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Tag: movie

  • Fyp ties up with film ‘83’ to reach out to Gen Z

    Fyp ties up with film ‘83’ to reach out to Gen Z

    Mumbai: Fyp, Neobank for teenagers has announced its association with the film ‘83’ for a cross-promotional deal. The film based on the historic 1983 World Cup win released in theatres on Friday.

    The brand has launched its TVC for the association online as well as on the OTT platforms with the sole aim of introducing the Fyp to newer consumers and induce brand trials. “The association is symbolic of the breakthrough that Fyp aims to bring by raising financial literacy amongst teenagers and helping them become responsible and independent,” it said in a statement.

    “Financial literacy and money management have become an important component of life. At the same time, it is a gap left unattended in our education overall, which results in a lack of confidence in managing finances among young professionals when they first start a job and makes them prone to misguided investment decisions We wish to bridge the financial literacy gap among teenagers by giving them exposure to digital payments and through built-in features in the Fyp app,” said Fyp founder and CEO Kapil Banwari.

    Reliance Entertainment head of marketing Sameer Chopra said with this collaboration, they intend to reach out to all the young film fanatics and inspire them to never give up. “Back In 1983, the Lord’s Cricket Ground witnessed 14 men beat the twice over World Champions West Indies, putting India back onto the cricket world stage. With this association, we hope that the millennials & Gen Z’s always aspire to keep striving for glory,” he added.

    Co-founder of Anee’s Media the agency responsible for the association Deepak Patel said, “It is a bold step taken by Fyp to associate itself with ‘83.’ It will definitely create huge excitement among the teens and the parents to know more about Fyp which will help in amplifying the brand awareness.”

    The film produced by Deepika Padukone, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Sajid Nadiadwala, Sheetal Vinod Talwar, Reliance Entertainment, and 83 Film Ltd released in theatres on 24 December in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

  • Dish TV India joins hands with JOP Network for dubbed movie service “Hits Active”

    New Delhi: Dish TV has joined hands with content house, JOP Network Pvt Ltd to re-introduce dubbed movie service– Hits Active, in a new Avatar to broadcast International and South Indian hit movies dubbed in Hindi.

    Hits Active is an ad-free service showcasing all genres of blockbusters. The service will go LIVE from 1 June.

    JOP Network Pvt Ltd, director, Urvi Agarwal said “We are glad to associate with Dish TV India, India’s leading DTH Company and offer our rich bouquet of hit South Indian and International movies to Dish TV and D2H viewers on ‘Hits Active’. The service is targeted at the Indian masses for all age groups who enjoy watching regional and international content across the world but in their preferred language – Hindi.”

    Dish TV India Ltd, executive director and group CEO, Anil Dua said, “Keeping consumer interests at core during these challenging times, we at Dish TV India, aim to bring best-in-class entertainment to customers while sitting in the comfort of their homes. Our collaboration with a like- minded brand JOP Network resonates with our ideologies and is sure to help us make content viewing an enriching and engaging experience for all our subscribers. With addition of dubbed movies on our value added channel ‘Hits Active’, we further intend to take the entertainment quotient a notch higher and entertain a massive set of audience across India.”

    To avail HITS Active service, subscribers can give a missed call from their registered Mobile Number on 18005682536 for Dish TV & 18003150217 for D2H platform.

  • Sun TV Network’s outlook for FY22 remains positive despite short-term headwinds

    KOLKATA: Sun TV Network has navigated the pandemic well through the FY21 despite initial setbacks as it ended q4 with Rs 449.88 crore profit, 80 per cent up year-on-year. While there could be short-term headwinds in ad revenue due to the second wave of the pandemic, the company remains positive that the performance would be much better than the last lockdown.

    The broadcaster saw its ad revenue bounce back in the January to March quarter. However, the second wave hit the performance in the first quarter of FY22. It is still not known if a third wave would be more fatal. Hence, the company has not given any definite guidance for the coming year but its endeavour for the year is to at least reach the levels of FY20, a company spokesperson said in an earnings call.

    In FY 21, the company’s subscription revenue grew by about 11 per cent in FY21. The company is confident to maintain double-digit growth in FY22 as well, especially as it hopes to see a higher purchase of set-top boxes by a related party distribution company. Despite uncertainty around NTO 2.0, the company sees enough visibility on the subscription side.

    The company has improved primetime viewership in the Tamil market from 37 per cent to 42 per cent. As it is eying to come close to 50 per cent, it is taking steps to improve content quality, the overall narrative of storytelling. On the other hand, its overall fiction share has gone up by 36 per cent in the Kannada market as compared to the last two, three quarters. Hence, Sun TV wants to stay focused on gaining market share in these two markets.

    Additionally, it has lined up “some huge launches” in Telugu and Malayalam market in the next one-two months.

    However, its plans for Sun NXT, the over-the-top arm, have been pushed back again, albeit it has seen 40-50 per cent growth in the last six months. Although the company is in talks with a lot of potential producers for OTT originals, it is not going to start anything on that front at least before Q2. But the company can continue with small-medium movie digital premiers on the platform. Whenever the platform uploads a new movie on the platform, the subscription goes up immediately.

    For this financial year, the company has ambitious plans for movie production. It is looking at eight movies, costing nearly Rs 1200 crore. Four movies are under production as shooting has started and in multiple stages and one among those is almost nearing completion, a company spokesperson said. Because of the delay in the first four movies being completed, the remaining might be taken up in the second half of the year.

    Despite the strong performance in q4, the company’s dividend payout policy has attracted sharp criticism from investors in the conference call. For FY 21, the dividend payout dropped to Rs 5 per share from Rs 25 per share in FY20. The investors raised the question around management taking regular commission but not looking at shareholders’ interest. Sun TV Network management has not been able to give any forward-looking statement but has assured that it would share the concern with the board.

  • BookMyShow restructures senior leadership to bolster India operations

    BookMyShow restructures senior leadership to bolster India operations

    KOLKATA: Ticketing platform BookMyShow has rejigged its senior leadership, as the company strengthens its India management team across key business verticals.

    As part of the new structure, Anil Makhija will be in charge of scaling live entertainment operations as COO – live entertainment & venues, taking over from Albert Almeida who will head brand partnerships to nurture strategic and like-minded partnerships for BookMyShow in the journey ahead.

    The restructuring will help drive the next phase of growth and expansion for the company, further streamlining the core areas of the business, as BookMyShow doubles down on building a holistic platform for its customers, going forward, the company stated in a press statement.

    A veteran in the industry, Makhija joined BookMyShow in 2013 to lead ground operations and service delivery, while also overseeing deployment of new technologies across all physical events. Heading BookMyShow’s award-winning customer experience force along with ground operations at the firm, Makhija and his team have successfully enabled the use of technology to enhance the entire user experience until the last mile, on-ground. In a natural progression of his role here on, he will lead the operational strategy and execution of all live entertainment experiences across music, comedy, theatre, sports, live performances and more, bringing the complete range of touch points including experience fulfilment, production, venues and service delivery all under one roof.

    Almeida joined BookMyShow in 2018 to set the stage for the firm’s live entertainment business and shape its growth. In his new role, Almeida along with his team will focus on building strategic brand partnerships by unlocking the strength of BookMyShow’s critical assets – its premium IPs, vast community and the power of the platform.

    Further, BookMyShow’s foray into the streaming business with the transactional-video-on-demand model BookMyShow Stream will be helmed by Ashish Saksena, COO – Cinemas bringing all things movies, under one umbrella. Saksena has been leading the company’s cinemas business with continuous screen additions across the length and breadth of the country, expansion of BookMyShow’s POS business at cinemas in towns beyond metros, overseeing the growth of F&B as an able contributor to the vertical along with newer revenue enhancement measures within the movies business for the company, through long-term, marquee partnerships with production houses across the world and India.

    After playing an instrumental role in creating and building BookMyShow’s brand value over the last eight years, as also spearheading the effective utilization of the firm’s analytical capabilities to cement the firm’s leadership position in the entertainment ecosystem, Marzdi Kalianiwala will take on the role of senior vice president – Product & Design. He will drive the brand’s product strategy and innovation roadmap in line with consumer needs.

    Additionally, Mahesh Vandi Chalil has been made senior vice president – technology, wherein he will scale the firm’s technological prowess and strategic approach to development and delivery.

    BookMyShow founder & CEO Ashish Hemrajani said, “In its 21 year long journey, BookMyShow has been through its share of black swan events that have significantly changed not only the way we run business, but also the underlying consumer experience. However, with every such unpredictability, BookMyShow has only bounced back stronger and more ready to face the next big challenge. Without a shred of doubt, our tenacity is driven by the unwavering loyalty of millions of consumers who have stayed with us through the ups and downs of these past years and equally so, by a visionary leadership team that has always been one to think ahead of time and prepare for it today. This latest structural shift in BookMyShow’s leadership is an example of this foresight and one that will be our bedrock as we continue to future proof ourselves while moving forward swiftly, in a constantly evolving world of entertainment.”

  • Maharashtra allows opening up of cinema halls from tomorrow

    Maharashtra allows opening up of cinema halls from tomorrow

    KOLKATA: After months of closure due to Covid2019 crisis, the Maharashtra government has given green signal to the film exhibition sector to restart the business. The state government has allowed cinema halls, theatres, and multiplexes outside containment zones to open from tomorrow.

    On the lines of the central government’s decision, screenings will be limited to 50 per cent of the overall seating capacity. No eatables will be allowed inside, the notification stated.

    The SOP for the same will be issued by the cultural affairs department and local authorities. It will also take into consideration the SOP issued by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB). Earlier, ministry of home affairs (MHA) allowed the opening of cinema halls from 15 October but all states did not follow the decision immediately. However, the industry was awaiting the decision of the Maharashtra government specifically.

    Since late March, the cinema halls have been shut amounting to huge losses for the cinema owners. The producers opted for OTT platforms to release their movies. As the move comes just before Diwali, it could be a breather for the industry which is bleeding for last six months.

  • Industry remains cautiously optimistic with reopening of cinema halls

    Industry remains cautiously optimistic with reopening of cinema halls

    KOLKATA: For people across the film exhibition industry, the Unlock 5.0 guidelines have brought them a reason to smile. On Wednesday evening, the ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed opening of cinema halls from 15 October with 50 per cent seating capacity. As the sector is back in business, the stakeholders rejoice the decision despite persisting challenges.

    The reopening of the cinema halls is a critical point for the industry that has been struggling in the face of the pandemic. Even before the nationwide lockdown started, cinema halls shut fearing the spread of Covid2019. Being out of the business for nearly seven months, the cinema owners have been asking for some respite for quite some time now. Last month, the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) appealed to the government to allow theatres to reopen “on an urgent basis”. The association has “wholeheartedly” welcomed the latest decision of the government. Back in June, a survey from Book My Show stated that 54 per cent of Indians want to catch their favourite films in cinemas within 15-90 days of opening up.

    “Millions of movie lovers, employees of the cinema exhibition sector, along with the entire film industry were eagerly awaiting this announcement. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the MHA and the ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for their support and guidance. We are committed to ensure a safe, secure and a hygienic cinema going experience for the movie lovers of our country, as always, we would continue to assign top-most priority to the health and well-being of our guests and employees,” MAI stated.

    The multiplex owners have expressed an equal amount of satisfaction around the announcement. Carnival Cinemas managing director PV Sunil said this is the right time to open up with Diwali around the corner. Sunil opined that 50 per cent capacity is better than what they had predicted would be allowed. The industry had been proposing a 50 per cent capacity. Most of the countries are also following the same norm. As of now, Carnival’s software is being modified in accordance with that so that the audience has a seamless experience while booking tickets online.

    “This is a welcome move by both the west Bengal government and the central government. So many people are associated with the industry, so much money is at stake, the industry was losing almost Rs 1,500 crore every month while it was shut. We are happy that we are able to restart and people will be able to go back to the practice of going to a movie theatre.” SVF Cinemas head Rudra Prosad Daw said, the movie chain which operates in east India.

    While a part of the industry has been worried about the seating capacity limits eating up their profits, Daw said that it is a good percentage in the initial phase. He added that average footfall over the year is on an average 32 per cent, although it is higher excluding the southern part. However, he noted that for big blockbuster releases, the footfall goes up to 80-90 per cent during the weekend which could be a cause of discomfort. Daw emphasised that safety would be put at highest priority, for both audience and staff members.

    Ambient director Deepak Kumar welcomed the move and said it would help cinema halls to be better prepared to welcome its consumers like most of the establishments have done that have resumed operations in a phased manner. According to him, cinema halls opening with 50 per cent seating capacity is a step in the right direction. Moreover, as the cinema halls are usually located within a mall, it would also add up to the footfall count. The decision will not just help the owners but also its ancillary.    

    The return of cinema halls to business came as a relief for the studios too which have halted many of their releases. Many of the OTT platforms may have opted for digital premiers giving some breather to the production houses but the number is too limited compared to overall pending movie slate.

    “The reopening of theatres is a relief for studios and theatre owners while once again offering audiences the unparalleled experience of watching movies on big screens. We are looking forward to entertaining audiences in this era of the “new normal”. The pandemic has led to a surge of content consumption across genres and platforms and this is a hugely encouraging indicator for content creators and providers. Cinema is and will always continue to remain an expression of creativity and imagination and we look forward to fostering a stronger bond with our audiences,” Eros Motion Pictures COO Shikha Kapur said.

    But now the eyes are at states like Maharashtra, which has decided to continue the shut down till 31 October. Elara Capital VP – research analyst (media) Karan Taurani said that pan India opening is expected around Diwali or latest by late November. Hence, he opined that large scale content or a big Hindi film is not to hit cinemas before December. SVF Cinema’s Daw also added that they have not heard from Bollywood yet while its parent company SVF and some other producers in west Bengal has already planned releases around Durga Puja.

    “We are cognisant of the prevalent environment and will monitor this on an ongoing basis to determine our release strategy. With regards to our content slate, Eros has an exciting line-up of films for which announcements will be made at an appropriate time,” Kapur added.

    Adding to concerns regarding the fresh releases, analysts believe impact on revenues coming from food and beverages (F&B) and advertising may last longer. “F&B will be under pressure as consumers may not be open to consuming food in cinemas; further, affordability levels too may negatively affect overall F&B spending vs pre-Covid times. Advertising revenue, which is too high margin in nature, will see a negative impact as occupancy in our view will remain restricted until active cases become negligible or a vaccine is launched,” Elara Capital said in a report.

    However, Ambient’s Kumar is optimistic. He stated brands would flock back to cinema halls as cinema is an efficient advertising medium which ensures 100 per cent captive audience. 

  • OTT video can bring about cord-cutting in India sooner than expected

    OTT video can bring about cord-cutting in India sooner than expected

    MUMBAI: Despite the popularity and endless love for movies and catch-up content among Indian consumers, original content is emerging as an important category for online video viewers. However, traditional content categories like movies and related content like catch-up TV content dominate the current consumption trend on online video viewing probably due to limited supply of originals in contrast to library content.

    In a report by Eros Now and KPMG India based on a survey carried out among 1458 OTT users in 16 cities of India, it has been revealed that 10 per cent of respondents prefer watching original content online given the current availability of the category standing at less than one per cent of overall content. Moreover, the preference for original content was consistent among all age groups proving that the category is no longer limited to millennial audience. The survey also revealed that 30 per cent of respondents prefer original content while 22 per cent prefer catch-up content.

    “If you look at television, there are hundreds of channels, there are 8-10 Hindi GECs and in each language there are multiple GECs, each channel targeting same consumers. In a situation like that, there isn't any major differentiation in the content being offered. The question at this stage of evolution of digital platform is that you need to differentiate against other platforms or TV. Right now the effort is to take time away from TV to OTT because the consumer has a limited time available on hand,” KPMG India media and entertainment partner and head Girish Menon commented in a press meet.

    “It came out in the survey that most consumers are using these platforms to consume catch-up content. Therefore the same level of brand awarness that exists between TV channels is existing between the platforms at this point because majority of the content is library content. If you see the content that is being consumed other than movies it is TV content, sports and original content. Original and exclusive content will trigger cord-cutting also,” he added.

    The study also emphasised on the fact that freshness and uniqueness of content are the key determining factors for installation and uninstallation of apps along with respondents subscribing to platforms as nearly 87 per cent of the respondents install an app considering the quality of content.

    30 per cent of the respondents prefer watching content in languages other than Hindi and English. The preference for content consumption is significant in the native languages across large parts of the country, with South India observed to be the most loyal to their native tongue.

    Online video platforms are truly going mass as the Indian OTT viewer spends approximately 70 mins per day on online video platforms, with a consumption frequency of 12.5 times a week i.e. more than once a day. Viewers are also accessing ~2.5 platforms at a given time. While the customer sets are fairly heterogeneous, there is a trend of homogeneity that was observed in terms of consumption frequency and duration across age groups, income levels and genders.

    The report also revealed that OTT video could usher in cord cutting sooner than expected. While 38 per cent of the respondents could consider cord-cutting in the future as they responded to their entertainment needs being fully met online, 14 per cent of the respondents considered subscription to online video platforms as an alternative to TV subscription.

    “Cord-cutting because of regulator set up, quality of content, VAS, that transition in India will potentially jump the curve in the US,” Eros Now COO Ali Hussein said in the press meet.

    The importance of telco platforms for the distribution of online video content has again been proved in the survey as three out of ten respondents viewed online video on telco platforms. Jio TV emerged as the platform with the highest usage with Airtel TV being a distant second. The report also added that integrated telco billing is one of the factors that is likely to help drive VOD subscriptions in the future despite the fact that SVOD users preferred dire usage of specific platforms.

    "It benefits immensely. I am getting subscriber, money, time-spent, viewership. 80-85 per cent of this country will continue to be bundled market because of the price consciousness," Hussein added.

    OTT is increasingly becoming anywhere-anytime phenomenon as nearly 87 per cent of the respondents consumed content on their mobile phones, with nearly 28 per cent of the respondents consuming content during the traditional office hours of 10 am-6 pm.

  • Fast Track-ing Into Star Wars

    Fast Track-ing Into Star Wars

    MUMBAI: As the world anticipates Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Titan is right on track with its youth label’s Fast Track launching a special range of watches.

    Fastrack has offered an opportunity for kids and gift-givers to relive the classic story with the newly launched Star Wars themed Fastrack time-piece collection.

    The brand has channeled all its force to create 10 unique time-pieces inspired by the classic Star Wars characters. Fans can show their allegiance by choosing their favorite heroes and villains. The visually stunning Star Wars Collection exhibits favorites from the light side such as Yoda, the Rebel Alliance like R2-D2, as well as the dark side icons like Darth Vader and the recognizable storm troopers of the Galactic Empire.

    Fastrack marketing head explained, “Star Wars is a work of art which cuts across space and time, almost a rite of passage for most individuals. It’s a brand that all the generations hold close to their heart. More than being fans ourselves, we made the decision to create the Star Wars Collection because we feel that both brands resonate strongly with each other and with our audience.

    The products are available across all Fastrack and select World of Titan stores.

  • Fast Track-ing Into Star Wars

    Fast Track-ing Into Star Wars

    MUMBAI: As the world anticipates Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Titan is right on track with its youth label’s Fast Track launching a special range of watches.

    Fastrack has offered an opportunity for kids and gift-givers to relive the classic story with the newly launched Star Wars themed Fastrack time-piece collection.

    The brand has channeled all its force to create 10 unique time-pieces inspired by the classic Star Wars characters. Fans can show their allegiance by choosing their favorite heroes and villains. The visually stunning Star Wars Collection exhibits favorites from the light side such as Yoda, the Rebel Alliance like R2-D2, as well as the dark side icons like Darth Vader and the recognizable storm troopers of the Galactic Empire.

    Fastrack marketing head explained, “Star Wars is a work of art which cuts across space and time, almost a rite of passage for most individuals. It’s a brand that all the generations hold close to their heart. More than being fans ourselves, we made the decision to create the Star Wars Collection because we feel that both brands resonate strongly with each other and with our audience.

    The products are available across all Fastrack and select World of Titan stores.

  • Sony LIV launches movie subscription service at Rs 149 per month

    Sony LIV launches movie subscription service at Rs 149 per month

    MUMBAI: Along with having original digital content, catch-up content, sports and music, Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) over the top (OTT) platform Sony LIV has now expanded its offerings portfolio with the launch of a movie subscription service.

     

    The monthly subscription service pack has been priced at Rs 149, whereas the daily subscription package has been priced at Rs 9. 

     

    Taking advantage of the fact that India is among the countries with the fastest smartphone growth in Asia, Sony LIV is seeking to bolster its foothold in the online video space. 

     

    While globally, SVOD (subscription based video on demand) is poised to become the largest revenue source in 2020, overtaking OTT advertising, in India the market is at a nascent stage with a huge growth potential in the future. With mobile video traffic in India expected to be on a growth trajectory over the next three years, Sony LIV’s new initiative will let consumers stream movies at a nominal price.

     

    Sony LIV’s movie subscription service will be accessible to consumers through its website www.sonyliv.com or via the Sony LIV app available on Google Playstore (for Android users) and App Store for (iOS users).

     

    MSM executive vice president head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “The movie subscription service is a convenient and affordable way for film lovers to enjoy their favorite blockbuster hits on their preferred digital devices. We have a wide assortment of cinematic treats on offer that users can access in a single click. The different subscription models ensure that they pay as per their consumption levels. The move is targeted towards making the digital platform the only destination that consumers need to turn to in order to fulfil the entire spectrum of their entertainment needs.” 

     

    With a range of movies from across genres, users can pay for the subscription through multiple e-payment options such as credit card, debit card, Internet banking and direct billing services. Within the subscription period, members can watch unlimited movies.

     

    The OTT platform is currently building on its catalogue with an aim to have a diverse range of movies for consumers. The platform is working towards delivering a comprehensive movie catalogue. “We are starting with building our Hindi movie catalogue and will later expand to English and other language movies too. The idea is to offer a range of movies for the consumers to consume in that subscription period. We are aiming to offer at least 1000 movies to our consumers,” Sodhi tells Indiantelevision.com.
     

    Talking about the voyage of the OTT platform since its inception, Sodhi informs that the main idea behind Sony LIV is to make it a complete entertainment destination. The OTT platform recently added sports to its content portfolio and is currently offering the Pro Wrestling League to its subscribers.