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Here is one <keyword id="2045029" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood-rom-com">Bollywood rom-com</keyword> that could have raised some serious questions about recession and its backlash, hollow consumerism and Gen Y lifestyle, without losing its frothiness. But Nupur Asthana-directed <keyword id="2045255" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bewakoofiyaan">Bewakoofiyaan</keyword> (from the house of <keyword id="36603" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Yash-Raj-Films">Yash Raj Films</keyword>) does not go beyond the first layer of the grim reality and tanks at the <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword>. The flick, starring <keyword id="6354535" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ayushmann-Khurrana">Ayushmann Khurrana</keyword>, <keyword id="710" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sonam-Kapoor">Sonam Kapoor</keyword> and <keyword id="6357910" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rishi-Kapoor">Rishi Kapoor</keyword>, was released on Friday the 14th, exactly a month after Valentine’s Day, and turned out to be a damp squib – netting around Rs 6.75 crore at home after the first weekend. That’s quite disappointing as business should have picked up during the <keyword id="2144242" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Holi-weekend">Holi weekend</keyword>. Also, the crucial Day 4 figures are not available yet as movie theatres across Northern India did not open till 3 pm on Monday (March 17) on account of Holi. As per a report by Rentrak, the opening weekend collection stood at $46,888 (Rs 28.64 lakh) in the US where Bewakoofiyaan was released in 51 theatres. 
 
Interestingly, Kangna Ranaut-starrer <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Queen-OutshinesGulaab-Gang-Total-Siyapaa-Tanks/articleshow/31848837.cms">Queen</a>, released on March 7, continues to rule the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword> in the second week and has netted a little over Rs 31 crore after Day 10, according to trade estimates. The flick has grossed around Rs 5.3 crore overseas during this time span and could be well on its way to become another <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> top-grosser in 2014 after Salman’s Khan’s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Sunny-Leone-SizzlesIn-Ragini-MMS-2-Jai-Ho-Finally-Enters-100-Crore-Club/articleshow/29870204.cms">Jai Ho</a>. On the other hand, the much-touted <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Queen-OutshinesGulaab-Gang-Total-Siyapaa-Tanks/articleshow/31848837.cms">Gulaab Gang</a>, starring <keyword id="289" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="madhuri-dixit-nene">Madhuri Dixit Nene</keyword> and <keyword id="6371319" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Juhi-Chawla">Juhi Chawla</keyword>, has considerably slowed down at the domestic box office, collecting around Rs 13 crore till date, as per Koimoi. 
 
The other release of the week is <keyword id="329977" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="W">W</keyword>, a <keyword id="2144245" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Musical-thriller">musical thriller</keyword> directed by <keyword id="2077464" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tarun-Madan-Chopra">Tarun Madan Chopra</keyword> and starring <keyword id="2144218" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Leeza-Mangaldas">Leeza Mangaldas</keyword> (Sandy), Leslie Tripathy (Ruhi), Sonal Giani (Manu) and others. This one is a movie with a message and deals with the trauma of three rape victims, seeking justice in a male-dominated society. But don’t try to compare it with the regional but hugely acclaimed Adalat o Ekti Meye, directed by Tapan Sinha. The emotional pain and conflict are <keyword id="6357415" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="missing">missing</keyword> here even though the movie is dealing with a sensitive issue like rape. Instead, we land up in a stereotype <keyword id="1321184" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="revenge-drama">revenge drama</keyword> that works out all too smoothly. The <keyword id="2034852" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Box-office-numbers">box office numbers</keyword> are yet to arrive and we will keep you updated. 
 
Coming back to the storyline of Bewakoofiyaan, it is not difficult to see how ‘grave’ issues like joblessness and the consequent loss of social status have been watered down till everything falls into place as per Bollywood tradition. Here, we have <keyword id="793543" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="mohit-chaddha">Mohit Chaddha</keyword> (Ayushmann Khurrana), an <keyword id="2144224" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="ambitious-airline-executive">ambitious airline executive</keyword> who has landed the infamous pink slip; his girlfriend <keyword id="2144220" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mayera-Sehgal">Mayera Sehgal</keyword> (Sonam Kapoor) – an upper class, brand-worshipping Delhiite, and her highly placed, ‘practical’ father VK Sehgal (Rishi Kapoor). While Ayushmann’s fall from grace, his anger and frustration at losing the top-end lifestyle look convincing enough, Sonam never walks the talk she hands out to cheer up a depressed Ayushmann. For her, there’s no maturing of role and she looks eminently confused – trying to cope with a dictatorial papa and a boyfriend in distress. As for Rishi Kapoor, there is no saving grace either. Once again, he is the quintessential Bollywood father, ruling his daughter’s life. 
 Overall, not an inspiring movie and fails to go beyond the obvious. <keyword id="210839" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Critic">Critic</keyword> Sanjukta Sharma sums it up well when she says the film is flat, monotonous and defying all manner of reason, and it is no better than ‘a soap opera.’ 
 
Image: Indiatimes

Box Office: Bewakoofiyaan Is Lacklustre, W Verges
On Stereotype

It is said that every newborn faces a potential risk until the baby has been screened for <keyword id="1144427" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="medical-conditions">medical conditions</keyword>. A <keyword id="2024251" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Genetic-screening">genetic screening</keyword> of the newborn means enhanced <keyword id="2024262" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Biotechnological-capacity">biotechnological capacity</keyword>, which ensures fast, accurate and expanded testing going beyond routine disorders. <keyword id="2024252" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Newborn-screening">Newborn screening</keyword> (<keyword id="116258" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="NBS">NBS</keyword>) has been made compulsory in 52 countries across the world, bringing down <keyword id="153995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="infant-mortality">infant mortality</keyword> and disabilities in children. 
 Simply put, newborn screening (NBS) programme includes testing every newborn soon after its birth, to identify serious or life-threatening conditions which may lead to mental/physical retardation or even early death. The affected baby looks healthy at birth as there is no external defect and these disorders cannot be diagnosed until specifically tested for. However, India is yet to implement a <keyword id="2024264" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-newborn-screening-programme">national newborn screening programme</keyword> even though 5-15% of newborns fall prey to <keyword id="120871" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Metabolic-disorders">metabolic disorders</keyword>. 
 Understandably, not too many Indian start-ups operate in the NBS space and the <keyword id="49685" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Genetic">genetic</keyword> screening of newborns is rarely done in the country at a macro level. But here is one Mumbai-based start-up that has doing it for over a year now. <keyword id="2024246" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Navigene">Navigene</keyword> has developed a unique and <keyword id="2024273" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Non-invasive-preventive-genetic-screening">non-invasive preventive genetic screening</keyword> service for newborns and adults, which can be implemented at a mass scale. Its primary focus is <keyword id="2024274" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Non-invasive-preventive-testing">non-invasive preventive testing</keyword> including <keyword id="2024278" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Newborn-genetic-screening">newborn genetic screening</keyword>, <keyword id="2024275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Metabolic-fingerprinting">metabolic fingerprinting</keyword>, <keyword id="2024279" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prenatal-screening">prenatal screening</keyword> and more, besides offering <keyword id="2024280" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Diagnostic-testing">diagnostic testing</keyword> (<keyword id="2024281" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cytogenetics">cytogenetics</keyword> &amp; <keyword id="1284857" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Molecular-Genetics">molecular genetics</keyword>). <keyword id="2024283" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Navigene-Baby-Screen">Navigene Baby Screen</keyword>, the start-up’s flagship product, screens the newborns for 110 genetic and metabolic disorders on the very 3rd day after birth and the company claims it is one of the most comprehensive screening tests in the world. Here is a snapshot that captures the start-up’s operations, vision and viability. 
 
Who runs Navigene (navigene.in): Two co-founders – Dr <keyword id="2024250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rishi-Dixit">Rishi Dixit</keyword> (MD &amp; CEO) and Dr <keyword id="1888201" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vrushali-Joshi">Vrushali Joshi</keyword> (CTO) – and the early-stage incubation and <keyword id="6357097" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="venture-capital">venture capital</keyword> firm, <keyword id="720080" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="IncuCapital">IncuCapital</keyword>. An MBBS and MBA, Dr Rishi has a deep understanding of the healthcare marketing space and also worked with start-ups. Before starting Navigene, he was head of sales &amp; strategy at a start-up in the similar domain. Prior to that, he was manager, health analytics, with ICICI Prudential Life insurance. Dr Vrushali holds a Ph.D. from Mumbai University and is a leading geneticist with more that 15 years of experience. She is also a government-certified genetic counsellor. 
 Navigene was set up by the two co-founders in April 2012, along with IncuCapital’s senior venture partners’ team of <keyword id="2024248" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Surojit-Nandy">Surojit Nandy</keyword>, <keyword id="6393254" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Manish-Kumar">Manish Kumar</keyword> and <keyword id="2024247" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prashant-Maharaj">Prashant Maharaj</keyword>. The company started operations in November that year. Currently, it boasts a state-of-the-art testing facility and central lab in Mumbai where all samples are flown in from different parts of the country and also from global destinations. This facility also serves as the head office while 2-3 sales people are assigned to each location. Weekly sales meetings are generally held at local CCDs – a good example of asset-light sales offices. 
 But going forward, the start-up plans to open sales offices in Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad – small facilities for operational and logistics management. As sample collection is generally done by the people themselves or the <keyword id="6355907" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Medical-facilities">medical facilities</keyword>, the Navigene staff simply picks them up from homes/hospitals and courier them to the HO in Mumbai. 
 
What inspired the venture: The knowledge that non-traditional, highly accurate and revolutionary ways of medical diagnosis is possible through genetic screening and diagnostic techniques. Navigene was founded to bring these advanced <keyword id="684042" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="medical-technologies">medical technologies</keyword> to India. 
 
What’s the pitch: Early and accurate prediction/diagnosis of disorders and ailments in newborns and adults, through <keyword id="2024271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Preventive-genetic-screening">preventive genetic screening</keyword> – so that every individual has the opportunity to manage his/her health. “Over the years, we have learnt a great deal about how genes function and how they can cause certain problems. Now is the time to use that knowledge in exciting new ways to prevent and treat <keyword id="6377700" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health-problems">health problems</keyword>,” says Dr Rishi. 
 
How it works: Navigene currently caters to the B2B segment – <keyword id="796241" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="corporate-hospitals">corporate hospitals</keyword>, high-end nursing homes with birthing facilities, NICUs (<keyword id="1145483" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="neonatal-intensive-care-units">neonatal intensive care units</keyword>) and state-of-the-art <keyword id="2024290" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paediatric-facilities">paediatric facilities</keyword>. It also works with individual obstetricians/gynaecologists and paediatricians. The start-up typically approaches medical facilities who, in turn, offer/recommend these services to their clients. Once a client registers for the tests, he/she is given the sample collection kit and the rest of the testing procedure follows. 
 
As for newborn screening, parents get the kit as soon as they register and after the birth of the baby, either the hospital staff or the parents collect the urine sample of the baby on the 3rd day. It is then sent Navigene’s central lab in Mumbai where the sample is analysed and reports are sent within 4 days. If the report detects any abnormality, the concerned doctor/hospital/parents are immediately informed and further consultation could be arranged with medical experts. Genetic counselling for the parents is also offered in such cases. 
 
Show me the money: As of now, the start-up has a B2B revenue model in place while the B2C space is essentially serviced through its partners who can reach out to more people. Navigene charges fee per sample testing and its flagship solution, Navigene Baby Screen (NBS), which tests urine sample for 110 disorders, costs Rs 5,000. But to make it more affordable for Tier II cities and smaller medical facilities, customised packages start from Rs 900 for tracking 3-4 basic disorders and can go up to Rs 2,700 for screening 31 commonest disorders that affect infants in the first few months. The company has also tied up with a leading stem cell company for instant access to a large B2C market. “Plus, we want to work with the state governments when they start running the NBS programme at the state-run hospitals, but we will keep the packages small,” says Dr Rishi. 
 
The market size is also huge as around 30 million babies are born in India every year. “As of now, we are targeting 40 cities in India where our addressable market (a fraction of the urban population in these cities) is around 30 lakh babies a year. We aim to cover most of them over the next 3 years through our proprietary sales channel,” adds Dr Rishi. 
 
Claim to fame: A value driver in a critical industry while expansion is its forte. Navigene is a pioneer of sorts, bringing crucial preventive health screening for newborn babies at an affordable price. The start-up is currently doing 500 samples a month and targeting 10,000 samples in the next 3 years. 
 Navigene raised an undisclosed seed round with the help of its institutional co-promoter IncuCapital in August 2012 and it will be raising Series A <keyword id="6357455" type="EVENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Funding">funding</keyword> in the next 2-3 months. The money will be utilised to grow its presence pan-India and also in other geographies such as South-east Asia and <keyword id="48890" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Latin-America">Latin America</keyword>. “We can’t disclose the names just now, but these would be all bigger and more developed countries. We are also talking to a few players in Latin America, which can lead to substantial global expansion,” says Surojit Nandy of IncuCapital. As for pan-India expansion, the company plans to reach 40 cities in next the 3 years through its own B2B sales force. 
 The start-up has hit <keyword id="2024302" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Operational-breakeven">operational breakeven</keyword> in December 2013, within 11 months from starting its sales operations. But it is not really looking at that as a landmark. “We don’t intend to remain operationally cash-positive as we are growing at a breakneck speed and want to keep investing in the growth. That’s the reason we are looking at the Series A funding soon,” says Dr Rishi. 
 “We are also working on some breakthrough <keyword id="2024304" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Screening-products">screening products</keyword> around <keyword id="350054" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="metabolomics">metabolomics</keyword> in areas like oral &amp; <keyword id="16070" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="breast-cancer">breast cancer</keyword>, and adult metabolic disorders. So a big chunk of the Series A money will be used for product development. We will <keyword id="47916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="invest">invest</keyword> a good amount in Capex and Opex to further strengthen our testing portfolio,” he adds. 
 
Biggest challenge: According to Dr Rishi, there’s no real competition here as very few companies in India focus on genetics (metabolomics). As for the newborn screening business, a few labs who do screening through blood sample testing could be competitors, but they use an entirely different technology platform and can track a maximum of 45 disorders. However, creating awareness among prospective clients is currently the biggest challenge. <keyword id="1912844" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="patient-education">Patient education</keyword> is virtually non-existent in India while the cost of reaching them at a micro level could be huge. “That’s why we are opting for online registrations, which will reduce operational costs,” he notes. “Then there are other screening products we are working on. When they hit the market, we should be way ahead of others,” concludes Dr Rishi.

This Start-up Provides Genetic Screening For
Newborns, Adults; To Raise Series A Funding In 2-3 Months

<ul><li>As we enter a new year, we wanted to understand what to expect from the Over-the-top (<keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword>) industry in 2022.</li><li>In today's feature, we speak to industry experts who share their thoughts on what this year has in store for us.</li></ul>After 2020 we had hoped that 2021 would bring us some respite from the pandemic. However, things were challenging for a large part of the year. With many of us stuck within the four walls of our house for the most part of the year, OTT platforms sometimes became the only source of entertainment in our lives. Not only did 2021 see the launch of a lot of big-budget originals on various OTT platforms, a lot of movies like Sardar Udham Singh, Mimi and Shershaah launched on these platforms. Content producing companies put their best foot forward and created award-winning shows that won both commercial and critical acclaim. There has been a visible increase in investments in content production, a trend that is here to stay in 2022 as well. A recent joint report by industry body CII and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) stated that the Indian OTT sector is currently in the scaling stage with strong subscription growth and high investment in premium as well as original content. The Indian OTT sector is one of the most competitive amongst emerging markets with over 40 players. While there have been debates about more and more people moving away from TV, Mandeep Kohli, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group India states that we are still some time away from that happening at a large scale in India. “The share of traditional media is slowly declining with increased digital adoption but there is still high headroom for penetration with only 54% of Indian households having a pay TV connection compared to more than 70% in China. For many households, TV continues to be the center of the home and a significant part of family time,” said Kohli, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group India. The report further stated that the industry is at a scaling stage currently and has the potential to become a $13-15 billion industry by 2030. To understand what the new year has in store for us, we spoke to a few of the most important voices from India’s OTT industry, along with some of the biggest content production houses. Here is what they had to say about what lies ahead: Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, <keyword id="6245082" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee5" source="Orion">ZEE5</keyword> India The already-growing online media and entertainment business received a major boost with the black swan event that the Covid-19 pandemic was, setting a new growth trajectory in the last year. The audience adopted a more digitally advanced way of entertainment, something that went beyond the conventional mediums, leading to mass adoption of OTT platforms which resulted in a surge in both viewership and watch-time. This pandemic-induced growth in demand for quality content led to an increased focus on storytelling across languages leading to the creation of extensive and expansive content libraries. People also became more open to sampling diverse content from different languages and were keener to opt for the living room experience thanks to the increased adoption of connected devices. This growth of the connected devices ecosystem has made OTT a preferred choice not only for personal but also for family consumption. At ZEE5, we have seen a 3X growth in the viewership on connected devices. The rise in power-packed dynamic storytelling and the rise of connected devices has led to the advent of the ‘Home Box Office’ which is a trend that is here to stay. While we grew 200% this year at the back of an aggressive slate of content line-up and hyper-personalization, we aim to make deeper inroads into Indian homes going into 2022. Sameer Nair, CEO, <keyword id="1322450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="applause-entertainment" source="Orion">Applause Entertainment</keyword> <div type="image" title="IMG_8153 (1)" msid="88694220" hostid="261"></div> I believe the biggest emerging trend for the streaming industry in 2022 and beyond is the increasing flattening of the Earth, with both geographical borders and language barriers breaking down as internet connectivity reaches the remotest audiences. Our audiences, both local and global, have become smarter, more perceptive and way more critical; this requires us as Content Creators and Distributors to significantly improve the quality of our storytelling, of our productions and of the consumer experience we offer. Authentic, rooted stories that have a universal appeal can and will breakout to reach audiences globally. The more we collaborate with talent from diverse cultures and geographies, the richer we will become as storytellers. The ‘One Planet One Species Shared Cultures’ is an idea whose time is truly upon us. Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing &amp; Revenue, <keyword id="4241922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="altbalaji" source="Orion">ALTBalaji</keyword> With the traditional marketing budgets on a decline and digital and influencer marketing taking center stage, there are many trends, however interrelated, that we will see emerging in 2022. The digital audiovisual industry will explode; according to Bain and Company, India's online video user base has increased to more than 350 million people, growing 24% in the last three years. Influencer marketing will rapidly move to include micro-influencers and not just be dependent on Celebrity influencers, thereby also promoting UGC. Video marketing, live streaming will give rise to Social commerce and tier 2 and 3 cities will claim the growth chart curve. With all these interrelated events/trends triggering off, Users will expect personalized experiences which will be offset by deeper integration of ML, which will give rise to AI usage; however, the world of marketers will also see a more focused emerging curve towards Organic retention – CRM, surveys, retention tools, recommendation cycles, SEO, UI/UX as Google continues the stance of stopping 3rd party cookies by end of 2023. Manjit Sachdev- Head – Originals, Voot and Voot Select, Viacom18 Digital Ventures <div type="image" title="Manjit Sachdev _Head Content at VOOT AND VOOT Select" msid="88694240" hostid="261"></div> After an unprecedented 2020, with an acceleration in the growth of OTT platforms, 2021 was a year for creating milestones in curating unique and enthralling stories for the audience. Now as we step into 2022 with hope and resilience, the OTT sector will witness an increase in the demand for personalized and purpose-driven content. Given the increasing competition in the OTT space, staying relevant and purposeful is most critical. Considering the changing realities in today's times, having a purpose-driven story telling approach is the way to go. Content with purpose has the power to travel beyond boundaries, spread values, knowledge and positivity and build deeper engagement with subscribers. This trend will act as a key differentiator in changing behaviours. Megha Tata, Managing Director, South Asia, Discovery, Inc As SVOD continues to grow aggressively, we are seeing an increasing number of audiences now willing to pay for good content. I believe a right combination of compelling content and pricing would be the key in attracting a bigger share of consumers into the SVOD world next year. Also, differentiated programming will add to a player’s competitive advantage in the midst of most mainstream players offering similar content. This is a trend familiar to what we saw even broadcast channels go through. I believe some players will be able to carve out a niche for themselves, while most streaming catalogs will end up resembling each other. Rishi Negi, COO, Banijay Asia 2020 was a game changer for the whole world, we strategized a smooth transition to the streaming era and the year 2021 was about sustaining the positive change and envisioning the prospects of growth. With changing narratives and experimental content taking a lead, along with the fact that the data &amp; streaming charges have dropped, has resulted in the content reaching a much bigger audience. I anticipate the year 2022 to be vibrant with original productions, compelling storytelling and some path-breaking performances. Fighting the content inflation with a wide variety of exceptional chronicles intertwined with existing catalog shows in this post-pandemic world, viewers are streaming more than ever. With nominal data plan and streaming charges, content is reaching even the darkest corner of the world. Considering the pace of content transmission, at Banijay Asia, we have become more aggressive towards producing content that delights the heartland of India. We see a hike in demand for stories which are untold, female centric and with CTV on the rise, we anticipate growing interest in regional unscripted content in 2022. While we have seen this trend kickstart already with our Tamil unscripted show The Survivors as it received unparalleled response from the audience and our hinterland drama Matsya Kaand recently crossed a 100M views on <keyword id="2214311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mx-player" source="Orion">MX Player</keyword> within a month. These numbers affirm that the trendsmap that we're following leads to a sustainable future. Given these past two years have been a real tester, we have pushed through every possible challenge posed by the virus this year and successfully produced shows for the streaming giants and kept the show running. While we have covered grounds with our scripted, non-scripted, international format adaptation, book adaptations, in the upcoming year, we aim to keep up with our pace and keep reinventing our ways. To sum it up, we are thoroughly looking forward to 2022 to be a year full of exciting and enthralling projects to keep our audiences engaged and invested. Rohit Jain, Managing Director, <keyword id="193261" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lionsgate" source="Orion">Lionsgate</keyword> South Asia and Networks, Emerging Markets Asia 2022 is going to be an exciting year for OTT players as the content pipeline will be stronger than ever. While the pandemic has leapfrogged growth in terms of viewers and subscription we expect 2022 to further amplify the reach and will witness growth not only in the metros but also in tier II &amp; tier III cities. Today’s viewers are constantly looking for edgy and unique stories. We have always said premium content is the ultimate winner. The OTT industry will have to concentrate on quality content over quantity of content. Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media The media and entertainment industry has been making rapid strides in the interior of India. Regional markets are becoming the industry’s point of convergence as the digital infrastructure expands across the length and breadth of the country. Content houses and creators are going vocal through local, thereby, making homegrown, high-quality content available at the click of a button. Going further, consumption of entertainment, in addition to audio and video, will be extended to varied mediums, such as gaming. As the Indian online gaming sector is witnessing tremendous growth in 2020 it sets a tone that gaming will be the next big thing. The industry will witness a rapid rise in the use of AI and ML to create a customised and personalised experience for audiences. This makes industry consumer friendly; not just that, it helps in massive consumption and double consumer engagement. Hiren Gada, CEO-Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd <div type="image" title="Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd." msid="88726664" hostid="261"></div> With regional internet penetration growing at a rapid pace, localization of content and OTT apps are going to be one of the emerging trends to look out for. Content that was earlier restricted to just Bollywood and Hollywood is getting extended to other native languages and it is going to play a key role in attracting new consumers and in supporting other industries such as dubbing and subtitling that will further boost the content bank. Other than localization, we will also see content being offered across other segments that include devotional, and kids’ categories. As we see new OTT apps being launched almost every month with multiple paying models, the consumers will have more flexibility and power to make their own choices. With increased smartphone adoption along with affordable data, mobile penetration of the OTT will see more focus. Mobile-centric plans have been introduced by most OTTs today to cater to the Millennials and GenZs who have the hunger to consume content but not the deep pockets to pay. This space will continue to grow with the increased bundling of OTT by telecos. Additionally, the arrival of 5G which is most likely to take off this year will be a game-changer not just for the OTTs but also for the consumers. It will enable faster connectivity, accessibility to content and further enhance the viewing experience with reduced buffering issues, and an uninterrupted real-time streaming experience. Shailesh Kapoor, The Founder &amp; CEO, Ormax Media The last two years have been exceptional for the OTT market in India, aided in no small measure by the lockdowns. As things begin to get back to normal, the question that we will hear a lot more in 2022 is: Where is the next level of OTT growth in India going to come from? The category has grown at an estimated 30-35% in its user base and more than 50% in paid subscriptions over the last two years. But these growth rates are not sustainable in the long run. Platforms will have to look for offerings that are both compelling and distinctive, to get new subscribers in a category that will continue to grow, but at more modest levels of 15-20% per annum. Crossover content, be it Indian (such as Jai Bhim) or foreign (such as Squid Game or Money Heist), will play an important role in this regard. The language barrier has been broken considerably by the OTT medium, and with dubbing and subtitles available in many languages for all major shows and films now, platforms cannot stick to single-language, homogenous offerings anymore. We can expect more language-led experimentation, both in content acquisition and presentation."

Where the Indian OTT industry is headed in 2022

Yes, <keyword id="6428354" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chris-Martin">Chris Martin</keyword> was in Delhi and yes you missed his impromptu gig at Summerhouse Café in Delhi. 
 It was a typical case of an owner’s pride and neighbour’s envy when a usual Wednesday night turned into one of the most happening ones as <keyword id="34647" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coldplay">Coldplay</keyword>’s Chris Martin walked into the bar and played songs- Viva la vida, and Paradise. 
 
Lucky ones termed it as a moment of a lifetime and clicked pictures with the international star, who was at the café with All India Bakchod’s Tanmay Bhat, actress Freida Pinto, singers Vishal Dadlani, Raghu Dixit and men from comedy collective. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Chris Martin, <a href="https://twitter.com/BecauseImFreida">@BecauseImFreida</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Raghu_Dixit">@Raghu_Dixit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AllIndiaBakchod">@AllIndiaBakchod</a> What a night! MENTAL!!! <a href="http://t.co/diL7YKnZHy">pic.twitter.com/diL7YKnZHy</a>
	— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) <a href="https://twitter.com/VishalDadlani/status/616324568894943233">July 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
 
The gig was arranged in 10 minutes by the café as it was not a planned one. Kudos to Summerhouse Café as it arranged for bouncers, sound mixing console and other works within 10 minutes. 
 
So what if international artists like Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Mark Ronson, Hardwell, turn up at your café, will you be ready? 
 
We list for you 5 bars that promise to be ready under 30 minutes to host a gig by an international star. Ensure you regular these watering holes more often now, just in case someone decided on an impromptu gig! 
 
<keyword id="1983380" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="The-Backyard">The Backyard</keyword>, Aurobindo Marg 
 
 
 
This cookery and drinkout missed out on Martin by a whisker but says it will be ready in no time to host a gig by an international star. 
“We are lined up with best console and arrangements and will take us not more than 6-7 minutes to be prepared for a gig like Martin did. We already have Nikhil Chinapa playing for us and would love to have Axwell playing for us,” said co-owner of Backyard, Anukool Kumar. 
 
Hard Rock Café, Select City Walk 
 
 
Organising a last minute show is relatively very easy as we have a huge database of experienced musicians who can play at a moment’s notice, the café claimed. 
 
It was honest enough to say that they would take some time for sound check and backline but on a confirmed note it informed, “30 minutes is more than enough.” 
 
Café Delhi Heights, Select City Walk 
 
 
 
Owner Vikrant Batra is also confident that Delhi Heights will organise any gig within 30 minutes. 
"We are equipped with latest technology and operational efficiency and many times such impromptu events shape up better than many well planned ones. It not only adds to the surprise element for the customers present at the restaurant, it also gives them a reason to come back to the restaurant and reminisce the enjoyment,” said Batra. 
 
Café Terminus 1, Vasant Kunj 
 
When contacted, this café too gave a thumbs up and claimed to be prepared within half an hour. 
 
Rodeo, Connaught Place 
 
Rishi Kumar, General Manager at Rodeo, said that they are always ready with basic requirements like sound set-up and security. “In case of any celebrity playing, we need to be extra cautious due to huge popularity. Once the guidelines are understood, any special requirements by artists can also be addressed without any hassle within 30 minutes,” he added. 
 
For those who missed, Here is Chris Martin's gig: 
 
 
 
 
(Image: Twitter, Video: YouTube)

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