ITV

Tag: Nachiket Pantvaidya

  • Is VoD biz making money or it’s still investing?

    MUMBAI: Beyond the hype, what are the ground realities of earning revenue? Or, is it still all about investing in content and infrastructure? When’s the likely inflection point when businesses could start to look at break-even?

    Trying to answer these questions at the CASBAA OTT Summit 2017 were — AltDigital CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya, SonyLiv EVP and digital head Uday Sodhi and GroupM South Asia chief growth officer Lakshmi Narasimhan.

    Evaluating the OTT space and enumerating on the best business model, the moderator for the evening — Provocateur Advisory principal Paritosh Joshi — asked the head of the recently launched (soft) AltBalaji app about the mantra to grab maximum eyeballs in the OTT space.

    Answering the doubt, Pantvaidya said, “India is a large market and the idea with AltBalaji is to connect with the 50-70 million people which correspond to e-commerce or functional 3G. There is also a market outside India of approximately 70 million people who want content. I think it is a library game. For SVoD to take off, content and habit formation among the people is crucial — our platform has content ranging from sublime to ridiculous. As Sameer (Nair, Balaji Telefims CEO) said, we are here to capture the market space between Narcos and Naagin.”

    Taking cue from Pantvaidya’s point, Sodhi added, “The consumer is sorted in its head about what he wants. There is a clear habit formation. They are consuming on the go. There is a difference in the watch-time and they are coming back to watch linearly same shows. Habit formation is happening.”

    India’s online video space will predominantly be an advertising led video-on-demand (AVOD) market even though subscription led VoD shows higher growth on a low base. If the digital eco-system becomes a SVoD dominated market, will that mean no business or loss for the advertising agencies? “There has been a pricing mistake in the last three years. The platforms come with a point of view that it will surpass television. The consumers think of these platforms as channels providing content. The players have to price it that way. In the US, OTT outstrips payTV in terms of subscribers but its annual revenues are lower,” added Narasimhan.

    Pantvaidya added, “There is lack of development in the appreciable distribution system. It can survive when there is subscription. You can share profits with them if you are a SVoD. With free content comes carriage fees.

    Further, Sodhi believes that its early days for everyone and there is no model which has been cast and stoned yet. He segregated the entire process into three phases. The phase one is when you throw content. In the second phase, people start coming to your platform and your focus is o retain them. Money making only comes in the third level. Citing examples of the three existing models in the world, YouTube, which is 100 per cent advertising, Netflix, SVoD based platform and Apple which is transnational pay-per-view platform. “All these platforms are fairly growing, and have reached this point after 15 years. They have come out of their strengths to build a model,” said Sodhi.

    Narasimhan opined that the AVoD services in the OTT space have not been explored yet. He also said that data from servers indicate that kids,youth and top-end consumers are moving to digital from TV which clearly shows that the eco-system is evolving in India.

    Joshi posted a question at the panelists asking whether they are underestimating the willingness of the consumers to pay for content. Pantvaidya agreed to his point, and said, “Scale and volume is necessary for spending. One should have faith in their content for it to sell.”

    Sodhi added, “There is room for so many things. Everything is falling into its right place. The run-away is getting shorter before the take-off.”

    OTT services are exploding in India and the business is more likely to be advertising-led in the short term. The OTT sector has clearly become a space to watch out for as the infrastructure continues to improve, devices get smarter and data prices fall. Let’s see what the future holds for these players.

  • Alt Balaji ropes in Manav Sethi as CMO

    Alt Balaji ropes in Manav Sethi as CMO

    MUMBAI: As Balaji Telefilms’ Alt Digital gears up for its launch in 2017, it has roped in marketing veteran Manav Sethi as its chief marketing officer. Sethi will oversee the company’s entire communications strategy in India and will also look after its international expansion.

    Balaji Telefilms group CEO Sameer Nair said, “Manav is ideally suited to support the vision we’re working towards at ALT Balaji. We are looking forward to harnessing his experience and expertise as we launch, grow and expand our footing. Manav’s role will cover a wide array of activities including Marketing and Communications, and we look forward to his leadership in shaping our journey.”

    With over 15 years of experience nationally and globally in marketing, product, sales, strategic alliances in digital businesses, Sethi brings with him an innate understanding of the market. His expansive experience includes holding key positions at Getit Infoservices and Reliance Big Entertainment.

    “We are delighted to add such an experienced resource to the ALT Balaji family. Manav not only comes with a vast experience in the field but also will add a new layer and dynamism to the team, we think. I’m sure he will only complement to our venture of creating a solid and valuable brand”, added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.

    In his last role at Getit he launched multiple businesses and brands in India and Malaysia across Yellowpages, Horizontal Marketplace and verticals like Grocery and Furniture, Mobile Wallet and Merchant Lending platform. At Reliance Big Entertainment, he launched India’s then largest local search business BigMaps and managed corporate strategy across the group that launched businesses across FM Radio, Music, Motion Pictures, Movie rental & download, online gaming and a JV with Dreamworks Animation SKG.

    Sethi asserted, “It’s an exciting time in the digital space and to be a part of a company since its launch always adds to the excitement. I’m looking forward to playing a part in this journey towards making Alt Balaji one of India’s leading brands”

  • Alt Balaji ropes in Manav Sethi as CMO

    Alt Balaji ropes in Manav Sethi as CMO

    MUMBAI: As Balaji Telefilms’ Alt Digital gears up for its launch in 2017, it has roped in marketing veteran Manav Sethi as its chief marketing officer. Sethi will oversee the company’s entire communications strategy in India and will also look after its international expansion.

    Balaji Telefilms group CEO Sameer Nair said, “Manav is ideally suited to support the vision we’re working towards at ALT Balaji. We are looking forward to harnessing his experience and expertise as we launch, grow and expand our footing. Manav’s role will cover a wide array of activities including Marketing and Communications, and we look forward to his leadership in shaping our journey.”

    With over 15 years of experience nationally and globally in marketing, product, sales, strategic alliances in digital businesses, Sethi brings with him an innate understanding of the market. His expansive experience includes holding key positions at Getit Infoservices and Reliance Big Entertainment.

    “We are delighted to add such an experienced resource to the ALT Balaji family. Manav not only comes with a vast experience in the field but also will add a new layer and dynamism to the team, we think. I’m sure he will only complement to our venture of creating a solid and valuable brand”, added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.

    In his last role at Getit he launched multiple businesses and brands in India and Malaysia across Yellowpages, Horizontal Marketplace and verticals like Grocery and Furniture, Mobile Wallet and Merchant Lending platform. At Reliance Big Entertainment, he launched India’s then largest local search business BigMaps and managed corporate strategy across the group that launched businesses across FM Radio, Music, Motion Pictures, Movie rental & download, online gaming and a JV with Dreamworks Animation SKG.

    Sethi asserted, “It’s an exciting time in the digital space and to be a part of a company since its launch always adds to the excitement. I’m looking forward to playing a part in this journey towards making Alt Balaji one of India’s leading brands”

  • Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show

    Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show

    MUMBAI: Ekta Kapoor’s Alt Balaji has announced its first digital series. Not yet titled, the platform has roped in actor Nimrat Kaur to essay the central character and Nagesh Kukunoor to direct the series.

    The fiction series has been jointly conceptualized by Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor and Samar Khan, and is produced by Endemol Shine India.

    “Set in the backdrop of the Indian Army, we are presenting a riveting story that is bound to resonate with the youth of the country. Having Nimrat and Nagesh aboard, definitely takes the show to a new level. When we announced the launch of ALT Balaji, we promised to break stereotypes in storytelling; this series is a strong reinforcement of that commitment,” said Kapoor.

    Kaur will be seen portraying the role of the first woman preparing to be inducted in a combat role in the Indian Army.

    “Disruption, innovation and scale is the core of what we want to do. From our strategy to our content, everything on ALT Balaji will reflect this ethos. Through ALT Balaji, we are targeting urban audiences who are always on the lookout for differentiated content, one that is not available on television or even on silver screen for that matter. ALT Balaji aims to satisfy the need of this very consumer. We have just announced our first exclusive show and will be making many such exciting announcements in the weeks to come,” added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.

    Alt Balaji is aimed at disrupting the market with avantgarde and exclusive content catering to urban masses.

    “Nimrat was our first choice for this and producing content for ALT Balaji at this scale will set new standards in the digital landscape,” stated Endemol Shine India managing director and CEO Deepak Dhar.

    To this, Khan added,“The army and the armed forces have always fascinated me and stories with an army background draw me towards them naturally. I am excited about this opportunity to work with ALT and Endemol and am looking forward to telling a lot such stories in the future”

  • Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show

    Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show

    MUMBAI: Ekta Kapoor’s Alt Balaji has announced its first digital series. Not yet titled, the platform has roped in actor Nimrat Kaur to essay the central character and Nagesh Kukunoor to direct the series.

    The fiction series has been jointly conceptualized by Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor and Samar Khan, and is produced by Endemol Shine India.

    “Set in the backdrop of the Indian Army, we are presenting a riveting story that is bound to resonate with the youth of the country. Having Nimrat and Nagesh aboard, definitely takes the show to a new level. When we announced the launch of ALT Balaji, we promised to break stereotypes in storytelling; this series is a strong reinforcement of that commitment,” said Kapoor.

    Kaur will be seen portraying the role of the first woman preparing to be inducted in a combat role in the Indian Army.

    “Disruption, innovation and scale is the core of what we want to do. From our strategy to our content, everything on ALT Balaji will reflect this ethos. Through ALT Balaji, we are targeting urban audiences who are always on the lookout for differentiated content, one that is not available on television or even on silver screen for that matter. ALT Balaji aims to satisfy the need of this very consumer. We have just announced our first exclusive show and will be making many such exciting announcements in the weeks to come,” added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.

    Alt Balaji is aimed at disrupting the market with avantgarde and exclusive content catering to urban masses.

    “Nimrat was our first choice for this and producing content for ALT Balaji at this scale will set new standards in the digital landscape,” stated Endemol Shine India managing director and CEO Deepak Dhar.

    To this, Khan added,“The army and the armed forces have always fascinated me and stories with an army background draw me towards them naturally. I am excited about this opportunity to work with ALT and Endemol and am looking forward to telling a lot such stories in the future”

  • OTT – The new El Dorado: Nailing the coffin on television?

    OTT – The new El Dorado: Nailing the coffin on television?

    MUMBAI: With the industry buzz word for 2016 being ‘digital content,’ much has been spoken about the vista of prospects that the medium poses for content creators with figures and studies on rapidly growing digital adex often thrown around in the air. But how much of that talk is really translating into reality for those working in the ‘OTT’ or alternate video content business, was the question raised in the Indiantelevision.com organised Content Hub’s penultimate session ‘OTT: The New El Dorado.’

    Panelists on board the discussion were Alt Digital CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya, Isobar India MD Shamsuddin Jasani, The Viral Fever founder and CEO Arunabh Kumar, Big Synergy director Anita Kaul Basu, and Arré CEO Ajay Chacko.

    Just as the title reflects, while looking at the macro picture of digital media of the future, marketers and content creators often forget to ask the basic questions of budget, sustainable revenue models, relevance in future and of course the return on investments.

    Throwing light on ground reality of the matter, each of the panelists shared their insights and experiences.

    I Don’t Watch TV, the upcoming web series from Arré, and its equally disruptive trailer set the tone of the discussion, which was anchored by Indiantelevision.com founder, editor-in-chief and CEO Anil Wanvari.

    Consciously steering away from being called an “OTT” platform, Chacko stated that their new venture was a content brand that believed in disruptive content. Elaborating on the reason, he said, “Digital, like every media transition we have seen in the past, gives you the opportunity to create different tone of content, be experimental and maybe give form to the next big cliché. The need of the hour is social relevance and we not only churn out radical content but also play around with it within the social context. While we crib or joke about the hackneyed television content and the people behind it, the truth is that it isn’t as much. It’s the hackneyed content revenue that compels them to act in a certain way and our effort is to break free from it,” Chacko shares.

    Expanding on the business model of digital platforms, especially with respect to Arré’s on-demand content arm, Chacko confesses that he hails from a very traditional school of thought that Indian content market is ad-funded. “I don’t see an escape from dependency on advertisers even on digital. However, the nature in which a brand or advertisment interacts with content is changing. We are entering an era of the next level of branded content, which has been mastered by my fellow panelist Arunabh (of TVF fame),” Chacko adds.

    Seconding the new form of branded content and possibilities that it brings for marketers, Jasani shares, “From what I have observed, Indian viewers are inherently inclined to not pay for content and that mindset is not changing in the near future. Therefore, ad-funded content is the way forward. The way people are going to consume video will primarily be on demand. It is an interesting crossroad for advertisers and marketers as well on how to use this new age content. Several brands are open to experimenting with branded content with content creators and even take ownership of the content marketing they do. Agencies, marketers and content creators are coming together to make branded content and share the IPs of it, as well as the revenue the property generates.”

    Moving on from the tug of war between television and the second screen, Jasani projects a whole new dynamic in the near future when viewers will be screen agnostic. “A seamless flow of data and videos that is available on all my devices, be it television, laptop or mobile, is what people want in the near future. Therefore, the whole concept of creating for mobile or creating for television needs an overhaul and creators will need to think from a macro perspective.”

    While Jasani paints an optimistic picture on the investment interest advertisers have in the digital content front, TVF’s Kumar begs to differ.

    While taking a question raised in the post session Q&A round, Kumar comes clear on the ground reality of how an advertiser operating in the current landscape thinks of the digital medium as compared to the traditional medium platform for its advertising spends. “Let me be honest, people say digital spend is growing but that’s all lip-service. This is my observation over the last five years. The major advertisers end up striking a deal with a fancy agency and spend crores on TVCs, while their purses become tight when it comes to the digital video space. If brands were to spare even a single digital per cent of what they do on television, it will be a huge boost to the production budget and quality of what digital creators are making. But right now that is hardly happening.”

    Continuing, Kumar further adds, “When we pitch a show to a brand, we have to make it clear that we are not going to make a TVC. We are not asking money for a 30 sec slot, the content for which you have created and paid for. We are actually going to make your brand an integral part of storytelling so that viewers become fans of the show as well as the brand. I believe that is cent per cent more than what a TVC can do for a brand.”

    Jasani admits the challenge the digital believers have in hand is converting the old school thinkers to see the returns that digital content can give, but is equally confident that the change will follow, as the drastically changing content space will only compel the marketers to evolve or be left behind.

     

  • OTT – The new El Dorado: Nailing the coffin on television?

    OTT – The new El Dorado: Nailing the coffin on television?

    MUMBAI: With the industry buzz word for 2016 being ‘digital content,’ much has been spoken about the vista of prospects that the medium poses for content creators with figures and studies on rapidly growing digital adex often thrown around in the air. But how much of that talk is really translating into reality for those working in the ‘OTT’ or alternate video content business, was the question raised in the Indiantelevision.com organised Content Hub’s penultimate session ‘OTT: The New El Dorado.’

    Panelists on board the discussion were Alt Digital CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya, Isobar India MD Shamsuddin Jasani, The Viral Fever founder and CEO Arunabh Kumar, Big Synergy director Anita Kaul Basu, and Arré CEO Ajay Chacko.

    Just as the title reflects, while looking at the macro picture of digital media of the future, marketers and content creators often forget to ask the basic questions of budget, sustainable revenue models, relevance in future and of course the return on investments.

    Throwing light on ground reality of the matter, each of the panelists shared their insights and experiences.

    I Don’t Watch TV, the upcoming web series from Arré, and its equally disruptive trailer set the tone of the discussion, which was anchored by Indiantelevision.com founder, editor-in-chief and CEO Anil Wanvari.

    Consciously steering away from being called an “OTT” platform, Chacko stated that their new venture was a content brand that believed in disruptive content. Elaborating on the reason, he said, “Digital, like every media transition we have seen in the past, gives you the opportunity to create different tone of content, be experimental and maybe give form to the next big cliché. The need of the hour is social relevance and we not only churn out radical content but also play around with it within the social context. While we crib or joke about the hackneyed television content and the people behind it, the truth is that it isn’t as much. It’s the hackneyed content revenue that compels them to act in a certain way and our effort is to break free from it,” Chacko shares.

    Expanding on the business model of digital platforms, especially with respect to Arré’s on-demand content arm, Chacko confesses that he hails from a very traditional school of thought that Indian content market is ad-funded. “I don’t see an escape from dependency on advertisers even on digital. However, the nature in which a brand or advertisment interacts with content is changing. We are entering an era of the next level of branded content, which has been mastered by my fellow panelist Arunabh (of TVF fame),” Chacko adds.

    Seconding the new form of branded content and possibilities that it brings for marketers, Jasani shares, “From what I have observed, Indian viewers are inherently inclined to not pay for content and that mindset is not changing in the near future. Therefore, ad-funded content is the way forward. The way people are going to consume video will primarily be on demand. It is an interesting crossroad for advertisers and marketers as well on how to use this new age content. Several brands are open to experimenting with branded content with content creators and even take ownership of the content marketing they do. Agencies, marketers and content creators are coming together to make branded content and share the IPs of it, as well as the revenue the property generates.”

    Moving on from the tug of war between television and the second screen, Jasani projects a whole new dynamic in the near future when viewers will be screen agnostic. “A seamless flow of data and videos that is available on all my devices, be it television, laptop or mobile, is what people want in the near future. Therefore, the whole concept of creating for mobile or creating for television needs an overhaul and creators will need to think from a macro perspective.”

    While Jasani paints an optimistic picture on the investment interest advertisers have in the digital content front, TVF’s Kumar begs to differ.

    While taking a question raised in the post session Q&A round, Kumar comes clear on the ground reality of how an advertiser operating in the current landscape thinks of the digital medium as compared to the traditional medium platform for its advertising spends. “Let me be honest, people say digital spend is growing but that’s all lip-service. This is my observation over the last five years. The major advertisers end up striking a deal with a fancy agency and spend crores on TVCs, while their purses become tight when it comes to the digital video space. If brands were to spare even a single digital per cent of what they do on television, it will be a huge boost to the production budget and quality of what digital creators are making. But right now that is hardly happening.”

    Continuing, Kumar further adds, “When we pitch a show to a brand, we have to make it clear that we are not going to make a TVC. We are not asking money for a 30 sec slot, the content for which you have created and paid for. We are actually going to make your brand an integral part of storytelling so that viewers become fans of the show as well as the brand. I believe that is cent per cent more than what a TVC can do for a brand.”

    Jasani admits the challenge the digital believers have in hand is converting the old school thinkers to see the returns that digital content can give, but is equally confident that the change will follow, as the drastically changing content space will only compel the marketers to evolve or be left behind.

     

  • ALT Digital Media Entertainment names Nachiket Pantvaidya as CEO

    ALT Digital Media Entertainment names Nachiket Pantvaidya as CEO

    MUMBAI: In a bid to strengthen its team, Balaji Telefilms’ ALT Digital Media Entertainment has named Nachiket Pantvaidya as CEO.

     

    ALT Digital was announced earlier this year as part of the group’s strategic intent to extend its creative expertise to the digital domain by developing on-demand, original, edgy and contemporary content for digital audiences globally.

     

    At ALT Digital, Pantvaidya will have P&L responsibility of the company’s operations spanning content, marketing, distribution and revenues as the company gears up to launch its services in 2016.

     

    Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor said, “We are pleased to welcome Nachiket to the Balaji family. These are exciting times as Balaji takes a leap onto the digital landscape with ALT Digital – a significant milestone in our growth story. We are most excited as Nachiket brings along not only a rich expanse of industry experience but also new energy and dynamic execution skills to lead our new venture and build a strong and valuable B2C brand.”

     

    Balaji Telefilms group chief executive officer Sameer Nair added, “Nachiket shares our passion for entertainment, has extensive operational experience and brings with him an excellent understanding of the entertainment ecosystem as well as the transformation it is rapidly undergoing. I am confident that supported by a team that is amongst the best in the industry, ALT Digital is on course towards creating its own differentiated position as a leading digital entertainment content creator and distributor in India for global audiences. We look forward to working together, bringing our individual & collective strengths and expertise to the business and creating greater value for our shareholders.”

     

    It may be recalled that in an earlier stint with Balaji Telefilms, Pantvaidya was CEO for the company’s TV content business. Prior to that, he has been with companies like Sony Entertainment Television and Star Plus as business head. He also held several roles in the Star TV network, including head of Star Pravah and managing director of Fox Television Studios. An IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus, he has also held key management roles in BBC and Disney.

     

    Pantvaidya said, “I am delighted to be leading ALT Digital at a time when a tremendous mobile, video and e-commerce revolution is underway and media consumption across the globe is increasingly taking place in digital formats. The increase in the number of devices capable of supporting digital media along with increasing Internet access speed has provided consumers with an option to access the media content of choice – be it information, entertainment or social activity anytime, and anywhere. Against this backdrop, the opportunity to leverage Balaji Telefilms’ creative sensibilities as India’s leading production studio, to a new digital arena is most exciting. We will move from a conventional “one size fits all” approach to a more evolved and targeted approach to marketing and creating unique and differentiated content.”

  • MSM strengthens Sony team with four top-level hires

    MSM strengthens Sony team with four top-level hires

    MUMBAI: In an attempt to strengthen its team and galvanise renewed energy into its flagship channel Sony Entertainment Television (SET), Multi Screen Media (MSM) has made four top level appointments.

     

    The company has appointed Danish Khan as EVP & business head for Sony Entertainment Television. He steps into the shoes of erstwhile business head Nachiket Pantvaidya. Khan was previously programming head at Star Plus.

     

    Additionally, as a part of Khan’s core team, the company has made three new appointments. Anup Vishwanathan has been named as SVP and head marketing, Anshuman Sinha has come on board as SVP and senior creative director, whereas Ritesh Modi has been appointed as VP and creative director. The trio alongside Khan will be working with a battery of seasoned professionals at MSM. 

     

    As the man at the helm for SET, Khan will be driving the overall business of the channel including its objectives of channel growth, viewership and developing innovative revenue opportunities. Khan has earlier spent ten years in MSM in various marketing roles.

     

    In his new role, Vishwanathan will be working closely with Khan to amplify and support efforts towards the growth of SET and to substantiate the brand equity for the channel, primarily with its viewership base. 

     

    During the course of his work across various advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, Mudra Communications and McCann Erickson, Vishwanathan has earlier serviced the SET portfolio from the agency side, for six years. He moves from Times Network where he was marketing head of the English Movie cluster.

     

    On the other hand, Sinha comes to MSM with 17 years of work experience. His forte lies in synergising consumer sentiment with progressive content. Sinha will join forces with Modi in charting a new creative course for SET. Modi, who has 18 years of working life behind him, specialises in non-fiction reality show formats and has a deep understanding of regional markets.

     

    MSM chief executive officer NP Singh said, “Given rising industry competitiveness coupled with a steady surge of growing audience expectations, innovation has become the key to success and growth. It is imperative that consumer insights dictate a channel’s look and feel as well as programming.”

     

    “The new team is not only seasoned and versatile but also willing to go the extra mile to ensure that consumer choice becomes the key to new offerings from SET – the flagship channel of MSM. This new team is committed to writing the next chapter of our growth story and they have my full support,” he added.

  • Sony LIV premieres ‘Suryaputra Karn’

    Sony LIV premieres ‘Suryaputra Karn’

    MUMBAI: Sony LIV, Multi Screen Media (MSM’s) digital video entertainment brand, as part of strengthening the platform premiered the mythological show, Suryaputra Karn on its web and app platforms.

     

    Fulfilling its promise of a digital-first approach, MSM screened the pilot episode of this big-ticket primetime show exclusively on its digital entertainment brand on 29 June, 2015 at 4 pm while the on-air premiere will follow at 8:30 pm.  
     

    Catering to the demand of its viewers for entertainment on their preferred digital devices anytime anywhere, Sony LIV has launched a series of digital premieres of extremely popular entertainment properties from around the world.

     

    From the highest grossing Indian film of all time, PK to the world premiere of television’s most engaging thriller, Hannibal, Sony LIV continues bringing the best of content to its viewers before it is seen on any other platform.  
     

    Fearless, witty, steadfast and charitable are just a few qualities which best describe Karn. The show will take viewers through his less-discovered journey, from ‘being called the ‘soot-putra’ to becoming a warrior’ in the most captivating way.

     

    Moreover, the show will highlight different facets of his life, like his relationship with his birth-mother Kunti and his foster mother Radha, his animosity for the Pandavas and his unconditional loyalty towards his friends. With breath-taking locales, stellar performances, never-seen-before action and advanced VFX effects, Suryaputra Karn promises to be a visual delight seldom seen on television!

     

    While Aditya Redij will be seen playing the elder Karn, the fearless and talented Vishesh Bansal will play the younger one and Mouli Ganguly will mesmerize the audience as Radha. And the stunts have been orchestrated by ace Bollywood action director, Tinu Verma.

     

    Speaking on the digital premiere of the show, Sony Entertainment EVP and digital head Uday Sodhi commented, “After the success of Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanumaan, we realized the kind of enthusiasm that exists amongst netizens for period dramas with elaborate visuals, mythical narratives and state-of-the-art special effects. To cater to the viewers’ preferences, we decided to offer them a digital-first premiere of a show that offers this entire package and also turns the spotlight on one of the most revered Indian mythological characters in a whole new way.”

      

    Sony Entertainment Television senior EVP and business head Nachiket Pantvaidya added, “Karn has always been one of the most intriguing characters of Mahabharata and his story deserves to be told in the most magnificent manner. The powerhouse performances coupled with the mind blowing visuals and interesting storyline will set the show apart from other mythological shows that we have seen till date. The show also helps us in further strengthening our programming line-up. We are thrilled to collaborate with Swastik Production for the launch of Suryaputra Karn.”

     

    Swastik Production producer Siddharth Kumar Tiwary opined, “Taking ahead our legacy of creating biggest of mythologies on TV, this show will depict every aspect of Karn’s life – the journey of the making of a legend. This is a premium series and will have gone all out in presenting the series in a grand scale. It’s great to partner with Sony Entertainment Television as we share a common vision of giving high quality content for the viewers.”

     

    Besides the first episode, Sony LIV will also offer exclusive behind-the-scenes content and moments to fans. They can also get a sneak peek into the making of the highly immersive and technologically astounding show.