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Tag: SonyLiv

  • MX Player announces 20 new originals by March 2020

    MX Player announces 20 new originals by March 2020

    MUMBAI: Bringing viewers stories that matter, stories that are authentic and powerful narratives that evoke emotion – the brand has now announced 20 new originals by March 2020, making it a colossal 35 originals by the end of the business year.

    Hosting one of the largest collections of premium content available for video on demand in India, the platform has 1,50,000 hrs of “Everytainment” including content from their partners like SonyLIV, Applause, HoiChoi, SunNxt, TVF, Radio Mirchi, Dice Media and Arre amongst others.

    Elaborating on the same, MX Player  CEO Karan Bedi said, “To bring alive our next slate of amazing originals, we have collaborated with writers and directors par excellence, a stellar talent pool of superlative performers and stories which are a class apart! With our scale and penetration that is unparalleled in India, we truly have succeeded in building an entertainment ecosystem with widespread appeal.”

    Here’s a look at some of its marquee properties for the year.

    This November, fans will be treated to a musical extravaganza like none other with the launch of Times of Music which features the who’s who of the music world as a part of the show – including Vishal-Shekhar, Bappi Lahiri, Salim-Sulaiman, Pyarelal-ji, Amit Trivedi, Rajesh Roshan, Agnee, Euphoria, Indian Ocean, Shantanu Moitra and Amaal Malik just to name a few. This series heroes a never-seen-before concept where each episode features two legends – veteran composers and new age artistes – performing their renditions of each other’s most celebrated songs.

    An ode to Indian weddings and the shaadi season is an MX Original Series ‘Shaadi Fit’ that traces the journey of 4 young couples who are put through an intensive journey to turn into the best shape of their lives physically, mentally and emotionally for their wedding day.

    Investing in regional content across genres and languages, MX Player adds ‘Ek Thi Begum’ and ‘Samantar’ to its Marathi slate. The former is a thrilling revenge drama where a woman, pushed to the brink emerges as a dominant force to avenge her lost husband while ‘Samantar’ is another ambitious regional project featuring the superstar of Marathi cinema – Swapnil Joshi in the lead. The brand is also dabbling with 2 Bhojpuri shows – ‘Madhuri Talkies’ and ‘Runaway Lugaai’, while the Tamil slate brings you the most awaited series by National Award-Winning Director – Gautham Vasudev Menon – ‘Queen’.

     ‘Call it Magic’ is a crime thriller which stars acclaimed performers like Ranvir Shorey, Akshay Oberoi, Shweta Basu Prasad and Mrinmayee Godbole as the leads and its next is a relationship drama about love in your 20s, 40s and 60s – ‘Pawan and Pooja’ which features an ensemble cast including Mahesh Manjrekar, Deepti Naval, Gul Panag and Sharman Joshi amongst others.

  • Mr. Mercedes Season 3 on SonyLIV is all set to take you on a thrilling ride

    Mr. Mercedes Season 3 on SonyLIV is all set to take you on a thrilling ride

    MUMBAI: Unexpected plots, mysterious twists and turns, nail biting revelations – if detective stories excite you and wrack your brains around the how and why of a story, then this award-winning show is perfect for you! With the festive season around the corner, how about some dose of thrill and edge of the seat drama to add up to your holiday binge? SonyLIV, India’s first premium video on demand (VOD) service, has a treat for all crime drama aficionados! The platform is all set to exclusively bring the third season of the famous American crime drama series, Mr. Mercedes streaming 9th October 2019 onwards.

    Based on the best-selling Bill Hodges trilogy by Stephen King, Mr. Mercedes entails the trials and tribulations of a retired police officer, who is tormented with the strange actions of a demented, serial killer, as he taunts the detective through a series of unpleasant letters and emails. The chase game between the detective and the evil maniac keeps you hooked, wanting for more! Starring popular actor Brendan Gleeson in the role of Bill Hodges, Mr. Mercedes S3 takes you to the current life of detective Bill Hodges, who sets out to track down the killer of beloved local author John Rothstein, who is found murdered under mysterious circumstances. While the last season left the audience with the exceptionally brave and unexpected move of Brady Hartsfield aka Mr. Mercedes’s murder, it will be interesting to see how the gripping narrative of Season 3 unfolds for its fans. The series also stars actors Justine Lupe, Jharrel Jerome, Breeda Wool, Max Hernandez, Gabriel Ebert, Rarmian Newton, Holland Taylor, Bruce Dern, Kate Mulgrew and Brett Gelman in pivotal roles.

    Mr. Mercedes, which has a series of nominations and awards to its credit, such as Satellite Awards, Irish Film and Television Awards 2018 and Saturn Award to name a few, is now back with its third instalment, promising to be another exciting watch on SonyLIV. The launch of Mr. Mercedes Season 3 will further build onto the English content catalogue of SonyLIV, which is home to some of the top rated and quality shows like Power, The Good Doctor, Unforgettable, The Handmaid’s Tale, Community, Counterpart, Riviera amongst many others.

    Mr. Mercedes S3 will be available for viewing under the premium umbrella of SonyLIV for INR 99/- per month or INR 499/- per year.

  • SonyLIV’s new short film ‘LUTF’ teaches to live life to the fullest

    SonyLIV’s new short film ‘LUTF’ teaches to live life to the fullest

    MUMBAI: There’s a saying that goes, "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream and that is pretty much the same thing.” Meghna (Mona Singh), lived by this thought since childhood. Ice creams weren’t just her favourite dessert but rather a way of life until it all changed one fine day. How? On 10th October – World Mental Health Day, the entire world talks about raising awareness and mobilising efforts in support of mental health. And, keeping this as the key driver, Mona Singh’s character Meghna beautifully captures the issue and creates awareness through a short film titled ‘Lutf’, a unique tale all set to premiere on SonyLIV.

    Directed and written by Pratish R Nair, Lutf stars a powerful ensemble of actors like Mona Singh, Vinay Pathak, Luke Kenny, Usha Nadkarni and Sucharita Tyagi in prominent roles. Keeping ice cream as a metaphor, this 30-minute short film celebrates life in all its nuances and oddities. The film revolves around Meghna Joshi (Mona Singh), a woman and a fear that shadows her life. As she struggles to balance it out with her husband Ravi Joshi and her family, her therapist Dr Vipul Agarwal (Vinay Pathak) enters and adds another twist. Is it a happy ending? To know more watch the short film streaming on SonyLIV on 10 October 2019 to find out.

    SonyLIV head content, partnership and new initiatives Amogh Dusad said, “At SonyLIV, our aim is to always push the envelope and bring unique and unheard stories for our viewers, ‘LUTF’ is one such story. The short film addresses the nuances of mental health and we are happy to showcase a story which captures life’s hardships with ease. The movie also gives out a message to viewers on the content they can expect on SonyLIV. We hope the audience enjoys ‘LUTF’ like all the other content on our platform.”

    Actor Mona Singh said, “‘LUTF’ conveys a very simple truth about life that intrigued me enough to come on board for this film. There is a lot more scope of experimenting with content nowadays and I am happy to be a part of it. As a person, I do believe in living life to the fullest despite what comes my way, so I could connect to the character of Meghna better.”

    Actor Vinay Pathak said, “It’s always refreshing for an actor to try out new roles and ‘LUTF’ gave me one such opportunity. Within the limitations of time, the film gives out a very subtle message on life and its situations. I hope the audience has as much fun in watching it as we had while filming it.”

    Actor Luke Kenny said, “As an actor, I have always wanted to explore different roles that can inspire the audience in some way. I am glad our message will reach out to a larger audience through the platform on World Mental Health Day.”

  • SonyLIV business head Uday Sodhi decides to move on

    SonyLIV business head Uday Sodhi decides to move on

    MUMBAI: Uday Sodhi, Business Head of SonyLIV, has decided to move on, after building up the digital business of Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) for almost five years. Uday will now pursue his entrepreneurial passion in the start-up space.

    SonyLIV is the pioneer in the OTT space in India. During  his stint, Uday was responsible for the introduction of its subscription model, SonyLIV's relaunch and the international launch of SonyLIV subscriptions, among many others. Under his leadership sport tournaments like Euro
    2016, FIFA World Cup 2018 and India Australia  series 2018 saw phenomenal success in terms of digital viewership.

    With Uday's movement, the mantle  of SonyLIV will now be shouldered by Danish Khan as the newly appointed business head of SPN's digital business. This will be in addition to Danish's responsibilities as Business Head of Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Studio NEXT.

    In a career  spanning over two decades, Danish  has successfully managed teams across marketing and programming having worked with Sony MAX, SET and Star Plus in his previous avatars. Under  his leadership as business  head for SET, the channel has become the #1 Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) in the country. He has brought marquee properties like Kaun Banega Crorepati and The Kapil Sharma Show to SET and created our own IPs with unique shows  like Super Dancer and Superstar Singer, which have received widespread recognition across the industry. Danish has also been instrumental in launching and nurturing the Studio NEXT business, armed with the ambition of making SPN a content leader in the M&E industry.

    Both, Danish and Uday will work on a transition plan over the next month, in consultation and partnership with relevant stakeholders. Uday's last working day at SPN will be 15 November
    2019.

    On behalf of everyone at SPN, we wish Uday success in his future endeavours and continued success to Danish in his expanded responsibilities.
     

  • SonyLIV, Applause Entertainment announce first Tamil original ‘Iru Dhuruvam’

    SonyLIV, Applause Entertainment announce first Tamil original ‘Iru Dhuruvam’

    MUMBAI : Startled at the sudden disappearance of his wife Geetha, Viktor an astute cop gets cracking on the case. But as he probes deeper, a series of gruesome murders put the entire city in panic leaving him in a predicament. What will he do next? SonyLIV, India’s first premium video on demand (VOD) platform along with Applause Entertainment, a venture of the Aditya Birla Group announced the launch of their first Tamil original ‘Iru Dhuruvam’ premiering on SonyLIV.

    Produced for Applause Entertainment by Pramod Cheruvalath’s Sign of Life Productions, the show which means ‘bipolar’ is directed and written by M Kumaran. The show begins with a series of horrific murders that put the city in a state of shock and chaos overnight. It turns out to be the work of a serial killer who quotes couplets from the “Thirukkural” (a classic Tamil text) as clues, leaving everyone at sixes and sevens. Inspector David Viktor, a hawk-eyed cop is assigned to hunt down the killer. But what happens when the hunter himself becomes a prey? As Viktor gets embroiled deeper into this strange turn of events, little does he know what lies ahead for him. While investigating the brutal murders, he himself is under the scanner for his wife’s mysterious disappearance. Is there a connection between these two events? Will this investigation lead him to his wife? The gripping series will see inspector Viktor encountering all details that will put him at crossroads of his professional and personal life.

    Running over 9 episodes, Iru Dhuruvam features actors Nandha Durairaj – one of the first popular Tamil actors venturing into the OTT space post a hiatus, Abhirami Iyer – former Miss Tamil Nadu who is a popular face in the Tamil web space, the young YouTube sensation Abdool and popular theatre and film artist Sebastin, Anisha in lead roles of this nail-biting web series, that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat and hooked on till the end.

    Iru Dhuruvam is SonyLIV’s second content offering for its Tamil audience. Post its foray in the market in May 2019, the platform recently launched the Tamil version of its marquee show Crime Patrol with actor Ganesh Venkatraman that has got the audience talking. With tailormade stories like Iru Dhuruvam, Crime Patrol, My Marappu, Cookies and the upcoming Tamil original Aivar amongst others SonyLIV plans to pique the interest of its Tamil audience by engaging them with localised content rooted in Tamil traditions and sensibilities. Additionally, some of the most popular shows from SonyLIV include TVF originals such as Pitchers, Permanent Roommates, Tripling, along with over 40 iconic shows from Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) content library like CID, Patiala Babes, Ladies Special, Aladdin, Beyhadh amongst others are available in Tamil to the audience for a customized entertainment experience.

    Uday Sodhi Business Head Digital Sony Pictures Networks India said, “This partnership with Applause Entertainment blends our in-depth consumer understanding with their finesse in storytelling. With ‘Iru Dhuruvam’, we plan to scale up our Tamil offerings and be the go to OTT destination for the local audience. In a cluttered market like India, such collaborations are a leap towards an evolved ecosystem and will strengthen our promise of delivering cutting edge stories in the digital space. We look forward to a long term and fruitful association with Applause Entertainment as we collaborate to diversify our content offerings for the region.”

    Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment said, “India is a mass of niches and at Applause we want to build a diverse content repertoire to appeal to every audience palate. The launch of ‘Iru Dhuruvam’ is a step towards that direction. It marks our foray into regional content and is the first Tamil original partnership for Applause Entertainment and SonyLIV. We are excited to associate with SonyLIV and commence our journey of localized content through this show.”

  • SonyLIV brings Season 3 of the popular American drama series The Good Doctor

    SonyLIV brings Season 3 of the popular American drama series The Good Doctor

    MUMBAI: “Disability need not be an obstacle to success”. These words by Stephen Hawking are words to live by! When one’s passion and spirit remain undeterred, no challenge can come in the way of excelling in life. A similar story of Dr. Shaun Murphy is all set to take you through an eventful journey, yet again. SonyLIV, India’s first premium video on demand (VOD) service, brings to you the third season of the popular American drama series, The Good Doctor, which will go live on the platform, one new episode every Tuesday at 8:00 AM.

    The Good Doctor is a story of a talented young surgeon, Dr. Shaun Murphy, played by popular actor Freddie Highmore, with savant syndrome, who is on a mission to save lives, amidst the many roadblocks that take a dramatic turn of events during the series. Picking up from the thrilling finale of Season 2, where Dr. Shaun acts out to the new Chief of Surgery Dr. Jackson, as he gets demoted, Season 3 of the hit series will unfold the drama that will come in Shaun’s way and his brewing relationship with co-worker, Dr. Carly Lever, played by actor Jasika Nicole. While season 1 and 2, replete with thrill kept viewers on the edge, Season 3 will showcase a journey of hope, love and goodwill in its own extraordinary way.

    The launch of The Good Doctor Season 3 will further build onto the English content catalogue of SonyLIV, which is home to some of the top rated and quality shows like Power, Mr Mercedes Unforgettable, The Handmaid’s Tale, Community, Counterpart, Riviera amongst many others. Home to some of the most prestigious titles such as the ASCAP Screen Music Awards, Seoul International Drama Awards for Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year and the Best Drama series of all time at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, The Good Doctor is back with its third instalment that promises to be another exciting watch on SonyLIV.

    The Good Doctor S3 will be available for viewing under the Premium umbrella of SonyLIV for INR 99 per month or INR 499 per year.

  • SonyLIV and PayPal announce a strategic partnership enabling a secure and frictionless payment experience for subscribers

    SonyLIV and PayPal announce a strategic partnership enabling a secure and frictionless payment experience for subscribers

    MUMBAI: SonyLIV, India’s first premium video on demand (VOD) platform has partnered with PayPal, the global leader in digital payments to offer a convenient and safe payment experience for millions of SonyLIV users across the country. SonyLIV users can now pay via PayPal enabling them to discover quality content through a premium accelerated checkout experience.

    PayPal will enable users to subscribe to SonyLIV’s premium content library spanning English shows, select originals, live sports, news and much more. In addition to the globally acclaimed drama series Power Season Finale, which recently went live on SonyLIV, other top-rated English titles like The Good Doctor, Power, Counterpart, A Discovery of Witches, LA’s Finest and Riviera season 1 and 2 form a part of the content repository.

    Post its foray in the South market, the platform also announced the Tamil version of its popular show from the Sony Pictures Networks India stable ‘Crime Patrol’ with popular actor Ganesh Venkataraman. Toplined by originals like Bhajana Batch in Telugu and Gullak, Heartbreak Hotel, Holycross and 16 in Hindi, SonyLIV aims to bring customized offerings to its local audiences. With a slew of announcements slated to follow, a promising content line-up is sure to keep subscribers hooked on to SonyLIV.

  • SonyLIV and OnePlus announce a strategic alliance to boost content offering for consumers

    SonyLIV and OnePlus announce a strategic alliance to boost content offering for consumers

    MUMBAI: SonyLIV locked in a multi-year strategic partnership with OnePlus, the global technology brand ahead of their much-awaited upcoming OnePlus TV launch in India. This alliance will open access to the extensive content library of Sony Pictures Networks India for OnePlus Smart TV users spanning movies, music, sports, animation, web originals, short films and much more. SonyLIV is amongst the few selected mobile apps available as part of the much-hyped OnePlus TV launch in India.

    After bolstering its place as a leader in the premium smartphone segment in India, OnePlus is foraying to Smart TV category to strengthen its consumer connect. SonyLIV’s partnership with OnePlus TV is reflective of their brand ethos of creating an exceptional viewing experience for its 100 MN plus monthly active users, expand the market potentialities and up the ante in brand integrations. In its efforts to capture newer and wider audience segments, SonyLIV intends to strengthen the engagement quotient with OnePlus by offering its varied content to the Smart TV users.

    “Our partnership with OnePlus is a leap ahead in blending captivating stories with an innovative viewing experience. With our robust content portfolio on offer, there’s plenty to consume for OnePlus TV users. This alliance enables us to expand our consumer footprint to Indian households and boost our engagement. It’s a great starting point for the two companies, and we are excited about the journey ahead of us,” Sony Pictures Networks India digital business head Uday Sodhi said.

    “With OnePlus TV being our latest premium offering, it is important for our users to have access to content across genres and languages and we believe Sony Liv offers that experience with its extensive content portfolio. This partnership along with the superior audio and picture quality on the OnePlus TV will offer a viewing experience like never before,” OnePlus India general manager Vikas Agarwal commented.

  • SonyLIV partners with IndiGo airlines to deliver a superior in-flight entertainment experience

    SonyLIV partners with IndiGo airlines to deliver a superior in-flight entertainment experience

    MUMBAI: SonyLIV, India’s first premium video on demand (VOD) platform has announced a strategic partnership with India’s leading airline – IndiGo in a clutter breaking move in the Indian OTT category. For the first time ever, patrons of the airline will be able to access SonyLIV’s 30,000 hours of content catalogue at a weekly subscription pack. Starting today, this offer is available for all passengers flying Indigo to locations across India.

    Catering to over 70 million monthly active users, SonyLIV is home to award-winning English shows like Power, The Good Doctor, Counterpart, The Spanish Princess, Britannia, Victoria along with a string of acclaimed Hindi originals like Gullak, Heartbreak Hotel, Holycross and 16 amongst others. The platform recently launched over 4000 hours of binge-worthy content in Tamil and Telugu spanning films, web originals and shows. With a slew of sporting events lined up next and the 11th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati going live on SonyLIV, there’s a lot to catch up for IndiGo’s horde of customers at just Rs 25/-.

    To avail this exclusive pack, IndiGo Airlines will provide a subscription link to its passengers for first-time download. Once the transaction is closed, passengers will enjoy unlimited access to SonyLIV's premium content catalogue, even offline for the next 7 days.

  • Criminal Cases that shook Chennai Watch Crime Patrol Tamil – Chennai Files; now streaming on SonyLIV

    Criminal Cases that shook Chennai Watch Crime Patrol Tamil – Chennai Files; now streaming on SonyLIV

    MUMBAI: Crime Patrol Tamil, the first Southern makeover of india’s longest running crime seriesis live exclusively on SonyLIV. Hosted by the popular actor Ganesh Venkatraman, Crime Patrol – Chennai Files brings to light some of the most hard-hitting real-life criminal incidents from Chennai. As you binge onto the series, here’s a run-down of the top 4 cases that will keep you at the edge of your seats. 

    • First up is a case that grabbed headlinesin Chennai in 2018. Agroup of 22 men were accused ofphysically assaulting an11-year-old girl for several months, blackmailing her to hide it from her parents. As Ganesh Venkatraman takes us through the legal proceedings of the same, he talks about the alarming rate of such cases in the country raising pertinent questions on women safety

    • Next up is a mysterious murder case of a young courier boy. Inadequate cluesand lack of circumstantial evidence made this investigation a tough challenge for Chennai Police. Unnerved, they go the extra mile in sourcing cues and manage to unlock the case in no time. Watch out as Ganesh talks about the issues that plague the youth today leading to heinous crimes in this episode  

    • The third caseis one that shocked the nation in 2018!A 6-year-old girl becomes the victim of a heinous crimecommitted by a 25-year-old boy who was her neighbor. The accused gets released on bail owing to lack of evidence and his father’s influence. But his psyche turns worse and he ends up killing his mother. But why? What’s the motive? Tune-in to know what leads youngsters to ghastly crimes as explained by Ganesh in the episode 

    •    Last comes thehorrifying murder of a budding actress that caused an uproar in Chennai! Through the course of investigation in the episode, Ganesh throws light on the hardships and sacrifices an aspiring actor faces, with a hope to make it big in life, but succumbs to unfortunate exploitations and violent crimes.Will she get justice? Watch out to know more