ITV

Tag: Ferzad Palia

  • COLORS INFINITY serves an intoxicating concoction of bollywood Besties, Gossip, Games

    COLORS INFINITY serves an intoxicating concoction of bollywood Besties, Gossip, Games

    MUMBAI: Make Saturday nights your date night with some of your favorite Bollywood best-friends, as COLORS INFINITY brings to you the latest season of the popular homegrown chat show Jeep presents BFFs with Vogue powered by Motorola and beauty partner Nykaa.com, starting Saturday January 20, 2018 at 8pm on COLORS INFINITY.

    They’re seen in parties and coffee clutches together! Working out, clicking gym selfies! Sharing gossip and laughs on social media sites! But it’s only on COLORS INFINITY that you get to see true camaraderie in all its silver screen glory. Guaranteeing 10 spirited Saturday evenings with sassy host Neha Dhupia, the latest season gives viewers an exclusive dekko in the lives of their favorite Bollywood stars, as they indulge in candid conversations and engage in friendly duels. Introducing an assortment of exciting new segments like ‘Platter of Punishment’ and ‘Say It or Strip It’, that will leave guests with an inescapable choice to either answer a scandalous question or suffer the spicy consequences, or strip an item of their clothing to avoid making a scalding confession.

    Commenting at the launch of the latest season, Viacom18, Head – English, Youth and Music Entertainment, Ferzad Palia said, “COLORS INFINITY has been on a path to bring groundbreaking and entertaining programming to its viewers, across age groups and we continually aim to contribute to the evolution of English content consumption on Indian television. Our homegrown shows have garnered a marvelous response and the backing of our sponsors for this season are a testament to their confidence in our proposition. Following a successful first season, we’re totally geared up to launch yet another fantastic season of Jeep presents BFFs with Vogue powered by Motorola and beauty partner Nykaa.com, with a celebrated list of Bollywood A-listers and a lot more captivating conversations.”

    Condé Nast India, Managing Director, Alex Kuruvilla says “Two years back, Condé Nast India forayed into the world of television with our first ever TV show Vogue BFFs, created and produced exclusively for COLORS INFINITY. BFFs with Vogue is the second instalment of the show and we have turned things up a notch this year by upping the celebrity quotient, making the content sassier, and by getting anchor du jour Neha Dhupia on-board. As expected, round 2 will bring back celebrity camaraderie, fashion, and high voltage glamour, all wrapped up in an upscale, international production.”

    Since its inception, the homegrown properties of COLORS INFINITY have seen a steady rise in viewership and interest from many reputed brands. Following three spectacular seasons of The Stage, and a dazzling premiere edition of BFFs with Vogue last year, the upcoming season of BFFs with Vogue piqued the interest of Jeep, Motorola and Nykaa.com that have now associated with the show.

    Elated on the association FCA India, Head – Marketing, Rahul Pansare said, “We are delighted to partner with BFFs with Vogue. The Jeep brand has been celebrating the spirit of friendship in different parts of the world with authenticity, freedom, adventure and passion for more than 75 years. This property is an opportunity to engage and celebrate with many Indian personas which reflect the Jeep brand values. This season of BFFs with Vogue promises to be one filled with interesting exchanges between India’s most sought-after celebrities and their BFFs.”

    “At Motorola, we have always tapped into the passion points of our consumers, ensuring we are a part of their experiences, Movies and Fashion are two such passion points that we have been associated with. We are excited to partner BFF with Vogue on Colors Infinity in its latest season and give our consumers a peek into the lives of their favorite style icons, enjoying the new Moto X4, with a stunning glass & metal design that epitomizes style.” said Rachna Lather, Marketing Head, Motorola Mobility.

    Nykaa.com, Founder & CEO, Falguni Nayar added “Colors Infinity BFFs with Vogue is a great synergy with Nykaa with its unique candid appeal, that offers an insight into the people behind the stars. For Nykaa, it’s the perfect celebration of real conversation and real beauty.”

    Scaling up the promotional efforts on the show, COLORS INFINITY has devised a 360-degree marketing campaign across various platforms including print, radio, digital, on-air and on-ground. The channel is going beyond traditional promotional mediums and further reaching out to every corner of the country through innovative partnerships with brands like J.W. Marriott Hotels, Tommy Hilfiger, Playboy Club, Sabyasachi Jewelry, Jean-Claude Biguine, Mad Over Donuts and Gold’s Gym.

  • Cautious investments serve MTV Beats well

    Cautious investments serve MTV Beats well

    MUMBAI: When digital media made it easy for people to listen to songs anywhere anytime, it sounded like the death knell for music channels on TV. Years later, however, they continue to survive.

    Viacom18 head-youth, music and English entertainment Ferzad Palia told Indiantelevision.com that the consumption of music on television has actually gone through the roof in recent years. “TV viewership is growing because you listen to music on TV and if you liked it then you go out and consume it at whatever point of time. There is no other genre that I know is growing by 50-60 per cent.” Palia said that there was a 60 per cent growth in the music genre on TV in the last four weeks of 2017 as compared with the same period of 2016, quoting Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data.

    With the conversation on digital media intensifying, the Indian music industry is also shifting towards it. Palia said that MTV Beats, a pure-play music channel launched by Viacom 18 in the second half of 2016, is profitable as the management is very cautious about where it invests. “There are different genres, which we did not enter for various reasons as they are financially not feasible.”

    Contrary to what Palia said, a media professional speaking to Indiantelevision.com said that it may not be viable for music channels to sustain beyond a point with licencing prices going up every year and the only monetisation avenue being ad revenue. Stickiness to television is limited today when it comes to music. New songs are repeatedly played after which they are downloaded from paid apps.

    Considering the cost incurred on rising royalty charges and the digital onslaught, Palia said that the company takes a measured approach to launching channels. “We focus on our products, we invest right and we also do not like to over-invest.” He further said that their prime indicator is consumer acceptance that effectively shows up in their revenue. “Eventually, you are in the business for consumers, so that’s what we focus on,” he adds.

    According to FICCI’s 2017 report, the music industry continues to shift towards digital consumption on the back of cheaper data rates, better digital infrastructure and availability of curated digital music on growing digital platforms. In 2016, the Indian music industry was estimated at Rs 12.2 billion and is expected to grow to Rs 25.4 billion by 2021 at a compound annual growth rate of 15.8 per cent.

    Moreover, Palia revealed that the channel is focused on creating its own intellectual property content.

    MTV Beats targets the 15-30 year age group and has hit 400 million annual number of viewers. “While the youngster is watching, the parents are also introduced to this channel, so the entire viewership for us has grown tremendously. What others have done in 10-12 years, we have managed to accomplish in these many months,” he adds.

    The channel’s viewership grew by 118 per cent by the end of 2017. It also ended the year with 25 minutes time spent, becoming the highest watched contemporary music channel.

    In the time to come, MTV Beats aims to grow its roster of shows with more celebrity faces and music-related content.

    Also Read :

    Music channels bet on shows to boost viewership

    PEN to launch Hindi music channel Dream TV

  • Comedy Central sets pace for ultimate celebration with over 100 hours of non-stop FRIENDS ultra marathon for its 6th birthday

    Comedy Central sets pace for ultimate celebration with over 100 hours of non-stop FRIENDS ultra marathon for its 6th birthday

    MUMBAI: Birthdays and New Years are great occasions to make resolutions for participating in marathons. However, this is one marathon which calls for hanging up your running shoes and grabbing the best spot in front of the telly with a bowl of munchies to keep you going because, for the first time ever in the world, Comedy Central is presenting a 5 day long, F.R.I.E.N.D.S Ultra Marathon from January 19 to 23, 11 AM onwards!

    Aiming for a totally different kind of world record where marathons are concerned, Comedy Central ensures over 100 hours of non-stop entertainment, as it gets ready to celebrate its birthday with the world’s best friends ever Joey, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Ross.

    Bringing in its 6th birthday, the brand is doing a variety of fun activities like hosting the biggest F.R.I.E.N.D.S parties Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata, Watch & Win contest with official F.R.I.E.N.D.S Merchandise rewarding the longest binge sessions through 5 days. Comedy Central, in partnership with Airbnb, is hosting the Longest Slumber Party and many more engaging activities on their social media pages. After all, what’s a birthday without F.R.I.E.N.D.S.?

    Commenting on this one of a kind campaign, Viacom18, Head- Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Ferzad Palia shared, “When we launched Comedy Central 6 years ago, our goal was simple – we wanted to give India a place for quality English Comedy Entertainment. And within months of its launch, we realized that the audience and the advertisers were not only lapping our content up but wanted more of it. Over the years, Comedy Central has been loved for showcasing the best in quality entertainment such as The Mindy Project, The Graham Norton Show, SNL, Suits and Young Sheldon. But F.R.I.E.N.D.S. is the one show that refuses to lose its hold over the audience no matter what. It’s a show that holds the same appeal that an old friend does – it’s comforting, it’s relatable, and it makes you feel good. Thus, today, when we are celebrating our 6th Birthday, it was but natural for us to celebrate it with F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Also, this is just the beginning. The never been done before, 100-hour binge for F.R.I.E.N.D.S is just a small peek of the disruptive programming that we have planned for our viewers in 2018.”

    Launched in India on January 23, 2012, Comedy Central enjoys a viewership share of 30% and has remained a steady/consecutive No.1 in viewership last year. With 4.5+mn social media followers, that is growing each week, the brand has persistently worked towards engaging content for consumers with specially curated show categories, consumer products and pro-socio campaigns. Source (BARC: 15-40 Mega cities AB)

    Comedy Central has created its distinct place in consumers’ hearts with special offers across multiple platforms such as Watch With The World – bringing to India world class shows such as Suits, Young Sheldon, Will & Grace, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and more, in real time; Spread The Cheer – pro-socio campaign offering joy and happiness; Comedy Central LOL Club Cards – gifting specially curated offers for it fans. The unique initiatives undertaken by the brand has also won 40+ awards over the past 6 years across India, Asia and the World, making it the number 1 in English Entertainment industry.

    Comedy Central boasts of partnerships with marquee brands like Café Coffee Day, Mad Over Donuts, Gold’s Gym, Kidzania, Radio One to maximize reach amongst its consumers across age groups and personalities. The brand also strives to bring on more smiles through its annual CSR initiative – Spread The Cheer. The latest edition, in association with several NGOs such as Give India, Bhumi, Deepalaya to name a few, has spread the cheer amongst many deserving but less fortunate children. With such innovative initiatives, Comedy Central will strive to remain India’s Happiest Place.

  • U Sports launches India’s first ever Multi-Platform Multi-Game E-Sports Championship – U Cypher with MTV

    U Sports launches India’s first ever Multi-Platform Multi-Game E-Sports Championship – U Cypher with MTV

    MUMBAI: The Indian E-Sports scenario is all set for a major revamp as U Sports, one of India’s biggest sports business companies in association with India’s No. 1 Youth Brand, MTV, announces the premiere of their all new month-long championship, U Cypher with MTV. Premiering today, on 19th January, the show will air every day from 10pm to 11pm on MTV.

    Backed by Ronnie Screwvala (Founder, U Sports) and Supratik Sen (Co-Founder & CEO, U Sports), the Indian E-Sports scenario is all set for a major revamp with U Cypher with MTV. The league is a first of its kind, multi-platform, multi-game E-Sports championship which comprises of 35 episodes. In its first season, U Cypher with MTV will have 6 teams with 14 members in each team. Each episode will have two teams face off across titles like DOTA 2 and CS: GO on PC, Real Cricket 2017 on mobile and Tekken 7 on PS4 with a prize pool of a whooping INR 51 Lakhs. The final four will play knockouts to determine the winners.  

    Ronnie Screwvala, Founder, U Sports said, “There has been an enthusiasm for E-Sports sparkling under the surface in the country for far longer than what is known. U Cypher with MTV provides a platform for talented gamers to achieve their maximum potential and build their career in E-sports. The players have been meticulously picked from the Top E-sport Tournaments and teams from Pan India. The digital and broadband revolution has changed the game for this sport. CS and DOTA have had 20 million downloads in the past 10 years in India. And that’s a huge number for something that’s only starting to fully surface.”

    Commenting on the association with U Sports Viacom18, COO, Raj Nayak said, “E-Sports is growing fast worldwide. Not only that but the annual consumption of E-Sports content stands at almost over 3.7 billion hours across various platforms which are largely digital. Closer to home, in India the gaming market is estimated to be over USD 600 million. Given the potential one can see, we at MTV are excited to be the first and only media network in the country to showcase an E-Sports League on television! We are delighted to partner with U Sports to craft a new tomorrow today through the launch of our exciting and one of a kind new property – U Cypher – only on MTV!”

    U Sports, Co-Founder & CEO, Supratik Sen said, “We are all set to showcase the biggest E-Sports championship on television with U Cypher with MTV. This will be the rise of a new batch of athletes and U Sports will look to give the best E-Sports athletes a chance to showcase their abilities. E-Sports is growing at a rapid pace andhas been announced as a medal event in the 2022 Asian Games. E-Sports is moving from being a hobby to an actual career option and its high time we saw the potential in it.”

    Viacom18, Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Ferzad Palia said, “E-Sports has found immense number of takers in India thanks to it being home to the world’s largest youth population and the world’s second largest internet user base. Keeping this in mind, it was thus a natural step for us at MTV, the brand with the ultimate word on the youth in India, to invest in a one-of-a-kind show ‘U Cypher’ that takes E-sports out of bedrooms of gamers & gaming arcades and into living rooms through television. A truly unique concept, will see gamers – who have hitherto been known only in select circles – taking on other gamers across multiplatform, multiplayer games in a specially designed arena. At MTV, we have always taken pride in being trendsetters for the youth and thus are thoroughly excited to bring a brand-new concept which will allow viewers to witness the creation of completely new kind of superstars!”

    E-Sports and the gaming market is estimated to be over USD 500-600 million with more than 2000 teams consistently participating in tournaments across India and abroad. U Cypher delves into the culture of E-Sport and finds a world of intense competition and massive opportunities.

    The episodes and gameplay will also be available digitally on Usports.in, MTV, Voot, YouTube, YouTube Gaming and Twitch. MTV has also planned an extensive digital plan to promote the show in addition to promotions across the Viacom18 network channels 

  • MTV launches 7th season of Unplugged

    MTV launches 7th season of Unplugged

    MUMBAI: MTV Unplugged season 7 is back, this time giving us an insight into musical maestros like Vishal Bhardwaj, Shankar Mahadevan, Farhan Akhtar, Papon, Monali Thakur and Armaan and Amal Malik. The musical property will air from 9 December at 8 pm on MTV.

    After garnering success in its sixth season by raking in an overall reach of around 130 million viewers on social media platforms, the latest season of MTV Unplugged ensures to be nothing less than the best.

    Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak said, “This is a show that people wait for with a lot of anticipation every year and we aim to continue to deliver quality content and rule the hearts of our fans with the season seven of MTV Unplugged as well.”

    Viacom18 head—youth, music and english entertainment Ferzad Palia said, “The latest season features a unique and beautiful confluence of soul- stirring vocals and interesting musical arrangements, doing away with anything that distracts from what is pure. This year as well, the audience will be privy to a great line up of artists who will be transforming some of their biggest musical numbers to the unimaginable in a more vulnerable and intimate setting.”

    Pernod Ricard India assistant vice president (marketing) Raja Banerji said “India’s finest singing stars will be performing unplugged to bring a music in most pristine form. It has become a perfect stage for musical perfectionist to bring alive the brand’s philosophy of “Make it Perfect” in every way.”

  • MTV, Wizcraft announce Arijit Singh India tour

    MTV, Wizcraft announce Arijit Singh India tour

    MUMBAI: MTV and Wizcraft International have come together to present the first-ever Royal Stag Mega Music Arijit Singh live in concert – The MTV India tour.

    The concert series, an initiative of GiMA Concerts, is slated to begin at Arijit’s home-turf, Kolkata, on 24 December and will be held across major cities right until March 2018.

    Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak said, ” This is the one brand that not only understands music but is also the ultimate word on the youth and is always in tune with what they like. What you see is just the beginning of perhaps a new phenomenon where artist tours are concerned.”

    Viacom18 Youth Music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia said, “What makes MTV stand out even further is that it’s the universe of the young and so we make sure we reach out to our audience through all the key touch points – be it on air, online, through our merchandise, our cafes or through online events.”

    Wizcraft International director and co-founder Sabbas Joseph said, “These concerts are scheduled in the ten cities across the nation with an aim to bring the superstar closer to his mammoth fan base.”

    Arijit Singh said that the concert would be his first exclusive India tour. “I am grateful to have this opportunity to perform live for my audiences across different cities. This journey along with GiMA and MTV will definitely be an incredible experience for me,” he added.

  • MTV, HD+ to air ‘Bigg Boss Extra Dose’ for youth on weekdays from 9 Oct

    MTV, HD+ to air ‘Bigg Boss Extra Dose’ for youth on weekdays from 9 Oct

    MUMBAI: India’s favorite reality show Bigg Boss, now in its 11th season, is all set to make history from 9 October as it gets ready to be aired on Colors’ young padosi channel – MTV, the universe of the youth.

    While the common man and celebrities will fight all odds, and live together as neighbours under the bemused gaze of the host Salman Khan, the daily dose of entertainment is going to get better for the viewers as they will get an exclusive peek into the Bigg Boss house every weekday through ‘Bigg Boss Extra Dose’– twice a day on MTV.

    Viewers can watch exclusive content – sneak peek direct from the BB’s house that will be aired between 2 and 3 pm and late-night slot 11:30 pm – 1 am.

    Viacom18 head – youth, music and English entertainment Ferzad Palia said, “We understand the pulse of the youth and constant need for wanting something more.”

    With Khan in the avatar of neighborhood peacemaker, 18 handpicked contestants and never-seen-before twist of Gharwale and Padosi, this season of Bigg Boss has raised the curiosity level of viewers.

  • MTV & HP provide ‘Fame-istan’ to budding filmmakers

    MTV & HP provide ‘Fame-istan’ to budding filmmakers

    MUMBAI: Freedom of expression is considered to be a basic necessity for human beings to live a full life. It is a reflection of a healthy and democratic nation. More often than not cinema is considered as a classic means of expression of thoughts and freedom. MTV, the voice of the youth, along with HP Inc.has taken the onus to give a democratic makeover to the craft of filmmaking their latest venture, HP India MTV Fame-istan.

    The mass outreach of cinema is one of the major reasons that makes ‘Fame-istan’ the best platform for filmmakers to express themselves. Fame-istan will be enabling four aspiring filmmakers to live their dream of making a film and being mentored by top- guns in the Indian film industry. Each month a film mentor will introduce the director of the month. The director will then call out to actors and people who want to be a part of their short film.

    Staying true to its name, Fame-istan will not only help young filmmakers live their dream but also offer a chance to the cast and crew of the movie to make it big by providing them a platform to showcase their talent. After the selection of the cast and crew of the movie, the filmmakers will be mentored by ace directors from the film industry. Each short film will have to be completed within a duration of 1.5 months. Once the movie is shot, the mentor will give their verdict on the film. The first mentor who will be guiding young filmmakers and helping them hone their skill is ace director, Mohit Suri.

    On giving more power to young filmmakers, Viacom18 head – youth, music and English entertainment Ferzad Palia says: “At MTV we believe in inspiring and empowering youngsters. Fame- istan is a platform that will enable young movie makers kick-start their filmmaking career that too with the help of ace directors from the industry. Cinema is a powerful and inspiring platform and is by far the only democratic tool in the country that has a mass outreach. Indian cinema has grown in different directions of late and offers more diversity than ever and Fame- istan is a perfect platform for budding artists to showcase their talent through cinema.”

    HP Inc, India, head of country marketing Ayesha Durante said, “We are delighted to be creating this platform along with MTV. HP is furthering its proposition of ‘ReinventMyStory’ by providing the youth a launchpad to showcase their own capabilities, stand out early on in their lives and make their mark in this space, thereby reinventing the story of their lives.”

    The short films will be brought to life using HP Pavilion x360 and HP Spectre x360 and will be stitched together in an episode which will later be telecasted on MTV. The films will individually go live on MTV’s social platforms as well.

  • MTV to air new reality show ‘Dropout Pvt Ltd’

    MUMBAI: MTV launched a new reality show MTV Dropout Pvt. Ltd, presented by Droom.in, powered by Micromax and Maruti Suzuki and grooming partner Gillette which will see the birth of the world’s first ever start-up formed on television.

    Created by Monozygotic and co-developed by MTV and Monozygotic, the show will premiere on 29 July at 7pm and next day onwards on Voot.

    Dropout Pvt. Ltd. is a show that will take viewers through the process of identifying and transforming ‘dropouts’ into the ideal start-up team and kick-starting their entrepreneurial journey.

    Expert businessmen who have excelled in their respective fields, Droom.in CEO and founder Sandeep Aggarwal, Mydala.com CEO and co-founder Anisha Singh, Games2Win CEO and co-founder Alok Kejriwal along with the show’s hosts and creators Raghu Ram and Rajiv Laxman will be a part of panels identifying and transforming ‘dropouts’ into the dream start-up team to kick-start their entrepreneurial journey.

    Speaking about the first season of Dropout Pvt. Ltd., Viacom18 youth, music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia said, “India is brimming with young untapped energy keen on making ideas come to life and we at MTV, believe that as the largest platform for everything related to the youth, it is our responsibility to recognize, channelize and mobilize this energy by providing the youth with the right tools to make ideas happen. MTV aims at empowering these youngsters by providing them the biggest encouragement in the form of Dropout Pvt. Ltd. to kick start their entrepreneurial dreams. We at MTV realize that the youth today with their ‘go-getter’ attitude is willing to dream big to achieve their goals. We just want to give them the wings to fly.”

    Raghu Ram shared, “This exciting new show which revolves around the idea of entrepreneurship will be all about gutsy young minds keen on achieving their dreams. Rajiv and I saw a lot of potential in the idea of the show and we sat down with the MTV team to discuss and finalize the concept. The two of us together have conceptualized the show and will be producing and hosting the show as well. This is India’s first of its kind startup reality show aimed at the youth and we hope to boost the confidence of a lot of youngsters out there as we already have a long-standing connection with the youth of India.”

    “In a country like India where blazing one’s own trail is not encouraged too much; MTV is yet again taking a brave step by celebrating those youngsters who choose to go their own way by providing them with the correct platform to give life to their dreams. Through this show that has been conceptualized by Raghu and me, we aim to transform these young people into the ideal entrepreneurs and kick- start their start-up journey. When we were starting out, Raghu and I have had to go through a lot and hence understand the struggle and we both understand the youth very well due to the work we have done with them throughout our careers. It takes a lot to give up on everything and start something of your own and we are here to make this a lot easier for the youth out there,” said Rajiv Laxman.

    Speaking about the show, Aggarwal shared, “Dropout Pvt. Ltd. is a brilliant concept. This is an amazing platform for young minds who have a knack to start something of their own to be pitted against the biggest real-world business challenges, who must survive to form India’s dream startup team. Entrepreneurship is nothing without risk- taking and taking risks is scary whether you are going for a game of poker or quitting your college to pursue one of your promising business ideas. Entrepreneurship is a real test of once conviction, confidence and courage and the ones who take risks ultimately reach their destination. Dropout Pvt. Ltd. will be a great kick starter for all the risk- takers out there!”

    Singh also mentioned, “It feels exhilarating to be a part of the jury for Dropout Pvt. Ltd, especially after interacting with the kind of people that have walked in through the doors during the audition rounds. Each one had a phenomenal story or idea. It’s great that the Indian youth finally has a large platform to experiment with their ideas and launch their start-up dreams. We are looking for contestants who have the ‘self-starter’ attitude. Love that MTV recognizes that the youth today has bigger dreams and is willing to do what it takes to beat the odds. They are ready to change the status quo to make a difference. It’s time to become bigger than your dreams and MTV is giving you a chance to do it.”

    “It’s a different high being one’s own 8boss and a show like Dropout Pvt. Ltd. will help young minds kickstart their journey towards realizing their dream. Entrepreneurship is not only about being the best at what you do, it’s also about surrounding yourself with people who are smarter and can do a better job. MTV has given the biggest platform to young entrepreneurs to shed all their pretexts and learn how to build a company, not to sell but to keep,” said Kejriwal.

  • MTV’s Nescafe Labs picks 12 finalists

    MUMBAI: Nescafe and MTV hosted the finale of their co-branded digital talent platform called MTV presents Nescafe Labs at the Summer House Café in Mumbai.

    MTV, the voice of the youth and Nescafe, India’s favorite coffee brand, had set out on a journey to provide young and raw talent with a unique online platform to help them get nurtured and recognized with MTV presents Nescafe Labs – a destination for creative youngsters looking for inspiration, mentors and a stage to showcase their talents.

    The property garnered a social reach of over 90 million, over 8 million digital video views and received an overwhelming 85,000+ registrations. Out of this, 12 finalists were selected by the mentors to showcase their talent in India’s biggest talent pool party in Mumbai, aptly named the House of Labs.

    This ‘Always On’ Platform for experimental, creative, raw and hidden talent, has enabled youngsters to live their dreams. The property saw enthusiastic participation of youngsters possessing unique talent like flute-boxing, beatboxing, rapping, singing, dancing and football freestyling.

    Speaking on the need for such platforms, Sunayan Mitra, General Manager – Coffee and Beverages, Nestlé India Ltd. commented, “Nescafe is a brand that resonates with the aspirational youth. It aims to partner with the youth in their journey towards achieving their dreams. Youngsters have an inherent talent. This talent needs to be identified, harnessed and refined. MTV presents Nescafe Labs is one such platform which discovers creative talent and enables them to interact and learn from industry experts. Serving as a talent scouting and nurturing platform, it is an opportunity that kick starts their journey to better and bigger things in life.”

    Speaking about the finale of season one of MTV presents Nescafe Labs, Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “MTV and Nescafe joined hands to empower the youngsters by providing them a platform in the form of MTV presents Nescafe Labs to give wings to their dreams. The massive number of registrations prove that a lot of youngsters have been able to be a part of this creative ecosystem. It’s amazing to see the enormous talent pool in the country, which is second to none. For us, true success of the platform lies in seeing these talented young people reaching heights of success in their chosen fields and having the best of minds from within the industry coming forward to mentor them.”

    Commenting on judging the film-making competition at MTV presents Nescafe Labs, National award winning film-maker Madhur Bhandarkar said, “It feels really good to judge such fresh and raw talent at MTV presents Nescafe Labs finale. It’s amazing to see young film makers brimming with unrestrained energy and showcasing their talent. Rarely do people get such opportunities to showcase their mettle and MTV and Nescafe have done a brilliant job by providing youngsters with such a great platform.”

    On being adjudged the winner of the photography challenge, Manjusha Dangeti said, “Photography has been my passion and when I got to know about MTV presents Nescafe Labs I did not give it a second thought and registered right away and to my surprise I won the contest. MTV presents Nescafe Labs has boosted my confidence and given me hope that this is a promising profession and I can surely make it big.”

    In order to enable the contestants to hone their talent, industry stalwarts renowned for the skills including the likes of Papon (Cover Singer Challenge), Subi Samuel (Photography Challenge), Shakti Mohan (Dance Challenge), Satish Acharya (Cartoonist Challenge), Nikhil Chinapa and Jose Covaco (Twitterati Challenge), RJ Rishi (RJ Challenge), Vikas Bahl and Madhur Bhandarkar (Film-making Challenge) mentored the contestants.