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<ul><li><keyword id="4632769" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="liger" source="Orion">Liger</keyword> has been streaming online on <keyword id="8724816" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="disney-plus-hotstar" source="Orion">Disney Plus Hotstar</keyword> since September 22. </li><li>The film is available in four South Indian languages — Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. </li><li>The total box office collection of the movie was ₹20.5 crore, according to <keyword id="6785" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bollywood-hungama" source="Orion">Bollywood Hungama</keyword>.</li></ul>South star <keyword id="2775210" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vijay-devarakonda" source="Orion">Vijay Devarakonda</keyword>’s Bollywood debut movie Liger has been streaming online on OTT platform Disney Plus Hotstar since September 22. The movie also stars <keyword id="3805597" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ananya-Panday" source="Orion">Ananya Panday</keyword> as the lead actress. <div type="twitter" handle="DisneyPlusHSTel" handlename="Disney+ Hotstar Telugu" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1481861199746957312/mzUhywba_normal.jpg" favoritecount="606" retweetcount="158" status="Witness @TheDeverakonda in all his Mad Glory, as #LIGER! ❤️‍🔥#LigerOnHotstar Streaming Now ▶️… https://t.co/nJHNikpwh2" createdat="1663786107000" id="1572659034691600385"></div> The movie will be available in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam languages on Disney Hotstar. However, the Hindi version will be released at a later date. The movie hit OTTs within three weeks of its theatrical release. Those who have a premium or super plan subscription of the OTT platform, which is ₹1,499 and ₹899 per annum, will be able to watch it online. The movie will also be shown on Star Gold and Star Gold 2 channels on TV but the date is unknown. The sports action film was produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, Charmme Kaur and Puri Jagannath, who is also the director of the movie. It opened on the silver screen in August and ran in theatres for about three weeks across the country. The total box office collection of the film was just ₹20.5 crore, according to <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/liger/box-office/">Bollywood Hungama</a>. While the estimated budget of the movie was ₹125 crore. According to several <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/vijay-deverakonda-to-return-rs-6-crore-from-his-salary-to-producers-after-liger-flops-reports-1996642-2022-09-05">reports</a>, lead actor Devarakonda had returned ₹6 crore from his fee to the producer after the movie performed badly at the box office. Professional American Boxer Mike Tyson also made an extended cameo in the movie, which was the surprise element of the movie, as per media <a href="https://www.zeebiz.com/trending/entertainment/news-liger-ott-release-when-and-where-to-watch-vijay-deverakondas-debut-bollywood-film-200139">reports</a>. The movie also stars veteran actress Ramya Krishnan, who is well-known for her role as the matriarch in the Bahubali franchise.

Vijay Deverakonda’s Liger is streaming online on this Disney Plus Hotstar platform

Bollywood star <keyword id="6354714" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajay-Devgn" source="Orion">Ajay Devgn</keyword> has stepped into the <keyword id="11121339" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="metaverse" source="Orion">Metaverse</keyword> universe with his virtual avatar inspired by '<keyword id="9397" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rudra" source="Orion">Rudra</keyword> - The Edge of Darkness'. Talking about this new development, lead actor <keyword id="800" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ajay" source="Orion">Ajay</keyword> Devgn said, "The exciting and novel space of the metaverse is an all-new world. It goes beyond our wildest imagination. I have always wanted to be closer to my fans and today I can proudly say - I am there. With my avatar, inspired by my role in 'Rudra- The Edge of Darkness', I am marking yet another first by foraying into the metaverse with the Hotstar Specials' series that is so close to my heart now." "From a digital series debut to my very first venture into the metaverse, this has been an incredible journey for me." Exploring the emerging intersection of the digital and physical world, the platform, in an initiative, has associated with Hungama Digital's Web3 venture called Hefty Entertainment to create this Metaverse. Commenting on the launch, Gaurav Banerjee, Head, Content Disney+ Hotstar, and HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star, said, "We are thrilled to present Ajay Devgn in a never-seen-before digital avatar inspired by his character in a highly-anticipated series Rudra – The Edge of Darkness. It will be a unique presentation and an engaging content experience for our users. "We have always strived to be at the forefront of innovation and are delighted to associate with Hungama and Hefty Verse to introduce this new form of digital experience for Ajay's fans." Siddhartha Roy, CEO Hungama Digital said, "Being one of the first movers bringing Entertainment into the Metaverse, through the 3D universe hosted on our platform, we provide a stable and secure space for entertainment lovers to strengthen their relationship with their favourite celebrities." Helmed by ace director Rajesh Mapuskar, the series is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with BBC Studios India, the series also features a stellar cast including Raashii Khanna, Esha Deol, Atul Kulkarni, Ashwini Kalsekar, Tarun Gahlot, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Satyadeep Misra in pivotal roles. Spanning six episodes, the series is an Indian rendition of the globally successful British series 'Luther'. 'Rudra-The Edge of Darkness' will be available exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar from March 4 in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/mark-zuckerberg-says-its-reasonable-that-the-metaverse-isnt-a-place-but-a-point-in-time/articleshow/89908933.cms">Mark Zuckerberg says it's 'reasonable' that the metaverse isn't a place but a point in time</a>

Ajay Devgn enters the Metaverse with an avatar inspired by his role in Rudra

<ul><li>Disney+ <keyword id="2739840" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword> has launched a campaign featuring veteran actor <keyword id="17594" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="shakti-kapoor">Shakti Kapoor</keyword> who returns in the much-loved <keyword id="2179947" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Crime-Master-Gogo">Crime Master Gogo</keyword> avatar.</li><li>Actors <keyword id="89958" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shraddha-Kapoor">Shraddha Kapoor</keyword> and Karisma Kapoor also feature as a part of the campaign highlighting the movie offerings available under Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex.</li></ul>Disney+ Hotstar has launched a campaign featuring one of the most timeless Bollywood characters, Crime Master Gogo. The film features actor Shakti Kapoor, returning after more than 25 years as the timeless . This is also the first time that the actor shared the screen with his daughter and actor Shraddha Kapoor. Also welcoming him back is actor Karisma Kapoor from the classic film ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ produced by Vinay Sinha (copyright: Vinay Pictures). Conceptualized by <keyword id="259349" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="DDB-Mudra">DDB Mudra</keyword>, the film shows Shakti Kapoor as Crime Master Gogo turned salesman who is selling the Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex proposition to people. However, on learning that the audiences are already enjoying the latest movies on Disney+ Hotstar, Crime Master Gogo causes mayhem in town staying true to his famed dialogue “Aya hoon, kuch toh lootkar jaunga!”. <div type="Youtube" id="PCIypZIDs5Y" title="Crime Master Gogo | DisneyPlusHotstarMultiplex" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PCIypZIDs5Y/mqdefault.jpg"></div> “Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex has built a library of both blockbuster and highly acclaimed films that have garnered a spectacular response from India’s movie-loving audiences, said <keyword id="6853511" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sidharth-Shakdher">Sidharth Shakdher</keyword>, Executive Vice President , Disney+ Hotstar. “Through our new marketing campaign, we are celebrating the success of our exclusive, made-for-the-big-screen movie releases on Multiplex, and announcing the upcoming blockbusters. The campaign aims to entertain with the evergreen Shakti Kapoor reprising his iconic character, Crime Master Gogo, and the hilarity that ensues when Gogo takes on the role of a salesperson for Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex.” he added. The campaign underlines the platform’s continued commitment to delivering the biggest and most-anticipated movies of India’s mega-stars, like the upcoming Ajay Devgn-starrer Bhuj: The Pride of India, <keyword id="7388127" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bhoot-police">Bhoot Police</keyword> starring Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Yami Gautam, and Hungama 2 starring Shilpa Shetty, Meezaan Jaffrey and <keyword id="6357914" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paresh-Rawal">Paresh Rawal</keyword> - all releasing under the Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex banner within a three-month window. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Actor Shakti Kapoor said, “Love and appreciation from audiences have kept my characters alive even after all these years, and I am so happy to have recreated the Crime Master Gogo look for Disney+ Hotstar. Reliving those moments again was made even more special because it was the first time that I got to share the screen with my daughter Shraddha. Back in the day, we could have never imagined that movies could be accessible to people at all times with just the touch of a button. But Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex has ensured that the latest movies reach audiences at home.” Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex ushers in a re-imagined ‘first-day-first-show’ for fans by releasing the most anticipated movies directly to digital, featuring some of the biggest and most loved actors. These include upcoming titles Bhuj: The Pride of India, Hungama 2, and Bhoot Police and already released Laxmii starring Akshay Kumar, late Sushant Singh Rajput in Dil Bechara, Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, and <keyword id="6370368" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pooja-bhatt">Pooja Bhatt</keyword> in Sadak 2, Abhishek Bachchan in The Big Bull, Vidyut Jammwal in Khuda Haafiz, Jimmy Sheirgill in Collar Bomb, Kirti Kulhari in Shaadisthan, Kunal Khemu and Rasika Dugal in Lootcase, amongst others. Fans can also enjoy regional language movies including Mookuthi Amman, Bhoomi, Teddy, and Paramapadham Vilayuttu released under the Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex banner which has received a positive response from the audience across the country. To access Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex and enjoy the magic of blockbuster mvies, users need an active subscription to Disney+ Hotstar.

Crime Master Gogo is back, this time for a Disney+ Hotstar campaign

<ul><li><keyword id="17816462" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tata-Play-Binge" source="Denny">Tata Play Binge</keyword> is now available for non-DTH users as well. </li><li>The <keyword id="17816463" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="OTT-aggregator" source="Denny">OTT aggregator</keyword> offers access to up to 27 applications with one subscription. </li><li>Tata Play Binge offers monthly <keyword id="17816464" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="subscription-plans" source="Denny">subscription plans</keyword> starting at INR 249 per month. </li></ul>Tata Play Binge has said that it has become the biggest over-the-top or OTT aggregator platform in India, offering users access to 27 platforms at once. Keeping with the times, the Tata Play Binge service has now been available to all users and there is no requirement of having a DTH connection from the company. Tata Play Binge says that a single subscription offers access to 27 national, international and regional applications in 13 languages, including Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5 and SonyLIV on mobile, desktop and television. If one subscribes to Tata Play Binge, one doesn’t have to take individual subscriptions to OTT platforms. The company’s plans allow up to four users to use the application at once to stream their favourite content. "Availability of many apps has made subscription to and search for content cumbersome for OTT viewers. Our years of experience in helping TV viewers subscribe to content of their choice and building an intuitive user interface that makes the discovery of content easy, has helped us create a similar platform, this time for OTT,” said Harit Nagpal, managing director and chief executive officer, Tata Play. Tata Play Bing subscription The Tata Play Binge subscription is available in two plans – Mega – The Mega plan is priced at INR 349 per month and offers access to all 27 applications and supports <keyword id="17816465" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="streaming" source="Denny">streaming</keyword> on four devices at once. Super – The Super Plan offers access to 22 applications for INR 249 a month. This plan also supports streaming on four devices at once. Tata Play Binge applications <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Disney+ Hotstar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sun NXT </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hungama Play </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sony LIV </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ReelDrama </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Eros Now </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ZEE5 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Voot Kids </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ShemarooMe </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jio Cinema </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chaupal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Curiosity Stream (Mega) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hallmark </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Namma Flix </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">EPIC ON </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MX Player </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Planet Marathi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Travelxp </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lionsgate Play (Mega) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">manoramaMAX </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">DocuBay </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aha </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Koode </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ShortsTV (Mega) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">VROTT </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tarang Plus </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gaming </td></tr></tbody></table> Tata Play Binge launches campaign Meanwhile, Tata Play Binge has launched a campaign, Bachcha Bachcha Janta Hai, with <keyword id="17816466" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="Saif-Ali-Khan" source="Denny">Saif Ali Khan</keyword> and Kareena Kapoor Khan to promote its new offering. “Entertainment is a unifier unlike any, and it is an absolute delight to be a part of Tata Play Binge's journey to becoming the largest OTT aggregator in India. With an initiative like this, entertainment will know no limits, which is exactly how it should be,” said Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/smartphone-makers-urge-indian-government-to-reduce-input-tariffs-to-increase-competitiveness/articleshow/101272037.cms">Smartphone makers want India to take the fight to China and Vietnam further</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/nothing-phone-2-pre-orders-to-begin-from-june-29-heres-how-to-book-yours/articleshow/101278663.cms">Nothing Phone (2) pre-orders to begin from June 29 – Here’s how to book yours</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/jiophone-5g-leak-reveals-design-key-specifications-ahead-of-launch/articleshow/101209095.cms">JioPhone 5G leak reveals design, key specifications ahead of launch</a>

Tata Play Binge claims becoming India’s biggest OTT aggregator with 27 apps

Amazon India on Friday announced that its smart assistant Alexa that completed one year of its existence is now available on both Android and iOS smartphones in the country. The customers can now interact with Alexa in Hindi using the Alexa app on their mobile devices. "In an effort to make Alexa in Hindi more useful for customers, we have added over 60 new features in the past year. These include improvements such as asking Alexa to whisper, adjust how fast or slow she speaks, and new experiences such as asking Alexa for health-related information, Hindi definitions of words in English, Audible Suno and so on," Puneesh Kumar, Country Leader for Alexa, Amazon India, told IANS. Many users are also purchasing Amazon Echo devices for their parents as they are more comfortable to speak to the devices in Hindi. "We will continue to make Alexa interactions in Hindi even more seamless and conversational. It is still Day 1," Kumar added. Amazon has also added six new Alexa original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi. Alexa now has a special message for all users in India. Just ask "Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao". Alexa can now understand 50 different ways to play a particular song in Hindi. The Alexa Speech Science team has used the latest advances in deep neural networks, multi-dialect training, and semi-supervised learning to reduce Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) errors by more than 40 per cent since the launch of Hindi last year. The company said that Alexa is now equipped with hundreds of new words from the Hindi vocabulary, and is also able to understand different ways in which customers can ask for the same information. "Users of the Alexa in Hindi have a unique taste in music. In addition to asking for Bollywood music, they are most likely to ask for devotional and spiritual songs. We also noticed increased requests for songs related to festive occasions such as Raksha Bandhan songs or Chhath Puja," Kumar told IANS. At the launch last year, Amazon had over 500 Hindi skills. Today, it has over 1,000 Hindi Skills, including Audible Suno, Ramayan Katha, Devotional Stories by Hungama, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Jungle Safari, Kabir's Dohe, Rekhta, Hindi Jokes and so on. Alexa in Hindi can be experienced on the entire Amazon Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa built-in devices by other brands, the company said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/dailyhunt-app-founders-confirm-ipl-2020-associate-sponsorship/articleshow/78169667.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Dailyhunt founders confirm IPL 2020 associate sponsorship — promise new release for Josh ahead of India’s biggest cricket tournament</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/hcl-tech-enters-the-list-of-top-10-most-valued-companies-in-india/articleshow/78165311.cms">HCL Tech enters the list of top 10 most valued companies in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/first-intact-planet-found-circling-a-dead-star-this-jupiter-sized-anomaly-is-in-orbit-rather-than-being-pulled-apart-at-the-seams/articleshow/78166938.cms">First 'intact' planet found circling a dead star — this Jupiter-sized anomaly is in orbit rather than being pulled apart at the seams</a>

Amazon Alexa in Hindi comes to smartphones in India as it turns one

<keyword id="6371315" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bose">Bose</keyword> is best known for producing gadgets that have brain whooping sound. We just got to play around with the new Bose <keyword id="2144087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Soundtouch-portable">SoundTouch Portable</keyword> internet <keyword id="6354530" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="music">music</keyword> streaming system and it left us wanting for more. 
 
Design 
The SoundTouch Portable looks like any other sound dock from Bose. Except it has a nice single colour LCD screen at the front, instead of the docking spot for the iPhone or iPod. Engineers at Bose have designed the new device in a manner that it gives you best treble and bass in a small form factor. The remote is also part of the kit and one can control this sound box from as far as 10 meters. This is the transportable version of SoundTouch, so the weight of this sound system is on the lower side. One can easily carry it in the luggage when going on a holiday or can make it hop from one room to the other. 
 
Performance 
Bose always amazes us with extreme sound performance from its products and Bose SoundTouch Portable is no different. The sheer power with which this small little contraption is able to send sound waves towards you is incredible. Yes, it does take a little bit of time to set the device up and you do require a PC to help you out in the setup procedure. Also, it requires a constant Wi-Fi connection to stream internet music. However, once these things are out of the way, the SoundTouch portable is worth every penny spent. The sound is superb. High and low notes are clear and one can enjoy all sorts of music genera’s on it. 
 
There are many music genre and music channels available to stream music from. One can set as many as 6 channels on the preset buttons located on the device and on the IR remote. One can listen to Bollywood music from Hungama or dance to the groovy tracks from 1.FM. There is a lot to pick from. It also has a battery inside SoudTouch Portable. Once it is fully charged, it will give you about 3 hours of continuous playback time. Under nominal use it will last for about 10 hours, before the device asks to replenish its battery juices again. 
 
Verdict 
Users can also connect mobile phones or music players to the SoundTouch Portable with the help of an Aux cable. This sound system is very good for small to medium rooms (and travel), however not that great in large rooms or halls. Overall, it gave us less to sob over. We were hoping the continuous playback capability of the device was a wee bit longer and also the price was a little less. But then Bose would not be able to keep it at the premium end. At the moment the device is priced at Rs 32,513.

Bose SoundTouch Portable Review: It’s One Of The Best
Internet Music Streaming Devices

<ul><li>Iconic romantic films including DDLJ, Tamasha, Titanic 3D version and Jab We Met were re-released during Valentine’s week. </li><li>For chains like PVR, reruns have been an important part of their campaign to bring India back to the theatres. </li><li>Analyst Karan Taurani believes reruns are not powerful enough to impact collections or drive theatre occupancy and indicates lack of fresh Bollywood content. </li><li>Indian film critic Sucharita Tyagi states reruns of classics are helping build film communities, drive theatre occupancy and celebrate cinema. </li></ul>Theatre audiences in one of the PVR’s in Punjab were seen dancing to the groovy beats of ‘Mauja hi mauja’, a song from Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan-starrer Jab We Met, rereleased in theatres almost two decades after its original release. Kapoor called it ‘too special’ on Twitter. But is the business of nostalgia strong enough to mint money at the box office? Several iconic romantic films including – Shah Rukh Khan (SRK)-Kajol-starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge (DDLJ), Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone’s Tamasha, James Cameron’s Titanic in 3D and Jab We Met – were released across PVR, Inox and Cinepolis theatres during Valentine’s week this February. Even though DDLJ remains the longest-running film in Indian cinema and is immensely popular with multiple reruns, it found tough competition this Valentine’s week from the Jab We Met rerun. “Jab We Met has now started beating DDLJ in PVR. Jab We Met collected ₹2 lakh on Friday. The collections then jumped to approximately ₹5 lakh on Saturday while the collections on Sunday were ₹6 lakh. On Monday, while DDLJ collected ₹6 lakh, Jab We Met collected ₹6.5 lakh in the multiplex chain,” reported<a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/jab-mets-re-release-springs-surprise-collects-monday-sunday-also-beats-dilwale-dulhania-le-jayenge-pvr/"> Bollywood Hungama</a>. Rerun campaigns for boosting footfalls PVR Oberoi Mall in Goregaon, Mumbai decided to play six shows of Jab We Met on Valentine’s day. Tamasha had 150 shows with 50% audience occupancy and Titanic 3D version rerun had 1,000 shows, with 60% occupancy, PVR told Business Insider India. The PVR’S Valentine Week Film Festival (10th-16th February 2023) also re-released other romantic titles across languages – Ticket to Paradise (English), Ved (Marathi), Geetha Govindam (Telugu), Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (Tamil), Hridayam (Malayalam), Googly (Kannada) and Love Ni Bhavai (Gujarati). “Screened across 25 cities in India, Jab We Met, DDLJ, Tamasha, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa and Titanic especially received good response, recording average occupancy of 50-70%. Shows of Jab We Met had to be increased to meet the increased demand,” Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR, told Business Insider India. PVR aims to continue with their rerun campaigns in the future, given the power nostalgia wields on millennials and even GenZs, Dutta added. For chains like PVR, reruns have been an important part of their campaign to boost theatre occupancy – be it re-releasing 11 films starring Amitabh Bachchan on his 80th birthday or the ‘Dilip Kumar Hero of Heroes’ campaign celebrating his 100th birth anniversary. The release of DDLJ during SRK’s birthday last year collected ₹23.4 lakh, claiming 60% occupancy then. “When you watch Jab We Met, you also watch it with 300 people who are die-hard fans of that film. Witnessing this celebration is pure joy. You know the punchlines, where to laugh, where to cry. Props to the Film Federation of India for bringing these classics back. They are also driving theatre occupancy,” Sucharita Tyagi, an Indian film critic told Business Insider India. Many movies like DDLJ, Tamasha, Jab We Met are already available on OTTs yet cinephiles are flocking to theatres in hoards. An Ormax report states the Indian theatre audience has lost <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indian-film-industry-lost-24-million-moviegoers-to-the-pandemic-ormax/articleshow/97918537.cms">24 million</a> moviegoers to the pandemic. This is accentuated by low impact of small and medium-budget films and availability of OTT platforms. The OTT audience in India has grown 20% in 2022 with 424 million active users. Yet, it looks like the big screen has its pull. “We are seeing films like Deewar in theatres, which was released when we weren’t even born. It is a novelty experience. Reruns boost film communities. The Priyanka Chopra led Jio-MAMI festival is also bringing physical screenings back. It is a good time for cinema I believe,” added Tyagi. Impact on collections: minuscule Reruns may boost film communities, but will they be able to revive flagging footfalls and lift box office collections? Karan Taurani, analyst at Elara Capital, believes reruns are not powerful enough to impact collections or drive theatre occupancy. They are rather indicative of fresh Bollywood content. Also, reruns have limitations in their reach. For instance, a Jab We Met will rake in more numbers in Punjab or Delhi as compared to South Indian cities like Chennai. “Reruns are happening because Pathaan has seen a strong run in the last two and a half weeks. Little to no fresh content is being offered, which is why these films are being re-released. The number of Hindi films released every quarter have come down 25-30%, from over 20 films every quarter pre-pandemic to less than 14 films now. There is greater reliance on big-budget films,” Taurani told Business Insider India. SRK-Deepika Padukone-starrer Pathaan crossed ₹500 crore in India in 20 days, contributing 46% to <a href="https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/the-india-box-office-report-january-2023.html?s=08">January’s India box office</a> collections. Films released in January 2023 grossed ₹1,389 crore at the domestic box office, the highest since April 2022, as per <a href="https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/the-india-box-office-report-january-2023.html?s=08">Ormax report.</a> A caveat – only six films managed to cross the ₹10 crore mark, indicating greater reliance on big-budget movies like Pathaan. “The impact of reruns is very minuscule. Collection is low because these are consumed more in terms of single screens where ticket prices are low. I don’t foresee a large number of people going to multiplexes for these films as ticket prices are 3-4 times higher,” added Taurani. But Tyagi states these movies are helping India come back to the theatres, although she too wishes the ticket prices of these movies were cheaper. “I cannot say if these movies are being used as fillers before the big releases but I am glad India is coming back to the theatres. I wish the ticket prices and snacks at concession stands were cheaper at theatres to make movie watching a more affordable experience,” added Tyagi. Reruns may not be too successful at raking in the moolah at the box office but what they surely do is revive the currency of nostalgia – allowing the audience to relive the past while providing theatre chains a respite from falling audience footfalls.

Business of nostalgia: Reruns aim to bring India back to the silver screens

The media has been buzzing with news of leaked copies of '<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Udta+Punjab&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Udta Punjab</a>' and 'Great Grand Masti'. Both FCAT copies, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rajinikanth&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Rajinikanth</a>'s blockbuster <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Kabali&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Kabali</a> met the same fate. Several websites had full links that could be used to view and download a pirate’s copy. India’s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Bollywood&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Bollywood</a> film industry, the largest producer of films, is severely threatened by physical and <keyword id="577158" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="online-piracy">online piracy</keyword>. 
 
Believe it or not, 2015’s big release <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Baahubali&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Baahubali</a> took the maximum hit. With 1,485 active piracy links of the SS Rajamouli film available, the film has been downloaded illegally 24.76 lakh times. The total revenue loss in these 17 months to the Telugu film industry stands at a whopping Rs. 1,064 Crores. To expect these guys to face such losses and still tell us why Katappa killed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Baahubali&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Baahubali</a> is crazy. 
 
The numbers are mind-boggling to say the least. "Some unofficial estimates show that the overall revenue loss to the Indian Media and Entertainment industry is close to $ 2.5 billion”, Rajkmar Akela, Chairman, Anti Video Piracy Cell, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce said. 
 
In 2014, India was listed in the International Piracy Watch List by the US. This is a list of four countries where piracy is rampant. However, few seem to care. The number of piracy cases registered in India reduced by just 10% this year as compared to 16% in the Asia-Pacific region. 
 "India's film industry - the economic contribution of the creative economy and creative sectors in India is limited. Issues like copyright infringement, <keyword id="54502" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Film-piracy">film piracy</keyword>, cam cording and content leakage weaken the industry by hampering the deserved revenue production. Economies with supportive copyright protection are at least 30% more likely to have larger and more dynamic content and media sectors than are countries with less favorable IP regime", Mr. Patrick Kilbride, Executive Director, International IP, Global Intellectual Property Center, U S Chamber of Commerce said. 
 With increased penetration of technology and internet in India, piracy through online distribution is expected to continue to be a major source of revenue leakage if immediate steps are not taken to stem this flow of cash. Part of the issue is that legitimate means of digital viewing are still emerging in India. <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> came in late, and with not many Tier II and Tier III enjoying quality 4G coverage, downloading it using torrents or buying from a local DVD seller just seems easier. 
 “How to grow movie-goer base in the face of growing satellite penetration and piracy remains the bigger and more fundamental challenge”, Ajit Andhare, COO, <keyword id="1194637" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Viacom18-Motion-Pictures">Viacom18 Motion Pictures</keyword> observes. 
 
This parallel black economy is also hampering innovation. Flipkart’s online music store, Flyte had to shut down a little more than a year of its launch due to music piracy. Another website Dhingana had to shut down after a long struggle. Music Store, a chain of over 100 stores in India was also shut this year due to the effects of piracy. 
 
Truth is, even with the improvements in technology, not many business models and payment mechanisms have evolved to compete effectively with the ‘free’ illegal option. The Indian film industry is waking up to the prospect of optimizing the release window only now, and making it available across platforms. Not to mention the laggard implementation of existing anti-piracy rules. 
 
“We acknowledge the National IPR Policy as a step in the right direction to protect copyright as it envisages a creative and innovative India. However, thousands of rogue websites threaten the lifeline of a film, as soon as it is released in theatres. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Film+piracy&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Film piracy</a> creates financial loss to our business and to the exchequer”, Mr. Uday Singh, Managing Director at Motion Picture Association said. 
 
While the economic impacts of piracy are difficult to quantify, a recent market study by FICCI looked at seven industry sectors most impacted by counterfeiting, piracy and smuggling, and found almost Rs. 73,000 Crores in lost sales in 2012 across just these seven sectors. 
 
As a saving grace, select Premium HD Channels are offering TV content to the Indian audience 24 hours of its US telecast, but are getting few takers. Hungama offers Indian film content to 47 countries through partnerships with other companies. Free online music streaming sites like Gaana and Saavn are trying their best with branding exercises. 
 
However, till expediting blocking rogue sites, tracing locations, owners, release groups involved in copyright theft and cracking down on criminal syndicates involving notorious camcorders are not considered ‘first-aid’ to any case of copyright violation, it’s difficult. 
Till then, it’s plain madness out there. 
 
<a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/all-the-piracy1.jpg">Image Source</a>

India loses $2.5 Bn to Online Movie Piracy every year

<ul><li><keyword id="99676" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shilpa-Shetty-Kundra">Shilpa Shetty Kundra</keyword>, who has been missing from the big screen for the past 13 years has become the face of yet another brand. </li><li>She has 13 brands in her kitty from varied categories like Food &amp; Beverages, Telecom, Skincare, FMCG, Chocolates, and more. </li><li>As Shilpa signs another brand, we try to decode what still makes the actor relevant and how she has become an example of breaking age-disparity in the industry. </li></ul>Shilpa Shetty Kundra, the 43-year-old Bollywood actress, has bagged yet another brand in her kitty. She is now the face of home decor brand, Stellar Homes USA and represents 13 brands in total. Shilpa was last seen on the silver screen in the 2007 film Apne but she never really left the limelight. She continued judging various TV reality shows, became an entrepreneur by starting her own fitness channel called The Shilpa Shetty app and invested in a start-up called Mamaearth. Shilpa has over 1.6 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, which covers fashion tips, her fitness regime and a cooking show. While on Instagram, she has gained more than 6 million followers in a short span of time. According to media reports, she has a net worth of $20 million. This year, her long sabbatical of 13 years will also come to an end as she will be seen in two movies -- Nikamma and Hungama 2. Brand Journey Shilpa was 16 and a part of the modelling world when an aerated drinks brand approached her. Today, she regrets falling for money and choosing shortcuts. Shilpa is now wary of the kind of brands she chooses to work with. She has walked out of the meeting rooms if she doesn’t resonate with the brand. “Earlier, I really didn't think about whether I suited the brand. It was only about whether I was getting paid enough to leverage my name. But in the last five years, there has been a change in my thought process. When people take you seriously as a brand or rather someone synonymous with health and fitness, you become more responsible. So if something doesn't resonate with my personality or something that I can't use at home for my family or me, I won't endorse it,” admits Shilpa. Before her big release lined up this year, Shilpa turned down a Rs 10 crore offer from an Ayurvedic Slimming Pill brand because she did not want youngsters, who look up to her, to fall for fad diets. “There's so many brands I have turned down, I can't sit down and list those,” she breaks into a chuckle. She says she would have bagged a lot more brands and made more money had she not been so fastidious. Pan Masala brands and Aerated Drinks are completely off her list and she says she wouldn’t consider endorsing them ‘for all the money in the world.’ Explaining her modus operandi of choosing deals, she says, “I'm very particular and there's a lot of due diligence that goes into the brands that I work with. And I really believe that there is no shortcut in life. If you were to tell people that by popping pills you will lose weight, I think people who actually work out the right way will start losing faith in what they're doing. And I just feel that though we stopped focusing on mental health, and we will be talking about prizes and losing weight, fitting into a certain size, I think mental health is equally important. And I can't endorse something that doesn't fall into line with my philosophy.” The secret behind her relevance in the industry It was during her post-pregnancy period that Shilpa was asked a lot of questions about her fitness regime on the internet. She joined social media to help people out and realised that the audiences’ love for her hasn’t changed. She used that to her advantage and started her own application. It is her penchant for fitness and strong social media following, that brands still find her relevant. “After all these years, I feel like I stayed relevant. Today, I'm doing two films after 13 years but people still know me, not only because of television, but also because I stand for propagating good health. I want to bring about an awareness and want to play the role of a catalyst. As actors, we are always looked up to, and we have the power of social media. I used that to start my own YouTube channel,” shares Shilpa. Now, Shilpa Shetty is in-between meetings, looking for a fundraiser for her application to expand her reach further. Experts Speak Ashutosh Harbola, CEO and Co-founder, Buzzoka thinks that Shilpa had a strong influence on the industry since she made her fortune in Big Brother; her brand image changed after that and IPL, he says, added a cherry on the cake. “Shilpa Shetty is an ever-blooming social media star and her constant touchpoint with her audience makes her relevant even when she doesn't have too much in her kitty. From a brand's perspective, it's the right fit. Since the social and digital-first audience is always on social media, their appetite for relevancy is much filled. Also, Shilpa has been testing a couple of other platforms too which is keeping her both busy and buzzed. We all saw her entry on TikTok and it's a perfect example of being in the news for the right reasons,” says he. “Post her marriage, she is amongst the rich kids of Instagram making the world drool on her cuteness and the lavish lifestyle,” adds Harbola. N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, highlights how strong her social media currency is, which is one of the reasons why brands still love her. “It is not easy for an actor who has been out of an active acting career for over 10 years to continue to stay relevant. However, Shilpa Shetty has reinvented herself in many new avatars to do what she is good at. She is a fitness icon, TV reality show judge, fashionista, partner in a spa chain, has over 1.6 million subscribers on her Youtube food channel, 6 million followers on her Instagram, among other things. Guess that's more than enough to keep her relevant with new-age millennials and others,” says Chandramouli. Social Media and Brand Expert, Karthik Srinivasan thinks Shilpa’s relatability factor for millennials and Gen Y has worked in her favor. “Shilpa Shetty, I believe, appeals to and can be recognised by a whole lot of middle-aged and older women unlike an Ananya Panday or Alia Bhatt. That relatability is what perhaps works in her favor. Ditto for actors like Vidya Balan. To some extent, it's also a factor of a 40+ woman actor to continue to want attention, work and assignments. Some may choose to shun the limelight and live a more obscure life surrounded by people close to them, as a way to escape the excess attention of earlier times. Shilpa Shetty has been in the limelight long after her exiting the film industry, including her foray into owning teams and so on. So, modeling and films continue to help her position her brand,” explains Srinivasan. An inspiration for other actresses The Khans of Bollywood and actors like Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, still continue to be the Top 10 celebrities. Senior actresses, on the other hand, struggle to find film projects. As they vanish from the limelight after they get married, brands stop approaching them. Shilpa is unhesitant to agree that she found her calling much later in her career arc and feels women are finally stepping up to turn the tables. “I found my calling very late but I guess better late than never. Also, times are changing. You see actresses are far more daring today. It's also a more egalitarian world now. Women are given far more opportunities. I think women today are willing to take risks. And yes, it's a different world. And I think that's the only thing that's constant - change,” says Shilpa. Srinivasan also thinks the situation is changing, thanks to actresses like Shilpa Shetty and Vidya Balan and script writers that are breaking the age stereotypes. “I think as an industry, Bollywood (and the regional film industries, in particular) have moved definitely away from age-limits for women actors. While there's always (and still) a demand for young women actors, there are scripts being written for older ages as well, who do not fit the conventional stereotypes of a leading woman in films,” says Srinivasan. He adds, “From a branding point of view, I was very pleasantly surprised to see Tapsee Pannu featured in a Horlicks ad where she was specifically called out as being 30+. Or a Kangana Ranaut playing a mother of a boy in Panga. This scenario was unheard of a few years ago when only men had the freedom to be called 30+, 40+ and still get away with conventional roles in films. 40+ Shilpa Shetty is a variant of the 30+ Tapsee and Kangana.” Chandramouli, on the other hand, feels the onus also lies on actresses. “Brands take endorsements from 53-year-old male actors endorsing colas, and 77-year-old males endorsing everything. When it comes to women celebrities, there are occasions when you will see someone like Madhuri Dixit, who is above 50 years get endorsements. But many don't get as lucky as her. And this age-related aberration is one of the strangest as many times when choosing actors playing an older role, directors tend to cast younger actors. To correct this is the responsibility of female actors as also it is of brands and advertising agencies. Many times due to the paucity of opportunities, women celebrities above 40 tend to start focusing on other areas of their interests in work and personal life. In a highly competitive world, they must continue to stay relevant in their interest areas, stay connected with audiences, and find new interests which find newer fans. Since all endorsements are a commercial arrangement, the fee of endorsement also matters, for the potential endorsers must be willing to adjust fees in line with market demand. For the brands and agencies, it is important to have greater acceptance, to try the different, reink campaigns with such potential endorsers.” While many actresses have come and vanished with time, Shilpa Shetty Kundra has never left the showbiz, setting an example for other female actors in the industry.

What continues to make Shilpa Shetty Kundra relevant for brands

<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."

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