Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar achieved an unprecedented milestone in the world of cricket streaming by recording a historic concurrent viewership of 3.5 crore during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Pakistan. This is the highest peak concurrency number achieved across all formats of cricket. The clash of titans on 14 Oct marked a watershed moment for the platform and for digital sports viewership across the country. Asia Cup 2023 has already garnered an overwhelming response from fans, with 2.8 crore viewers for the India vs Pakistan match and 2.1 crore viewers for India vs Sri Lanka.
Disney+ Hotstar India head Sajith Sivanandan said, “We would like to thank all the fans who tuned-in to watch the India-Pakistan match on Disney+ Hotstar. Your love for the game is what made it possible for Disney+ Hotstar to break all the previous records across all cricket formats and hit a peak concurrency number of 3.5 crore viewers. As the cricketing rivalries continue, we’ll continue to honour our commitment towards delivering an unmatched viewing experience to all our users. We look forward to many more such experiences as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup unfolds.”
Tune in to Disney+ Hotstar to watch the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 live and free on mobile. The tournament will also be broadcast live on Star Sports.
Mumbai: Aapne uske baare mei jo suna hai woh bilkul sach hai. The hunt begins as the reigning queen of power and fury is back with a thunderous roar! Disney+ Hotstar has dropped the trailer of the third season of the Emmy-nominated and fan-favorite web series – Aarya which takes the gritty world of Aarya Sareen up a notch with high-octane action and drama. Cobbed in a world of family dynamics, a dangerous business, vengeance from the past and newer enemies, will Aarya survive?
Created and co-directed by the ace filmmaker Ram Madhvani and co-produced by Amita Madhavni, Ram Madhvani, Ram Madhvani Films and Endemol Shine India, Aarya Season 3 is set to stream exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar from 3rd November onwards. Starring Sushmita Sen as Aarya Sareen, the web series features a talented ensemble cast which includes Ila Arun, Sikandar Kher, Indraneil Sengupta, Vikas Kumar, Maya Sarao, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Shweta Pasricha, Viren Vazirani, Pratyaksh Panwar, Aarushi Bajaj, Bhupendra Jadawat and Vishwajeet Pradhan amongst others. The raging sherni of the game has sharpened her claws and is all set to attack!
Returning as Aarya, Sushmita Sen said, “Aarya is the brightest jewel in my crown. Portraying her has been an empowering journey. What fuels my excitement for season 3 of Aarya is that she’s totally unabashed and ruling the game of life once played with her. She’s making new enemies and new allies because this Sherni is now the new Don in town. Ram Madhvani has really grown the action, emotions and twists three fold in this new season, so, get ready to meet the Sherni only on Disney+ Hotstar.”
Disney+ Hotstar head – content & HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star Gaurav Banerjee said, “Ever since we have announced the third season of Aarya, the love and excitement that has poured in has been phenomenal. When we started off with Aarya on Disney+ Hotstar, we had a feeling this was going to be big but the love the franchise has received is immensely gratifying. We’ve had a remarkable journey with the series and are proud to present yet another compelling season with Aarya 3. Sushmita is a true sherni and it’s always a pleasure collaborating with Ram Madhvani and Amita Madhvani.”
Creator, co-producer and co-director of Aarya (S1, S2 and S3), Ram Madhvani, “Aarya has been an uplifting journey of its own. She was bruised and battered in the past, but what’s more dangerous than a tigress, is a hunted one. Moreover, this season will explore the themes of vengeance, sacrifice and betrayal; there are newer enemies and newer allies that only make this journey more interesting. As the audiences dive deeper into this season, they may wonder if Aarya can play this game or be at the core of it. So, I would say, brace yourself and stay tuned to Disney+ Hotstar for the fiery season 3 of Aarya.”
In response to the release of the Aarya Season 3 trailer, Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India founder & group CEO Deepak Dhar shared his thoughts: “Aarya has been an incredible journey that has captivated audiences with its gripping narrative and powerful characters. This new season promises to take Aarya’s story to even greater heights, delving into themes of vengeance, sacrifice, and betrayal. The hunted tigress has transformed into a formidable force, and viewers can expect a rollercoaster ride of emotions and suspense. We are proud to be part of this journey, and it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of the series.”
Witness the reign of this raging sherni with Aarya Season 3, set to stream only on Disney+ Hotstar on 3rd November!
Mumbai: Make way as Aarya Sareen (Sushmita Sen) flaunts her claws and takes on the throne as the new don in town in Aarya Season 3. After receiving an International Emmy Award Nomination for Season 1 and two successful seasons, the wait ends as the fan favorite franchise returns with its third season with newer challenges, newer enemies and with a newer ambition. Created and co-directed by the visionary Ram Madhvani and co-produced by Amita Madhavni, Ram Madhvani Films and Endemol Shine India, the dawn of a fearless reign unfolds with Aarya Season 3 exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar on third November
Sushmita Sen, added “Aarya Sareen has now become a very integral part of my life. Her experiences across seasons have touched my heart. It’s an honor to step back into her shoes for ‘Aarya’ Season 3. This season explores the profound power of Aarya, as she strikes down her enemies and begins to create an empire of her own, while grappling the threats to her loved ones. Aarya’s story is a testament to a woman who defies life’s constraints and will go to any lengths to protect the ones close to her. Aarya’ Season 3 isn’t just a show on Disney+ Hotstar; it’s an emotional journey that fills me with love and pride.”
Disney+ Hotstar head – content & Disney Star HSM entertainment network Gaurav Banerjee said, “It brings us such joy to announce season 3 of Aarya, a marquee franchise from the Disney+Hotstar content slate. This series has been a winner since Season 1, we never anticipated the incredible love and acclaim it’s received not just in India, but also the world over. It’s been a phenomenal collaboration with Ram Madhvani and Sushmita Sen who have created such a powerful series. We are confident that Season 3 takes the legacy of this title many notches higher and we are looking forward to sharing this with our viewers.”
Creator, co-producer and co-director of Aarya (S1, S2 and S3), Ram Madhvani added, “After the immense love that we have received from audiences over the last two seasons, we present to you a new era of Aarya where she leaves no stone turned. Season 3 will keep audiences on their toes with the exciting journey of Aarya to emerge as the ultimate don. Aarya will shock you. The emotional graph of her journey is exhilarating. She will own her power. Is this her final chance? You will soon find out. Collaborating alongside with Disney+ Hotstar and Sushmita Sen to narrate this story has been incredible and I hope audiences and fans receive this season with the same love.”
Endemol Shine India CEO Rishi Negi said, “Endemol Shine India along with Ram Madhvani Films and Disney+ Hotstar is proud to have brought to audiences across the globe the phenomenon of Aarya.. Gripping, relevant and hard-hitting, Season 3 will take this franchise and the story of Aarya forward. We hope the audiences will enjoy this exciting and thrilling season. ”
Get ready to embark on an exhilarating new journey with Aarya Season 3, set to stream only on Disney+ Hotstar on 3 November!
Mumbai: Blackstone has initiated talks with Walt Disney to assess the potential acquisition of Disney’s media operations in India, including its streaming and television businesses, according to media reports.
Reports also said that in recent weeks, high-level leadership from both companies have engaged in several discussions. Blackstone is considering the purchase of either a partial business package, which includes assets like sports properties, media rights, and the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service, or the complete portfolio, encompassing the Star India TV network, over-the-top (OTT) services, and a 30 per cent stake in Tata Play.
Key players in facilitating these discussions are believed to be former Disney executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, who were brought back as advisors to CEO Bob Iger in July.
It remains unclear whether Blackstone is considering a broader global transaction or focusing solely on India.
Mumbai: India is set to kick off their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 journey with an exhilarating match against the five-time champions, Australia, on the 8 of October 2023. With a colossal billion-strong fan base passionately rallying behind Team India in their quest to bring home the coveted trophy, Star Sports, the official broadcaster of this marquee tournament, has been at the forefront of galvanizing the entire nation in unwavering support of the team.
To add an extra layer of excitement and fervor to the build-up for this epic clash between India and Australia, the highly acclaimed Bollywood sensation, Akshay Kumar, will be joining the ‘Cricket Live’ show. In a heartwarming video that has been making waves on the Star Sports social media platforms, Akshay Kumar conveys his steadfast support, echoing the sentiments of millions across the nation, and extends his heartfelt best wishes to Team India for a triumphant journey in the World Cup.
Catch all the action from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 –India vs Australia, 8 October 2023, Live & exclusively on the Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar
Mumbai: Herbalife India, a global premier health and wellness company, announced the partnership with Disney+ Hotstar as a digital streaming associate sponsor for the highly anticipated ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. This collaboration reaffirms Herbalife’s commitment to sports in the subcontinent following its successful partnership with the IPL earlier this year.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 commences on the 5 October, with the final to be played in Ahmedabad on the 19 November, with all 48 matches being available for streaming on the Disney+ Hotstar platform.
Herbalife India senior vice president and managing director Ajay Khanna said, “We are thrilled to be associated with the streaming of the biggest sporting events worldwide. Herbalife is known for its association with hundreds of world-class athletes and sporting events. It is a matter of pride for us to add the streaming of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to that list. It is an exciting time for cricket, and this collaboration truly reflects our passion for this incredible sport. This also reinforces Herbalife’s mission for better nutrition, empowering people to achieve their full potential through healthier choices for health and wellness.”
Herbalife takes pride in its sponsorship of over 150 athletes, teams and leagues across the globe, all of whom embody the company’s dedication to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through adequate nutrition. In India, Herbalife continues to support athletes like Virat Kohli, Smriti Mandhana, Lakshya Sen, Manika Batra, Mary Kom, and para-badminton player Palak Kohli, amongst others, and major sporting events like IPL, Special Olympics World Summer Games, Ironman Goa, and many others.
Mumbai: Wrangler has announced the launch of its new brand campaign titled “What Shapes You, Makes You”. The campaign features Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian women’s cricket team and one of its most prolific batters.
Wrangler is investing heavily during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to build greater awareness and consideration among consumers in India. The campaign highlights the enduring relationship between Smriti and her Wrangler denim emphasizing that investing in Wrangler is essentially investing in a part of oneself. Smriti is an adventurous person and is always ready to take risks, make moves and embraces courage which is what Wrangler stands for. The iconic denim brand’s campaign is built around the insight that searching through our old wardrobe makes us feel nostalgic. Occasionally, we find a piece of clothing that immediately reminds us of how far we have come in life. While we may have forgotten it at the back of our wardrobe, we haven’t forgotten how it makes us feel – it’s a conduit that keeps us grounded and in touch with our passions. It’s what shapes us, makes us.
The brand campaign film will run on Disney+Hotstar and digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Commenting on the campaign, ace turtle CEO Nitin Chhabra said, “We are delighted to launch the new brand campaign with Smriti Mandhana for Wrangler during the Men’s Cricket World Cup that coincides with India’s festive season. This campaign marks a new chapter, aiming to inspire individuals, especially the youth, to embrace their unique journey and aspirations, and is a testament to Wrangler’s enduring legacy and its vision for the future. We are confident that the campaign will help to build on Wrangler’s brand equity and help us drive more footfalls at our retail stores and traffic on online channels. We aim to significantly grow Wrangler’s business in India by the end of the current fiscal year.”
Expressing her excitement, Smriti Mandhana said, “My Wrangler journey has been a special one, capturing my growth and experiences. From the denim that’s been with me since my early cricket days to what it represents today, this campaign captures my journey in parallel to the continued legacy of the brand. Wrangler stands for resilience, adaptability and authenticity which are qualities I admire and work towards. I’m excited to share this connection, inspiring others to embrace their unique journeys, both in sports and life.”
Sharing the marketing perspective, ace turtle CMO Lokesh Kataria said, “Our objective is to bring out the association between Wrangler and Smriti Mandhana with an integrated communication approach, driving greater consideration for the brand. The What Shapes You, Makes You campaign becomes our means to show this resilience through a pair of denim that have endured with Smriti Mandhana – being a constant, and shaping her to what she is today. We aim to highlight how investing in a Wrangler is investing in a relationship that becomes an integral part of our consumers, and ultimately defines them. As we unveil this seven-week campaign coinciding with the Cricket World Cup 2023, we delve into a rich backstory of innovation and consumer engagement.”
ace turtle is the exclusive licensee of Wrangler in India and other South Asian markets. It has expanded Wrangler’s physical retail store network across India with 53 stores operational currently and many more in the pipeline. Wrangler is currently available at exclusive brand outlets and leading departmental store chains such as Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons and Centro among others. The iconic denim brand is also available online at its dedicated webstore www.wrangler.in along with popular online marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Ajio, Tatacliq and Nykaa.
Mumbai: As we inch closer to the beginning of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the excitement is at an all-time high. Disney+ Hotstar, the official streaming partner for the tournament, released a new ad film as a part of their #FreeLoThodaJeeLo campaign. Starring Abhishek Banerjee and Jameel Khan, the film captures the anticipation for the upcoming tournament and highlights its ‘free on mobile’ offering this year along with free first-class entertainment such as Freddy, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva and many others.
Conceptualized by the internal Disney+ Hotstar team and directed by Nikhil Rao, the latest ad film is an unusual and striking play on the importance of prioritizing one’s own needs alongside those of one’s family. In the video, a man is denied entry into heaven because, in an effort to ensure the comfort of his wife, son, and mother, he forgets to enjoy the pleasures of life like cricket and entertainment, made even easier through Disney+ Hotstar’s free offerings.
Team India begins their Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign on 8 October 2023, with an epic showdown against Australia at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium. The hosts will then lock horns with Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The anticipation builds as India’s path leads them to a highly anticipated clash with arch-rivals Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium on 14 October, adding another thrilling chapter to the ‘Greatest Rivalry’.”
Catch every exhilarating moment of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 live and free on mobile on Disney+ Hotstar. The tournament will also broadcast LIVE on the Star Sports Network.
Mumbai: No escape, no getting away! This time around, the chat will be edgier, crazier and candid leading to a whole lot of revelations. The producer, director, show anchor and actor Karan Johar is back with an all-new season of Koffee with Karan Season 8 only on Disney+ Hotstar. This season the conversation will be beyond marriages, airport looks, social media and toodles to toodles. Karan Johar will bring out the fun and no-filter side of the actors to give you all the scoop you need to discuss until the next season.
Disney+ Hotstar & Disney Star HSM entertainment network head-content Gaurav Banerjee said, “Koffee with Karan S7 received a phenomenal response last year on Disney+ Hotstar. It is an iconic show and has been an audience favorite since its inception. With season 8 of Koffee with Karan, we aim to build and engage with this fandom twice as much. It’s exciting to collaborate with the ace producer-director Karan Johar yet again and take the content of this season to a larger audience”
Director and show anchor, Karan Johar said, “We all know you have been eagerly awaiting for the new season of Koffee with Karan – and your wishes have been heard! After the overwhelming response and alot of conjectures from season 7, this season let’s make my friends and your favourite celebrities spill their secrets along with the no filter conversations on the infamous Koffee couch. Coming back to Disney+ Hotstar, the new season of Koffee with Karan will be full of uninhibited chats, competitive rapid fires and a lot of conversations, which we all love! So why wait? Let’s brew Koffee with Karan Season 8”
Koffee with Karan Season 8 is set to brew from 26 October onwards, exclusively, only on Disney+ Hotstar!
Mumbai: Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Asia Cup 2023, has achieved a record milestone for sports viewing in India. With an astonishing 266 million viewers tuning in to the Star Sports’ live broadcast for the tournament, excluding the final, Asia Cup 2023 has become the most-watched edition of the tournament. Total viewing time for the tournament has increased by 75 per cent compared to the previous edition with over 73.5 billion minutes watched, excluding the final. The ‘Super 4’ encounter between the ‘Greatest Rivals’ (India & Pakistan) was the highest-rated ODI match ever, outside of world cups, garnering more than 6.4 million AMAs.
The tournament also witnessed 75 per cent growth in live match ratings (TVR**) for non-India matches. The extraordinary response to the tournament reaffirms fans’ love for multi-nation cricket with marquee stature and strong context.
“Disney Star’s presentation of Asia Cup 2023 was focused on elevating the stature of the event as a premier multi-nation tournament with the greatest rivalry – India v Pakistan – as its centerpiece. The unparalleled success of the tournament, despite challenges related to the unpredictable weather, reflects the impact of Star Sports’ multi-dimensional marketing campaigns, enhanced programming, ‘Best in the world’ coverage and most of all, the deep relationship India’s leading sports broadcaster has with Indian Cricket fans. It also underlines the pre-eminence of marquee multilateral sporting events on TV as the ultimate aggregator of audiences. The record viewership for India and non-India matches in Asia Cup also sets the stage for fandom to touch new highs during ICC CWC 2023 and for previous records to be challenged,” said a Star Sports spokesperson.
Asia Cup 2023 was not just about on-field heroics; it was a complete cricketing experience that brought fans closer to the game they adore. Star Sports went the extra mile to provide viewers with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Team India. A diverse panel of cricketing experts offered their insights and analyses, elevating the viewing experience to new heights and keeping fans engaged on rain-affected matchdays. Shows such as ‘Follow the Blues,’ ‘Game Plan,’ and ‘Cricket Countdown’ delved deep into the nuances of every game, enriching the understanding of die-hard fans and casual enthusiasts alike. These shows not only provided a comprehensive view of the tournament but also celebrated the spirit of cricket.
Asia Cup 2023 has set the stage for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and Star Sports is geared up to bring fans closer to the live cricketing action with Team India playing the warm matches against England and Netherlands on 30 September and 3 October respectively.
Catch all the action from India’s warm-up matches vs England and Netherlands, on 30 September and 3 October, LIVE & exclusive on the Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar.
