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Tag: SonyLiv

  • Sony Group’s media networks biz in India grows in Q2 FY21

    Sony Group’s media networks biz in India grows in Q2 FY21

    Mumbai: Sony Group Corp has released its financial results for Q2 FY2021 that ended on 30 September. The media conglomerate reported that Sony Pictures Entertainment’s (SPE) Indian business, which includes video distribution service SonyLIV and its leading broadcasting business, accounted for slightly less than 40 per cent of the sales of media networks in Q2.

    Its pictures segment saw a 40 per cent increase year-on-year in sales, primarily attributed to increase in sales of television productions and media networks. The sales for the pictures segment stood at $612 million. The company also reported higher advertising revenues in India YoY.

    Last month, the company signed a non-binding term sheet to merge a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel), a media company in India. Under the proposed merger, SPE would hold a majority stake in the resulting merged entity.

    Under the term sheet, the two parties are conducting mutual due diligence and Zeel has agreed to negotiate exclusively with SPE for a period of 90 days with the goal of reaching definitive agreements.

    “India has an economic base that is rapidly growing, primarily among the younger generation, and it is the largest linear TV market in the world that is still growing. In addition, the opportunity for digital distribution services is beginning to grow rapidly due to improvements in India’s communication infrastructure,” it said in a statement.

    “As a growth area in the pictures segment, we plan to continue to proactively seek opportunities to expand this business by using the profitability of the TV broadcasting business and our content assets to strengthen our digital distribution service,” it added.

  • Sony Sports to broadcast World Boxing Championships ’21 in India

    Sony Sports to broadcast World Boxing Championships ’21 in India

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) has reached an agreement with Protocol Sports Marketing to broadcast the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) 2021 World Boxing Championships in India and the Indian sub-continent.

    The 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships are being held in Belgrade, Serbia from 25 October to 6 November. The matches will be telecasted live across Sony Six channels and livestreamed on SonyLIV.

    This tournament will see India with their largest contingent at the tournament to date, with 13 boxers competing in all 13 weight classes. The 13-member Indian contingent at Belgrade for the tournament will feature top boxers like Asian medal-winners Deepak Kumar (51 kg), Shiva Thapa (63.5 kg), and Sanjeet (92 kg). 

    The remaining ten in the squad are newly crowned national champions, eager to make a mark on the international stage and make the country proud in the boxing arena. These boxers are accompanied by the experienced coaching staff, which includes high-performance director Santiago Nieva and newly appointed head coach Narender Rana with former Commonwealth Games silver-medalist L Devendro Singh.

    The AIBA World Championship brings together the best boxers from around the world to compete in a tournament steeped with history and prestige. The 2021 edition will feature current Olympic medalists and AIBA world champions like Arlen Lopez, Julio La Cruz as well as Lazaro Alvarez.

  • SonyLIV announces new web series ‘Pulwama Key No 1026’

    SonyLIV announces new web series ‘Pulwama Key No 1026’

    Mumbai: SonyLIV has announced that it will create a series on the Pulwama terror attack called “Pulwama Key No 1026,” helmed by National award-winning director Onir. 

    The eight-episode show will be based on the book “The Lover Boy of Bahawalpur” by award-winning author and journalist Rahul Pandita. “As a journalist reporting from conflict areas, my endeavour always has been to lend a face to people who otherwise get buried in history as statistics. The soldiers killed in the Pulwama attack had names, lives, dreams, hopes of the future. So do those who investigated the case painstakingly, often putting themselves in danger. I am glad that with my friend Onir we will be able to tell these individual stories all woven in one epic drama,” said Pandita, about the upcoming project.

    On 14 February 2019, a gruesome terror attack claimed the lives of 40 Indian soldiers and evoked the nation’s anger. “The series is a tribute to all those martyrs whose dreams were blown to smithereens the minute the suicide bomber’s car hit the bus,” the streaming platform said in a statement. 

    “The Pulwama terror attack did not just claim the lives of 40 CRPF Jawans, it broke India and its people,” said director and showrunner Onir. “It’s a story every Indian should know, and I feel honored to helm this project along with writer Rahul Pandita.”

    “Since its revamp last year, SonyLIV’s constant endeavor has been to highlight stories of India that have a global relevance,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head of content for SonyLIV and Sony Entertainment Television Ashish Golwalkar. “Rahul Pandita’s book The Lover Boy of Bahawalpur is a noteworthy read and brings out the unknown facts about the incident and what ensued thereon. We are pleased to announce this project that’s backed by Onir, an amazing director.”

  • upGrad partners with SET for ‘Shark Tank India’

    upGrad partners with SET for ‘Shark Tank India’

    Mumbai: Higher edtech platform upGrad on Monday announced its partnership with Sony Entertainment Television (SET) as the presenting sponsor for the first edition of “Shark Tank India” and as the co-presenting sponsor of the show on the streaming platform, SonyLIV. 

    According to a statement, this association aligns with upGrad’s vision of powering career success for the workforce as their trusted ‘life-long learning partner,’ and will also further the brand’s deep India penetration goal.

    “We are thrilled to come on board for the first-ever season of ‘Shark Tank India’ that will celebrate young entrepreneurs from across ‘Bharat’ and their zeal of creating business opportunities and employment within the country,” stated upGrad India CEO Arjun Mohan. “With this strategic partnership we are not only looking forward to coming closer to millions of individuals, but also to building an inclusive ecosystem of talent that is best placed to contribute meaningfully towards India’s growth.”

    “Shark Tank” provides a platform for business ideas and prototypes as well as active businesses to get propelled into reality by experienced investors and business experts. The international format is popular among young and aspiring entrepreneurs as well as working professionals who are also the brand’s core target audience.

    “India is rapidly turning into a digital-first economy, and the entertainment preferences of its consumers are evolving daily. Keeping this at the forefront, we have partnered with upGrad for the first-ever edition of ‘Shark Tank India’ on SonyLIV,” said SonyLIV’s head of ad sales revenue Ranjana Mangla. “With this high-quality business-oriented show, we endeavor to boost India’s growth trajectory. SonyLIV’s diverse content library will help the brand connect with the right audience. Onboarding upGrad will help us tap new audience segments and heighten our innovations for the show.”

  • SonyLIV launches first Malayalam offering ‘Kaanekkaane’

    SonyLIV launches first Malayalam offering ‘Kaanekkaane’

    Mumbai: SonyLIV’s first Malayalam offering “Kaanekkaane” is set to premiere on 17 September.

    Directed by Manu Ashokan, the film features Aishwarya Lekshmi and Shruti Ramachandra in lead roles. “SonyLIV has opened a door of opportunities for the Malayalam film industry to showcase its content. Kaanekkaane is my second project as a director, and I am happy that I got to team up with writers Bobby and Sanjay once again,” said Ashokan, who is also known for the Malayalam film “Uyare”.

    “After successfully exploring content in various languages, we are delighted to announce our first Malayalam offering. The film promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats as we connect with the Malayalam speaking audiences in India and across the globe,” said Sony Pictures Networks India head of content for SonyLIV and Sony Entertainment Television Ashish Golwalkar.

    Written by celebrated writers Bobby and Sanjayhe, the film is a mix of family drama and murder mystery. Produced by TR Shamsudheen, under the banner DreamKatcher, the film also features actors Dhanya Mary Varghese, Rony David Raj, Prem Prakash, Binu Pappu, Sruthy Jayan, and Alok Krishna in prominent roles.   

    “Each character in Kaanekkaane has been brilliantly written, and I had a great time working with Tovino and Aishwarya. My character has many facets to it and I enjoyed unravelling each layer in the film,” said actor Suraj Venjaramoodu.

    “It feels great when you have such a brilliant team of cast and crew to work with. After a long time, I had the opportunity to work with Aishwarya Lekshmi and director Manu Ashokan and the experience was amazing,” said actor Tovino Thomas.

  • SonyLIV launches PlayAlong in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu formats

    SonyLIV launches PlayAlong in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu formats

    Mumbai: SonyLIV has launched its second screen initiative – ‘PlayAlong’ in Hindi, Marathi, and Telugu formats for the new seasons of “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC), “Kon Honaar Crorepati” (KHC) and “Evaru Meelo Koteeswarulu” (EMK) airing on Sony Entertainment Television, Sony Marathi and, Gemini TV respectively.

    PlayAlong gives viewers the opportunity to win prizes worth lakhs by answering questions fielded by Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Khedekar, and NTR in their respective shows. Users need to download and register on SonyLIV to participate in PlayAlong, said the platform in a statement.

    “Capturing a diverse set of audience KBC, KHC and EMK have been the most preferred gaming reality shows,” said Sony Pictures Networks India, business operations – digital business, Amogh Dusad. “Not only do the viewers get a chance to be on the hot seat, but they also stand to win a multitude of cash gratifications every day including a chance to become lakhpati.”

  • 50+ brands advertise on SonyLIV for India’s tour of England

    50+ brands advertise on SonyLIV for India’s tour of England

    Mumbai: SonyLIV’s livestream for India tour of England attracted more than 50 advertisers including Acko General Insurance, Swiggy, Apple, CoinSwitch Kuber, Betway, Vimal Paan Masala, Abbott, TVS Tyres, Housing.com, Intel, FreshToHome, Rummy Culture, Amazon Prime Video, Accenture, and Digit Insurance, Castrol, Apollo 24*7, MRF, 188Bet, Fairplay, and NPCI among others.

    The three remaining Test matches will air on 25 August, 2 September, and 10 September.

    “As we progress from one international sporting event to another, we continue to witness an overwhelming response not only from viewers but also from advertisers,” said SonyLIV, senior vice president and head of ad revenue, Ranjana Mangla. “At SonyLIV, we remain committed to adding unique value to the respective brands and enable advertisers to get their desired reach. For India’s tour of England, we succeeded in retaining multiple brands, which reiterates our commitment to fulfil the demands of our growing partnerships. Extraaa Innings/Studio Show integrations are a great way to build stronger connect with relevant audience for the brands.”

    “SonyLIV has a noteworthy mix of entertainment and sports content that reaches our core audience on a grand scale. Therefore, Swiggy has partnered with SonyLIV extensively in recent years – the platform has consistently driven visibility and engagement for us. We are sure that the India vs England series association will bring in great RoI thanks to the significant audience interest around the series,” said Swiggy, director marketing, Umesh Krishna.

    “Our association with SonyLIV on Euro 2020 and now India vs England, has helped Acko build strong affinity in the OTT audience across our key markets of Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi,” said Acko, chief marketing officer, Ashish Mishra. “Our property called ‘ACKO Insurer Of The Day’ further helps drive brand connect. The association has helped drive brand awareness and a stronger recall amongst sports enthusiasts.”

  • SonyLiv’s new comedy show ‘Chalo Koi Baat Nahi’ to take off 20 Aug

    SonyLiv’s new comedy show ‘Chalo Koi Baat Nahi’ to take off 20 Aug

    Mumbai: SonyLIV is set to launch a satirical comedy show titled “Chalo Koi Baat Nahi” on 20 August. The six-episode show is co-created by comedians Amit Tandon and Gursimran Khamba and it focuses on issues of a common man centered around media, trains, sports, hospitals, schools, and the environment.

    The show will be hosted by Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey, who will be coming together on-screen after almost a decade. It also features Kavita Kaushik, Karan Wahi, Suresh Menon and Atul Khatri alongside talent from the digital world such as Ankush Bahuguna and Kriti Vij amongst others. The show, originally in Hindi, will be dubbed in two languages – Tamil and Telugu.

    “Bringing diverse content to the digital space, SonyLIV aims to widen its reach and cater to the viewing interest of the audience,” said Sony Pictures Networks India, head – content, Sony Entertainment Television and digital business, Ashish Golwalkar. “We also strongly believe that relatable comedy shows in the entertainment space is the need of the hour. And Chalo Koi Baat Nahi, a satirical sketch comedy with great performances put up by the artists. The show interestingly captures the challenges of the common man while bringing in loads of laughter. As showrunners, Gursimran Khamba and Amit Tandon have been successful in creating an out and out family entertainer.”

    “It’s been truly fun and rewarding an experience working on Chalo Koi Baat Nahi. It’s unlike any other comedy-drama; it’s old school and the kind of show you can watch with your whole family,” said the showrunner Gursimran Khamba. “Besides, it’s a very classical format – In this show, we look at subjects like education, environment, etc. in India. The show brings to light important challenges that we face on a daily basis in an entertaining and light manner. Viewers can expect laughs, a lot of fun cameos from familiar people will help one unwind at the end of a hard day.”

    “It has been such a tremendous experience creating this show, working with Gursimran and a very talented crew that has given their best,” said the showrunner Amit Tandon. “There are about four sketches in each episode making it a total of 24 sketches and that increased the complexity of casting and production processes and involved a lot of switching between locations. It’s been a journey that we won’t forget, and we hope the audience enjoys watching it as much as we did making it.”

  • SPSN to air ‘WWE SummerSlam 2021’ on 22 August

    SPSN to air ‘WWE SummerSlam 2021’ on 22 August

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) is set to air “WWE SummerSlam 2021” starting 22 August, 5:30 a.m onwards. The wrestling show will be available on Sony Ten 1 in English, Sony Ten 3 in Hindi, Sony Ten 4 in Tamil and Telugu, and streaming live on SonyLIV.

    The “WWE Summerslam 2021” kick-off will begin at 4:30 a.m followed by the main event.

    “WWE SummerSlam 2021” will feature John Cena, battling the current WWE universal champion, Roman Reigns for the WWE universal championship belt. John Cena is a professional wrestler, actor, television presenter, New York Times best-selling author who has starred in Hollywood blockbusters like “The Suicide Squad”, “Fast & Furious 9” and more.

    SPSN has launched a campaign “John Cena Returns” to celebrate the comeback of the professional wrestler after a 15-month hiatus.

    “WWE SummerSlam 2021” will be attended by over 60,000 fans packing in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. The main event will also feature matchups from the WWE universe like Bobby Lashley against Goldberg for the “WWE Championship”, a triple threat match between Nikki ASH, Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley for the “Raw Women’s Championship” and much more.

  • SonyLIV’s Marathi original series ‘Shantit Kranti’ to premiere on 13 August

    SonyLIV’s Marathi original series ‘Shantit Kranti’ to premiere on 13 August

    Mumbai: SonyLIV is all set to launch its first Marathi original series “Shantit Kranti” on 13 August. The show is dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

    Directed by Sarang Sathaye and Paula McGlynn, founders of the YouTube page Bharatiya Digital Party (Bhadipa), the web series features Abhay Mahajan, Lalit Prabhakar and Alok Rajwade in the lead roles along with Vijay Nikam and Bollywood actor Shikha Talsania in prominent roles. Actors Sakhi Gokhale, Mrinmayee Godbole, Amey Wagh, Sarang Sathaye, Jitendra Joshi will also appear on the show.

    The story captures the quirky camaraderie of three best friends, Shreyas, Dinar and Prasanna, who hit the road, embarking on a journey of self-discovery that unknowingly changes their lives forever, said the press statement.

    “SonyLIV has been at the forefront of bringing to life authentic and relevant stories of India to our viewers,” said Sony Pictures Networks India, head – content, SET and digital business, Ashish Golwalkar. “As we strengthen our slate of regional content, we’re proud to announce our first Marathi original, ‘Shantit Kranti’ in collaboration with two content powerhouses, TVF and Bhadipa. The show captures the true essence of friendship that holds great relevance for today’s urban youth. It also brings together exceptionally strong characters played by a stellar ensemble cast and has a captivating storyline.”

    “We are grateful to collaborate with SonyLIV, a platform that has been making in-roads with regional content,” said Sarang Sathaye and Paula McGlynn in a joint statement. “‘Shantit Kranti’ is everyone’s story put together on screen, and we are sure the audience from all demographics will relate to it. The stories, experiences, laughter, and the message that comes out of it, make it an extremely enjoyable watch.”