Tag: Uday Sodhi

SonyLiv showcases funny insights into marital life with ‘Married Woman Diaries’

MUMBAI: Tired of melodramatic soaps that you really can’t relate to? If you are craving for something different and fresh to keep you entertained, then SonyLiv, has just the show for you. The platform is all set to roll out Married Woman Diaries, an original digital series directed by Kabir Sadanand which chronicles the lives and issues of an urban couple through the perspective of the female partner.

With every episode showcasing the issues, differences and disagreements that the couple deals with on a daily basis, the 10 episodic web series will be available on the platform 26 December. Episodes will range in duration from 12 to 15 minutes and will offer funny insights into marital life, from the wife’s point-of-view.

Produced by Frog Unlimited, the show is a humorous take on the lives of Shweta, a stand-up comedian, played by Suzanna Mukherjee, and her husband Rishi, a senior marketing manager in an ad agency, played by Abhishek Rawat.

“With their entertainment sensibilities having evolved beyond the run-of-the-mill, the Indian web viewer is on the lookout for new and relevant content that breaks free from the stale formulaic formats. Given the novelty of the concept and the relatability of the situation, we are confident that the forthcoming original, web-series, ‘Married Woman Diaries’, will be a massive hit with our millennials, underlining our new brand proposition of We Liv to Entertain,” said Sony Pictures Networks India EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

As different as chalk and cheese, the two are still head-over-heels in love with each other even after two years of being married. But as Shweta deals with the changes in her husband post marriage, love seems to be gasping for breath amidst wet towels and messy kitchens, leading to hilarious situations that firmly establish that marriage.

This show is completely in sync with SonyLiv’s renewed brand ethos, ‘We Liv to Entertain’, and underlines the platform’s status as the ultimate destination for experiencing diverse, high-quality entertainment with engaging stories and a talented troop of performers.

December 26, 2016
SonyLiv to present Piyush Mishra starrer ‘Kathakaar’

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) digital entertainment platform SonyLiv, is known to stay at the forefront with its rich and exclusive content offering to its viewers. The platform is now presenting the movie- Kathakaar to its audiences on 19 December.

The film is in line with SonyLiv’s association with the film division of Whistling Woods International (WWI), Connect1. Renowned actor and lyricist Piyush Mishra plays the lead in the short film.

“We are delighted to showcase Kathakaar exclusively on our platform. The narrative is powerfully evocative and we hope our viewers will enjoy watching it.Through our association with the film division of Whistling Woods International, we aim to present more exclusive and riveting entertainment to our viewers in the near future,” said SPN EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

Conceptualised by the students from WWI, the movie was also one of the semi-finalists in the Foreign Narrative Category at 43rd Annual Student Academy Awards. The film is directed by Abhimanyu Kanodia, produced by Shraddha Singh and Naveed M, captured by Mitesh Parvatneni, edited by Pavi Trehan and sound designed by Kunal Lolsure.

Kathakaar is the story of Prakash, an old theatre projectionist who loses his job owing to changing technology and goes back to his native village. Depressed with this sudden loss of job, he struggles to figure out what to do with his life. After he succeeds in making a crying child laugh with his storytelling skills, he gathers his confidence, takes a chance to become a storyteller for the entire village, thereby rediscovering his passion. The narrative of Kathakaar, welcomes this new beginning in the life of Prakash.

Mishra added, “With Kathakaar, I went purely with my gut feeling. I reject a lot of scripts, but there was an X Factor about this one. I also had a question in mind as to how so much could be projected in such a short time span of 10 minutes. As an actor, the character I play grabbed my interest. Having said that, I had no clue that the film would be so well made, and would go on to do so well.”

The film has so far won 13 awards, including 3 international awards and has been officially selected at 26 film festivals across the globe. Amongst international honours, the film has bagged awards at renowned film festivals such as the 5th Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival, 5th Washington D.C. South Asian Film Festival, Washington D.C., II International Motivational Film Festival, Russia and 6th Jagran Film Festival, Mumbai.

December 20, 2016
SonyLiv to present Piyush Mishra starrer ‘Kathakaar’

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) digital entertainment platform SonyLiv, is known to stay at the forefront with its rich and exclusive content offering to its viewers. The platform is now presenting the movie- Kathakaar to its audiences on 19 December.

The film is in line with SonyLiv’s association with the film division of Whistling Woods International (WWI), Connect1. Renowned actor and lyricist Piyush Mishra plays the lead in the short film.

“We are delighted to showcase Kathakaar exclusively on our platform. The narrative is powerfully evocative and we hope our viewers will enjoy watching it.Through our association with the film division of Whistling Woods International, we aim to present more exclusive and riveting entertainment to our viewers in the near future,” said SPN EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

Conceptualised by the students from WWI, the movie was also one of the semi-finalists in the Foreign Narrative Category at 43rd Annual Student Academy Awards. The film is directed by Abhimanyu Kanodia, produced by Shraddha Singh and Naveed M, captured by Mitesh Parvatneni, edited by Pavi Trehan and sound designed by Kunal Lolsure.

Kathakaar is the story of Prakash, an old theatre projectionist who loses his job owing to changing technology and goes back to his native village. Depressed with this sudden loss of job, he struggles to figure out what to do with his life. After he succeeds in making a crying child laugh with his storytelling skills, he gathers his confidence, takes a chance to become a storyteller for the entire village, thereby rediscovering his passion. The narrative of Kathakaar, welcomes this new beginning in the life of Prakash.

Mishra added, “With Kathakaar, I went purely with my gut feeling. I reject a lot of scripts, but there was an X Factor about this one. I also had a question in mind as to how so much could be projected in such a short time span of 10 minutes. As an actor, the character I play grabbed my interest. Having said that, I had no clue that the film would be so well made, and would go on to do so well.”

The film has so far won 13 awards, including 3 international awards and has been officially selected at 26 film festivals across the globe. Amongst international honours, the film has bagged awards at renowned film festivals such as the 5th Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival, 5th Washington D.C. South Asian Film Festival, Washington D.C., II International Motivational Film Festival, Russia and 6th Jagran Film Festival, Mumbai.

December 20, 2016
SonyLIV refreshes its brand identity ‘LIV to Entertain’

MUMBAI: SonyLIV has yet again proved its status as a pioneer of innovation in its industry by unveiling a refreshed brand identity.

The renewed brand ethos “We LIV to Entertain” promises to make SonyLIV the ultimate destination for rich entertainment across genres, screen types and audience preferences. With its new positioning, the brand underlines its commitment to fulfilling the most basic and pressing of human needs – that for robust, high-quality entertainment.

To complement its brand ethos, SonyLIV has also rolled out a new logo which encompasses a full spectrum of colours with a young, energetic and self-effacing approach. The logo itself represents the brand’s reinvigorated emphasis on filling the lives of viewers with vivid entertainment that covers the key aspects of variety, depth, novelty, relevance and popularity.

In order to create top-of-the-mind recall, SonyLIV has also launched a highly riveting brand film which has been shot in Romania, the birthplace of the immortal circus – the genesis of interactive entertainment. At the heart of the film is the figure of the eternal entertainer, the clown and the message is driven home with the refrain Kamaal dikhaana, Kamaal ka kaam hai (It’s no mean feat to keep everyone entertained). Through the film, SonyLIV has positioned itself as the theatre of emotions which has the ability to amplify every feeling and thought of the viewer with engaging and evocative content.

Link to the brand film: http://www.sonyliv.com/details/promos/5237443992001/Sony-LIV—We-LIV-To-Entertain

Sony LIV digital business EVP and business head Uday Sodhi said, “For the last four years, SonyLIV has enjoyed a pioneering and undisputed leadership position in India’s digital entertainment industry. As OTT content becomes more ubiquitous, it is time for us to renew our brand focus and differentiate ourselves on the key facets our viewers identify us by; that of providing them rich, stimulating and thought-provoking entertainment.”

“We pioneered the concept of original web-series in the country and have also been instrumental in bringing audiences closer to the most popular sporting action from across the world. We decided to, therefore, re-energise our brand identity in conjunction with these USPs and clearly establish SonyLIV as the ultimate provider of entertainment, irrespective of screen, genre or audience segment. Our new positioning, ‘We LIV to Entertain’ is sure to connect with one and all.”

December 9, 2016
SonyLIV refreshes its brand identity ‘LIV to Entertain’

MUMBAI: SonyLIV has yet again proved its status as a pioneer of innovation in its industry by unveiling a refreshed brand identity.

The renewed brand ethos “We LIV to Entertain” promises to make SonyLIV the ultimate destination for rich entertainment across genres, screen types and audience preferences. With its new positioning, the brand underlines its commitment to fulfilling the most basic and pressing of human needs – that for robust, high-quality entertainment.

To complement its brand ethos, SonyLIV has also rolled out a new logo which encompasses a full spectrum of colours with a young, energetic and self-effacing approach. The logo itself represents the brand’s reinvigorated emphasis on filling the lives of viewers with vivid entertainment that covers the key aspects of variety, depth, novelty, relevance and popularity.

In order to create top-of-the-mind recall, SonyLIV has also launched a highly riveting brand film which has been shot in Romania, the birthplace of the immortal circus – the genesis of interactive entertainment. At the heart of the film is the figure of the eternal entertainer, the clown and the message is driven home with the refrain Kamaal dikhaana, Kamaal ka kaam hai (It’s no mean feat to keep everyone entertained). Through the film, SonyLIV has positioned itself as the theatre of emotions which has the ability to amplify every feeling and thought of the viewer with engaging and evocative content.

Link to the brand film: http://www.sonyliv.com/details/promos/5237443992001/Sony-LIV—We-LIV-To-Entertain

Sony LIV digital business EVP and business head Uday Sodhi said, “For the last four years, SonyLIV has enjoyed a pioneering and undisputed leadership position in India’s digital entertainment industry. As OTT content becomes more ubiquitous, it is time for us to renew our brand focus and differentiate ourselves on the key facets our viewers identify us by; that of providing them rich, stimulating and thought-provoking entertainment.”

“We pioneered the concept of original web-series in the country and have also been instrumental in bringing audiences closer to the most popular sporting action from across the world. We decided to, therefore, re-energise our brand identity in conjunction with these USPs and clearly establish SonyLIV as the ultimate provider of entertainment, irrespective of screen, genre or audience segment. Our new positioning, ‘We LIV to Entertain’ is sure to connect with one and all.”

December 9, 2016
Ola Play launched for in-cab entertainment that includes Sony LIV

BENGALURU: Ola, Indian mobile app for transportation, launched a global first in Bengaluru today. The cab aggregator announced the immediate availability of ‘Ola Play’ for its ‘Ola Select’ customers in the National Capital Region, Mumbai and Bengaluru to be followed by a national rollout by March 2017 in 50,000 vehicles across all the cities in India that Ola operates in. For Ola Prime users Ola Play services will be offered without any additional cost over and above the cab ride cost informed Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal. Use what you want…

Besides offering the highly personalised experience for users during their rides, Ola Play allows various partners like Apple Music, Sony LIV, Audio Compass and Fynd to build experiences for users. And yes, one can control the air-conditioning and the radio with Ola Play.

Aggarwal said, “I believe that this will completely transform the consumer’s ride experience, giving the user the power to control the interactions within the car and usher in a new era in the ridesharing industry. With over 60 million (6 crore) minutes spent in Ola rides every day, the impact on consumer comfort, convenience and productivity can be transformative. This will further propel ridesharing as the first choice of mobility for many more millions. Ola Play is a world first, built in India by an Indian team, which showcases that we can do better than the best in the world and be global leaders in technology and innovation.”

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited EVP and Head – Digital New Media Uday Sodhi said, “With Ola Play, we are offering unique content that is tailored to the needs and preferences of viewers on the move. As a brand Sony LIV is the first premium video on demand (VOD) service providing multi-screen experience to users on all devices; and is the first amongst the competition to provide exclusive premium content. Our association with Ola Play will allow us to further customise popular shows, movies and more, for Indians to consume in a highly engaged way, while on the move.”

Ola Play is a connected car platform for ride sharing that Ola says will transform the in-car experience for users on the go. The platform, built in partnership with Qualcomm is powered by proprietary in-cloud technologies from Ola, by bringing advance car controls, choice of personalised content and a fully connected interactive experience for the user. Ola Play transfers the control of the in-car experience to users from the Driver Console, which enables seamless interfacing with the consumer’s device once the ride begins. Ola Play can be accessed by the consumers own device or the large scree mounted in-car along with the car’s surround sound system.

November 22, 2016
Ola Play launched for in-cab entertainment that includes Sony LIV

BENGALURU: Ola, Indian mobile app for transportation, launched a global first in Bengaluru today. The cab aggregator announced the immediate availability of ‘Ola Play’ for its ‘Ola Select’ customers in the National Capital Region, Mumbai and Bengaluru to be followed by a national rollout by March 2017 in 50,000 vehicles across all the cities in India that Ola operates in. For Ola Prime users Ola Play services will be offered without any additional cost over and above the cab ride cost informed Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal. Use what you want…

Besides offering the highly personalised experience for users during their rides, Ola Play allows various partners like Apple Music, Sony LIV, Audio Compass and Fynd to build experiences for users. And yes, one can control the air-conditioning and the radio with Ola Play.

Aggarwal said, “I believe that this will completely transform the consumer’s ride experience, giving the user the power to control the interactions within the car and usher in a new era in the ridesharing industry. With over 60 million (6 crore) minutes spent in Ola rides every day, the impact on consumer comfort, convenience and productivity can be transformative. This will further propel ridesharing as the first choice of mobility for many more millions. Ola Play is a world first, built in India by an Indian team, which showcases that we can do better than the best in the world and be global leaders in technology and innovation.”

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited EVP and Head – Digital New Media Uday Sodhi said, “With Ola Play, we are offering unique content that is tailored to the needs and preferences of viewers on the move. As a brand Sony LIV is the first premium video on demand (VOD) service providing multi-screen experience to users on all devices; and is the first amongst the competition to provide exclusive premium content. Our association with Ola Play will allow us to further customise popular shows, movies and more, for Indians to consume in a highly engaged way, while on the move.”

Ola Play is a connected car platform for ride sharing that Ola says will transform the in-car experience for users on the go. The platform, built in partnership with Qualcomm is powered by proprietary in-cloud technologies from Ola, by bringing advance car controls, choice of personalised content and a fully connected interactive experience for the user. Ola Play transfers the control of the in-car experience to users from the Driver Console, which enables seamless interfacing with the consumer’s device once the ride begins. Ola Play can be accessed by the consumers own device or the large scree mounted in-car along with the car’s surround sound system.

November 22, 2016
Why Uday Sodhi launched Liv Kids

MUMBAI: First there was VootKids from the Viacom18 stable. And now Sony Pictures Networks India’s OTT service SonyLiv is tip-toeing into the kids entertainment space with the launch of its video on demand service Liv Kids.

The content on the section features popular nursery rhymes like Pop Goes the Weasel, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, Wheels on the Bus, etc. The section currently boasts 100+ videos (shows and rhymes) in English and Hindi free of cost and plans to add substantial amount of content around kids in sometime. The idea is to add more regional languages later apart from interesting kids content from international producers over time.

“We studied the content consumption pattern of kids on various platforms like YouTube and in several international markets. The content that the kids use, time-spent and their loyalty towards that particular content which makes them come back to it again and again is great. It is higher than the consumption by our other normal users. The stickiness is very high. With the category offering an exciting range of nursery rhymes which are both fun and informative, we are confident that our younger audience will enjoy our latest addition to the fullest,” says SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

Though the platform does not have sponsors as yet, it is confident that advertisers will get on board pretty soon. Currently, run of site (ROS) ads can be viewed on the kids section.

“The audience is very sensitive and the market is huge. With the penetration of internet in India getting higher, the kids segment is only set to grow. Once they get hooked, the content consumption will keep increasing. As far as advertisers are concerned, we do not want to put content or advertisements which do not fit completely in this space,” adds Sodhi.

The videos can be viewed on SonyLiv’s website and mobile application, as well as on its YouTube channel.

Being fast adopters of technology, kids are the first ones to become the digital consumers which often worry their parents. Digital streaming services like YouTube Kids and Voot, have come up with various parental control features so that they can keep an eye on what is searched by the child, timers to limit screen time and content restrictions.

Though, Liv does not offer any such options as of yet mainly due to its kids oriented content, it will develop such options if there is a need. “It is too early for us to say whether we will have such options or how many hours of content will we have. If there is feedback, which we think can be applied to our platform, we will,” asserts Sodhi.

As far as promotions are concerned, Sodhi opined that the conversations have already started and the OTT service will soon launch a complete marketing plan though he was chary of revealing any details.

“SonyLiv’s commitment to providing the best and most relevant user-centric entertainment content is the reason behind the launch of Liv Kids. We are very hopeful of this and will see how this turns out to be for us,” concluded Sodhi.

He surely isn’t kidding!

November 11, 2016
Why Uday Sodhi launched Liv Kids

MUMBAI: First there was VootKids from the Viacom18 stable. And now Sony Pictures Networks India’s OTT service SonyLiv is tip-toeing into the kids entertainment space with the launch of its video on demand service Liv Kids.

The content on the section features popular nursery rhymes like Pop Goes the Weasel, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, Wheels on the Bus, etc. The section currently boasts 100+ videos (shows and rhymes) in English and Hindi free of cost and plans to add substantial amount of content around kids in sometime. The idea is to add more regional languages later apart from interesting kids content from international producers over time.

“We studied the content consumption pattern of kids on various platforms like YouTube and in several international markets. The content that the kids use, time-spent and their loyalty towards that particular content which makes them come back to it again and again is great. It is higher than the consumption by our other normal users. The stickiness is very high. With the category offering an exciting range of nursery rhymes which are both fun and informative, we are confident that our younger audience will enjoy our latest addition to the fullest,” says SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

Though the platform does not have sponsors as yet, it is confident that advertisers will get on board pretty soon. Currently, run of site (ROS) ads can be viewed on the kids section.

“The audience is very sensitive and the market is huge. With the penetration of internet in India getting higher, the kids segment is only set to grow. Once they get hooked, the content consumption will keep increasing. As far as advertisers are concerned, we do not want to put content or advertisements which do not fit completely in this space,” adds Sodhi.

The videos can be viewed on SonyLiv’s website and mobile application, as well as on its YouTube channel.

Being fast adopters of technology, kids are the first ones to become the digital consumers which often worry their parents. Digital streaming services like YouTube Kids and Voot, have come up with various parental control features so that they can keep an eye on what is searched by the child, timers to limit screen time and content restrictions.

Though, Liv does not offer any such options as of yet mainly due to its kids oriented content, it will develop such options if there is a need. “It is too early for us to say whether we will have such options or how many hours of content will we have. If there is feedback, which we think can be applied to our platform, we will,” asserts Sodhi.

As far as promotions are concerned, Sodhi opined that the conversations have already started and the OTT service will soon launch a complete marketing plan though he was chary of revealing any details.

“SonyLiv’s commitment to providing the best and most relevant user-centric entertainment content is the reason behind the launch of Liv Kids. We are very hopeful of this and will see how this turns out to be for us,” concluded Sodhi.

He surely isn’t kidding!

November 11, 2016
Arre and Sony Liv to co-produce a web series

MUMBAI: After announcing a distribution alliance, Sony Liv and Arré, have now come together to co-produce a digital series. Set against the backdrop of a big fat Indian wedding, the show is a comedy of errors. The show will go into production soon and is planned for launch in early 2017 on both the digital platforms.

Rithvik Dhanjani has been signed as the lead of the series.

“The new-age Indian viewers want engaging and original entertainment solutions which they can relate to and enjoy. We, at Sony Liv, have been developing fresh and youthful content which caters to the evolved entertainment sensibilities of the millennial viewership. Given its theme, we are confident that the show will be hugely popular with our target audiences, as they will be able to relate to the characters and the situations on the show,” said SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

The show promises to be a visual treat and centres around a wild bachelor trip gone horribly wrong.

A pack of three best friends-a groom to be and his two quirky friends -take off on a bachelor trip just before the wedding. With a bullying bride-to-be back home, some comical misadventures on a foreign sojourn and an unexpected encounter with a beautiful stranger, the protagonist comes to understand the meaning of love and friendship.

“At Arré, we believe in bringing a new lens to traditional formats and genres of content, be it commentary on the news or a comedy fiction show. After our distribution alliance, we’re delighted to partner with a leading and established digital entertainment platform Sony Liv,for original content and look forward to many more such shows together,” added Arre co-founder and CEO Ajay Chacko.

The show is produced for Arré and Sony Liv by Dhanjani and Srman Jain.

Dhanjani, said, “I am super excited about the show and look forward to working with SonyLiv and Arré again on yet another interesting project. With digital entertainment destinations like these, there is scope to tell stories that have a new-age sensibility and which resonate with the young audiences. The story and the characters in the show are reflective of this mindset and I feel the audiences will be able to relate to it.”

November 7, 2016