totted more ratings than the top-rated weekday shows.

    Says Colors CEO Raj Nayak: “Naagin has been a gloriously successful proposition for us, whose precise casting, gripping narrative and flawless execution has found appeal with audiences across the country, and has redefined the 8pm slot on weekends. As content creators, our challenge with a show like this was to weave the perfect narrative connecting childhood folklore to its real-life projection on screen, thus making Naagin a landmark show. It has been the numero uno show amongst Hindi GECs, and the feedback that the rushes have received gives us confidence that the second edition will surpass all previously set benchmarks.”

    Naagin, in its first season, highlighted a saga of love laced with revenge. As the story drew to a close, Naagin claimed triumph over evil. Ritik (Arjun Bijlani) and Shivanya became parents to a young girl, Shivangi. And, as time passes, Naagin 2 will progress by 24 years, now focusing on Shivangi’s life as she blossoms into a young woman, against the scenic backdrop of Dehradun.

    Says Colors programming head Manisha Sharma: “With Naagin, we opened up another genre of entertainment for the viewers. Naagin created history with its compelling storyline to become the unprecedented No 1 show on Indian television. And now, as we kick off Naagin 2, here’s another tale with a shape shifting snake at its helm that will once again make fantastical characters television’s newest stars.”

    Balaji Telefilms producer Ekta Kapoor adds: “Naagin is a very special show for me. The show marked my first foray in the mystical genre, and empowered us to explore a different kind of storytelling altogether. As we march ahead, we bring together not only the show’s original cast, but also a volley of newer faces who will narrate Shivangi’s tale, as she takes the mantle of being the Nagmani’s protector forward. This season we are raising the bar on visual effects to incorporate newer technologies, and will put together a tight and engrossing narrative to heighten viewer experience and build intrigue like never before.”

    To promote Naagin 2, Colors has devised an extensive integrated marketing campaign across mediums including print, cable and DTH, radio, news channels, OOH, cinema, etc. This will be complemented by a robust digital campaign incorporating multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. . The channel has also planned on-ground activations aligned with the Colors Golden Petal Club across multiple markets. Sources indicate that a marketing budget of round Rs 2 crore has been kept aside for the show.

  • Alchemy borrows household name ‘Naagin’ to create ‘Ichhapyaari’ series

    Alchemy borrows household name ‘Naagin’ to create ‘Ichhapyaari’ series

    MUMBAI: Some get inspired, others hop on to the success bandwagon and there are those who create spoofs. Whether some would want just their foot into the door using a namesake is a moot question.

    As an audience, we have seen several supernatural characters on the Indian television. In recent times, from ‘Naagin’ to ‘Makhi’ and ‘Gorilla’ to wolfs, these were among the supernatural characters that trended on the Idiot Box. Among these, ‘Naagin’ ruled the Hindi general entertainment channels scripts for months together.

    Though the concept has now grown old, Colors is among the few broadcasters who reignited this trend. After launching Naagin in 2015, broadcasters and production houses had gone gaga over supernatural series of their own.

    The image of a snake in stories relayed on the Indian television is stereotypical and symbolises a negative character akin to Shakti Kapoor’s image in Bollywood. But, has one ever thought what is it being to be a snake? Do they always intend to harm human beings?

    Using the character of ‘Naagin’ but in a different story line, Alchemy Productions co-founder Siddharth Malhotra, who had co-founded Cinevista, brings the friendly version of snakes in “Ichhapyaari Naagin’ which will be telecast on Sab TV. Starting from 27 September, the show will be aired at 8pm from Monday- Friday.

    “The idea struck me after watching ‘Naagin’ and 20 other shows,” Malhotra said. “What would a snake think if it ever watches the show. And, what if a snake appears in front of you and says, “Hey, don’t run away. I am not that bad” are some of the ideas that germinated in our minds,” he added. “And so, we thought somebody needs to change this image. It’s a positive take on snakes!. It’s a story from the snake’s perspective,” informs Malhotra.

    The story is about a ‘Ichhapyaari Naagin’, who stays in Naagistan (Naagland) and comes down to earth to change the perspective of people about snakes. According to the information available withIndiantelevision.com, the show’s production cost per episode was between 7-8 lakhs.

    The show, written by Raghuvir Shekhawat, has been directed by the creative genius who directed Balaji Telefilms’ ‘Naagin’ — Santram Verma. Bunty Rathore has penned its dialogues and Jitu Verma was the VFX wizard.

    Speaking about the comparison, Malhotra said, “Our show is not at all similar to ‘Naagin’ which is a genre of drama, revenge and love. ‘Ichhapyaari Naagin’ is a slice of life, sweet show.”

    The channel has been aggressively promoting the show through mass media and campaign. The marketing campaign is to build excitement on basis of its new avatar. Outside the home network, the channel will be focusing on youth music, movies and kids. In print, they will be focusing on leading national and regional dailies. In radio, it is trying to market the show through 30 radio stations across key states.

  • Alchemy borrows household name ‘Naagin’ to create ‘Ichhapyaari’ series

    Alchemy borrows household name ‘Naagin’ to create ‘Ichhapyaari’ series

    MUMBAI: Some get inspired, others hop on to the success bandwagon and there are those who create spoofs. Whether some would want just their foot into the door using a namesake is a moot question.

    As an audience, we have seen several supernatural characters on the Indian television. In recent times, from ‘Naagin’ to ‘Makhi’ and ‘Gorilla’ to wolfs, these were among the supernatural characters that trended on the Idiot Box. Among these, ‘Naagin’ ruled the Hindi general entertainment channels scripts for months together.

    Though the concept has now grown old, Colors is among the few broadcasters who reignited this trend. After launching Naagin in 2015, broadcasters and production houses had gone gaga over supernatural series of their own.

    The image of a snake in stories relayed on the Indian television is stereotypical and symbolises a negative character akin to Shakti Kapoor’s image in Bollywood. But, has one ever thought what is it being to be a snake? Do they always intend to harm human beings?

    Using the character of ‘Naagin’ but in a different story line, Alchemy Productions co-founder Siddharth Malhotra, who had co-founded Cinevista, brings the friendly version of snakes in “Ichhapyaari Naagin’ which will be telecast on Sab TV. Starting from 27 September, the show will be aired at 8pm from Monday- Friday.

    “The idea struck me after watching ‘Naagin’ and 20 other shows,” Malhotra said. “What would a snake think if it ever watches the show. And, what if a snake appears in front of you and says, “Hey, don’t run away. I am not that bad” are some of the ideas that germinated in our minds,” he added. “And so, we thought somebody needs to change this image. It’s a positive take on snakes!. It’s a story from the snake’s perspective,” informs Malhotra.

    The story is about a ‘Ichhapyaari Naagin’, who stays in Naagistan (Naagland) and comes down to earth to change the perspective of people about snakes. According to the information available withIndiantelevision.com, the show’s production cost per episode was between 7-8 lakhs.

    The show, written by Raghuvir Shekhawat, has been directed by the creative genius who directed Balaji Telefilms’ ‘Naagin’ — Santram Verma. Bunty Rathore has penned its dialogues and Jitu Verma was the VFX wizard.

    Speaking about the comparison, Malhotra said, “Our show is not at all similar to ‘Naagin’ which is a genre of drama, revenge and love. ‘Ichhapyaari Naagin’ is a slice of life, sweet show.”

    The channel has been aggressively promoting the show through mass media and campaign. The marketing campaign is to build excitement on basis of its new avatar. Outside the home network, the channel will be focusing on youth music, movies and kids. In print, they will be focusing on leading national and regional dailies. In radio, it is trying to market the show through 30 radio stations across key states.

  • Gaurav Pradhan and Swati Shetty join Netflix

    Gaurav Pradhan and Swati Shetty join Netflix

    MUMBAI: In a move to strengthen its team, global video-on-demand player Netflix has hired two senior talents from India. Former YouTube Indian and Southeast Asia product partnerships head Gaurav Pradhan has joined Netflix as director business development Asia, effective from July 2016.

    Meanwhile, Netflix LA has also appointed former Balaji Telefilms’s motion pictures president and Samosa Stories Entertainment founder director Swati Shetty.

    Pradhan has more than 16 years of experience in business development and has served at Google in business development International product partnerships functions for a year. He has also been a part of Yahoo as the chief manager for telco operations and was the assistant manager for value added services in Hutchison Essar (now Vodafone).

    Shetty, on the other hand, was the founder and director of Samosa Stories Entertainment, where she produced Umrika, a film written and directed by Prashant Nair and starring Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) and Tony Revolori ( The Grand Budapest Hotel ).

    The film was selected in the world cinema dramatic competition at the Sundance film festival 2015 and won the Audience Award. Umrika is represented by Beta Cinema internationally, and ICM Partners in North America.

    Prior to that, Shetty had worked with Star India for five years as manager; and with Walt Disney International productions India as an executive director.

    In April 2016, Netflix roped in Anthony Zameczkowski as vice president, business development for Asia-Pacific. Zameczkowski came with over 17 years of experience in the media and technology industry. At Netflix, his mandate will include leading and managing strategic partnerships and business development in the region.

  • Gaurav Pradhan and Swati Shetty join Netflix

    Gaurav Pradhan and Swati Shetty join Netflix

    MUMBAI: In a move to strengthen its team, global video-on-demand player Netflix has hired two senior talents from India. Former YouTube Indian and Southeast Asia product partnerships head Gaurav Pradhan has joined Netflix as director business development Asia, effective from July 2016.

    Meanwhile, Netflix LA has also appointed former Balaji Telefilms’s motion pictures president and Samosa Stories Entertainment founder director Swati Shetty.

    Pradhan has more than 16 years of experience in business development and has served at Google in business development International product partnerships functions for a year. He has also been a part of Yahoo as the chief manager for telco operations and was the assistant manager for value added services in Hutchison Essar (now Vodafone).

    Shetty, on the other hand, was the founder and director of Samosa Stories Entertainment, where she produced Umrika, a film written and directed by Prashant Nair and starring Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) and Tony Revolori ( The Grand Budapest Hotel ).

    The film was selected in the world cinema dramatic competition at the Sundance film festival 2015 and won the Audience Award. Umrika is represented by Beta Cinema internationally, and ICM Partners in North America.

    Prior to that, Shetty had worked with Star India for five years as manager; and with Walt Disney International productions India as an executive director.

    In April 2016, Netflix roped in Anthony Zameczkowski as vice president, business development for Asia-Pacific. Zameczkowski came with over 17 years of experience in the media and technology industry. At Netflix, his mandate will include leading and managing strategic partnerships and business development in the region.