ITV

Tag: Planet Marathi

  • Planet Marathi founder faces FIR after Bombay HC order on forgery

    Planet Marathi founder faces FIR after Bombay HC order on forgery

    MUMBAI: The drama has moved off-screen and into the courtroom Planet Marathi’s founder Akshay Bardapurkar now faces a real-life script of forgery, fraud, and financial conspiracy after the Bombay High Court ordered the registration of an FIR against him and three others.

    A Bench of Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ashwin Ankhad, ruling on Criminal Writ Petition No. 4170 of 2025 filed by former partner Soumya Vilekar, directed Mulund Police to book Bardapurkar, casting director Manali Dixit, notary Dodha Doulat Ahire, and Dhaval Shah.

    At the heart of the case is a forged partnership deed dated 3 October 2023, allegedly bearing Vilekar’s signature, photograph, and a fake notarisation. She claims she never signed the document, which was used to approach Axis Bank, Deutsche Bank, and others to secure loans and dispose of intellectual property, all without her knowledge.

    Vilekar maintains that her only valid exit was through a Deed of Admission-cum-Retirement dated 15 January 2024, and accuses Bardapurkar of fabricating the earlier deed to siphon funds. She says she was left battling multiple litigations originally aimed at the company, exposing her to reputational and financial harm.

    “This is not merely forged paperwork, it’s a premeditated act of fraud and conspiracy,” Vilekar said, adding that Bardapurkar had diverted company funds for personal expenses and unauthorised purposes.

    The fallout for Planet Marathi has been severe. Its offices have remained shut for months, the app has ceased operations, and employees have resigned en masse. The company is also facing NCLT liquidation proceedings, while Bardapurkar himself is entangled in multiple legal battles:

    . Rs 87 lakh cheque bounce case filed by Aayush Shah

    . Rs 20 lakh dishonour case filed by Mausam Shah

    . Personal insolvency proceedings by Verse

    . Several Section 138 NI Act cases across Mumbai, Pune, and beyond

    The High Court’s intervention comes after Vilekar alleged that Mulund Police failed to act despite her submitting documentary evidence. The ruling marks another twist in a saga that has seen Planet Marathi, once touted as a Marathi OTT disruptor, now teetering between financial collapse and criminal scrutiny.

    As the courtroom script unfolds, Bardapurkar, once celebrated as a cultural entrepreneur now finds himself at the centre of a story where the plot revolves around liabilities, litigation, and law enforcement.

  • Tata Play Binge becomes a standalone OTT offering for Rs 59

    Tata Play Binge becomes a standalone OTT offering for Rs 59

    Mumbai: Content distribution platform, Tata Play (formerly known as Tata Sky), has announced the expansion of its OTT entertainment app, Tata Play Binge, to all smartphone users, with no pre-requisite of needing a DTH subscription. Tata Play Binge, the application that aggregates content from across OTT platforms in India and presents it on a single screen, offers subscribers one of the largest collections of movies, TV series, web originals, and live sports from 17 streaming apps, along with gaming, under one roof. In an endeavour to ease the process of content discovery and reduce the hassle of multiple subscriptions, Tata Play Binge is introducing plans starting at Rs 59 per month and providing access to premium content across popular national, international, and regional apps as per subscribed plans. The platform will soon host 25 apps as eight more apps are slated to be added in the coming months.

    The all-new Tata Play Binge offers content in 12 languages from popular OTT apps such as Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5, Voot Select, SonyLIV, MX Player, hoichoi, Namma flix, Chaupal, Planet Marathi, Sun NXT, Voot Kids, Eros Now, Hungama Play, ShemarooMe, EPICON, DocuBay & Curiosity Stream. Upcoming integrations include Apple TV+, Lionsgate Play, Travelxp, Shorts TV, Reeldrama, Manorama Max, Tarang Plus, Koode, and more. Tata Play DTH subscribers can access Netflix combo plans, and Amazon Prime Video can be accessed with an add-on subscription on Binge.

    Tata Play MD & CEO Harit Nagpal said, “Today, in India, approximately 70+ OTT services cater to 450 million plus consumers with just 90 million paid subscriptions. The penetration at a subscriber level drops further as each consumer needs to subscribe to multiple OTT services. The biggest bottlenecks to the growth of OTT subscriptions are accessibility, availability, and affordability. With our aggregated OTT platform, Binge, we endeavour to address these pain points. Content from across 17 OTT providers plus gaming is available today to all subscribers, accessible through a unified interface with a single subscription package starting at Rs 59 a month. Tata Play Binge makes entertainment easy for consumers while increasing the subscription footprint for our OTTpartners.

    “India is a value-conscious market and value is a derivative of both time and money. Just as Tata Play DTH has connected television viewers across the country to channels from multiple broadcasters, so will Tata Play Binge aggregate content from across OTTs for digital viewers across the country.”

    Tata Play Binge app presents a freemium model, wherein anyone can install the Binge app and view and browse free content across partner OTT apps; and can also watch premium content behind paywalls by choosing subscription plans starting from Rs 59 per month. A single subscription will allow simultaneous viewing on two or more devices. Options such as “Universal Search,” “Language Preference,” and “Create Your Own Binge List” have been made prominent features of the app to create personalised experiences for consumers that reduce time spent navigating multiple platforms.

    Tata Play continues its association with actors Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, R. Madhavan, and Priyamani, who have played relatable, everyday characters to bring out the essence of Tata Play Binge to larger audiences through the campaign, to make entertainment more jingalala. Covering multiple touchpoints, Tata Play Binge’s marketing campaign aims to reach out to potential customers across the country this festive season.

    Tata Play chief communication officer Anurag Kumar said, “Through our campaign, “Bachcha Bachcha janta hai” we have created relatable, slice-of-life characters to bring out the essence of the Tata Play Binge offering, which is – access to all the content from 17 OTT apps covering movies, shows, live sports and more, under a unified platform-  making entertainment consumption easy and simple.”

    Rooted in its mission of providing entertainment on any budget, any screen, anytime and anywhere, Tata Play, through Binge, gives easy and simple access to a variety of OTT content, personalised for the consumer.

  • Planet Marathi founder launches ‘Planet Goem’ for exclusive Konkani content

    Planet Marathi founder launches ‘Planet Goem’ for exclusive Konkani content

    Mumbai: Planet Marathi founder Akshay Bardapurkar has revealed his new venture, Planet Goem, which is an exclusive Konkani content OTT. The entity aims at boosting Goa’s media, entertainment, and cultural economy and was launched by the Goa chief minister Dr. Pramod Sawant. The app’s brand ambassador, renowned actress Sonalee Kulkarni, was also present at the grand unveiling launch.

    Planet Goem, an over-the-top (OTT) service, will offer exclusive Konkani language content in the form of movies, web series, chat shows, plays, short-format videos, music, news, and much more.

    It will be possible to access this over-the-top platform on any Android, iOS, or TV device. Beyond just being an OTT, Planet Goem wants to establish Goa as a top spot for media and entertainment needs. Accordingly, a film institute will be built in the state and affiliated with a reputable international university.

    To educate students for the impending digital era, some courses will be provided in animation, web 3.0 technologies, gaming, and blockchain. To improve the employability of young people and individuals across India, this skill centre will provide diploma, degree, and certificate courses as well as masterclasses from top teachers. To further this along, a partnership with multinational firms like There Digital, Unreal Engine, and Kingdom Technologies will be formed. These firms will be brought to Goa to set up studio services that would entice top-tier performers and filmmakers to work there.

    With an emphasis on talent, education, entertainment, and technology, Akshay now hopes to reform and revitalise Goa’s media and entertainment sector. Akshay Bardapurkar met with the Goa chief minister earlier this year to explore the prospects and potential of the industry, and he has since revealed his vision.

    During the launch, Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant said, “Our state welcomes Planet Goem with open arms. The various offerings, including OTT, the film institute, and the skill centre, are a welcome boost to our economy, which will benefit from being diversified from its dependence on tourism. Our rich cultural heritage and language will now get an organised web platform aimed at increasing the recognition and popularity of our humble Konkani industry. We are confident about Akshay Bardapurkar’s vision for the industry, careers, and facilities and will extend our support towards initiatives meant for the betterment of Goa.”

    Planet Marathi OTT and Planet Goem founder & CEO Akshay Bardapurkar said, “Regional industries are an untapped gold mine of immense potential and power. Planet Marathi OTT has seen a great run in Goa and has earned eager audiences who have given Marathi content so much love. Goa’s entertainment sector remains unexplored, and we wish to put the spotlight on the capabilities of this industry and its talent. Our focus will be to advance opportunities for the state of Goa by creating varied opportunities through web content, learning and training avenues and by creating Goa’s very own film city.”

    Planet Goem aims to take Goa beyond being a tourist destination and entice professionals to the state’s entertainment industry.

  • Planet Marathi OTT unveils new content slate on achieving 500 per cent subscriber growth globally

    Planet Marathi OTT unveils new content slate on achieving 500 per cent subscriber growth globally

    Mumbai: Vistas Media Capital’s Planet Marathi OTT, home to record-breaking original content, is ready to step up its robust performance as it completes its one-year run.

    The platform has seen a phenomenal spike of 500 per cent in its subscriber base, which spans globally across the UK, US, New Zealand, the continent of Africa and other countries. The first platform of its kind, it hosts web series, films, talk shows, music, reality shows, and other forms of entertainment in Marathi.

    Since its inception in August 2021, the platform has seen a whopping 550K+ instals and 24+ million video plays. Various marquee and big league players, including Tata Play and Jio Ads, have collaborated with Planet Marathi OTT on various levels to capitalise on the robust, superlative library being the only exclusively Marathi OTT player. To increase its own reach and cater to a wider audience, the OTT platform has entered into partnerships and will be collaborating with telecom providers.

    Emerging as a name to reckon with in the Marathi entertainment industry, Planet Marathi OTT has established itself as an innovative player given its fresh, experimental, and original approach to the web space. The upcoming impressive slate of titles includes Mrinal Kulkarni’s directorial venture “Sahela Re” starring her, Sumeet Raghavan, and Subodh Bhave; RaanBaazaar director Abhijit Panse’s next political outing Raaji-Naama; new age romantic drama, “Eka Hatacha Antar.” Other names in the content line-up include “Athang,” Soppa Nasta Kahi Season 2, Gemaadpanthi, Compass, Aamcha Aahe, Baby On Board, Chikatgunde Season 2 and Crypto Aajji.

    Speaking about this record breaking milestone, Planet Marathi OTT founder Akshay Bardapurkar commented, “We have been fierce in our vertical and horizontal expansion and as we complete one year, the entire Planet Marathi OTT team is able to look back with pride and satisfaction on the kind of achievements we have had. However, we are far from done. We are excited to announce a large slate of OTT content which will further blur boundaries and catapult us to compete with big league content players. The goal gets bigger every year and we are just beginning to make a mark.”

  • Tata Play Binge service now offers content from Planet Marathi, Namma Flix and Chaupal

    Tata Play Binge service now offers content from Planet Marathi, Namma Flix and Chaupal

    Mumbai: Tata Play has added three new OTT platforms—Planet Marathi, Namma Flix, and Chaupal—to its Tata Play Binge offering. The platform now offers 16 OTT platforms in one app with diverse content across languages, catering to a pan-Indian audience.

    Chaupal, Planet Marathi, and Namma Flix will bring stories from the world of Kannada, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Bhojpuri, and Marathi entertainment.

    The service can be accessed via the Tata Play Binge mobile app or Tata Play Binge+ Android set-top-box (STB).

    Tata Play’s chief commercial and content officer Pallavi Puri, said, “Carrying forward Tata Play Binge’s objective of bringing the best of entertainment to viewers, we are proud to partner with Namma Flix, Planet Marathi, and Chaupal. The addition of these three new OTT platforms to Binge’s existing partnership with 13 other platforms will enable a wider audience to enjoy stories in their own languages. This will significantly boost content discovery and exploration for Indian consumers, making Tata Play Binge the one-stop solution for all OTT entertainment.”

    “We are very excited to partner with Tata Play Binge to reach a wider audience base. Our vast content library of retro movies and the latest ones will now be available to the Tata Play Binge audience. We are also working towards releasing two new movies every month and aspire to launch some web series as well. We believe in increasing our footprint through our partners and are putting in our best efforts to keep Kannadigas across the country entertained,” said NammaFlix founder & CEO Vijayaprakash R.

    Planet Marathi OTT founder Akshay Bardapurkar said, “We are committed to introducing the power of Marathi content to as many viewers as possible. Our exclusivity and forte lie in the power of creating content of varied genres, through web series, films, non-fiction content, and much more. We have always been the first movers and game changers when it comes to the Marathi industry, and this collaboration is also a step towards the same. Through this association, we will be able to reach out to new users as well as loyal ones through a new channel. We want to aid discoverability, affordability, and accessibility through various media and meet our audience in various convenient ways. We are confident we will be able to merge our strength in content with Tata Play’s prowess in distribution to create a robust viewer community.”

    Chaupal managing director Sandeep Bansal, said, “Chaupal signifies entertainment beyond boundaries, where regional languages and cultures interact, giving a glimpse of the Indian panorama. At Chaupal, we always believed in giving a wealth of choice to our subscribers in terms of new content offerings in their mother tongues—Punjabi, Haryanvi, and Bhojpuri, to begin with. Since its launch, Chaupal has witnessed a huge surge in content consumption on large screens and connected devices. We are hopeful that the partnership with Tata Play will further boost Chaupal’s engagement and help its content traverse all barriers of region and language. We are thrilled about the collaboration between both brands.”

    Tata Play Binge service offers OTT platforms such as hoichoi, Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5, SonyLIV, Voot Select, SunNxt, Hungama Play, Eros Now, ShemarooMe, Voot Kids, CuriosityStream, EPIC ON and DocuBay. Content from all these platforms is available to the viewers of Tata Play Binge through a single subscription and single user interface.

  • Planet Marathi announces Marathi-Hollywood title ‘Chhatrapati Tararani’

    Planet Marathi announces Marathi-Hollywood title ‘Chhatrapati Tararani’

    Mumbai: Akshay Bardapurkar’s Planet Marathi and Piiyush Singh’s Golden Ratio Films have collaborated with UK-based independent production house Black Hangar Studios for a first-ever Marathi-Hollywood film “Moghul Mardini Chhatrapati Tararani.” Directed by Rahul Jadhav, the film will be produced in Marathi and English and it will feature Sonalee Kulkarni in the lead role. The makers are planning a Diwali 2022 release in India and overseas.

    Based on the life of the warrior queen Chhatrapati Tararani who fought against the Mughals, Nizamshahi, Aadilshahi, Qutubshahi, Dutch, British, Portuguese, and Siddis, the story of the greatness of Maratha women, Marathi pride, and Swarajya, said the statement.

    “Chhatrapati Tararani is going to be a golden page in the history of Marathi cinema. Planet Marathi and Golden Ratio are proud to take the story of the Maratha warrior queen to the world. This will be the first and one of the biggest Marathi-Hollywood films to go on floors with an international film studio,” said Planet Marathi CMD Akshay Bardapurkar. “It is too soon to reveal more details about the film but we have a talented blend of filmmakers, musicians, and artists that are working hard to bring this beautiful presentation to our Marathi audiences. I strongly believe this film has the potential to take Marathi cinema at a newer height,” he added.

    Black Hangar Studios has to its credit Hollywood productions such as “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Dark Tide,” “The Grand Tour,” and “24: Live Another Day,” as well as the Indian superhero film “Ra.One,” released in 2011. “After working with the Indian Sci-fi genre we are excited to create the experience for a historical period drama,” stated Black Hangar Studios CEO Jake Seal. “The story itself moves us and with the promise that Planet Marathi brings in filmmaking we are thrilled to see where this journey leads us. We aim to make films more engaging for global audiences irrespective of the language and medium and we are committed to making this story come alive.”

     “We are excited for the first-ever Marathi Hollywood historical film which will definitely be the most awaited one for 2022. The title itself comes with a huge responsibility to us and the entire team is working to bring out the best for the viewers,” commented Golden Ratio Films co-founder Piiyush Singh.

  • Madhuri Dixit launches Planet Marathi OTT platform

    Madhuri Dixit launches Planet Marathi OTT platform

    Mumbai: Vistas Media Capital-powered exclusive Marathi OTT platform Planet Marathi was launched on Tuesday by Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit. The actress officially became the first subscriber to the app at the launch event.

    Marathi content will no longer have to compete against Hollywood and Hindi content for attention on OTT platforms where Marathi is a secondary language, said the platform in a statement. “This app is truly defining its tagline ‘Ma Maanacha Ma Marathicha’ with the offerings,” it added.

    “Planet Marathi thrives to bring meaningful entertainment for every segment of the Marathi audience. With the launch of this app, our offerings will now reach across the world to every user who loves watching Marathi content,” said Planet Marathi, founder and CMD, Akshay Bardapurkar. “Our Original shows are specifically curated for web series binge-viewers who love fast-paced, meaningful, and thrilling content. We have backed our content with the best filmmakers, talented artists and our easily accessible app. The entertainment experience is going to be exciting because Marathi fans have never witnessed such diversity and engagement in Marathi content before. I am delighted to have Madhuri launch our app as she has been the epitome of Marathi talent in both Hindi and Marathi entertainment industry.”

    Planet Marathi currently has a content library of over 1000 hours including films, web shows, plays, and music. Additionally, the launch was accompanied by the greenlighting of five originals namely, “Sopa Nasata Kaahi” – a romantic comedy, “Hing Pustak Talwar” – a light comedy about a group of friends, “Bap Beep Bap” – an emotional family drama revolving around father-son relationships, “Jobless” – a crime thriller about an accused fraudster struggling to prove his innocence and a fantasy thriller “Parees” that is centred around superstitions and supernatural incidents, the platform shared in a statement.

    “Launching an app exclusively for Marathi entertainment is a great step taken by Akshay and his team. This has taken our industry ahead of the curve,” said Madhuri Dixit. “There is so much potential in Marathi feature films and content that the world is yet to experience. This platform has made it easier for filmmakers to find and connect with their audience. I am amazed at the range that Planet Marathi OTT has to offer the audience.”

    “I am a Marathi entertainment enthusiast who binge-watches Marathi films and web series even from the other side of the world. In my opinion, Planet Marathi OTT is exactly what global citizens of Maharashtrian origin were waiting for,” she added.

    Attending the inaugural event were numerous Marathi stalwarts including Amruta Khanvilkar, Sonalee Kulkarni, Prasad Oak, Siddharth Jadhav, Sanjay Jadhav, Tejaswwini Pandit, among many others.

  • Planet Marathi on boards Arun Tyagi to drive investor relationships

    Planet Marathi on boards Arun Tyagi to drive investor relationships

    Mumbai: Vistas Media Entertainment powered platform Planet Marathi OTT has brought on board Arun Tyagi to drive its investor relationships. In his new role, Tyagi will be nurturing investor relations and shaping new initiatives.

    An entertainment and media professional, Tyagi comes with more than 21 years of experience in media sales, marketing, planning, and buying, advertising, film marketing & distribution, digital & new media, and digital cinema. In the past, he has led the teams at BCCL, Jagran Prakashan Ltd, Amar Ujala, WPP (Group M India Ltd). His last assignment was with Reliance ADA Group as group head – media, while paralley also heading Big Cinemas as business head. Tyagi is also the founder of 361 Degree World and has given a strong lineup of entertaining films as a co-producer.

    Welcoming Tyagi on board, Planet Marathi OTT’s CMD, Akshay Bardapurkar said, “With Arun on board and looking at his vast experience across vrious domains will definitely steer Planet Marathi OTT in the right direction. We are looking forward to building a cutting-edge entertainment platform that is at par with the expectations of our global audience.”

    Talking about his synergy with Planet Marathi OTT, Tyagi added, “I am really excited to be a part of the platform that is not just a leader in the Marathi entertainment industry but it is also a driver of change that inspires the regional entertainment industry as a whole. My life’s work has been about shaping brands to achieve excellence and contributing to this larger-than-life vision of Planet Marathi OTT team certainly aligns with my personal goals.”

  • Sidelined by Bollywood, Marathi content will be redefined by Planet Marathi, says Akshay Bardapurkar

    Sidelined by Bollywood, Marathi content will be redefined by Planet Marathi, says Akshay Bardapurkar

    Thiruvananthapuram: The Marathi entertainment industry has often failed to get due recognition, despite producing quality content for years now, thanks to the overshadowing glitz and glamour of Bollywood, according to Planet Marathi’s founder Akshay Bardapurkar. 

    Planet Marathi was therefore launched in 2017 by Bardapurkar, as a nodal digital platform to not only connect Marathi speaking audiences across the world, but also redefine the reach and popularity of quality Marathi content. 

    Celebrating its fourth anniversary, and through the course of these years, Bardapurkar and his team have successfully emerged as one of the most noted production houses in the Marathi industry. In 2020, Amitabh Bachchan made his debut in Marathi filmdom with the movie, ‘AB Aani CD’ under the banner of Planet Marathi. The company has also launched an initiative named ‘Planet Talent’, with the aim of according due recognition to and highlighting supremely talented artistes from Maharashtra. 

    Talking about Bollywood under shadowing Marathi content, Bardapurkar said, “Marathi filmmakers are among the best, and globally renowned for their work. The Marathi industry was undermined due to several factors. The problem was that Marathi always lacked the branding and packaging, which the other regional players like in Tamil and Telugu, have never refrained from. They have created the stardom which is a requisite (component of industry). They branded their products very well. This is what we intend to do by creating varied content in Marathi. We are sure that we will be able to match up to Bollywood or even any other regional languages in the future.”

    Bardapurkar, in association with actor Pushkar Shrotri and music composer Aditya Oak, plans to launch an OTT platform exclusively dedicated to Marathi content. The OTT platform was originally scheduled to launch in May, but the second wave of the Corona virus of 2019 resulted in the launch of Planet Marathi OTT being postponed. Despite tight competition from mega players like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+Hotstar, Bardapurkar is quite confident about the Marathi OTT platform being able to affirm its position in the market through the strategic use of unique content for audiences.

    “Technology is at the highest level today. Language is not a barrier on OTT platforms. Films released on OTT are considered world movies, just like we watch Latin, Spanish, and Korean films. I believe Marathi films with English subtitles will attract global audiences. We have (a large pool) of talent, and it is necessary to market it wisely. However, we should make sure that the content is crisper,” added Bardapurkar. 

    An official announcement regarding the re-scheduled launch of the OTT platform is expected to be made in the near future.  

    Bardapurkar revealed that he does not visualize a target audience while creating content, and emphatically states that content offered by Planet Marathi will cater to the needs of people, irrespective of age demographics. 

    Apart from creating original movies, Planet Marathi also plans to launch many non-fiction shows, and games. According to Bardapurkar, Planet Marathi’s OTT platform will not just be an OTT platform uploaded with movies, but instead, it will be a super-platform offering non-fiction shows ranging from music contests to cookery shows. 

    Bardapurkar revealed that his company has successfully laid the foundation, over the past four years, for the future to witness a creative movement that will open up a world of high-quality Marathi content for global audiences. 

  • Planet Marathi hires journalist Jayanti Waghdhare as AVP, Social Media

    Planet Marathi hires journalist Jayanti Waghdhare as AVP, Social Media

    Mumbai: Planet Marathi on Tuesday has appointed senior journalist Jayanti Waghdhare as its AVP, Social Media. Waghdhare has previously worked with Zee Media Corporation Limited. 

    “Having worked as an entertainment correspondent I have formed a deeper relationship with this industry. From television to films and from regional to Bollywood, I have endeavoured to bring the action from the industry to the spotlight. Now I move on to become the face behind the camera in propelling Planet Marathi OTT- World’s first Marathi OTT platform towards greater heights,” said Waghdhare.

    Planet Marathi CMD Akshay Bardapurkar said the position needed a fresh perspective and an in-depth understanding of how the media industry works, and an insightful content creator all bundled in one. “We want to keep a close connection with our audience and with Jayanti onboard, we will be able to forge these connections effectively,” he said.