ITV

Tag: Paatal Lok

  • Nearly 25 per cent of Prime Video’s Indian content viewership comes from abroad

    Nearly 25 per cent of Prime Video’s Indian content viewership comes from abroad

    MUMBAI: Indian stories are winning hearts worldwide. At Ficci Frames 2025, Prime Video India’s senior leadership showcased how Indian content is not only thriving domestically but also making waves internationally.

    Under the session titled “Made in India: I-Dramas — Are Our Stories Ready to Travel Across Borders?” SVOD director & head Shilangi Mukherji and Originals director & head Nikhil Madhok, shared insights with journalist Ajita Shashidhar about what makes Indian narratives resonate globally.

    The stats speak for themselves: Indian content has consistently trended in the top 10 on Prime Video worldwide in 2024, with nearly 25 per cent of viewership coming from outside India. According to Madhok, the key is authenticity. “Original, rooted stories travel beyond Indian shores. While production quality matters, it’s authenticity that connects with global audiences,” he explained.

    Mukherji highlighted Prime Video’s localisation strategy, ensuring content reaches multi-lingual audiences in India and internationally. “Through subtitles, dubbing, and culturally relevant storytelling, we surprise and delight viewers everywhere,” she said. About 60 per cent of Indian users stream content in four or more languages, reflecting the platform’s pan-Indian appeal.

    Prime Video’s originals, from The Family Man and Mirzapur to Paatal Lok and Dupahiya, have become global favourites, with most franchises renewing for multiple seasons. Madhok emphasised the platform’s commitment to nurturing new talent alongside established creators, enabling first-time filmmakers to reach worldwide audiences.

    The platform’s growth in India is backed by innovation in access and pricing, including Prime Lite, mobile-first annual plans, and tiered subscriptions. Prime Video also combines theatrical releases with streaming, ensuring filmmakers can choose the best format for their stories. Starting 2026, three to four Indian films from Amazon MGM Studios will premiere in theatres annually.

    Mukherji concluded that global resonance requires intentional localisation and collaboration across the industry. Madhok added, “All it takes is one standout story to spark wider recognition. We’re seeing green shoots in all our Originals, and the future is bright for Indian storytelling.”

  • Billboards Behaving Badly as Prime Twists Fan Favourites for The Traitors

    Billboards Behaving Badly as Prime Twists Fan Favourites for The Traitors

    MUMBAI: If you’ve done a double take at a Mirzapur quote on a billboard lately, you’re not alone. Across Indian cities, something strange is afoot famous lines from hit Prime Video shows like Paatal Lok, Farzi, Panchayat, and The Boys are popping up on massive hoardings… but with a twist.

    What at first glance feels like a nostalgic nod to your binge-watch favourites quickly unravels into something more sinister. The quotes look right, but they aren’t quite right and that subtle off-ness is precisely the point. This isn’t just a trip down memory lane. It’s a breadcrumb trail. And the destination? Deception.

    Welcome to the world of The Traitors.

    Set to launch soon on Prime Video, The Traitors is the Indian adaptation of the globally acclaimed reality format where trust is fragile, alliances are fleeting, and betrayal is always just around the corner. With a gameplay that rewards strategy, subterfuge and social smarts, The Traitors is poised to flip the reality TV genre on its head.

    The billboard campaign is the first move in this psychological chess match. Disruptive, cheeky, and slightly unsettling, it plants a single thought in viewers’ minds: can you trust what you see?

    In a climate of reboots and reunions, this fresh format brings something more intriguing to the table unpredictability. And as the quotes from familiar shows start to behave badly, it’s clear the game has already begun.

    Keep your eyes peeled. The signs are everywhere. The Traitors is coming soon only on Prime Video. But in this game, nothing is what it seems.
     

  • OTTplay Awards 2025 takes centre stage with a star-studded celebration

    OTTplay Awards 2025 takes centre stage with a star-studded celebration

    MUMBAI: Mumbai’s entertainment scene sparkled brighter as the OTTplay Awards 2025 rolled out the red carpet at JW Marriott on 22 March, bringing together the finest in digital storytelling under its ‘One Nation, One OTT Award’ banner. The third edition of the only pan-India OTT awards was a grand spectacle, uniting stars and creators from across languages and regions to honour the best in streaming content.

    The night was a triumph of storytelling, with major accolades going to Panchayat, Paatal Lok, Girls Will Be Girls, Poacher, Freedom at Midnight, Black Warrant, and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.

    The acting honours saw Manoj Bajpayee (Despatch) and Anupam Kher (Vijay 69) take home Best Actor (Popular and Critics, respectively), while Kajol (Do Patti) and Parvathy Thiruvothu (Manorathangal) claimed Best Actress titles.

    The web series category delivered emotional highs, with Jyotika (Dabba Cartel) winning Best Supporting Actor (Female) and presenting the Critics’ Best Actress award to Nimisha Sajayan (Poacher) in an on-stage moment that radiated camaraderie.

    Other winners included Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok 2) and Raghav Juyal, bagging Best Actor (Male) in the Critics’ and Popular categories, respectively, while Aditi Rao Hydari earned recognition for her performance in Heeramandi.

    The evening also saw a blend of generations, with industry veterans Anupam Kher and Shekhar Suman cheering on Patralekha, who won Breakthrough Performance (Female) Series for IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, while her husband Rajkummar Rao led a standing ovation.

    Adding a touch of nostalgia, Kunal Kohli presented Kajol with her award, reigniting Fanaa memories for Bollywood buffs.

    The night was filled with iconic reunions, including The Family Man trio Manoj Bajpayee, Priya Mani, and Neeraj Madhav, sharing the stage for the first time since Season 1. They were joined by Jaideep Ahlawat, the antagonist of the upcoming season, making for a momentous OTT crossover.

    Regional representation shone bright, with Sriimurali and Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar receiving special felicitations, while Miheeka Daggubati accepted the Best Talk Show Host award on behalf of her husband, Rana Daggubati.

    Commenting on the significance of the event, OTTplay, CEO and co-founder Avinash Mudaliar said, “At the OTTplay Awards, we honour the creators who challenge convention, the performers who redefine excellence, and the stories that resonate across languages and regions. With our ‘One Nation, One OTT Award’ vision, the OTTplay Awards are designed to transcend linguistic, regional, and platform-specific boundaries—recognising the finest in web series, OTT films, and digital storytelling from every corner of India’s dynamic entertainment ecosystem. This is more than an awards ceremony for me; it is a celebration of a cultural shift—a tribute to a golden era of streaming that is not arriving but already here. OTTplay Awards – Where India’s stories find their spotlight.”

    As the curtains closed with Raghav Juyal’s signature slow-motion hook step, the OTTplay Awards 2025 stood as a powerful testament to India’s ever-evolving digital entertainment landscape, where creativity knows no borders.

    The event was co-presented by Real Juice and Kuhl, powered by StockGro, and held in association with HT City. With Zoom as the official broadcast partner, and Flipkart Spoyl, D Pauls, Amante, and Propshop among key sponsors, the evening was a seamless blend of entertainment and industry excellence.

  • Filmfare OTT Awards 2020: Paatal Lok, The Family Man take top honours

    Filmfare OTT Awards 2020: Paatal Lok, The Family Man take top honours

    KOLKATA: The Indian OTT industry has grown by leaps and bounds this year, and has been a force to be reckoned with in fostering innovation and creativity in the country. Celebrating the indelible mark of the streaming industry and lauding stellar performances, Filmfare hosted the inaugural edition of the Flyx Filmfare OTT Awards on 19 December at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai. 

    It was a starry night filled with glamour and brilliance as the Black Lady was bestowed on the finest OTT content creators, actors, and their creations.          

    The gala event witnessed the most-recognisable names from the Indian entertainment industry, including Pratik Gandhi, Nora Fatehi, Alaya F, Rajkummar Rao, Manoj Bajpayee, Priyamani and many more who raised the glam quotient on the red carpet. The event was hosted by comedians Varun Thakur and Danish Sait, who kept the audiences entertained with rib-tickling humour and zestful jibes. 

    Making a clean sweep, Paatal Lok won the most awards across categories in addition to bagging the Filmfare for Best Series. Raat Akeli Hai won the Best Movie (web original) award. The winners of the night – Jaideep Ahlawat (Best Actor in a Drama Series Male), Rahul Bose (Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Web Original Film Male), and Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Best Actor in a Web Original Film Male) culminated the ceremony on an emotional note with their heart-warming acceptance speeches that reminisced their journey leading up to the grand night. Popular actors Sushmita Sen (Best Actor in a Drama Series Female) and Neena Gupta (Best Actor in A Supporting Role in a Comedy Series Female) lit up the extravaganza virtually by delivering endearing messages of love and acceptance.

    The first edition of the ceremony also saw internet personalities such as Mithila Palkar, Dhruv Sehgal, and Sumukhi Suresh make their Filmfare debut by winning Best Actor in a Comedy Series (Female) for Little Things Season 3, Best Actor in a Comedy Series (Critics) for Little Things Season 3 and Best Actress in a Comedy Series (Critics) for Pushpavali Season 2 respectively.

    The award ceremony also lauded and celebrated talented artists in the critics category with The Family Man bagging the Best Series (Critics); Krishna DK and Raj Nidimoru (The Family Man) won Best Director (Critics), Manoj Bajpayee bagged the trophy for Best Actor in a Drama Series (Critics) and Best Actress in a Drama Series (Critics) went to by Priyamani (The Family Man).

    The sponsors for this year included title partner Flyx, co-powered by Tata Pravesh and Bosch Home Appliances, driven by Skoda, associate partner LIC and more partners including Sugarbox.

  • ‘Paatal Lok’ and ‘Mirzapur’ writers on creating content for OTT

    ‘Paatal Lok’ and ‘Mirzapur’ writers on creating content for OTT

    MUMBAI: A few digital shows have grabbed the attention of streamers in recent times, including Mirzapur and Paatal Lok. In a virtual conference with The Advertising Club Bangalore, writers Hardik Mehta and Gurmmeet Singh talk about their journey with Wavemaker VP Kishan Kumar.

    Mirzapur director Gurmmeet Singh said that he has been working on various kinds of films over the last 20 years and over the last five years that he’s been exploring the OTT ecosystem. Amazon Prime Video’s show Inside Edge creator and director Karan Anshuman wanted to work with Singh and the duo met for Mirzapur.

    Singh said that initially when the trailer was released people assumed it was similar to Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur. He said, “Later, people understood that it is a completely different series. A lot of credit goes to Mirzapur co-writer Puneet Krishna who has grown in the north belt. He had brought a lot of authenticity and humour to the show. The series had a different name before, but it was not going well with the story hence we changed it.”

    He further added that Mirzapur's story is underplayed and it was way more colourful on paper. In fact, a lot of casting choices were made considering the same aspect. The team decided to cast people who were endearing and more relatable. “Casting gave Mirzapur the leg to travel which sometimes other films and shows are not able to do. So, you have access to different countries, different people and these actors brought a lot of hope in an otherwise dark world,” he shared.

    Paatal Lok writer and national award winner Hardik Mehta has also been part of the entertainment industry for almost a decade. After quitting the foods and technology industries, Mehta joined an advertising firm as a copywriter. From there he developed an interest in filmmaking and documentary. Paatal Lok chief writer Sudip Sharma had seen his script for Kaamyab and roped him in. The shooting began in early 2017. 

    The show’s main reference point was from Tehelka ex-editor in chief Tarun Tejpal's book “The Story of my Assassins.” Mehta points out that the makers of the show wanted to create an investigative neo-noir kind story.

    He added, “Hathiram's world was completely created by us. We wanted a cop who is caught between personal and professional rut. He is a man who is caught between the cop world and bureaucratic nexus. We decided three main arcs of the show: firstly was Hathiram and his investigation, secondly the story was about the famous and left liberal journalist and as the country’s politics changed his personality changed and lastly, the story was around Hathiram’s personal story about his son and wife.”

    One of the unique things that Paatal Lok scriptwriters did was to submit their version of the episode every week. The best one was selected. 30 drafts were created for a ten-episode series.