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  • Hoichoi gives a glimpse of its 2021 content slate

    Hoichoi gives a glimpse of its 2021 content slate

    KOLKATA: Bengali streaming giant Hoichoi today unveiled its content line-up for, 2021, which includes  18 powerful and irresistible stories. Apart from its impressive March line-up, the OTT also plans to add more shows and movies this year than it did in the past years.  

    Hoichoi has roped in top talents of the industry, such as Rahul Bose, Dev, Anirban Bhattacharya, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Srabanti, Soham, Swastika Mukherjee, Sohini Sarkar, Monami Ghosh, Saswata Chatterjee, Anirban Chakrabarti, Arjun Chakraborty, Anindita Bose, Tridha Choudhury debutants Soumya Mukherjee, Sweta Mishra, Susmita Chatterjee, Debasish Mondal. Along with Bangladesh sensations like Mosharraf Karim, Badhon, Shamol Mawla and more; creators Srijit Mukherji, Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Anindya Chattopadhyay, Anjan Dutt, Sahana Dutta, Mainak Bhaumik, Anirban Bhattacharya’s directorial debut will also join its vast library.

    In a statement, Hoichoi co-founder Vishnu Mohta said, “At Hoichoi, we aim to bring distinct stories for our diverse audiences with variant taste. Our upcoming line-up is a reflection of that idea; each one of which is a gripping story of human emotions, filled with suspense, comedy, love, drama, thrill and longing. Every season we try to reinvent ourselves, with content from the brightest and newest creators of the region. So, #NotunGolpoHoyejak?”

    The exciting line-up is as follows:

    1.     Maradonar Juto – Directed by Mainak Bhaumik, this romantic comedy with a fresh casting, filled with the spice of family drama talks about neighbouring families, residing in North Kolkata (Dutta family & Chowdhury family), who have a generational feud about a pair of shoes, which belongs to the great football legend, Maradona.  

    2.     Dujone – A thriller, not a love story, Dujone marks the digital debut of much-loved on-screen pair, Soham and Srabanti, which talks about a wife’s dilemma to decipher her husband’s true personality.

    3.     Mohomaya – Helmed by Sahana Dutta, Mohomaya is a unique tale of a boy, jilted by his traumatic past, involving his mother, essayed by National Award-Winning actress Ananya Chatterjee, at a tender age, finds affection he longed for all his life in his friend's mother, played by powerhouse actress Swastika Mukherjee. National Award-Winning director Kamaleswar Mukherjee marks his digital directorial debut with the series.

    4.     Mohanagar – The story revolves around three characters and a pair of police officers whose lives get connected due to an incident that changes them and their belief in the system. Mohanagar marks the hoichoi debut of Bangladesh superstar Mosharraf Karim.

    5.     Srikanto – A modern day take of the cult novel in & within the matrix of childhood simplicity, adolescent innocence to complex neo-liberal social & interpersonal predicament of human existence. Will star a young talent Rishav Basu, in the lead.

    6.     Mandaar – Created and directed by Anirban Bhattacharya, Mandaar will be the first among ‘hoichoi World Classics’ segment that will bring Shakespeare's literary classic, Macbeth, to screen, featuring Debashish Mondal, Sohini Sarkar and Anirban Bhattacharya himself in the lead.

    7.     Mouchaak – A dark comedy, which will mark the digital debut of television personality, Monami Ghosh, Mouchaak chronicles a series of funny unfortunate events surrounding a housewife under house arrest, a series of guests and a lottery ticket.  

    8.     Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Aashenni – An adaptation from the popular Bangladesh novel of the same name by Mohammad Nazim Uddin, which will mark Srijit Mukherji’s first series on hoichoi starring the dynamic Rahul Bose as the detective who reaches a famed restaurant to uncover the truth behind its mysterious owner, Muskaan Zuberi, essayed by Bangladesh sensation, Azmari Haque Badhon.

    9.     Murder in the Hills – The suspicions death of a Bengali film star of the 90s unravels to expose the seedy underbelly of Darjeeling’s pasts. Written, directed and acted by Anjan Dutt, the series is well balanced with a slew of casts, such as Arjun Chakraborty, Anindita Bose, Rajdeep Gupta, Sandipta Sen, Sourav Chakraborty, Suprobhat Das amongst others.

    10.  Shei Je Holud Pakhi 2 – The much-awaited series returns with its second season which will culminate the popular musical-drama about Vaidehi’s death. Saswata Chatterjee and Tridha Choudhury are reprising their roles in this season.

    11.  Paap 2 – with Puja Banerjee & Rahul Banerjee as the lead, the mysteries of season 1 will unravel in season 2 with another set of deaths and unexpected deaths.

    12.  Eken Babu S5 – Anirban Chakrabarti will reprise the role of Eken Babu as the much-loved crime-thriller returns for its fifth season with a new mystery that unfolds itself.

    13.  Byomkesh S7 – Starring the very versatile Anirban Bhattacharya as Byomkesh, along with Suprobhat Das as Ajit, and Ridhima Ghosh as Satyabati, our popular detective will return with a new mystery based on Byomkesh Bakshi created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.  

    14.  Tangra Blues World Premiere – A story of a failed musician and a band on a verge of oblivion with Tangra – the most notorious slums in Kolkata as a backdrop, the film will see the fresh pairing of Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Madhumita for the first time.

    15.  Prem Tame World Premiere – It's a story of a revolution, within a young heart, inside a home, and in society. The film brings together the fresh casting of Soumya Mukherjee, Sweta Mishra and Susmita Chatterjee.

    16.  Kakababur Protyaborton World Premiere – Audience's beloved Kakababu, aka Raja Roychowdhury, essayed by Bengal’s industry himself – Prosenjit Chatterjee, returns for the third instalment of this popular franchise with his nephew, Shantu, this time traversing the dangerous terrains of Africa. This time, the film is based on Jongoler Moddhe Ek Hotel by Sunil Gangopadhyay.

    17.  Psycho World Premiere – Anirban Bhattacharya and Birsa Dasgupta return to team up for a thriller that is about a psychiatrist-turned-resident criminologist who teams up with the top-rank officials of law enforcement to hunt down a psychopath.

    18.  Golondaaj  World Premiere – A biographical sports drama directed by Dhrubo Banerjee, starring superstar Dev in the lead, is the story of a pioneer in Indian football, named Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari.

  • Amazon Prime Video forays into film production in India

    Amazon Prime Video forays into film production in India

    KOLkATA: In a landmark move for its India operations, Amazon Prime Video has announced its association with the upcoming Hindi movie Ram Setu as a co-producer alongside Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment and Lyca Productions. 

    Directed by Abhishek Sharma (Parmanu, Tere Bin Laden) and creatively produced by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi (Prithviraj Chauhan), the film is an action-adventure drama that brings forward a story deeply rooted in Indian cultural and historical heritage. The film has a power-packed star-cast led by superstar Akshay Kumar and featuring Jacqueline Fernandes and Nushrratt Bharucha. Following its theatrical release, Ram Setu will soon be available for Prime members. 

    Amazon Prime Video India content director and head Vijay Subramanium said, “At Amazon Prime Video, every decision we take is from a customer-first perspective. Stories that are entrenched in Indian soil have often found an audience not only in India but across the world, and we are delighted to further take a step into co-producing by collaborating with a film that highlights our Indian heritage. Our collaboration with Vikram Malhotra and Abundantia Entertainment as well as with Akshay Kumar till date has been unique and highly successful; and with this step, we move into the direction of further deepening and strengthening our association. With an exemplary cast and a story that is unique yet steeped in history, we look forward to continuing to entertain our customers the world over.”

    Actor Akshay Kumar added, “The story of Ram Setu is one that has always intrigued and inspired me: it represents strength, bravery and love, and uniquely Indian values that have formed the moral and social fabric of our great country. Ram Setu is a bridge between generations past, present and future.I look forward to telling the story of a significant part of Indian heritage, especially for the youth and I am happy that, with Amazon Prime Video, the story will cut across geographies and strike a chord with viewers across the world.”

    Abundantia Entertainment founder & CEO Vikram Malhotra said, “In India, mythology, religion and history are deeply inter-twined. They form the nerve system of our nation and have always given us the foundation for great, epic storytelling. Ram Setu is a story formed on facts, science and historical heritage and is anchored in the deep belief of Indians since centuries We have had a wonderful association with Amazon Prime Video for our successful Amazon Original Series Breathe and Breathe: Into The Shadows as well as for films like Shakuntala Devi and the upcoming tentpole series – The End, also starring Akshay Kumar. I am thrilled to collaborate with Amazon once again for the opportunity to share this amazing story with a global audience.”

  • Bombay Begums: NCPCR asks Netflix to snip ‘objectionable’ scenes

    Bombay Begums: NCPCR asks Netflix to snip ‘objectionable’ scenes

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued an order asking Netflix to immediately remove specific scenes involving minors which are cited to be objectionable from the Bombay Begums series and asked it to stop streaming the series until then, the Times of India has reported.

    It has also sought an action taken report within the next three days.

    According to the report, the child rights body has also directed Mumbai police commissioner to take action with regards to the content in the series cited in the order and report back within a week. NCPCR has also given Netflix time till 18 March to reply.

    The order was passed following a meeting of Netflix officials with NCPCR to discuss the issues pertaining to representing and portrayal of children in the series Bombay Begums.

    “After detailed deliberations, the commission is of the view that these particular scenes are in violation of relevant sections of JJ Act, 2015, POCSO Act 2012 and IPC, 1860 as minor children were used in these scenes. Therefore, Netflix is directed to immediately remove these scenes from the series and meanwhile till the time they come to any decision in this regard, they shall stop the streaming of this series on their platform,” Kanoongo asserts in the order, according to the TOI report.

    As reported earlier, the NCPCR had issued a notice to OTT platform Netflix to stop streaming Bombay Begums. According to the notice, the commission received complaints from two Twitter handles regarding the Netflix original. The objections have been raised in regards to a scene where a 13-year-old girl is seen “snorting cocaine” at a party, as well as another plot point dealing with school girls sending nude selfies to members of the opposite sex.

    NCPCR had stated that the series with this type of content will pollute young minds and may result in abuse and exploitation of children at the hands of perpetrators and offenders and it does not allow representing, portraying, glorifying children in India in such manner on any platform including streaming services.

    Bombay Begums, written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, started streaming on 8 March and revolves around five women whose lives are interconnected.

    The action comes days after Netflix’s arch rival Amazon Prime Video issued an apology for its series Tandav in the wake of widespread furore over the depiction of Hindu deities.

    Meanwhile, the government has also notified new rules to better monitor and regulate the content on new age entertainment platforms consisting of a three-tier redressal mechanism. 

  • Connected TV viewership growth: OTT users going beyond six-inch smartphones

    Connected TV viewership growth: OTT users going beyond six-inch smartphones

    KOLKATA: Indian viewers consume content only on smartphones – the market has matured enough to move on from this notion. With more and more premium content offered by leading streaming services, consumers don’t want to limit their viewing experience to six-inche screens anymore.

    It is undeniable that a large chunk of Indian consumers still watch content on mobile devices but their preference for the larger screen has increased by leaps and bounds, especially while they were homebound during lockdown. Moreover, the appetite for quality viewing experience also pushed them to larger screens.

    With smart TVs becoming more affordable, a number of TV households are replacing their old linear sets. Smart TV market has been on the rise over the last couple of years due to the entry of brands like Xiaomi, Vu, Real Me, One Plus, etc. In addition to that, traditional TV brands like Samsung, Panasonic, and LG also went aggressive in the segment. Reports have suggested the popularity of OTT content is driving smart TV growth in India.

    "India is one of the most exciting countries in the world with more than 200 million potential TV households and still underpenetrated. Smart TVs have become more affordable over the last three years, and represent the vast majority of all new TVs sold. People love having the ability to connect to the Internet and stream their favourite films and series on demand. We see an ever growing need among audiences to watch Netflix on a smart TV, at home, with their family,” Netflix India business development director Abhishek Nag said.

    Connected TV also includes streaming devices such as Roku, Chromecast and Fire TV. Users who don’t intend to invest in a brand new TV set are opting for these devices instead. Recently, Amazon said in a report that Fire TV users in India doubled consumption of entertainment content during their stay at home in 2020, with movies, cricket, online gaming and music gaining traction.

    “In 2025, we expect connected TV will reach over 40 million homes from around seven million homes today. This will further grow OTT viewership as people  prefer to watch content on a large screen if possible. Both Airtel and Jio have announced growth plans for home broadband. Hence, that’s growing to drive connected TV homes and viewership,” stated EY India partner and media & entertainment leader Ashish Pherwani.

    The prolonged shutdown of cinema halls and fresh content availability on OTTs also contributed to the uptake of connected TV. Over 50 per cent of Mirzapur 2 viewers completed the show within 48 hours of its release on Amazon Prime Video. Direct-to-digital releases Shakuntala Devi, Gulabo Sitabo, Coolie No.1,  Soorarai Pottru, Ponmagal Vandhal were the most watched movies from Prime Video on Fire TV devices. Users enjoyed sports content too as Disney+ Hotstar viewership increased 50 per cent during IPL 2020.

    Zee5 witnessed accelerated adoption of connected devices wherein, three out of five SVoD users watched content via connected devices, recording over 80 per cent growth during Covid2019. Overall engagement of the platform grew and the audience spent more time watching content on connected TV versus smartphone.

    “With the audience becoming acclimatised to the idea of work-from-home and social distancing owing to the pandemic, their content consumptions patterns have seen a drastic change and there has been a significant growth in terms of watch-time. The surge in content consumption is also partly driven by a big uplift in the use of connected devices,” shared Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra.

    Earlier in a conference, head honchos from Disney+Hotstar, Voot, Amazom Prime Video also spoke of the shift towards the living room as opposed to mobile device viewing.  As a result of rapid growth lately, the current ratio of mobile-connected TV consumption for Zee5 stands at 50-50, Kalra revealed. This signifies higher engagement levels on CTV compared to content consumption on smartphones.

    “In terms of the genres, we have observed that the audience consumes more of family entertainment content. Some of the most watched content includes Jeet Ki Zid, Black Widows, Pareeksha as compared to crime and edgy content,” he added.

    On the back of surging demand for CTV, OTT services are increasingly forging partnerships with OEM manufacturers. Netflix’s Nag said the platform has tied up with global TV OEMs like Samsung, LG, Sony, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, and local TV OEMs like VU and MarQ, to ensure that all the members get the same consistent, high quality app experience, no matter which smart TV they choose. Zee5’s Kalra mentioned that the platform is available across all leading Smart TVs and smart sticks available in the market – Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Sony; Amazon FireTV Stick and Mi 2k stick. Moreover, the streamer has a presence as Hot keys for Samsung, LG, TCL, Onida, Nokia and Marq TVs across all 2020 models.

    Although smart TV penetration is phenomenally low in India, going forwards it is projected to grow more swiftly than smartphones which have reached the 400 million threshold, Elara Capital VP research analyst (media) Karan Taurani noted. Moreover, affordability coming in with new players will boost growth. Hence, the mobile consumption of OTT platforms standing at 80-90 per cent can come down to 70 per cent in the next few years, albeit mobile devices will largely dominate the viewership for some time to come. However, the growth of connected TV viewership in India will be led by boxes offered by aggregators like Jio, Tata Sky, Taurani remarked.

    According to Deloitte India partner Jehil Thakkar, India is a mobile-first video consumption country and that will not change soon. Even, the launch of 5G can result in a better viewing experience for handheld devices. But viewership on connected TVs will parallelly go up, he asserted. During the Covid crisis, many users invested in new smart TVs or connected devices. These users will continue to consume content on those devices while they are homes, he opined. Along with that, the replacement of current TV sets in coming years will be mostly led by smart TVs only.

  • 63rd Grammy Awards to stream in India exclusively on SonyLIV

    63rd Grammy Awards to stream in India exclusively on SonyLIV

    KOLKATA: From grooving to their foot-tapping tracks to finding respite in those soothing melodies or gazing at their mind-blowing music videos, musicians have kept us entertained round the year. And now, it’s time to celebrate their work and honour them at one of the most prestigious music award ceremonies ever. 

    Music industry’s biggest night, the 63rd Grammy Awards presented by The Recording Academy will stream on Monday, 15 March 5:30 am IST, exclusively on SonyLIV. Signifying the epitome in music, the award ceremony will be hosted by comedian Trevor Noah. SonyLIV’s transmission of the 63rd Annual Grammy  Awards is co-presented by Black & White.

    The annual presentation ceremony will not only showcase the world’s most prominent artists competing in various categories but will also feature captivating performances by spectacular names across pop, classical, jazz, rap, R&B, and rock music genres. Grammy’s top nominees include Beyoncé (nine), Dua Lipa (six), Roddy Ricch (six), Taylor Swift (six), Brittany Howard (five), John Beasley (four), Justin Bieber (four), Phoebe Bridgers (four), DaBaby (four), Billie Eilish (four), David Frost (four), and Megan Thee Stallion (four).

    While we just can’t wait to know who all will take the Grammy home, but the biggest and brightest names like Black Pumas, Cardi B, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Brittany Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Chris Martin, John Mayer and Post Malone will be taking the centre stage at the celebrated awards night.

    Sony Pictures Networks India digital programming and new initiatives head Amogh Dusad said: “Grammys are the most renowned and coveted awards within the music industry.  We’re sure that music aficionados in India will be excited as SonyLIV exclusively streams the award night in India.”

    Taking India to the international awards are Neha Mahajan and Anoushka Shankar. Mahajan has been credited for the song Mi Sangre, which is one of the tracks of Ricky Martin's album, Pausa, that has been nominated in the Best Latin Pop or Urban Album category. Whereas sitar player Anoushka Shankar's album Love Letters has been nominated in the Best Global Music Album category. For the album Love Letters, singer Shilpa Rao has collaborated with Anoushka.

    Below is the list of nominations under the much-anticipated category – Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

  • Technology needs to be upgraded for quality storytelling

    Technology needs to be upgraded for quality storytelling

    KOLKATA: The Indian media and entertainment industry is standing at a point when the requirement for video content is, more or less, growing in tandem with the investment in it. While Indian producers are branching out into new types of content across genres, formats, they need to scale up their investment in technology.

    To deliberate upon this changing landscape, Indiantelevision.com hosted a virtual webinar on Friday themed ‘Accelerating the new age of content with technology,” and moderated by founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari. At the beginning of the discussion, Wanvari elaborated why more focus is required on faster seamless content delivery in the emergence of various formats like HD, 4K, 4K HDR. He also mentioned that a new breed of machine called workstation has emerged which is being increasingly used in studios across the world to deliver on hard and extremely tough specifications that are demanded by platforms.

    Media Partners Asia vice president Mihir Shah agreed that technology is going to play an increasingly crucial role going forward. In terms of production, there is a lot of innovation that is yet to be seen on the online video side. While India has tried to emulate the west, we have only been replicating what’s successful on television and films. Hence, there are a lot of things to be done on the online video side where different streaming options are available, he opined.

    “Technology will be used widely as ever before with the online opportunity available right now and you will see a lot of interactive videos coming in, short videos coming in, different format, vertical videos, we have just touched the tip of the iceberg,” Shah stated.

    He also brought up the aspect of the gap in creating franchises as the audience is used to seeing a lot of daily soaps. If the country starts focusing on more franchises, more innovations will come around. He believes a lot of local franchises can be created and monetised by utilising technology.

    In a fireside chat during the webinar, Dell Technologies’ Dell Precision Workstations marketing consultant & product evangelist Suhas Pingat remarked upon the importance of using workstations and technology to create content. He stated that times are changing and 5G is going to be widespread in a period of 18 to 20 months.

    According to him, India is not behind as far as accepting content is concerned. There are some technologies that are superior in developed markets, among which is MoCap (motion capture), then there is virtual filming which is taking place. In the west, the adaptation of technology is progressing at a pace that far outstrips India, noted Pingat, although he believes the scenario is slowly changing with the rise of OTT platforms.

    However, broadcasters and content studios still have a lot to catch up on, said Pingat. Moreover, there is a need for change in the way content is given to consumers in India and we need to move far ahead, as far as adapting technology is concerned. He also elaborated on how Dell Technologies has a very industry-specific approach to the business ecosystem, with a large media and entertainment vertical. He also touched upon the topic of how Dell workstations are helping its partners in the domain from a technology standpoint.

    “These are exciting times ahead in terms of technology. Whatever is available abroad, globally, is available in India too, in terms of not only workstations but from an infrastructure standpoint as well.  That’s one pint which is very good with Dell. We are the oldest workstation brand. We do partner across industry platforms which would be ISPs, global customers. We have a separate work team that has been helping solve customers’ problems. We look forward to fantastic content being delivered by our great partners in the country. Look forward to more exciting immersive years ahead,” he detailed.

    Post this discussion, the webinar hosted an engaging session on the role of technology with eminent experts. The panel included Excel Entertainment CG supervisor Apul Mehta, Endemol Shine India chief operating officer Gaurav Gokhale, Hats Off Productions chairman and managing director JD Majethia, Contiloe Pictures CFO & Illusion Reality Studioz business head – animation & VFX Nitin Dadoo, Redchillies VFX technology head Rajiv Sharma, and Epic On chief operating officer Sourjya Mohanty.

    The experts came to the conclusion that innovation is key to implement new technologies at this point of time. The transformation journey has started already but a lot more needs to be done. Storytelling and execution need to be in sync with upgradation of technology. It is imperative now to leverage technology at its best because consumers are demanding more quality content, not only on OTT bit also on TV.  While media organisations are significantly upping their investment in content, there is no point in shying away from technology.

    Technology needs to be brought to speed in the country. The demand side constraints can be met by great content and marketing strategy but supply side constraints can be rectified only by technology. Moreover, if big tech companies can look at the media and entertainment vertical as an industry and offer a solution rather than a product, a sea change will take place.

  • New digital media rules to bring level playing field: Parliamentary panel

    New digital media rules to bring level playing field: Parliamentary panel

    KOLKATA: The parliamentary standing committee on IT has said that the new digital media rules under the IT Act will bring a level playing field for all media categories. However, the panel headed by Shashi Tharoor also mentioned that more initiatives are required, according to media reports.

    The parliamentary panel also asked the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) to launch an awareness campaign about its new rules for social media intermediaries, OTT and digital news platforms.

    While maintaining a robust oversight mechanism, the panel hoped that the ministry would implement the rules with due regard to the importance of promoting creativity and protecting freedom of expression.

    The government laid down new rules for social media platforms, digital media, OTT platforms on 25 February. In a gazette notification, it spoke of a three-tier oversight mechanism for online content.

    In light of this, a PIL has been moved before the Delhi high court challenging the new rules under the Information Technology Act to regulate internet intermediaries, over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital news media. The petition has been filed by the Foundation of Independent Journalism which publishes The Wire. A similar plea by another petitioner was filed in the Kerala high court. The courts have issued notices to the Centre in this regard. 

  • Netflix tests ‘Mobile+’ plan in India priced at Rs 299 a month

    Netflix tests ‘Mobile+’ plan in India priced at Rs 299 a month

    KOLKATA: Over the last two years, streaming giant Netflix has been experimenting with its pricing model as well as marketing strategy in India. After seeing massive success of its first mobile only plan, the company is testing “Mobile+” plan at Rs 299 per month.

    “We launched the mobile plan in India to make it easier for anyone with a smartphone to enjoy Netflix. We want to see if members like the added choice Mobile+ brings. We’ll only roll it out long-term if they do,” a Netflix spokesperson told Indiantelevision.com.

    The Rs 299 plan lets users stream content in HD quality on one screen at a time, be it mobile, tablet, or desktop/laptop.

    India was the first country where the streaming service launched its mobile only plan at Rs 199 per month in July 2019. The existing mobile plan supports streaming in SD only on a single mobile device at a time. Notably, Netflix members in India watch more on their mobiles than subscribers anywhere else in the world. Post the launch, the streamer stated the ambitious low-priced mobile plan saw better uptake than the initial testing suggested.

    All markets or households don’t have wired broadband connection yet but most of them have a good smartphone and high-speed mobile data. Hence, the new plan, if launched, will give more options to consumers. However, if consumers don’t find value in it, Netflix will not roll it out more widely.

    Netflix recently unveiled its impressive 2021 line up of 40 plus originals. “Everyone has different taste, different preferences, different moods and they watch Netflix on different devices. Whether you are watching alone or with your family, whether you have 20 minutes or two hours, we work hard to make sure Netflix always has something great for you. This is exactly why we create so many stories across genres, languages, formats for you to choose. This year we are ready to take our next big leap to entertain India,” Netflix India vice president content Monika Shergill said.

  • Voot Select hits one mn subscribers within first year of its launch

    Voot Select hits one mn subscribers within first year of its launch

    KOLKATA: Launched with the brand promise of ‘made for stories’ that are differentiated and compelling, Viacom18’s premium SVoD offering Voot Select has hit the landmark milestone of one million active direct paying subscribers in less than a year of its debut. The newest kid on the block has in a short period of time emerged as a formidable game changer by creating disruptive and innovative viewing experiences through fresh stories and category defining initiatives.

    Digital first strategies like 24 hours before television windowing of network content, high decibel immersive experiences, international content and multi award winning originals have all been growth drivers for the platform. Adding to the content diversity, Voot Select will also be the new home to Showtime content in India and the exclusive destination for upcoming Paramount+ shows in the country. The diverse repertoire of international content will include much awaited titles such as Dexter (Limited Series), Ray Donavan Feature-Length Film,  The First Lady from Showtime, and Frasier (Reboot) and Why Women Kill S2 from Paramount+ amongst others, expected to premiere on the platform in India.

    Despite being launched at the cusp of the global health crisis, Voot Select has delivered a phenomenal first year. In an industry first innovation, the brand took their digital-first strategy a step ahead on the back of originals, before TV content and multi genre international offerings. With content available 24 hours before TV, access to 24 Hours Live channel of Bigg Boss and producing pandemic-based fiction thriller series ‘The Gone Game’ – the first series in the category to be shot during the lockdown, Voot Select drove high engagement throughout the year. The award-winning line up of originals like the breakthrough series Asur that emerged amongst the top three shows of 2020, Illegal, Raikar Case, Marzi, and Crackdown amongst others added to the diverse content experience of viewers on the platform.

    With strengthened tech partnerships and more than 40 per cent of watch time on smart TVs, the platform has attracted a cohort of premium customers, providing them with an enhanced viewing experience.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures chief operating officer Gourav Rakshit said, “We launched Voot Select to engage and entertain audiences in India, with the most compelling stories from across the world. Despite being a recent entrant in the crowded subscription industry, we're thrilled to have made a mark, being the fastest to a million subscribers and delighting audiences on the back of our unique and innovative approach.  Now that we have gotten a better sense of what they loved (and some of the stuff they didn't), we're excited to bring an even bigger and better entertainment extravaganza to their screens in 2021."

    Voot Select, Viacom18 international business head Ferzad Palia added, “It has been a phenomenal year for Voot Select. We have, ahead of our estimates, made the fastest run to a million active paying direct to consumer subscribers in the category in less than a year of launch. Our success story through the year has been scripted on the back of a digital first strategy that keeps consumers at its core as well as a multi genre slate of originals and international content experiences. With our upcoming slate of content and partnerships, we aim to build our leadership position as we continue to entertain our members. We have had a fantastic start to this journey and will continue to invest in quality content and enhanced product experience driving Select towards new echelons of growth.”

    The platform has accelerated its growth with an enhanced viewing experience and continues to be an industry disruptor. With a stellar growth trajectory and offerings such Bigg Boss being available on the platform before TV, launch of premium content and originals like The Gone Game, Asur, Raikar Case, and the robust multi-genre international slate, the platform is all set to further accelerate its growth with an enhanced viewing experience for its users.

  • Zee5’s ‘ATM’ promises content anytime, anywhere in one’s language of choice

    Zee5’s ‘ATM’ promises content anytime, anywhere in one’s language of choice

    KOLKATA: Zee5 has unveiled its latest integrated marketing campaign – ATM, acronym for ‘Any Time Manoranjan’, to further strengthen the OTT platform’s connection with audiences across the country by offering TV shows, movies, news, and much more for free to its AvoD consumers.

    Targeted primarily at the TV viewing audiences across tier-2 cities, Zee5’s ATM will offer viewers the opportunity to consume entertainment anytime, anywhere, and in the language of their choice. Starring popular celebrities Shraddha Arya and Tejashri Pradhan, the campaign will be launched in various languages – Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bangla.

    Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “As India and Bharat’s multilingual storyteller, we have entertained millions of Indians with our diverse gamut of content offerings for the past three years. Through the ATM campaign, we aim to acquire new users and encourage TV watchers to download the Zee5 app for an unmatched experience, using a powerful combination of platform convenience and compelling content. We chose this proposition because the word “ATM” connotes instant accessibility; and we want users to think of Zee5 like an ATM that gives you access to entertainment anytime, a.k.a. ‘Any Time Manoranjan’. Through our ability to deliver multilingual purposeful content across various devices, ecosystems, and operating systems, we want to target the gap between the TV watching audience and OTT users by introducing them to a world of real, relevant, and resonant Indian stories on our platform.”

    Zee5 has planned a high-frequency TV campaign across multiple Zee network channels, leveraging prime time spots as well as some new launches like Indian Pro Music League to get maximum reach. The campaign will also be rolled out across owned social media platforms and will drive conversations through influencer marketing to further amplify the proposition. Deepening inroads into Bharat, the platform will target tier-2 and tier-3 towns with clutter-breaking creatives in high-footfall areas and run campaigns across top radio stations in key markets. To highlight the campaign, Zee5 will add ATM messaging in all the featuring banners for tentpole shows to build further recall.

    Zee5 has successfully struck a chord with many Indians within the country; last December, the platform clocked in 65.9 million MAUS and 5.4 million DAUS. Its repertoire of content includes Indian and global movies, catch-up content, and live TV, shows, news, music, live events, and much more. With a rich library of over 120+ original shows, the OTT service offers content in 12 Indian languages and since its inception, it has had 85+ regional launches: 55+ web series, five short films, and 25+ movies in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, and Bengali across genres. Additionally, the platform offers content in – Hindi, English, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and Odia.