ITV

Tag: Uday Sodhi

  • SonyLIV to live stream Riot Games’ ‘League of Legends’

    SonyLIV to live stream Riot Games’ ‘League of Legends’

    MUMBAI: Sports has become one of the key content being watched online. The concept of esports is evolving slowly. For the digital sports lovers, SonyLIV will now live stream the year’s biggest esports event that is ‘Riot Games’ League of Legends World Championship. The championship is taking place at the Beijing National Stadium also known as ‘The Birds Nest.’

    Through SonyLIV’s association with Riot Games, viewers get access to the live stream of League of Legends’ World Championship finals – an annual event with a massive global audience.

    SonyLIV will stream the championship live on 4 November 2017 at 12:30 pm. With this association, SonyLIV users get access to watch the two teams Samsung Galaxy and SK Telecom T1 fight their battle to win the Summoner’s Cup.

    SonyLIV  EVP and head-digital business Uday Sodhi said, “SonyLIV is all about going beyond regular content and giving our audience a never seen before experience. Keeping this in mind and bringing our brand ethos ‘We LIV to entertain’ alive, we are glad to associate with Riot games to bring esports for the first time to Indian audience on the OTT platform.”

    Riot Games country manager – India Anurag Khurana said, “We are excited to partner with SonyLIV to bring the global finals of our premier esports event to an Indian audience. Riot is committed to bring the highest levels of player focused gaming entertainment to our Indian fans, who we are confident will enjoy the finals.”

    Riot Games is one of the world’s premier game developers known for their unrelenting focus on putting players first. Their initial title, League of Legends is a fast-paced, competitive online game that blends the speed and intensity of an RTS with RPG elements and helped define the popular ‘MOBA’ (multiplayer online battle arena) genre.

    Also Read:

    SonyLIV brings English non-fiction content on unique homes

    SonyLiv plans to take unique food content to 8k hrs by Sept ’18

    SonyLiv starts streaming KBC with 7 sponsors

  • Uday Sodhi bets long on short films on SonyLiv

    Uday Sodhi bets long on short films on SonyLiv

    MUMBAI: We like it short. That’s the message that subscribers of SonyLiv from Sony Pictures Networks India have been telling the programming team. Led by CEO Uday Sodhi, it noticed that its four to five million subs were rapidly lapping up its portfolio of 500 short films which were on offer to them. What was pleasantly surprising was that watch time for these shorts had rapidly grown to around 10 per cent of the total on the OTT service in just one and a half year since these were introduced.

    Thus to further encourage engagement and stickiness, the team unvieled a new bunch of 50 short films last week on the app. Cherry picked from Mumbai-based content and aggregator and distributor Pocket Films’ catalogue, which included a clutch of award winning shorts, its offering has swelled to 550 now.

    Says Sodhi: “Short films on SonyLiv are a very large category. We keep looking in the market to see where good quality short films are available so that we can offer a good range to our regular visitors. We have selected the top films based on their quality of content, which are award winning and critically acclaimed. Also a few films have the film festival touch in them.”

    Among some of the more popular short film titles viewers can now snack or binge watch include: the Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Tejaswini Kolhapure starrer film Salt N Pepper, Tubelight ka Chand by Anurag Kashyap, sSknoia Waapasi, Umbrella, Living is Easy, Gotya, Lori, Aachor, Destiny’s Two, Viola, Kundli, ABC, Smothered, Girl in Red, Love Pichkaari, Watermelon, A Gentle Giant, The Break Up, Laugh, Aakhri Sawari, Rishtey, Kite, Aai, Anjaan, and Bhopal Diaries.

    Sodhi was loathe to reveal the deal that SonyLiv had signed with Pocket Film, saying that it is a private commercial transaction between the two. However, sources reveal that Pocket Films which is among the leading aggregators of short films and videos on Youtube, has probably struck a revenue share deal with SonyLiv.

    All that Pocket Films CEO and founder Sameer Mody is willing to say was that he was happy to partner with SonyLiv and that he was hopeful that the association will help “us widen the reach of our offering.”

    Sodhi, on his part however, is quite confident that viewership of short films on SonyLiv will head in only in one direction: northwards, though he was not willing to bet by how much.
    Says he: “We believe that digital cinema can be told in different lengths. On digital, we have found that a lot of consumption happens in the 20-40 minutes range. It is an exciting form of storytelling to tell a story in this length.”

    That kind of consumption would make any OTT business head smack his chops.

  • LoveBytes 2: SonyLiv’s Sodhi says prime focus is youth issues; international Aus matches after Diwali

    LoveBytes 2: SonyLiv’s Sodhi says prime focus is youth issues; international Aus matches after Diwali

    MUMBAI: What happens when love revisits your door and you decide whether to let it in or not. This is today’s basic situation which youth is facing, according to SonyLiv team.

    Addressing this confusing state of mind that most of us go through, SonyLiv takes on the concept of love, break-ups, unrequited love and the repercussions of the ‘second chances’ with the second season of its signature web series LoveBytes, with LuvIt.

    The new season got under way on 11 October 2017.

    SonyLiv EVP and digital business head Uday Sodhi said, “Season first was a great success in terms of gaining audience. We wanted to create a new audience for OTT. And now, we have audience who would come to us to watch our originals. LoveBytes season 2 is an expensive series with six television actors in it, and the production cost per episode is more than the cost of a television episode. The shooting of LoveBytes season 2 has been done on locations in Mumbai, Lonavala and Madh Island.”

    LoveBytes season 2 came after two years of season 1, which released in September 2015. Sodhi said, “In the last two years, we have experimented with 40 originals on our platform. Besides our sports, movies and shows offerings, originals became a new category for us which brings in a lot of digital natives who live and breathe digitally. Hence, it has created a bigger buzz for us. Therefore, we are creating more shows based on issues related to urban audience, related to youth and issues which common people face in their day to day life.”

    SonyLiv team says, “LoveBytes Season 1 beautifully encapsulates the nitty-gritties of relationships and sheds light on the things that are necessary for an urban relationship to sustain itself. The first season took us through the clicks and clashes between Ananya (Sukhmani Sadana) and Abhishek (Kushal Punjabi), a new-age couple.”

    “The first season ended on a bitter note with the lead couple Ananya and Abhishek ending their relationship. After the success of season 1, the second season takes on from there and revolves around how the two of them are dealing with their lives after choosing their individual paths. This season also introduces characters like Gunjan (Shweta Gulati), Varun (Manish Goel), Soniya (Manasi Scott) and Vikram (Ayaz Khan) who impact the relationship of Ananya and Abhishek in their own ways. The series underlines the journey of these characters, all while discovering the true meaning of love.”

    About BARC India entry into digital measurement, Sodhi said, “When there is an industry standard on the point of measurement, it helps industry to grow. We are excited about it. OTT measurement will become easier and transparent, so we are participating in the process and giving all information to BARC.”

    After Diwali, Sodhi said, SonyLiv will be streaming all men’s international matches played in Australia, beginning with the Ashes Series in November 2017 played between England and Australia.

  • SonyLIV brings English non-fiction content on unique homes

    SonyLIV brings English non-fiction content on unique homes

    MUMBAI: SonyLIV and Jossbox have co-produced a web-series called ‘House Proud.’ The story will showcase beautiful makeovers of personal spaces.

    The title of six-story series is sponsored by Asian Paints, co-powered by Whirlpool and Curo Carte. The series carries a spatial transformation that helps the owners to realize the beauty of their own homes.

    SonyLIV EVP and digital business head Uday Sodhi said, “House Proud aims to bring out the intricate relationship that people have with their favourite spaces at home and give budding designers a platform to metamorphose these spaces into beautiful, aesthetic, functional and comfortable corners. The concept integrates well with SonyLIV’s goal to be the primary provider of innovative, never-seen-before content in India.”

    “Being the first English non-fiction content to be featured on SonyLIV, we are extremely confident of the series’ success and its ability to strike a chord with audiences who desire to witness a transformative journey that begins with a vision and ends with its realization,” he added.

    The show will feature homeowners from six different cities in India, each with their unique stories and vision which they want to be reflected in their personal spaces they provide. In this task, they will be assisted by a talented designer and an interior decorator to help them pick and choose the right mix of furniture and fittings.

    Jossbox co-founder Omer Basith said, “Everybody has certain dreams regarding how they want the living spaces of their homes to look and feel like. With House Proud, we are giving six participants the chance to live through this process of transformation and the audiences an opportunity to watch this beautiful journey. We are thrilled to partner with SonyLIV, which has never before featured an English non-fiction content, as our first collaboration with an OTT platform, making this journey of firsts a special one.”

    This six-episodic series of time duration 8-12 minute will feature young talented designers who will reveal a certain method to the madness with their unique aesthetic sense and chaotic work styles to transform the spaces of six homes for the first time.

    From a bachelor transforming his duplex to an old couple trying to settle into a retired life by redoing their study, House Proud, is about the different circumstances of its participants and the process of rediscovery that they go through by reimagining their familiar spaces.

  • Snapdeal users can now enjoy SonyLiv content, says Uday Sodhi

    Snapdeal users can now enjoy SonyLiv content, says Uday Sodhi

    MUMBAI: Snapdeal has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with SonyLIV to offer a host of benefits to its users in the upcoming festive sale. To begin with, all Snapdeal users will get a free 3-month subscription to SonyLIV; the digital platform of Sony Pictures Networks India.The free subscription will also be available to holders of the Snapdeal HDFC bank credit card. Apart from this, Snapdeal has also entered into a distribution partnership with SonyLIV, where Snapdeal would be promoting the SonyLIV platform.

    Snapdeal chief business officer Vishal Chadha said, “We are pleased to partner with an innovator like SonyLIV to bring hours of premium entertainment content to our customers, on demand and free of cost. At Snapdeal, we believe in always pushing the envelope on what “consumption” means to our users. As with every passing day, India consumes more and more content digitally, this is a step in meeting our consumers where they are.”

    Sony Pictures EVP and head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “At SonyLIV, our objective is to provide engaging, high-quality entertainment to Indian audiences in a single click. Our partnership with Snapdeal is an exemplification of this vision. This collaboration is a huge value-add to Snapdeal users, who can now enjoy some of the choicest content available on SonyLIV besides fulfilling their shopping needs.”

  • SonyLiv starts streaming KBC with 7 sponsors

    SonyLiv starts streaming KBC with 7 sponsors

    MUMBAI: “To chaliye, hum aur aap milkar khelte hain Kaun Banega Crorepati.” With these legendary words, the biggest star of Bollywood’s galaxy, Amitabh Bachchan, announced Indian television’s grandest show in his baritone.

    Seventeen years hence and in its ninth season, the quiz game show crosses the threshold of TV and entered a fresh territory in digital, but with the same flamboyance. Riding on SonyLiv, the new season of KBC will be the first to be streamed online, and it has already become the property to acquire the highest number of sponsors.

    Sony Pictures Networks India EVP and head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “Kaun Banega Crorepati has revolutionised the viewership for the game show. This year, we decided to further augment its massive fan base by involving the digital audience. The programme has seen high traction from advertisers. With KBC’s launch on SonyLiv, there has been a rapid increase in the digital viewership and further strengthening of SonyLiv’s position among its users.”

    The show will be available on SonyLiv on a linear feed on subscription + VoD mode to allow viewers to test their IQ anytime, anywhere!

    KBC has been able to rope in seven of the biggest brands in India as its sponsors, a record for any content category. The popularity of the show can be gauged from the fact that Indian telecom’s most talked about brand, Jio, has come on board as the show’s presenting sponsor on SonyLiv and also has a unique proposition this season.

    Viewers of KBC can match their knowledge with the contestants on the hot seat with Jio KBC Play Along. This can be done by downloading the Jio Chat app on their phones.

    The show is co-powered by India’s largest online automobile marketplace Droom and the go-to brand for Ayurvedic products, Patanjali and driven by Datsun. Gujarat Tourism functions as its associate sponsor. EaseMyTrip has grabbed the role of KBC’s travel partner while caring for its health is Fortune Vivo Diabetes Care Oil.

    SonyLiv has been at the forefront of introducing the exclusive and highly anticipated content from all over the world on its platform. KBC’s inclusion within SonyLiv’s repertoire further cements its position as the ultimate destination for the finest content.

    With a few alterations in the lifelines, the timer, and a digital transfer of the winning amount, the new season of KBC has been a superbly entertaining ride so far, and it promises to be even more so, on digital!

  • SonyLiv to scale up via Amazon Fire & Apple TV, courtesy Cisco IVP

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) and Cisco will together extend SonyLiv video experience to Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV customers in India.

    The Cisco Infinite Video Platform (IVP) provides SonyLiv with a fully cloud-based infrastructure, allowing it to offer more than 40,000 hours of broadcast-quality premium viewing experiences, including Live TV.

    Cisco IVP features superior security protocols that protect the video content from all kinds of threats. Through Cisco IVP, SonyLiv will be able to scale up, brand and market its OTT app on Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV in India.

    Users have access to rich content including movies, a strong line-up of events across all sports, shows, music, TV shows and much more across multiple devices and platforms.

    SonyLiv EVP and Head – Digital Business Uday Sodhi said,“SonyLiv has reinvented how users immerse themselves in unmatched entertainment experience. Our association with Cisco provides us the ability to extend our SonyLiv offering to a new set of consumers,allowing them access to our vast content catalogue. Our focus is on bringing the best of Cisco’s technology expertise and our content prowess to establish new benchmarks in the OTT space.”

    Cisco India & SAARC MD – service provider business Sanjay Kaul said, “Superior-quality videos are the way forward. Video will be 75 per cent of India’s mobile data traffic by 2021. Therefore, it is imperative that content-providers are equipped to scale up and deliver dynamic user experience. Cisco’s Infinite Video Platform offers SonyLiv an opportunity to secure its place as the leader by delivering broadcast-quality entertainment to Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV consumers.”

  • Sony sports channels to broadcast India’s cricket tour of Lanka

    MUMBAI: The Sony Pictures Sports Networks will broadcast India cricket team’s tour of Sri Lanka, which kicks off on 26 July 2017. The recent rebranding of sports channels has helped Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) to devote Sony SIX, Sony SIX HD, Sony Ten 3 and Sony Ten 3HD for cricket coverage in English and Hindi, respectively.

    Viewers on the go can also watch the series by live streaming it on the SonyLIV app and on its website, according to a statement from SPNI.
    The series promises to be a treat for cricket enthusiasts with three Tests, five ODIs and a standalone T20 to be played across four scenic venues in Sri Lanka.

    India’s tour of Sri Lanka will also see the Sony network’s celebrated live wrap-around analysis show ‘Extraaa Innings’ hosted by Harsha Bhogle. Cricket expert lined up for such pre, post and live match coverage and analysis include Sunil Gavaskar, Ajay Jadeja, Murali Kartik, Russel Arnold and Simon Doull.

    SPN India president, distribution and sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “With two channels dedicated to cricket, we are committed to offering Indian cricket fans with the finest of cricketing action in 2017.”   

    SonyLIV EVP and head-digital business Uday Sodhi said, “SonyLIV has established its foothold as India’s premium digital entertainment destination when it comes to entertainment and sports, and it further reinforces its position as the ultimate online destination for the sports fan with India’s tour of Sri Lanka.”

    public://schedule.jpg

    Also Read:

    India-Sri Lanka test series net  a bagful  of ground & instadia sponsors

    Sony ropes in Tendulkar as it rebrands sports portfolio, adds two HD channels

    ITW bags ad rights from Sony, India series sponsor & partners’ announcement shortly

  • SonyLiv partners Pocket Aces, brings Filter Copy & Gobble originals

    MUMBAI: Underlining its commitment to provide the best entertainment experience, SonyLiv, the digital video entertainment platform of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), has announced a strategic partnership with Pocket Aces. With this partnership, latest content including iconic short videos from the Pocket Aces channel FilterCopy and food videos from its channel Gobble will now be available as a part of SonyLiv’s extensive content catalogue.

    The partnership will augment SonyLiv’s repertoire of entertainment offerings and allow Pocket Aces the opportunity to distribute its content to SPN’s audiences, which are different from the audience on its own social channels, thus also benefiting the advertisers and brands that partner with them for snackable content.

    Says SonyLiv EVP and head – digital business Uday Sodhi: “Our partnership with Pocket Aces aims at bolstering our already extensive content library with even more high-quality entertainment. The association will help us in meeting the growing demand for short-form video content in India and further consolidate our position as the country’s premium digital entertainment destination. We are confident our viewers will enjoy this high-quality addition to our content offerings as well as greater viewing flexibility and convenience that the partnership enables.”

    Pocket Aces co-founder Aditi Shrivastava: “We are excited to partner with SPN’s digital platform – SonyLiv and reach a completely new set of audiences through them. We reach over 25 million people on a weekly basis through our own pages and have been working with large brand partners to create some very successful content. Having our content distributed across various OTT platforms will benefit our brand partners and build a rich IP library. We will add to it this year with four web series and over 500 videos. We are glad to have several avenues to distribute this content.”

  • SonyLiv’s content mirroring contemporary trends key differentiator, says Uday Sodhi

    MUMBAI: Lives today are a rigmarole of never-ending deadlines, household chores, family commitments and work life pressures. This cyclical orchestra of mounting pressures and waning pleasures leave an indelible impact on modern day relationships. With its focus on compelling storytelling that mirrors trends in our society, SonyLIV released its two latest short films – ‘Papa We Love You Too’ and ‘The Gift’ and had the celebrities participate in an engaging discussion on the subject – ‘Digital storytelling that mirrors relationship trends in contemporary Indian Society.’

    In its endeavour to present great narratives coupled with exemplary performances and production values, SonyLIV is creating ripples in digital entertainment with the release of its short films. Starring actors Jimmy Shergill, Lekh Tandon, Gul Panag, Mandira Bedi and Kushal Punjabi both films are poised to resonate with the audiences and take them on a reflective entertainment journey.

    The film ‘Papa We Love You Too’ revolves around the protagonist Vikas, portrayed by Jimmy Shergill, who is a 40-year old single parent. A workaholic, his life centers around his professional achievements and materialistic acquisitions, eventually weakening his bond with his 8-year old son. The shadow of this relationship is also reflected in the one that Vikas shares with his father, played by veteran director, writer and actor Lekh Tandon.

    ‘The Gift’, on the other hand, is an edge-of-the-seat thriller which describes the complexities of contemporary relationships, with actors Kushal Punjabi, Gul Panag and Mandira Bedi portraying powerful roles. The stylized narrative lays special emphasis on the visuals while the quick paced editing throws light on how the ruthlessness of modern life and our overarching desires make us commit incomprehensible acts.

    SonyLIV EVP Uday Sodhi says: “The key differentiator of SonyLIV versus other digital players is our ability to constantly provide content that mirrors trends in society. In the category of short films alone, we have a library of more than 500 originals. Compelling story telling coupled with superior performances is a winning formula for creating lasting impressions. These films echo our sustained efforts at providing our audiences with original, unique and thought-provoking content that resonates long after its runtime is over.”