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Tag: Shibasish Sarkar

  • Reliance-FunOnGo’s multi-lingual Chillx app debuts in VOD market

    Reliance-FunOnGo’s multi-lingual Chillx app debuts in VOD market

    MUMBAI: “Think big, think fast, think ahead. Ideas are no one’s monopoly,” is what kept Dhirubhai Ambani going in life. And, he could do all that just because he could dream, and dream big. Taking inspiration from the founder of Reliance Industries is yet another team. Founded by Vijay Singh and Ujjwal Narayan, FunOnGo is a content aggregator and licenses value added service.

    Anil Ambani-led Reliance Entertainment has bought a two-thirds stake in the FunOnGo Media and Entertainment LLP. With this deal, the younger one of the Ambani brothers has forayed into the digital media content and distribution space.

    It has launched its first offering in the entertainment space, an Android app called Chillx. The app offers 90 per cent of its content for free which is advertising-supported but also has a premium content ranging from movies, viral videos, music, games, infotainment, animation, short films, games, etc for different subscription packs. The rates range from Rs 10 a week for a game to a monthly charge of Rs 49 for standard definition (SD) and Rs 99 for high definition (HD).

    The paid content will be ad-free whereas any free content which exceeds five minutes will have ads. Users can either pay through payment gateways, reward points or Google Playstore. “We will launch with over 7,000 pieces of content and will add 150 pieces every week

    While apps downloaded are mostly in line with the global popularity, interest in content consumption in regional language is high. We have different models like subscription based, ad-supported, a la carte, etc. The priority in urban India which accounts for 33 per cent is entertainment, communication and social interactions whereas for rural which consists of 67 per cent first go for communication than social interactions followed by entertainment. This clearly indicates the digital galore from all India,” asserted Reliance Entertainment CEO content syndication Sweta Agnihotri.

    With most of the VODOTT platforms providing content majorly in English and Hindi, the app supplies content in 9 languages (apart from English)- Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi Staying true to their tagline ‘Apni Boli, Apna Entertainment,’ the app has a content strength of over 120000+ songs, 10000+ video clips, 5000+ full length movies, 5000+ TV show clips, 2000+ best movie clips, 50000+ ringtones, 50000+ wallpapers and 500+ games. The movie titles from its partners will be made available on the app in 45 days of time right after its launch.

    “We saw a clear need for a one-stop multi linguistic entertainment destination in India. Chillx is a one-stop-shop enabling and delivering entertainment on multiple smart devices like smartphones, smart television, tablets, etc. It provides a platform and promotes the consumption of content in numerous ways including preloading of content in devices, memory cards, pen drives amongst other advanced services. This endeavor allows us to widen the scope of consumer engagement on a scale that is possible only when you are a part of one of India’s leading conglomerates-Reliance Industries,” voiced Singh.

    It is known that smartphones are the primary device for content consumption for users. Keeping that in mind, the company has partnered with several Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and content curators. The app plans to provide a solution to not just the consumers but also their partners. Its clientele consisting of Karbonn, Lava, Micromax, Samsung, Intex, Videocon, etc, according to them make up for more than 60 per cent of the mobile market share. “32 per cent of the users consume entertainment which is mostly videos. With the mobile traffic growing to 72 per cent in 2020 from 40 per cent right now is a big thing. And they are all going to consume data in local languages. We have come up with co-branded OEM customization and exclusive content showcase with them,” added Singh.

    From the past two months, all these mobile brands have included the app’s logo on their boxes thus reaching out to the masses. The app is also available at telecom retail stores and on Google Playstore. It already has got a million handsets from its Phase I, and are targeting 30 million in a year.

    “Our content cost is much lower than other start-ups because of our existing relationships and group synergies. It is a good opportunity for us. We don’t plan to provide catch-up TV on our app because that is what the rest of the players are providing. For us, short format videos, games, apps and movies are a big play. We are providing the users one movie or game at Rs 10 which is very reasonable, according to me. Reliance believed in us and so did our advertisers which makes us very proud. The game section allows a user to try and buy premium games. We have an integrated telecom billing option ease of operation for the use and will launch with over 7,000 pieces of content and will add 150 pieces every week,” added Narayan.

    The app also allows users to share it on Whatsapp and enables them to increase the brightness, volume and lock the screen without stopping the video. It also allows a user to choose the data limit and download options. It is backed by technology partners Wicore, Xerxes Technologies and Good value.

    As far as the content goes, they have partnered with 9XM, Shemaroo, Phantom Films, Rajshri Entertainment, Disney UTV, Reliance Group Synergy, Plan C Studios, etc. Through this, the curators reach out to a larger audience, with better distribution, promotion and monetisation options. The partners can also live monitor all the action and have access to the online dashboard.

    “We are very happy to partner with Vijay and Ujjwal. It all started one and half year back and the most important aspect was the kind of people we are working with. We have invested into the company because we believed in their thought process. All the credit goes to Vijay, Ujjwal, Sweta and their team for all the hard work that they have invested. Digital platforms are encouraging a wider audience with diverse consumption patterns, we recognize that this calls for innovative approach in the manner we produce and present our content. We have got more than 100 partners on board. The launch of Chillx is in line with our business vision,” said Reliance Entertainment COO Shibasish Sarkar.

    With such a diverse content library, the company also plans to crowd-source content from across India. They have already got content fro 10 genre and are looking at approximately 2500 to 3000 content entries in 8 week’s time. It will also provide original content to the users.

    In a world where dozens of apps remain just decorative icons on your smartphones, Chillx, standing true to its name, is a breath of fresh air for the users seeking destinations for entertainment beyond generic methods.

  • Reliance-FunOnGo’s multi-lingual Chillx app debuts in VOD market

    Reliance-FunOnGo’s multi-lingual Chillx app debuts in VOD market

    MUMBAI: “Think big, think fast, think ahead. Ideas are no one’s monopoly,” is what kept Dhirubhai Ambani going in life. And, he could do all that just because he could dream, and dream big. Taking inspiration from the founder of Reliance Industries is yet another team. Founded by Vijay Singh and Ujjwal Narayan, FunOnGo is a content aggregator and licenses value added service.

    Anil Ambani-led Reliance Entertainment has bought a two-thirds stake in the FunOnGo Media and Entertainment LLP. With this deal, the younger one of the Ambani brothers has forayed into the digital media content and distribution space.

    It has launched its first offering in the entertainment space, an Android app called Chillx. The app offers 90 per cent of its content for free which is advertising-supported but also has a premium content ranging from movies, viral videos, music, games, infotainment, animation, short films, games, etc for different subscription packs. The rates range from Rs 10 a week for a game to a monthly charge of Rs 49 for standard definition (SD) and Rs 99 for high definition (HD).

    The paid content will be ad-free whereas any free content which exceeds five minutes will have ads. Users can either pay through payment gateways, reward points or Google Playstore. “We will launch with over 7,000 pieces of content and will add 150 pieces every week

    While apps downloaded are mostly in line with the global popularity, interest in content consumption in regional language is high. We have different models like subscription based, ad-supported, a la carte, etc. The priority in urban India which accounts for 33 per cent is entertainment, communication and social interactions whereas for rural which consists of 67 per cent first go for communication than social interactions followed by entertainment. This clearly indicates the digital galore from all India,” asserted Reliance Entertainment CEO content syndication Sweta Agnihotri.

    With most of the VODOTT platforms providing content majorly in English and Hindi, the app supplies content in 9 languages (apart from English)- Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi Staying true to their tagline ‘Apni Boli, Apna Entertainment,’ the app has a content strength of over 120000+ songs, 10000+ video clips, 5000+ full length movies, 5000+ TV show clips, 2000+ best movie clips, 50000+ ringtones, 50000+ wallpapers and 500+ games. The movie titles from its partners will be made available on the app in 45 days of time right after its launch.

    “We saw a clear need for a one-stop multi linguistic entertainment destination in India. Chillx is a one-stop-shop enabling and delivering entertainment on multiple smart devices like smartphones, smart television, tablets, etc. It provides a platform and promotes the consumption of content in numerous ways including preloading of content in devices, memory cards, pen drives amongst other advanced services. This endeavor allows us to widen the scope of consumer engagement on a scale that is possible only when you are a part of one of India’s leading conglomerates-Reliance Industries,” voiced Singh.

    It is known that smartphones are the primary device for content consumption for users. Keeping that in mind, the company has partnered with several Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and content curators. The app plans to provide a solution to not just the consumers but also their partners. Its clientele consisting of Karbonn, Lava, Micromax, Samsung, Intex, Videocon, etc, according to them make up for more than 60 per cent of the mobile market share. “32 per cent of the users consume entertainment which is mostly videos. With the mobile traffic growing to 72 per cent in 2020 from 40 per cent right now is a big thing. And they are all going to consume data in local languages. We have come up with co-branded OEM customization and exclusive content showcase with them,” added Singh.

    From the past two months, all these mobile brands have included the app’s logo on their boxes thus reaching out to the masses. The app is also available at telecom retail stores and on Google Playstore. It already has got a million handsets from its Phase I, and are targeting 30 million in a year.

    “Our content cost is much lower than other start-ups because of our existing relationships and group synergies. It is a good opportunity for us. We don’t plan to provide catch-up TV on our app because that is what the rest of the players are providing. For us, short format videos, games, apps and movies are a big play. We are providing the users one movie or game at Rs 10 which is very reasonable, according to me. Reliance believed in us and so did our advertisers which makes us very proud. The game section allows a user to try and buy premium games. We have an integrated telecom billing option ease of operation for the use and will launch with over 7,000 pieces of content and will add 150 pieces every week,” added Narayan.

    The app also allows users to share it on Whatsapp and enables them to increase the brightness, volume and lock the screen without stopping the video. It also allows a user to choose the data limit and download options. It is backed by technology partners Wicore, Xerxes Technologies and Good value.

    As far as the content goes, they have partnered with 9XM, Shemaroo, Phantom Films, Rajshri Entertainment, Disney UTV, Reliance Group Synergy, Plan C Studios, etc. Through this, the curators reach out to a larger audience, with better distribution, promotion and monetisation options. The partners can also live monitor all the action and have access to the online dashboard.

    “We are very happy to partner with Vijay and Ujjwal. It all started one and half year back and the most important aspect was the kind of people we are working with. We have invested into the company because we believed in their thought process. All the credit goes to Vijay, Ujjwal, Sweta and their team for all the hard work that they have invested. Digital platforms are encouraging a wider audience with diverse consumption patterns, we recognize that this calls for innovative approach in the manner we produce and present our content. We have got more than 100 partners on board. The launch of Chillx is in line with our business vision,” said Reliance Entertainment COO Shibasish Sarkar.

    With such a diverse content library, the company also plans to crowd-source content from across India. They have already got content fro 10 genre and are looking at approximately 2500 to 3000 content entries in 8 week’s time. It will also provide original content to the users.

    In a world where dozens of apps remain just decorative icons on your smartphones, Chillx, standing true to its name, is a breath of fresh air for the users seeking destinations for entertainment beyond generic methods.

  • There is a need for uniform tax regime in the country: Siddharth Roy Kapur

    There is a need for uniform tax regime in the country: Siddharth Roy Kapur

    MUMBAI: A country, which is considered filmy, with the kind of movies produced and the impact it has on the people, still faces numerous challenges. And one of this is the lack of cinema screens.

     

    In a panel discussion at the 2nd Media & Entertainment Law Forum 2014 conducted by Legal Era, Walt Disney India MD Siddharth Roy Kapur stressed on how even with a population of 1.2 billion, there are only 13 screens for every one million people. “In fact, 3 Idiots, the greatest hit and revenue generator so far reached out to only 3 per cent of the entire Indian population, in terms of screens. All the others saw it on TV,” informed Kapur.

     

    M&E industry contributes 0.5 per cent of the overall GDP of the country, of which movies is a Rs 12,000 crore business. Theatrical release, satellite rights, international rights and digital screening are all different models of revenue streams for the industry currently.

     

    “We have so far not represented ourselves in a way that we should have to the government. We need to work with the government so that they know how well we can contribute to the economy of the country. It is only then that they will understand our challenges,” added Kapur.

     

    According to Kapur, infrastructure, piracy, regulation and creativity if galvanised in the right direction can take the movie industry forward.  “There is not much regulation on the piracy front as well,” he said.  

     

    The country also needs to invest in talent to ensure creativity. “Apart from that, of course we need good movies. The industry has to focus on writing and paying more to the writers. We need to move out of the south Asian diaspora and cater to a wider audience world over,” he opined.

     

    An interesting point that came out during the panel discussion was the fact that regional movies contribute to 40 per cent of the total revenue the industry generates. “Mostly it comes from the Tamil and Telugu movies,” informed Reliance Big Films CFO Shibasish Sarkar.

     

    Addressing the growth of regional movies, Kapur said that though these are important markets their sensibilities are different. “So it is better to ally with local partners, in terms of directors or producers at least for a couple of initial movies and then get your hands dirty. We do one Tamil movie a year now,” he informed.

     

    Talking on the investment in movies, Sarkar said that any investor today looks at risk return ration before investing in a project. “Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to create an environment such that the investors can be made to feel confident of their investments,” he added.

     

    What’s more, even with popularity of Bollywood world over and 100 per cent FDI, none of that money comes to India. “There is no venture capital environment here,” said Cinema Capital Advisory managing director and founder Samir Gupta.

     

    Investors, according to Gupta, look for incentivised markets and so the government should be working at giving more incentives, if not at the central level, but at the state level. “There should be a legal framework for states, which can help them grow,” he said.

     

    India is a tough market for animation movies, feels Kapur. “Audiences are used to watching animated content on TV for free, and so it is very difficult to get them to buy a movie ticket worth Rs 300 for an animated movie.” Another reason why animation movies have not grown in the country, Kapur opines that it lies in the fact that Indian filmmakers are not good storytellers when it comes to animation.

     

    The panel also felt that there is a need for a uniform tax situation in the country. “Overall Goods and Services Tax (GST) is definitely a positive,” said Kapur. According to the panelists, in a uniform GST regime, entertainment tax will get subsumed into it, and this will be a complete game changer.  

  • Indian films need to up revenues to attract funding

    Indian films need to up revenues to attract funding

    MUMBAI: Indian films will need to scale up revenues if they are to attract investors to a high-risk business.

    Independent filmmakers will also have to think of themselves as entrepreneurs and present viable projects.

    “I don’t think funding is a problem as there are enough people out there to finance film projects. But the filmmakers should think of themselves as entrepreneurs, come up with a solid business plan and then approach investors,” said Banknet Group chairman and MD Anurag Khanna.

    Khanna cautioned that filmmakers should do their homework properly before approaching investors as it is the first impression that counts.

    “We at Six Sigma Films get five to six applications every month and some of the applications that come to us are general stating they want to make a film, the budget is Rs 100 million and the film will be a super-hit. The point is that independent filmmakers should treat a project as a startup,” he elaborated.

    The Indian filmmakers need to learn from Hollywood. “If you look at Hollywood, they are very structured. The Indian filmmakers need to become more professional in order to attract investors,” Khanna said, while speaking at the International Conference on Film Financing, organised by Banknet Group.

    Khanna admitted that film finance is still considered a risky investment by most investors, despite the Indian film industry coming of age.

    Technicolor India country head Biren Ghose bemoaned the fact that the Indian film industry had not caught the fancy of the investors.

    “The Indian film industry needs to have a growth of at least 2.5 x 3X in order to become a viable proposition. The issue that we need to figure out is how do we create business out of films. If you look at growth projections for the film industry, in the best case scenario it is a CAGR of 10 per cent which means that after adjusting for inflation we are pretty much treading on the same path as we were in 2006,” he contended.

    The film industry has also not been able to create iconic brands. “Why we have not being able to create brands? The television industry has done a much better job of creating brands and franchises. Nothing new happens around the brand Sholay or Don. I also don’t see any IP creation in the way we make movies,” Ghose averred.

    According to Reliance Entertainment CFO Shibasish Sarkar, corporates are willing to put money into a venture only if there is an assurance of earning profits. He also said that fiscal discipline is of paramount importance for the success of a film.

    Sarkar sees growth opportunities in the regional space as well. While creativity and passion is important in film making, the film planning process from scripting to casting and budgeting is also important. The budgeting stage of a movie decides the viability of the project,” he said.

    Flick the Switch Founder/CEO Sheena Morjaria said that digitalisation and Internet are changing the structure of finance, marketing and distribution.

    She also pointed out that crowd funding (collective funding by a network of individuals) is becoming a popular form of capital raising vehicle outside traditional domains like soft money, pre-sales, deferred payments, equity and debt financing.