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  • SonyLIV bids high on South content, bags digital rights for two Malayalam films

    SonyLIV bids high on South content, bags digital rights for two Malayalam films

    Mumbai: With an aim to bring diverse content across languages and genres, streaming platform SonyLIV has bagged the direct-to-digital release of two new Malayalam films “Salute” and “Puzhu.” This is for the first time that father-son duo Mammootty and Dulquer Salman will be launching their films on the same OTT platform. 

    Dulquer-starrer “Salute” is the investigative drama, whereas Mammootty will be seen in the crime thriller “Puzhu.”

    Helmed by Rosshan Andrews, “Salute” marks the first association of Dulquer with the director as well as the writer-duo of Bobby and Sanjay. Produced under his production banner Wayfarer Films, it will also be the Malayalam debut of Bollywood actor Diana Penty and will also star Manoj K Jayan in a pivotal role.

    Dulquer will also be producing Mammootty’s “Puzhu” under his banner along with S George’s Cyn Cyl Celluloid. Helmed by debutante director Ratheena PT, the film will also star Parvathy Thiruvothu in the lead.

    “The story of ‘Puzhu’ excited me the most,” said actor Mammootty. “As an actor, it has always been my aim to keep reinventing myself, and to take up newer, more exciting projects. ‘Puzhu’ marks another step in that direction. We tried to tell a story that we believed in and put our hearts into. Hope the viewers like what they see.”

    ‘It was a great experience working on ‘Salute,’” said actor and producer Dulquer Salman. “I have always been drawn to roles that push me beyond my comfort zone and challenge me as an actor. Bobby and Sanjay have done a remarkable job with the script. It is an intriguing and taut thriller with the characters going through various emotional conflicts and bearing the consequences of their actions. I have always admired Rosshan Andrews’ craft, and it was an honour to work with him. This is very different from the other films I have done so far, and I cannot wait for the audiences to watch it.”

  • upGrad teams up with SonyLIV for new series ‘Khud Ke Liye’

    upGrad teams up with SonyLIV for new series ‘Khud Ke Liye’

    Mumbai: Ed-tech major upGrad has taken its original content game a notch higher with the launch of a multi-starrer anthology film titled “Khud Ke Liye.” Conceptualised and written by The Glitch’s digital-first division – Flux, the film series is currently streaming on upGrad’s YouTube channel and streaming platform, SonyLIV.

    The series emphasises the fact that the absence of ‘life-long learning’ in the era of constant evolution adds tremendous pressure on working professionals, without having them realise it. This jeopardises their professional growth and mental well-being in the long run. “We wanted to depict the most ordinary of lives, with their self-consciousness erupting from an uncomfortable incident or series of events, which leads them to choose higher education. The idea was to make the characters brave but at the same time relatable and vulnerable, to appeal to the potential audience and consumers,” said Flux creative director Tathagata Ray.

    Besides Flux, two other production houses Melting Clock and Upward Fall Films also collaborated on the series over a period of three weeks, the company said.

    “We are committed to making quality and affordable higher education a reality for millions. Our strategic partnership with India’s leading OTT player SonyLIV to tap into the right set of audience is another step forward in that direction,” commented upGrad head of marketing Ankit Khirwal.

    Speaking on the association, SonyLIV head – ad sales revenue Rnajana Mangla stated, “At SonyLIV, we believe in offering unique and relevant entertainment to our viewers. The upGrad original ‘Khud Ke Liye’ hence is the perfect fit. We are excited to bring this thought-provoking anthology for our diversified audience.”

    “While the world competes to break formats, score big on innovations, and run behind short video-led engagements, we wanted to do something a little less conventional,” remarked Flux associate VP – content strategy and business Varun Anchan. “Leveraging the roots of branded content, we tried to bring back long-format storytelling through this content series. With upGrad, we saw mutual respect for long-form and thus entered OTT with #KhudKeLiye.”

    Directed by filmmakers Rahul Nangia, Smrutika Panigrahi, and Pranjal Vaid, the three independent films “Pehchaan,” “Saahas,” and “Koshish” depict the real-life journeys of upGrad alumni. The cast comprises names such as Priya Bapat, Sharib Hashmi, Tanmay Dhanania, Alam Khan, Jihaan Hodar, Maya Sarao, Joy Sengupta, and Shiwangi Peswani.

  • We’ve renewed most shows for next seasons: SonyLIV’s Ashish Golwalkar

    We’ve renewed most shows for next seasons: SonyLIV’s Ashish Golwalkar

    Mumbai: SonyLIV is planning a strong content slate for 2022 with the returning seasons of its popular franchises such as “Undekhi,” “Scam,” “Maharani,” “Gullak,” “Rocket Boys,” “Avrodh” and more. The OTT streaming service is also planning to release new series helmed by filmmakers Vikas Bahl, Imtiaz Ali and Subhash Kapoor.

    “This financial year is looking very exciting for us and we’re planning a strong content slate from the beginning of March this year to the end of March next year,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head content – Sony Entertainment Television and digital business Ashish Golwalkar. “Most of our shows have, fortunately, done well for us so they’re coming back for a second season. Some of them are genre defining shows such as ‘Scam’ and ‘Rocket Boys’. We’ve also renewed all our shows with Applause Entertainment including ‘Scam’, ‘Your Honor’, ‘Undekhi’ and ‘Avrodh’. All the shows that TVF have done for us are also returning including ‘Gullak’, ‘College Romance’, ‘Cubicle’, ‘Shantit Kranti’, ‘Girls Hostel’. So, we’ve renewed most of our shows for subsequent seasons.” 

    According to Golwalkar, the platform looks at 30-day viewership metrics, social media chatter and other indicators to take the call to renew a show for a new season. The video-on-demand platform’s latest show “Undekhi” was recommissioned almost immediately after the pandemic and will begin streaming on 4 March. Many of the shows that were launched in 2020 are looking at a delayed release due to the disruption of the pandemic.

    “’Undekhi’ was one our first shows that we dropped and the subscriber base then and the subscriber base today have a huge difference,” observed Golwalkar. “While I don’t think we are trend setters in any way, I can say that we’re very committed to our content lens and create shows that are engaging, slightly cerebral and very native in their appeal. We are also committed to our mission of telling stories of India.” By no means are we trend setters in any way. All I can say is that we are very committed to our content lens. We create shows that are engaging, slightly cerebral and very native. We are committed to our mission of telling stories of India.  

    On the regional piece, Golkwalkar said, “’Shantit Kranti’ season one did very well for us and you can expect a season 2. This year you’ll see at least five to six very good Marathi shows from us coming on SonyLIV.” 

    The platform is also strengthening its regional content library by acquiring popular South language films. “Increasingly the way people consume content is changing and they’re becoming language agnostic. And we believe that there is a lot of scope to explore content within the regional languages of India,” he added.  

    Its highly anticipated “Scam 2003: The Curious Case of Abdul Kareen Telgi” is also expected to release on the platform this year. “We’ve almost finished the writing and we’ll begin shooting by the end of March,” said Applause Entertainment head of content Deepak Segal. “The only detail we can share is that Scam 2003 is not a continuation of season one but is a completely new story,” revealed Golwalkar.

    “We look for longevity in our shows where we know that something like ‘Rocket Boys’ will be relevant even 50 years from now,” said Golwalkar.

  • SonyLIV’s ‘The Whistleblower’ to begin streaming on 16 Dec

    SonyLIV’s ‘The Whistleblower’ to begin streaming on 16 Dec

    Mumbai: SonyLIV has announced its latest fictional offering “The Whistleblower” that begins streaming on 16 December.

    Produced by StudioNEXT, the series features actors Ravi Kishan, Ritwik Bhowmik and Sonali Kulkarni in leading roles. Directed by Manoj Pillai, created and written by Ajay Monga, the series also features actors Ankita Sharma, Ashish Verma, Hemant Kher, Joy Sengupta, Riddhi Khakar, Sachin Khedekar and Zakir Hussain among others in prominent roles.

    The series is inspired by a series of true events across India. The show traces the journey of Dr Sanket played by Ritwik, a final year medical student who gets himself entangled in a chain of events that trigger chaos within a system. The repercussions of Sanket’s actions take a toll on his personal life and his world starts to crumble.

    Directed by Manoj Pillai, created and written by Ajay Monga, the series also features actors Ankita Sharma, Ashish Verma, Hemant Kher, Joy Sengupta, Riddhi Khakar, Sachin Khedekar and Zakir Hussain among others in prominent roles. “This is my first directorial-debut and I couldn’t have asked for a story better than this,” said Manoj Pillai. “The script is new-age, pathbreaking and bold. I am elated to be backed by SonyLIV and StudioNEXT who are known to push the bar and create authentic and gripping content.”

    “‘The Whistleblower’ is a fictional story but is absolutely relevant to India. We are happy to bring a power-packed narrative that has been put together by StudioNEXT, Manoj Pillai and Ajay Monga,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head – content SonyLIV and Sony Entertainment Television Ashish Golwalkar.

    “At StudioNEXT, it’s our endeavour to present to our viewers ‘entertainment shows with a purpose,” said StudioNEXT head Indranil Chakraborty. “In line with this thought, we are excited to present an impactful and compelling story with ‘The Whistleblower’. With a brilliant set of actors, the series has been spearheaded by a strong team led by the creative vision of Ritesh Modi. Ajay Monga’s writing and Manoj Pillai’s direction brilliantly work together bringing alive the story with utmost authenticity.”

    “‘The Whistleblower’ is a fictional story with shades of real incidents that have frequently occurred around us,” said StudioNEXT creative director Ritesh Modi. “Hence it was our priority to keep the story authentic and engaging in its narration. I am very delighted that the show stands high on parameters that makes it a compelling watch.”

    “‘The Whistleblower’ is a story of a privileged medical student who takes his lifestyle and opportunities for granted,” said writer and creator Ajay Monga. “His casual approach and reckless actions result in his own moral compass of right and wrong being compromised. Later, his conscience ultimately leaves him with no option but to turn into a Whistle-blower.

    “Playing a character like Sanket in ‘The Whistleblower’ has been challenging yet fulfilling,” said actor Ritwik Bhowmik. “The script and director’s vision helped me shape the character of Sanket and bring depth to it. I am grateful to SonyLIV and StudioNEXT for this career-defining opportunity.”

    “Jayraj’s character has been one of the most interesting one in my career,” said actor Ravi Kishan. “The character has many layers and needed to be played with utmost conviction. I hope the viewers find it interesting and enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed playing it.”

  • SonyLIV announces six sponsors for ‘Shark Tank India’

    SonyLIV announces six sponsors for ‘Shark Tank India’

    Mumbai: SonyLIV has signed six sponsors for “Shark Tank India,” which is set to premiere on 20 December. The streaming platform has partnered with upGrad, Acko General Insurance, Black Dog Drinking Soda as the ‘co-presenting’ sponsors, Cashfree Payments as ‘payments’ partner, Flipkart as ‘digital’ partner and Dell Technologies as ‘technology’ partner.

    SonyLIV has sold out almost 75 per cent of its ad inventory two months before the show goes on-air. It has generated the maximum interest from categories like BFSI, e-commerce, ed-tech, digital payments, consumer durables, and technology brands. “With the launch of the India edition of Shark Tank, we will be adding to our library of diverse, engaging content,” said Sony Pictures Networks India senior vice president and head of ad revenue Ranjana Mangla. “The show has a unique proposition that has attracted brands from across categories such as e-commerce, ed-tech, beverages, consumer durables, handset, auto and BFSI. Currently, we have managed to sell over 75 per cent of our ad inventory and onboarded six sponsors for the show.”

    Based on the business reality show “Shark Tank,” the show will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas, business prototypes or active businesses to business experts aka ‘The Sharks.’ The show will be telecasted on Sony Entertainment Television channel.

    The ‘Sharks’ that will appear on the show include Ashneer Grover (BharatPe founder and managing director), Vineeta Singh (Sugar Cosmetics CEO and co-founder), Peyush Bansal (Lenskart founder and CEO), Namita Thapar (Emcure Pharmaceuticals executive director), Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com – People Group founder and CEO), Ghazal Alagh ( Mamaearth co-founder and chief mama) and Aman Gupta (boAt co-founder and chief marketing officer). The show will be hosted by Rannvijay Singha who will act as a guide for the pitchers on the show and the audience alike.

    “We at Acko definitely understand what it takes to turn a dream into a successful venture. So, we are excited to be associating with the first-ever season of Shark Tank India, a show that we believe can help boost India’s start-up ecosystem and encourage entrepreneurship across India,” said Acko executive vice president marketing Ashish Mishra.

    “At upGrad, it is our aim to support professionals in their lifelong learning journey and equip them with evolving skills required to venture out into the professional world, which shall also help them survive the market roller-coaster,” said upGrad chief executive officer Arjun Mohan. “This is similar to what Shark Tank India aims to do with the aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking forward to creating successful businesses for a better future of our country.”

    “We are elated to associate with Shark Tank India, in their bid to support budding entrepreneurs and the rapidly-growing Indian start-up ecosystem,” said Cashfree Payments co-founder and chief executive officer Akash Sinha. “We look forward to nurturing this partnership, which will help us contribute towards the development of a favorable business environment to foster innovation in the startup space.”

  • ABP Studios’ ‘Karkhanisanchi Waari’ to premiere on SonyLIV on 10 Dec

    ABP Studios’ ‘Karkhanisanchi Waari’ to premiere on SonyLIV on 10 Dec

    Mumbai: ABP Studios’ co-produced Marathi feature film “Karkhanisanchi Waari” (Ashes on a Road Trip) will stream exclusively on SonyLIV, 10 December onwards.

    Previously, the film was invited to prestigious screenings in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Toronto, Stuttgart, and London after receiving praise and acclaim from international film critics. It won an award as one of the best five films at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The film was also a part of the Indian Panorama section of the 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), held in Goa on 23 January.

    The film features an ensemble cast including Dr Mohan Agashe, Amey Wagh, Mrunmayee Deshpande, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Vandana Gupte, Shubhangi Gokhale, Pradeep Velankar and Pradeep Joshi. “The purpose behind any film shouldn’t only be entertainment, it should make you think or ponder upon situations around you and that’s what this film does in a brilliant way,” said Dr Agashe at the premiere of the film.

    The film, directed by Mangesh Joshi, is a funny, heartfelt story about a dysfunctional ‘last joint family of Pune,’ which takes a comic look at death. The film’s plot is crammed into a Maruti Omni on a road trip from Pune to Pandharpur to fulfill the last wishes of the family’s beloved patriarch.

    “All the characters in the film are relatable to all age groups. Viewers can easily relate to the situations in the film with their day-to-day conflicts amongst families,” said actor Amey Wagh.

    The film is produced by Archana Borhade (Nine Archers Picture Company) and co-produced by Zulfia Waris (ABP Studios).

  • Sony Sports ropes in five sponsors for ‘The Ashes 2021’

    Sony Sports ropes in five sponsors for ‘The Ashes 2021’

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) is set to telecast ‘The Ashes 2021’ live from 8 December. The broadcaster has roped in BYJU’s, Policy Bazaar, Siggnature Elaichi, Bosch Appliances, Dafa News as sponsors.

    The series will be aired on Sony Six (English), Sony Ten 3 (Hindi), and Sony Ten 4 (Tamil and Telugu) channels and livestreamed on its on-demand OTT platform, SonyLIV.

    “The Ashes is the platinum standard of Test cricket and has raised the bar of Test cricket over the years. Sony Sports channels will broadcast the series in four languages for the first time, English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, so that cricket enthusiasts all over the country can enjoy the matches in their language of choice,” said Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer of distribution and head sports business Rajesh Kaul. “With a galaxy of superstars on both test teams, the much-anticipated series promises to be a tight-knit contest and has garnered a brilliant response from the advertisers as well.”

    The Hindi commentary panel will feature prominent names like Vivek Razdan, Saba Karim, Atish Thukral, Raman Bhanot, Snehal Pradhan, and Reetinder Singh Sodhi. The Tamil commentary panel will have former cricketers and legends Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Woorkeri Raman along with Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, T Arasu, S Seshadri, Arun Venugopal, Aarti Sankaran, and Sunil Viswanthan in presence while the Telugu commentary panel will feature Keerthi Viswanadha, Prem Sagar, Vijay Mahavadi, Sudheer Mahavadi, RJ Hemant, Venkatapathy Raju, C Venkatesh, Vijay Mahavadi and Sandeep Kumar.

    The first test match will start on 8 December at 5.30 a.m (IST) at The Gabba, Brisbane. The next test match will be held at Adelaide Oval starting at 9:30 a.m (IST) followed by the third test match on 26 December at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starting at 5 a.m (IST). The fourth test match will be played at Sydney Cricket Ground starting on 5 January 2022 at 5 a.m (IST) followed by the last test match on 14 January at Perth Stadium starting at 8 a.m (IST).

  • In a first, major OTT platforms to participate in IFFI

    In a first, major OTT platforms to participate in IFFI

    Mumbai: The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will see participation from major OTT platforms, for the first time in its history. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, SonyLIV, and Voot will participate at IFFI that is being held in Goa starting 20 November.

    The festival will offer exclusive masterclasses, content launches, previews, and much more. The 52nd edition of IFFI will be held in hybrid format considering the present Covid-19 situation.

    Netflix has organised a three-day virtual masterclass by the Paris-based renowned school of image and arts, Gobelins – School L’image. It facilitated the India premiere of the film “The Power Of The Dog” by Jane Campion, a special screening of the film “Dhamaka” including an introduction of the film by Karthik Aryan and a preview of the first episode of its upcoming crime thriller series “Aranyak” starring Raveena Tandon and Ashutosh Rana. SonyLIV is organising a masterclass by “Scam 1992” screenplay writers Sumit Purohit and Saurav Dey.

    The union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur announced that actor and member of parliament from Mathura Uttar Pradesh Hema Malini and lyricist and chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Prasoon Joshi will be conferred the Indian film personality of the year award 2021 at the festival.

    IFFI will feature 148 films from about 73 countries in the international section. The festival will have about 12 world premieres, about 7 international premieres, 26 Asia premieres, and about 64 India premieres. IFFI received 624 films from 95 countries this time, up from 69 countries in the previous edition.

    Global cinematic giants Martin Scorsese and Istevan Szabo are being honoured with the first Satyajit Ray lifetime achievement award. They will not be attending the festival physically but their video messages conveying acceptance of the award will be played.

    The opening feature film of Indian Panorama 2021 is the film “Semkhor,” directed by Aimee Baruah. This is the first-ever film made in Dimasa (dialect from Assam) to be featured at IFFI. “The Visionary” (English) directed by Shri Rajiv Parkash is the opening non-feature film in the Indian Panorama section. “The King of all the World” (El Rey de Todo El Mundo) directed by Carlos Saura will be the opening film and this will also be the film’s international premiere. IFFI 52 will come to a close with the screening of Asghar Farhadi’s “A Hero,” which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

    There will be about 18 specially curated films presented as part of the ongoing celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The festival director informed that the international jury chaired by the Iranian filmmaker Rakhshān Banietemad is coming to attend the festival. The BRICS Film Festival is being held on the sidelines of IFFI for the first time. There will be a special package presenting films from the five countries.

    The 52nd edition of IFFI is paying homage to the prominent Kannada film actor Puneet Rajkumar and iconic James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery.

    IFFI will open with a star-studded inaugural ceremony, featuring Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Shraddha Kapoor, amongst others. Karan Johar and Manish Paul will host the event.

  • SonyLIV to premiere ‘Your Honor S2’ on 19 November

    SonyLIV to premiere ‘Your Honor S2’ on 19 November

    Mumbai: SonyLIV’s first original series “Your Honor” is returning with a second season on 19 November. “Your Honor Season 2” is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Sphereorigins.

    Directed by E Niwas, the second season of the show will feature Gulshan Grover and Mahie Gill who face off against Jimmy Sheirgill. “Your Honor has been an enthralling experience overall. The experience in season 1 was exceptional and this season will be even more exciting with the ultimate face-off against Gulshan Grover,” said Sheirgill.

    “Content is blooming on OTT, and it feels great to be a part of the second season of such a popular show on SonyLIV. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing the character of a businessman who also is a powerful gang lord,” said actor Gulshan Grover.

    The show is an official adaptation of the Israeli series “Kvodo,” produced by yesTV & Koda communications. The ensemble cast also features Mita Vashisht, Suhasini Mulay, Richa Pallod, Pulkit Makol in pivotal roles. “Your Honor season 2 is an intricately-layered story, exploring the complex issues of conflict between loyalties towards one’s own blood and towards justice. The new rivalry between Bishan Khosla and the underworld is surely going to be an entertaining and thrilling experience for the viewers,” said director E Niwas.

    “Your Honor being the first series on SonyLIV 2.0, it feels great to come full circle with season 2. With talented additions to the cast, the show gets interesting twists and promises to be even more gripping,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head of content for Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV  Ashish Golwalkar.

    “At Applause, it gives us immense pleasure to work together with SonyLIV and Your Honor being the first series of 2.0 makes this alliance even more special. E Niwas along with such dazzling actors bring alive a thrilling season 2 of the series. We aim to continue entertaining our audience and hope to reach a far wider audience with Your Honor 2 on SonyLIV,” said Applause Entertainment chief executive officer Sameer Nair.

  • SonyLIV’s Saugata Mukherjee joins HBO Max as head of content, India

    SonyLIV’s Saugata Mukherjee joins HBO Max as head of content, India

    Mumbai: WarnerMedia-owned video streaming service HBO Max has brought on board SonyLIV’s Sugata Mukherjee as head of content for India.

    In this new role, Mukherjee will report to HBO Max managing director for India & Southeast Asia Amit Malhotra.

    Mukherjee comes with over 16 years of experience in digital media, TV broadcast, and publishing. He joined Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) in February last year as head of original content for the company’s digital OTT platform. Before SPN, he worked with Hotstar as content strategy and production head.

    He has been associated with Star India since 2013, first as VP and head of commissioning and later as editor – content studio, where he was responsible for content acquisitions, development, and strategy. In 2018, he moved to Hotstar.

    Mukherjee has also worked with companies like Pan Macmillan where he was the publisher and editor-in-chief. He was previously associated with Harper Collins Publishers as managing editor and rights director.