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Tag: Nimisha Pandey

  • SPNI hires Nimisha Pandey for top programing job at Sony-SAB

    SPNI hires Nimisha Pandey for top programing job at Sony-SAB

    MUMBAI; It’s homecoming for television creative professional Nimisha Pandey. Market sources say that she is set to join Sony Entertainment Television’s profitable Sony SAB channel as its programming head.

    For those not in the know, Nimisha had joined Multiscreen Media (as Sony was known then) for two years as an executive producer between 2004-2006 at the start of her career after completing her course in direction from the Film & Television Institute of India in Pune.

    It may be recalled that the long-serving NP Singh had retired as Sony Pictures Network India CEO a couple of months ago; he was replaced by content star Gaurav Banerjee. Nimisha is one of GB’s (as he is known) first unconfirmed senior creative hires since taking over.

    Nimisha was last the chief content head, originals at Zee5 for almost four years. Prior to that she was director international originals for nearly two years at global streaming powerhouse Netflix’s India ops Before that she held the position of head of content at Alt Balaji for three years.

    She has  had year-long-project-led stints at various production houses right from Balaji Telefilms, 4 Lions Films, Fireworks, Directors Kut, Sphere Origin (for three years),  and Shreya Entertainment over the years.

    We tried to reach out to the normally effervescent and bubbly Nimisha but she was unavailable for comment. Neither was anyone from Sony; it, being a Sunday.

    With the buzz being extremely strong, Indiantelevision.com decided to go ahead and report her appointment.

    With 20 years’ varied experience under her belt producing and commissioning shows, Nimisha does seem like the right candidate for the job.
     

  • ZEE5 takes lead in global digital entertainment with diverse and innovative narratives

    ZEE5 takes lead in global digital entertainment with diverse and innovative narratives

    Mumbai: In an ever-evolving landscape of digital entertainment, streaming platforms like ZEE5 are at the forefront of delivering diverse and innovative narratives to a global audience.

    ZEE5, a subscription-based video-on-demand and over-the-top streaming service, is operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, an Indian media conglomerate. Launched on 14 February 2018, in India, the platform offers content in multiple languages. The ZEE5 mobile application is accessible across various platforms including Web, Android, iOS, and Smart TVs. As of December 2019, ZEE5 reported 56 million monthly active users.

    Indiantelevision caught up with ZEE5 chief content officer – Hindi Originals Nimisha Pandey provided insights into the platform’s strategic approach, long-term planning for series, collaborations with content creators, and the nuanced process of creating content that resonates authentically with global audiences while respecting cultural nuances. The platform’s commitment to understanding evolving viewer preferences, fostering creative collaborations, and staying true to the essence of diverse stories positions ZEE5 as a dynamic force shaping the future of digital entertainment on a global scale.

    On ZEE5 navigating the delicate balance between meeting existing viewer expectations and introducing fresh, innovative narratives that might challenge the status quo

    With streaming platforms expanding their reach globally, there is an increased demand for content that reflects diverse cultures and perspectives. Also important to note is that OTT consumption patterns have undergone a paradigm shift. When we started off, it was largely led by individual viewing on a personal device but there has been a sharp uptick in C-TV viewing leading to the introduction of new narratives and themes that are better suited to co-viewing as a family unit. Moreover, the need for targeting specific demographics and age groups with content customized to suit their diverse palates has led us to invest significantly in originals and experiment with stories that have never been attempted before.  Our content portfolio is truly reflective of this diversity. Ranging from inspiring narratives of ordinary turning extraordinary such as ‘Saas Bahu aur Achaar Pvt Ltd’ and Janbaaz, to escape-worthy historicals like Taj to a spy thriller such as ‘Mukhbir’ or the cult favourites with a strong millennial connect such as Tripling, Pitchers, Humorously Yours and Aam Aadmi Family, we want to make sure that every show reaches its right audience. Today, we are proud of a rich roster of franchise properties that the audience eagerly awaits the next season of – ‘Sunflower’, ‘Broken News’, ‘Mithya’ and ‘Rangbaaz’, ‘Mukhbir’. We believe in challenging the status quo with every story we choose to tell!

    On ZEE5’s long-term planning approach for series

    At ZEE5, we invest considerable time and resources towards understanding our evolving viewer, their preferences and tastes through an entire gamut of fieldwork by our brand and research teams in the space of deep dialoguing, video usage and attitude studies, digging into content trends basis social and digital consumption, deep-diving into a specific market or a consumer segment.

    Moreover, we are navigating times where the audience has begun to prefer staying ‘work in progress’ as opposed to a unidimensional identity in life – meaning that the viewer is increasingly becoming self-aware and wants different content to dial into different dimensions of their personality each day. So, on one day the same viewer switches on a breezy rom-com on another day, she is looking for a gripping, intense narrative laced with dark humour. The viewer today refuses to be put in a box!

    All of this combined with the creative vision that we collectively share with some of the most talented and passionate content creators in the space informs our content strategy. From immersive dramas to light-hearted comedies to dark thrillers, adaptations of popular global content franchises, from rom-coms and catch-up TV content to blockbuster movies, the idea is to make ZEE5 an all-inclusive platform which has something to offer for every entertainment need. For an OTT platform, the trust and faith of the viewers are among the key pillars to achieve long-term growth. Consistent delivery of rich content pieces drives a strong sense of relatability and belief in the platform among viewers. We aim to continue pushing creative boundaries and producing ground-breaking content for our audiences globally.

    On ZEE5’s approach to collaborations and partnerships with other content creators or platforms to bring fresh perspectives and innovative content to its audience

    At ZEE5, our ‘content and creator-first approach’ has revolutionized the way we curate content. We believe in the power of identifying and collaborating with the finest, creative minds and talent in the fraternity. While we are governed like any other player by business goals, we believe it is equally important to respect the creative vision of our content partners. This healthy creative approach has led us to empower diverse voices and foster innovation in our content offerings. We want to enable them to do their best work with us. Needless to say, it has played a huge role in attracting the right kind of collaborations with content powerhouses be it Guneet (Monga), Umesh (Bist) and Dharma for Gyaarah Gyaarah, BBC and Vinay Waikul for Broken News, Goldie Behl, Charudutt (Acharya) and Rohan (Sippy) for Duranga, Shivam Nair and Victor Tango for Mukhbir, Srijit Mukherjee and Juggernaut (Productions) for Jaanbaaz, Ron (Scalpello), Abhimanyu (Singh) and Vibhu (Puri) for Taj, Vikas Bahl for Sunflower, Apurva Singh Karki for Banda and Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd or the content powerhouses like Applause Entertainment, The Viral Fever (TVF). Each of these partnerships has yielded iconic stories as well as built existing IPs which have received phenomenal responses from our viewers across India and beyond. We’re equally proud of the diverse on-screen talent that has made ZEE5 their home – from Sunil Grover to Jaideep Ahlawat, from Sonali Bendre to Amruta Subhash, Huma Qureshi to Gulshan Devaiah, Vineet Singh to Regina Cassandra, Manoj Bajpayee to Shriya Pilgaonkar, Nawazuddin Siddiqui to Pankaj Tripathi. They have built a deep connection with our viewers in the last few years and played a crucial role in the turn-around of the platform.

    On the platform approaching content creation to ensure that stories resonate authentically with global audiences while respecting cultural nuances

    We recognize the importance of striking a balance between hyperlocal worlds and human emotions that have universal appeal. We believe in staying true to the soul of a story and not retro-fitting narratives to make the content travel. Collaborating with creators who are in touch with the ground realities and the social fabric of the story plays a key role in telling global stories. As we’ve expanded our international footprint and market share, we’ve proudly taken on the role of a cultural ambassador for the Indian subcontinent. Becoming the No.1 South Asian platform in key international markets such as the US, UAE, Australia, and Canada, and securing a significant position in the UK, reflects our dedication to entertaining diverse audiences worldwide. This is a testament to the fact that it is the authentic local stories that travel globally.

  • Online video thrives: Local content vital for subscriber growth

    Online video thrives: Local content vital for subscriber growth

    Mumbai: The Asia Video Industry Association held its annual OTT Summit in Singapore on 5 December, where over 90 per cent of the speakers were senior female executives from across the video industry in Asia Pacific. This year’s summit was designed to try and redress the gender imbalance seen in many industry conferences.

    The Summit opened with Media Partners Asia lead analyst, head of content & platform insights Dhivya T presenting an overview of the state of streaming in Asia, a market where competition was very much driven by a battle for share of time, with premium video on demand (VOD) fighting with social media and user-generated content (UGC).

    Competition was also giving rise to new business models and strategies beyond the traditional AVOD and SVOD models, including mobile gaming, e-commerce and bundle subscriptions becoming more common. And with a higher focus on increasing ARPUs, price increases have also become prevalent.

    Ex-China, online video revenues in Asia Pacific were expected to hit US$46 billion in 2028, up from US$29 billion this year. While SVOD was expected to have a CAGR of 6.4 per cent, premium AVOD will see a growth rate of almost 18 per cent, led by Japan, India, and Korea. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia was emerging as the leading market for AVOD, with Thailand for SVOD.

    In terms of content trends and investment, although pay TV remained the largest vertical, online video was the growth engine of video content investment, with local and Asian content leading premium VOD viewership with the highest reach. Hence local content remained key to acquiring subscribers in the region, and constantly over-indexing with new users.

    In the world of streaming, Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) was also much talked about at the summit as the new kid on the block, as it mimicked the experience of linear TV, delivering scheduled content, with advertising included. Driving the growth of FAST in Asia was the penetration of Smart  TVs in the region, with 80 per cent of OTT viewers in APAC using Connected TV (CTV), and with one-third of  OTT viewing on CTV, shared Samsung Ads APAC Head of Product Marketing Samantha Cooke, But  FAST channels were not always about making money, as FAST was also used for marketing, outreach and brand building, added Brightcove senior product marketing manager Roberta Cambio.

    Senior marketers from the major platforms too chimed in on the importance of brand building, as the mantra was no longer acquiring subscribers at all costs but focusing on keeping the ones you have. For Shemaroo Entertainment chief marketing officer Anuja Trivedi, marketing was now more aligned with the business, as consumers who saw campaigns engaged better as well. And partnerships which build more value can only build more excitement for the product and engagement for the platform, said Trivedi Akamai Technologies Senior Solutions Engineer Sarah Lim also added that people, platform and technology were what will help drive your strategy forward for the future. “Marketing is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Lim.

    With 71 per cent of viewers in APAC watching advertising-supported streaming on top of linear TV viewing, Chair for Media & Measurement, AAMS & CEO, OMG Singapore Chloe Neo was also seeing growth from regional clients with a greater inclination to look at branding, with the reallocation of budgets into OTT tending to be from the big brands, due to their expectations on quality content. While 20/F Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong | 5008 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, #04-09 Techplace II Singapore 569874 avia.org investment was coming from the linear TV side, more clients were now embracing CTV and addressability for strategic benefit, and not just for incremental reach, added GroupM CIO Southeast & North Asia, Chair, APAC Investment Committee Anita Munro.

    A strong focus on content closed off the Summit, with panellists agreeing that Asian content could not be lumped together. There was a huge variety within what is labelled Chinese or Indian content. ZEE5 chief content officer Hindi originals Nimisha Pandey emphasised that storytelling trumped investment. “Audiences don’t care how much money has gone into content, if it connects, it connects,”  she said.  

    Viu chief of content acquisition and development Marianne Lee noted, “Each local market has their own strategy which complements the regional strategy. While it is important for the content to travel outside, the content must also do well locally,” said Lee. In agreement, ASTRO director of content Agnes Rozario added, “There will always be certain types of content that travel better than others. But it has to work in the home market first.”

    One market which saw things a little differently was Thailand where True Corporation deputy director of planning & business development strategic content group Kirana Cheewachuen saw huge potential in the overseas growth and popularity of Thai content, and international success was her primary goal.

    Sharing her strategy for the Pacific Rim in the closing session, Paramount ANZ, EVP chief content officer head of paramount + Beverly McGarvey said that Australia was a mature market at a pivotal point now as audiences were adjusting between more traditional legacy media and streaming. Hence accelerating growth in streaming while maintaining linear businesses and making content that can work across platforms was what was needed to remain viable.

    The OTT Summit is proudly sponsored by Gold Sponsors Brightcove, INVIDI, Nagra, Warner Bros  Discovery; Silver Sponsors Akamai, Broadpeak, CDNetworks, Irdeto, Moloco, Publica, PubMatic,  Shemaroo; Bronze Sponsor Dolby. 

  • TCH 2022: Experts discuss the secret sauce of OTT storytelling to keep the audience engaged

    TCH 2022: Experts discuss the secret sauce of OTT storytelling to keep the audience engaged

    Mumbai: The craft is constantly changing in OTT space. Every few months, the rules keep changing. The business players are still looking for the secret sauce. They are still trying to figure out and grapple with what kind of content works. How are the tastes of the audience changing? It’s highly dynamic, and to decipher this unique situation, on the sixth edition of Indiantelevision.com’s ‘The Content Hub Summit 2022,’ held in Mumbai, the media and entertainment industry experts shared their insights on the topic, “The legion of OTT content creators: Storytelling has never been on such an exciting journey.”

    The session had the presence of Pratilipi Studios business head Ambesh Tiwari, Sony Pictures Entertainment head – StudioNext Indranil Chakraborty, Roy Kapur Films head-originals Jinesh Shah, ZEE5 chief content officer, Hindi Originals Nimisha Pandey, Warner Bros Discovery head of original content – South Asia Sai Abishek and Juggernaut Productions (OTT) chief executive officer Samar Khan.

    The panel was moderated by Bodhitree Multimedia managing director Mautik Tolia.

    The summit was presented by Viacom18, and co-powered by Applause Entertainment & IN10 Media Network. Aaj Tak Connected Stream was the association partner. Industry partners were Fremantle India, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, One Take Media, Pratilipi, Pocket FM and The Viral Fever. The Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA) was our community partner.

    The discussion began with an awareness of these experts’ attempts to break into the mainstream content market. Is it through design that has been attempted to build a specialisation, or any secret sauce, or is it just an accident?

    Khan noted that it was by design; “There is no secret sauce. The sauce is essentially that you really have to work hard and you have to go out there and find new stories because everybody will agree to the fact that it’s becoming difficult to find new stories because so many shows are being made, so you have to go out there and find people and say, “Give me something that is going to be a little different from what is already there, so it’s just the search for new stories that keeps me going.”

    When asked for the insights and secrets of some interesting products coming out like the Swami Nithyananda Show (My Daughter Joined a Cult) and Secrets Of Sinauli, the experts said that we’re maturing in the non-fiction space. 

    Speaking in this context, Abishek commented that viewers are generally looking at consuming good content but also focusing on the storytelling to make it slightly more cinematic than people are used to generally consuming. “We’re attempting to marry entertainment, which has previously been considered niche, and documentary, which has, unfortunately, not been the most popular genre. Oh, it’s boring or it’s too niche or things like that!”

    Continuing the conversation, Pandey expressed her thoughts when asked if there are any unique elements in a show that she looks for as the secret sauce. What are the essential ingredients required to commission a show?

    She mentioned there is no secret sauce available but the four main recipes that must be followed in order to stand out from the crowd are, first and foremost, a realistic real-world setting. Second, a fascinating story without any shortcuts. Third, a real character with different shades, and finally, a strong passion to create the show.

    Discussing ahead with Shah, Tolia highlighted the different formats of story-telling and its dynamics. He asked Shah, What are the lessons learned and challenges encountered during the transition to the long-form format (web-series) from the movie format?

    The process started from an organic place, so the challenge was different from the television writers & film writers. As an OTT writer, we took some training sessions from experienced writers, show runners, and creators from across the world to help put a process together. It is the alignment of all the cooks (writers, show runners, and creators) that helped us in making this sauce, said Shah.

    Watch the complete session on the link below: 

  • Zee5 unveils ‘India Ka Binge-a-thon’ campaign to celebrate fourth anniversary

    Zee5 unveils ‘India Ka Binge-a-thon’ campaign to celebrate fourth anniversary

    Mumbai: Video streaming platform Zee5 has announced the launch of ‘India Ka Binge-a-thon,’ a three-day campaign to celebrate its fourth anniversary between 12 and 14 February.

    This initiative is aimed at the platform’s long-standing goal of entertainment inclusion where consumers will get access to the top premium web series and movies across languages for three days for free.

    Titles such as “Uri: The Surgical Strike” and “Abhay” in Hindi, “Mulshi Pattern” in Marathi, “Lalbazaar” in Bangla, “Geetha Govindam” in Telugu, “Ka Pae Ranasingam” in Tamil, “Madhura Raja” in Malayalam, and “Kalidasa Kannada Meshtru” in Kannada, amongst a host of others, will be freely available as a part of the celebratory offer.

    Also in store for the upcoming event is another offering called ‘Zee5 Spark,’ which in partnership with Indie producers and digital content creators, aims to bolster the platform’s AVOD content library. ‘Spark’ has been launched to attract new viewers, especially the youth, onto the platform for a long-term duration with short films and web series that are free to stream.  

    “With OTT growing in prominence, content consumption got democratised, paving the way for creators to explore and expand the narrative with newer concepts and genres that have led to several consumer cohorts consuming differentiated content on the platform,” observed Zee5 CCO Hindi originals Nimisha Pandey. “Factors such as the shift in demand for authentic stories, the success of women-centric narratives, growth of family entertainment, genre-bending shows and acceptance of characters with multiple layers and shades have ushered in many industry firsts in content.”

    In addition to popular series such as “Holiday,” “Ready 2 Mingle,” “Dude,” “The Great Indian Wedding,” and “Happily Ever After,” short films like “Baarish Aur Chowmein,” “Half Full,” “Khujli,” “Kheer” and others, starring popular actors Taapsee Pannu, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta and Jackie Shroff will be available for AVOD users under Spark.

    Over the past 12 months, Zee5 has become the highest growing OTT platform in India as per AppAnnie’s latest industry report. The platform claims to have 101.9 million monthly active users (MAU) and 9.6 million global daily active users (DAUs) as of December 2021. Zee5 users watched an average of 201 minutes of content per month during the last quarter, with the platform releasing 51 shows and movies, including 11 originals during the period

    “We are entering our fourth year with great enthusiasm and vigour, riding high on the last one year which has been a blockbuster,” said Zee5 India CBO Manish Kalra. “The response from the last four years of our operations has been phenomenal as we trotted into new markets, partnered with industry stalwarts, introduced many firsts and moved a little closer to our goal of deeper regionalisation and entertainment inclusion.”

    “This year is going to be even bigger and better as we expand our content library further with premium offerings, improve our user experience, activate more value-driven partnerships, and set new industry standards. As the multilingual storyteller of India and Bharat alike, we will continue to focus on entertainment inclusion by producing relatable and entertaining content, keeping our diverse audience in mind,” he further added.

  • ‘State of Siege’ becomes top watched franchise on ZEE5 globally

    ‘State of Siege’ becomes top watched franchise on ZEE5 globally

    Mumbai: ZEE5’s original film “State of Siege: Temple Attack” has emerged as the top watched title on the video streaming platform globally, according to ZEE5.

    The film which marked the OTT debut of actor Akshaye Khanna who played the role of Major Hanut Singh, was premiered in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu simultaneously on 9 July. 

    In addition to being the most-watched film globally in July, it was also the highest subscription driver in the launch month. With the launch of “State of Siege: Temple Attack”, another film “State of Siege: 26/11” too attracted attention and brought in new viewers, growing viewership by nearly 3.5x.

    Based on Sandeep Unnithan’s book ‘Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11’,  “State of Siege: 26/11”  was the first film in the series that premiered during the lockdown in March 2020.

    The film with an IMDB rating of 8.1, recorded viewership in 190+ countries globally with the highest watch time coming from India, the USA, UAE, Australia, and Bangladesh. “State of Siege: Temple Attack” also featured on Ormax Media’s ‘Most-Liked Indian Direct to OTT Films’ of all time.

    Speaking on the success of the franchise, ZEE5 head – Hindi originals, Nimisha Pandey said, “At ZEE5, our focus is on exceptional storytelling that resonates deeply with our audiences and cuts across languages to create a lasting impact. We have always aimed at driving partnerships that help us deliver content and characters worthy of grabbing our viewers’ imaginations and, with the State of Siege franchise, we set out to tap into varied emotions, narrating the stories of our brave NSG heroes.”

    “We have all put in great efforts and are overwhelmed by the response. I am glad that this genre is finding favour with audiences and our film with its storytelling and performances is driving the genre lovers to stream in, globally,” added the director of the film, Ken Ghosh.

  • We are working towards a diverse content offering: Zee5’s Nimisha Pandey

    KOLKATA: Zee5 has announced a partnership with TVF (The Viral Fever) as the platform looks at diversifying its library. In the last few months, ZEE’s digital arm has stepped up its content game by acquiring blockbuster Radhe and buying rights for Friends: The Reunion to stream in India.

    “We have been aggressively going after a vast range of consumers, pan-India audience base, and catering to an audience of all kinds of backgrounds. That is why from Radhe to Friends, and now Sunflower, we are working towards a diverse content offering. It is the continuation of that ambition that we bring TVF onboard,” Zee5 India Hindi originals head Nimisha Pandey said.

    She also added that Zee5 does not only want diverse content but wants to be the home to the country’s best storytellers. The platform is focusing on getting good content creators of the platform and the TVF partnership is one of the many to come in the future.

    The latest partnership includes the launch of originals and new seasons of iconic TVF shows on its SVOD platform, along with popular cult favourites that will be accessible to all, on its AVOD platform. Thus Zee5 will have some of the key IPs on the platform which will also be available on another platform but it will have the subsequent seasons of those IPs exclusively. In addition to these subsequent seasons, Zee5 is also creating some exclusive new IPs.

    “People often say that we are targeting youth with this content, I am a firm believer that it’s more about the content you like irrespective of the age group you are in. TVF content resonates with the spirit of youth. That’s the DNA we are going after,” Pandey noted.

    Hence, the audience that Zee5 is targeting through the deal is not tied to not a segment per se, but to a taste cluster itself. Moreover, a huge chunk of the new audience has come on the platform thanks to a new slate of content. The platform hopes to continue to engage them with content from TVF, she added.

    Zee5 has an exclusive line-up of new seasons of acclaimed TVF shows such as Pitchers Season 2, Tripling Season 3, Humorously Yours Season 3 for its subscribers. Iconic titles like Permanent Roommates, Tech Conversations with Dad, Awkward Conversations, PA-Gals, Inmates, Weekends, The Insiders, Zeroes will be accessible to all users.

    “We don’t want to miss an opportunity to have a piece of content that will be loved by the audience. Even if we talk about the TVF deal, we will shoot new seasons. The partnership has not happened because we have not been able to create content. It happened because we wanted to have TVF content,” Pandey answered when asked if Zee5 is going big after the acquisition because of difficulties in shooting in the current time.

  • Industry heads see huge headroom for growth across TV & digital in India

    Industry heads see huge headroom for growth across TV & digital in India

    KOLKATA: At the Asia Video Industry Association’s (AVIA) recent Future of Video India conference, industry leaders remained upbeat about the potential for growth in India’s television landscape despite a painful 2020 which had seen a 25 per cent drop in TV advertising revenue.

    The conference opened with an overview of the Future of Video in India with Media Partners Asia (MPA) India VP Mihir Shah. With learnings from the last year and economic resurgence in certain sectors, MPA predicts that in the next five years, with every new incremental dollar in the region, India will have 35 per cent share, almost evenly divided between television and online video.

    While cable in general is going through a structural decline, pay-TV subscriptions will grow both in value and volume and continue to offer scale for the traditional media players. And with more than 60 online video services in India, the total addressable market will continue to expand.

    This local expansion is what Disney+ Hotstar president & head Sunil Rayan is eyeing, with the streamer’s next stage of growth primed at developing their product for India, with pricing and content made for the local market. As India is a mobile-first market which drives individual viewing, while OTT and TV is not a zero sum game, OTT content needs to be far more engaging for individual viewing. “Fundamentally, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach for India because there are multiple Indias within India,” mentioned Rayan.

    The sentiment of diversity and positive co-existence among the platforms was echoed by Discovery Communications India south Asia MD Megha Tata. “India lives in several centuries at the same time,” she said, and this is not only the beauty and complexity of the market but also the opportunity to do more. While it is still a long way away before the demise of the TV, a differentiated content and product offering remains a key focus.

    “Content is king . . . distribution is god . . . that play of god and king will continue but differentiation of content will play a critical part in decision making,” added Tata.

    This focus on local content is also what drives content platforms. Netflix India VP content Monika Shergill shared that premium storytelling was a new space in India, as Indian audiences were open to experimentation and yet gravitating towards highly local tastes. “Our job and our passion is to find the best stories . . . the biggest stories . . . the untold stories from India and to become the service of choice for Indians in India . . . and in different parts of the world,” shared Shergill.

    For Zee5 Hindi Originals head Nimisha Pandey, the initial focus was on building volume, though it has now shifted to adding to the variety and scaling up the content offering. She, too, has realised the need to up the game on the regional market for the next set of growth. “There is so much demand that there is much hope for everyone to grow their businesses,” said Pandey.

    As the market where the next billion consumers of video will come from, Zee5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand summed it up best when she said, “It is the decade of video.”

  • ALTBalaji content head Nimisha Pandey steps down

    ALTBalaji content head Nimisha Pandey steps down

    MUMBAI: Nimisha Pandey, the content head of ALTBalaji, the digital platform of Balaji Telefilms Ltd, has put down her papers. She is currently serving her notice period. She joined the OTT platform in 2016. The development was confirmed by Pandey. 

    Pandey started her career as an executive producer in Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd (Sony Pictures Networks). Later, she worked as a creative director in several production houses including Balaji Telefilms Ltd. completed her education in direction from the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

    According to sources close to the development, she is likely to join Amazon Prime Video.  Though asked on that, she did deny to comment anything and said she is exploring very intresting opportnuities at the time.