PUNE:  Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, today announced new unparalleled entertainment packs for prepaid customers. With access to an industry-leading portfolio of 25+ top OTT platforms—including Netflix, JioHotstar, Zee5, and SonyLiv — Airtel is the only telco in India offering such an extensive entertainment experience. Starting at an attractive introductory price of ₹279 for 1 month validity, customers will get access to a wide variety of popular streaming platforms, of value worth ₹750, making it the only telco to enable access to such a wide bouquet of OTT streaming options. The company has also bundled entertainment packs with unlimited 5G data and unlimited calls at ₹598, facilitating unlimited entertainment.  

Customers can now access a wide variety of TV shows, blockbuster movies, and documentaries from leading OTT platforms such as Netflix, JioHostar, Zee5, SonyLiv, LionsgatePlay, AHA, SunNxt, Hoichoi, ErosNow, and ShemarooMe, among others, all through a single pack. By consolidating these various OTT services into one affordable package, the company seeks to meet the changing entertainment preferences of its prepaid users. This enables them to effortlessly enjoy international, Bollywood, and regional content in more than 16 languages, including their preferred shows, films, and or

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NEW DELHI: According to PwC India’s report “Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024–28: India perspective,” the Indian E&M industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% to hit INR 3,65,000 Crore (19.2 Bn USD) outpacing the global rate of 4.6%.

Despite economic challenges and geopolitical tensions, global E&M revenues grew 5.5% year-on-year, from INR 13,891,000 crore in 2022 to INR 17,359,000 crore in 2023. Currently, the US leads the global E&M market by revenue, with China in the 2^nd place and India at the 9^th.

Manpreet Singh Ahuja, Chief Digital Officer and TMT Leader at PwC India commented, “India’s Entertainment & Media sector is on the cusp of a major transformation. According to our Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024-2028, key growth drivers such as digital advertising, OTT platforms, online gaming, and Generative AI are shaping the future of the industry. These rapidly expanding segments are positioning India as a global leader in innovation and growth. Businesses that adapt and innovate in these areas are poised to seize unparalleled opportunities in this dynamic landscape.”

With India’s improved connectivity, rising advertising revenues, and favorable Government policies around foreign direct investment (FDI), the country is predicted to see one of the highest growth rates in the next five years. The country’s large millennial and Gen-Z population base of over 91 crore has access to the world’s cheapest data costs. At present, India has 80 crore broadband subscriptions, 55 crore smartphone users, and 78 crore internet users. Indians are spending 78% of their time on mobile phone apps related to E&M. Leveraging India’s strong growth trajectory in the E&M sector, the Government of India is set to host the inaugural WAVES summit, boosting its E&M sector globally through stakeholder collaboration and innovation.

With growing consumption and gross domestic product (GDP) growth in India, the advertising market is projected to grow at a 9.4% CAGR from INR 1,01,000 crore in 2023 to INR 1,58,000 crore in 2028, which is 1.4x the global average. Most of this growth will come from the digital front (internet advertising), which is expected to grow at a 15.6% CAGR, rising from INR 41,000 crore in 2023 to INR 85,000 crore in 2028. Internet advertising’s year-on-year growth, which was 26.0% in 2023, will remain in double digits throughout the forecast period (2024–28) and is expected to be 12.2% in 2028.

This shift towards cord-cutting is expected to accelerate. Traditional TV advertising will grow at a 4.2% CAGR between 2023 to 2028, while global revenues are set to drop by -1.6%. India is poised to become the fourth-largest TV advertising market by 2026.

As per the 2024 outlook, other subsectors will also witness growth that surpasses global averages:

• The total online gaming and esports revenue in India stood at INR 16,480 crore in 2023 and is expected to reach INR 39,583 crore by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 19.2%. With the inclusion of real money gaming (as per PwC’s India Gaming Report ‘24) the total gaming and esports revenue would amount to INR 33,000 crore (4BnUSD) in 2023 and is expected to reach INR 66,000 crore (8BnUSD) by 2028 at a CAGR of 14.5%. Globally, video games and esports revenue will increase at a CAGR of 8.0%.
• Over-the-top (OTT) will be the third-fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 14.9%, putting the country in the lead by 2028.
• Infrastructure enhancements have supported massive growth in India’s out-of-home (OOH) advertising market which grew by 12.9% in 2023. It is expected to continue to grow at a 7.6% CAGR.
• When it comes to print advertising revenues, despite a global decline at a CAGR of -2.6%, India’s market is expected to grow at a rate of 3%, making it the 3rd largest Print market in the world by 2028
• India’s cinema market continues to expand, growing at a 14.1% CAGR.
• The total music (live, recorded, and digital)  revenue grew from INR 2,416 crore (293 Mn USD) in 2019 to INR 6,686 crore (811 Mn USD) in 2023. It is expected to cross INR 10,899 crore (1.3 Bn USD) by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 10.3%.
• At a 5.6% CAGR, India will stand out as having the highest B2B revenue growth rate in the world over the next five years. In contrast, global B2B revenue growth is forecasted at a 1.9% CAGR.

The report highlights four key opportunities in the E&M sector. Internet advertising emerges as the fastest-growing market in Asia-Pacific and the second globally, with a projected 15.6% CAGR (2023–2028). Companies can prioritize regulatory compliance and leverage data analytics to enhance trust and implement targeted advertising strategies.

OTT platforms in India, the world’s fastest-growing, saw a 20.9% rise in 2023, reaching INR 17,496 crore (2.1 Bn USD), and are projected to double by 2028 (14.9% CAGR). Focusing on advertising-supported tiers, market consolidation, and regional narratives can boost engagement.

Online gaming and esports are rapidly expanding, projected to represent 9% of the E&M sector by 2028. Promoting responsible gaming and investing in high-quality AAA games will position Indian studios on the global stage. Lastly, generative AI (GenAI) is set to transform content creation, personalization, and monetization, with over 70% of global companies expected to adopt it by 2025. Early adoption of GenAI in India can drive hyper-personalised content and dynamic advertising campaigns.

The report also outlines strategic approaches for companies to enhance success. It recommends consolidation among regional or niche players through mergers and acquisitions to increase size and scale. It also highlights the use of social media for marketing and distribution, as media companies leverage these platforms for content promotion. The report suggests innovation in content strategy, including esports, online gaming, and Indigenous sports to meet changing consumer behaviors. It advises investment in cost optimization through analytics, audits, and automation to lower operational and production costs. Finally, it points to the use of GenAI for creating hyper-personalized content discovery and improving user experiences, especially for regional players aiming to match the technological capabilities of global peers.

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MUMBAI: OTT Royalties Sayani Gupta, Maanvi Gagroo, Kirti Kulhari, and VJ Bani – Unleash a Spectrum of Glamour by changing bios on their respective Social Media handles, creating waves in the media and leaving netizens wondering, what these leading ladies are up-to!

Beyond a mere change in hairstyle, these fabulous OTT ladies have geared up to redefine the beauty landscape and set the mood for 2024, through their bold hair color looks, leaving behind cameras clicking and fans talking.

Is it a manifestation of a “New Year, New Me” resolution or communicating themselves through “My Bio, My Expression” or are they setting the “Hair-color Trend for the year 2024”? Get ready for a splash of colors for the season, with Sayani’s Playful Iced Chocolate, Maanvi’s Confident Salted Caramel, Kirti’s Free Light Golden Brown, and VJ Bani’s Bold Raspberry Burgundy. Seems like their transformation is about to unfold something exciting upcoming of the new year.

Each diva is poised to infuse their unique flair with playful updates to their publicly viewed Instagram profiles, unveiling a sassy twist for their audience. Bollywood’s Leading Ladies Redefine Glamour:

• Sayani – Playful like Iced Chocolate
• Maanvi – Confident like Salted Caramel
• Kirti – Free like Light Golden Brown
• VJ Bani – Bold like Raspberry, Burgundy

Prepare yourself for a burst of colors, a surge of sass, and a flood of captivating selfies as these leading ladies redefine the style game through their hair colors. Stay tuned for the glamor revolution!

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She was speaking on the topic ‘The Challenges of Female Actors in the Entertainment World’ during the Masterclass at the 21st Pune International Film Festival organized by the Pune Film Foundation and Maharashtra Government today at PVR Icon in Pavilion Mall on Senapati Bapat Road. Dr. Jabbar Patel, Director of PIFF interacted with the actress on the occasion.

“Nowadays, female actors are doing great and female-centric films can do well as people are hungry for different content. On the other hand, roles for male actors are stereotyped. I always tell the director to give me what I have not done before. The roles might be great but most of them are inflections and variations of old roles. I want to do something, which I cannot imagine doing,“ said Vidya Balan, while stating that she however doesn’t like doing issue-based films as cinema is for entertainment and not for preaching.

Vidya Balan who decided to pursue her career in acting after watching Madhuri Dixit’s famous song ‘Ek Do Teen’ from Tezaab, recalled that during the initial phase of her career, she was ‘thrown out’ of the 12 films she was signed for and it was something that shattered her.

“But I did not give up and it was Director Pradip Sarkar, who showed faith in me. It was after I did a video for the band Euphoria, things started changing for me and I started getting offers. Similarly, my career also changed after the film Ishqiya in 2010,” said Balan.

She concluded by saying “Everyone should live their lives well, observe people and their surroundings and learn from it to grow in their careers.”

NOTE:- The closing film ‘The Final Cut’ of the 21st PIFF by Michel Hazanavicius will not be played at Sakal Lalit Kalaghar after the closing ceremony. Instead, it will be played on Screen No. 3 and 4 at INOX, Bund Garden at 4 PM on February 9.

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MUMBAI: Magnifi, the flagship enterprise solution offered by VideoVerse, a cloud-agnostic platform, announced that they have won the Gold category award for Best Emerging Tech Company at the SportsPro OTT Awards held in Madrid. The SportsPro OTT Awards celebrates the pioneers of sports broadcasting organizations with ground-breaking solutions and the most innovative strategies. The award recognizes Magnifi as the most innovative and emerging technology company impacting the OTT industry and establishes trust and credibility for its stakeholders for the proprietary technology they provide.

On receiving the award, Vinayak Shrivastav CEO of VideoVerse, said, “This award helps to get us one step closer to our goal. We aim to make enterprise video editing as seamless as possible by making content social media ready at the click of a button. We strive to help content creators/platforms create content that drives maximum fan engagement and ROI. Receiving the Gold award under the Best Emerging Tech Company at the SportsPro OTT Awards helps us validate that we are in the right direction and are bringing about revolutionary and noteworthy changes in the sports broadcast and OTT industry.”

The SportsPro OTT summit was held in Madrid for the 6th time. The summit was held across three days and connected more than 1,000 leading professionals, discussing the continued rapid growth in the sports broadcast and OTT industry, whilst uncovering the technologies of the future.

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PUNE: Following a successful run on its original content, Watcho is expanding its offering by providing bundled packages of the most popular OTT platforms, thus providing its subscribers with a whole new world of digital content along with the convenience of a single subscription.

WATCHO will offer OTT content from Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5, Sony LIV, Lionsgate Play, Hungama Play, HoiChoi, Klikk, EpicOn, Chaupal, and Oho Gujarati via a single login and subscription model. Additionally, subscribers will also be able to enjoy the massive library of original content including 35+ enthralling web series, Swag (UGC content), snackable shows, and live TV from WATCHO exclusives. DishTV will further enhance its plans as more OTT platforms are in the pipeline to join Watcho to make it a comprehensive entertainment destination.

Indian OTT viewers struggle to keep up with the latest content by juggling multiple platforms. Watcho’s latest OTT aggregation service lives up to its promise of “One Hai Toh Done Hai,” which seeks to deliver the convenience of one plan and one payment package to contribute to the ease of access to maximum content in one place while improving the viewing experience. Further, as an introductory offer (available for a limited period), DishTV, D2H, and Siti Cable subscribers can avail of and enjoy the new service for a month, without paying any additional cost. Once subscribed, users would have the flexibility of accessing the OTT content on Mobiles, Tablets, Laptops, and TV through the app or the web.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Anil Dua, Group CEO, of Dish TV India Limited said, “As pioneers of DTH technology, Dish TV India has played a significant role in changing the Indian television landscape. With rapid digitization, evolving consumer preferences, and a paradigm shift in the industry dynamics, we are moving a step ahead by aggregating video streaming apps (OTTs) and thereby expanding  Watcho’s offerings. With Watcho’s new service, we have strengthened our OTT content distribution platform by creating a single subscription gateway that delivers amazing value and convenience to our subscribers. With the introduction of these new services, we intend to make Watcho a one-stop entertainment destination with original content, linear TV, and on-demand diverse entertainment anytime, anywhere, and on any screen.”

Mr. Sukhpreet Singh, Corporate Head – Marketing, DishTV & WATCHO, Dish TV India Ltd. said, “WATCHO – Our home-grown OTT platform has been steadily growing its reach and crossed the 60 million plus downloads mark at the end of the FY Q1 2022. The platform has been working towards carving a space for itself in the competitive and energetic streaming video services industry. OTT Industry is brimming with multiple OTT apps, which leave consumers struggling to search for the preferred content. To address these consumer challenges, we are introducing the WATCHO OTT aggregation service that will augment overall digital content consumption at an affordable price point. With this, we want to democratize the accessibility of various OTT platforms from a single platform.” 

The four subscription packs have been designed to meet the needs of varied requirements of customers. While anyone can subscribe to these packs, the fully loaded “Watcho Max” will be exclusively available to DishTV, D2H, and Siti Cable subscribers.

Viewers can enjoy unlimited entertainment through Watcho monthly subscription packs:

“We are delighted to associate with Dish TV for WATCHO. As Disney+ Hotstar continues to offer best-in-class content, through this association we look forward to making our vast library of content accessible to newer audiences. The consumers of WATCHO will be able to binge-watch and enjoy the best of the content of Disney+ Hotstar,” said Gurjeev Singh Kapoor, Head – Of distribution and International, India, Disney Star.

Talking about the partnership, Vivek Arora, Head Alliances and Partnerships, ZEEL – South Asia said, “At ZEE5 our endeavor has always been at expanding our presence, democratizing content consumption, and making it accessible to audiences across markets. We are happy to partner with Dish TV for Watcho which aims at broadening the horizons of digital content consumption in India. ZEE5 offers an invigorating slate featuring diverse content across genres along with catch-up Tv, old classics, and blockbusters across languages. We shall continue to strengthen our connect with the audiences through innovations and alliances, offering unique entertainment exposures for an enhanced experience on the platform.”

Speaking on the launch, Amit Dhanuka, Executive Vice President, of Lionsgate, said, “We at Lionsgate Play are elated to partner with Dish TV’s Watcho on their latest bundling offering. With the ever-evolving OTT space in India, app bundling plays an important role to help brands reach a wider consumer base and will continue to do so in the future as well. With this extensive partnership too, we aim to offer the audience the best of our content at a great price and provide them with an enhanced viewing experience.”

Speaking on the launch, Sourjya Mohanty, COO, of EPIC ON said, “The digital ecosystem is constantly evolving, and so are the consumers. In today’s market, one needs to be present across platforms and aggregation is increasingly playing an important role in helping users to find what to watch. With Watcho, we hope to expand our premium and multiform offerings to a larger set of audiences across the country.” 

Adding to this Soumya Mukherjee, COO of hoichoi said, “We always aim at making hoichoi easily and widely accessible to our customers. Being a part of Watcho takes us a step forward in that direction. With this form of OTT aggregation, viewers can access a large number of platforms with just a single login. This adheres to our motive of providing our customers with the most convenient and enjoyable viewing experience and fits in our journey of spreading hoichoi’s reach for all audiences.”

Abhay Kumar Tantiya, Director of Angel Television Pvt. Ltd.(Klikk), said, “We’re extremely happy and proud to partner with Watcho. Dish TV has long been one of the market leaders in the DTH space and has launched an OTT platform Watcho which will serve as a marketplace for other OTT platforms, therefore we are extremely happy to expand this relationship and push it forward with Watcho. Hopefully, this journey promises to be a memorable one alongside other OTT platforms, together. We’re looking forward to catering to more people and reaching a greater mass. Only onwards and upwards from here.”

“Today, Oho Gujarati is the foremost regional OTT platform in the Gujarat market. With more than 25 original shows, we look forward to adding 2 new originals every month. After widespread acceptance in Gujarat, we were looking to partner with national players for a bigger reach. Watcho, a venture by DishTV, is a complete entertainment package that offers new and convenient ways of enjoying your favorite shows and movies. We feel that it is the perfect vehicle to reach a larger audience base and we are glad to be a part of its wide range of offerings. We look forward to entertaining more and more people with exciting Gujarati shows and films across the globe.” Says Abhishek Jain, Founder, of Oho Gujrati

Sandeep Bansal, managing director of Chaupal, said, “Chaupal signifies entertainment beyond boundaries, where regional languages and cultures interact, giving a glimpse of Indian panorama. At Chaupal, we always believed in giving a wealth of choices to our subscribers in terms of new content offerings in mother tongues- Punjabi, Haryanvi, and Bhojpuri, to begin with. Since its launch in 2021, Chaupal has witnessed a huge surge in content consumption on large screens and connected devices. We are hopeful that the association with Dish TV’s Watcho will further boost Chaupal’s engagement and help its content traverse all barriers of region and language. We are thrilled about the collaboration between both brands.”

Speaking about the association, Siddhartha Roy, CEO, of Hungama Digital Media said, “Hungama Play has a diverse, multi-lingual, and multi-genre library of content. Our association with Watcho enables us to offer consumers wholesome entertainment led by an incredible library of Movies, TV shows, and Hungama Originals. We are excited to partner with Watcho and are certain that the content experience offered by Hungama Play will delight the consumers of Watcho and also expand the reach of our content to a new customer base.”

Featured Image, Left to right: Sandeep Singh – Circle business head, Praveg Gupta – business head – North and west, DishTV India Ltd, Rahul Dev- Actor, Sukhpreet Singh – Corporate head marketing, DishTV and Watcho, Vivek Pimplikar- Circle business head, DishTV

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