Amazon Prime Video, Excel Media and Entertainment Confirm Oct 23 Release for Second Season of Amazon Original Mirzapur

 

* The star-studded cast features Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal and Harshita Shekhar Gaur as they navigate the dark and intense world of Mirzapur 

* Mirzapur season 2 will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in 200 countries and territories, in multiple Indian languages, including Hindu, Telugu and Tamil

* Prime offers incredible value with unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive movies, TV shows, stand-up comedy 

* Amazon Original series, ad-free music listening through Amazon Prime Music, free fast delivery on India’s largest selection of products, early access to top deals, unlimited reading with Prime Reading and mobile gaming content with Prime Gaming, all available only for ₹129 a month 

Amazon Prime Video has announced that the second season of its much anticipated Amazon Original Series Mirzapur, will launch on 23rd October, 2020. Set in Mirzapur, the hinterland of North India, season 1 of the crime drama had taken the audiences into a dark, complex world of guns, drugs and lawlessness. It’s relentless pace, well etched-out characters and nuanced narrative had left the fans wanting more.  With Season 2, the canvas of Mirzapur gets bigger but the rules remain the same! With a stellar ensemble cast featuring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal , Divyenndu, Shweta Tripathi Sharma , Rasika Dugal , Harshita Shekhar Gaur , Amit Sial, Anjum Sharma, Sheeba Chaddha,  Manu Rishi Chadha and Rajesh Tailang returning to the action-packed series,  get ready for a  journey into the stylish yet rustic world, where crime, drugs and violence rule and one needs to fight to survive. The sequel of the show will also feature Vijay Varma, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Isha Talwar. The much awaited Amazon Original Series is created and produced by Excel Media and Entertainment and will launch exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Speaking on this momentous announcement, Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video, commented, “Mirzapur has truly been a game-changer title for us. The show heralded a new idiom of storytelling for Indian audiences - its characters have become a part of the popular culture. We are certain that the riveting narrative of season 2 will leave our audiences mesmerized once again. ”

“Excel Entertainment has received immense love for constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to creating impactful and powerful content,” said Ritesh Sidhwani, Producer, Excel Entertainment. “Mirzapur was a step in that endeavor. It was not just about breaking boundaries for the audiences, but also for ourselves as content creators. Bringing thrilling and untold stories from India’s hinterland without losing authenticity has been our biggest win. All the praise that season one of Mirzapur has received, not just in India, but across the globe, is heartening. It pushes Excel Entertainment and Amazon Prime Video to continue the momentum with the second season of the show.”

“The love and appreciation that the show has garnered since its launch has been simply overwhelming. Taking it a notch higher, we’re certain that the audiences are in for a visual treat in the sequel” said Creator Puneet Krishna. “Seeing their excitement for the season 2 for months now made each one of us deliver a performance that matches up to the scale at which the show has now placed itself. We are thrilled to take the fans to another dynamic world of Mirzapur that they have been waiting for a very long time.”

The series is produced by Excel Media and Entertainment, created by Puneet Krishna and directed by Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai.

YouTube Link of the date announcement video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ZU8uS6KEM

Mirzapur season 2 will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalog. These include Indian films Gulabo Sitabo, Shakuntala Devi, Ponmagal Vandhal, LAW, French Biriyani, Sufiyum Sujatayum and Penguin along with Indian-produced Amazon Original series like Bandish Bandits, Breathe: Into The Shadows, Paatal Lok, Four More Shots Please, The Family Man, Inside Edge, and Made In Heaven and the award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. All this is available at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members. The service includes titles in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Bengali.

Show credits of Mirzapur 2:

Directed by - Gurmmeet Singh & Mihir Desai

Created by - Puneet Krishna

Executive Producers - Ritesh Sidhwani & Farhan Akhtar 

Prime members will be able to watch all episodes of Mirzapur Season 2  anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, Airtel, Vodafone, etc. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost. Prime Video is available in India  at no extra cost to a Prime membership for just ₹999 annually or ₹129 monthly, new customers can find out more at  www.amazon.in/prime and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.

It’s Time to Play the Game with VOOT Select’s All New Original – The Gone Game

 

Voot Select, India’s fastest growing premium video-on-demand service, is all set to launch its next big original The Gone Game. Coming on the back of critically acclaimed and popular shows like Asur, Marzi, The Raikar Case and Illegal, the next from  VOOT Select - made for stories is The Gone Game – A show that breaks the barriers of space and location to deliver on a gripping and compelling story. Punctuated with moments of deception, suspicion, and unexpected twists, the show will provide an edge of the seat experience and take the viewers on a thrilling ride.

Set in a global pandemic, with a nation in lockdown, the story starts amidst a mysterious disappearance.  Sahil Gujral is gone. Did he fall prey to the virus? Or is something more sinister at play? 2020 has changed the world forever, but for the Gujral family, the nightmare has just begun.Backed with a power-packed cast including Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rukhsar Rehman, Lubna Salim, Indraneil Sengupta, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia, The Gone Game will stream on Voot Select 20th August, 2020 onwards. 

Shot entirely in isolation during the lockdown, The Gone Game has been executed through remote direction, ingenious cinematography and limited equipment. Marked by nuanced performances and inimitable viewing experience, the show will build intrigue and unravel a mystery at every step of the way. Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, The Gone Game is a one of a kind and a never-seen-before concept that put creative freedom in the hands of the cast of the series to innovate while shooting from their homes.  

Commenting on the launch of The Gone Game, Ferzad Palia, Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “Voot Select has had a tremendous first 150 days. Subscriber growth has surpassed all estimates by a long, long way. This spectacular success of the platform comes on the back of Originals, Before TV Content & our International offering. The lockdown has provided a further boost to the rapid rise in subscriber growth. We have innovatively navigated through the challenges of the lockdown and continued to create the best in content and viewing experience for our audience. The Gone Game has a gripping storyline, top drawer cast, and has been shot entirely from home with utmost precision and skill. The thrill and excitement of the show will deliver top-notch entertainment.”

Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat said, “The Gone Game is an original series in every sense. Be it the storyline, the characters, or the overall visual appeal, we have tried to make it authentic while keeping the current lockdown scenario as the backdrop of the show.  We also had to use some innovative techniques to ensure that the performances do not suffer because of the constraint of physical proximity. We learned and unlearned many aspects from our test shoots as due to the conditions, the process was limited, but it also gave the actors and the technicians a lot of freedom to innovate. It has been an unconventional journey and we hope that the audience will appreciate our vision.”

Sukesh Motwani of Bodhi Tree Multimedia said, “It will not be wrong to say that we made it from scratch as we were working with very limited resources and shooting entirely from home. It was challenging but our entire team in association with Voot Select and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat built the concept and storyline of the show creatively without compromising on the output. We were lucky to have a fantastic cast and crew that collectively helped us put a great show together. We are certain that the audience are in for a thrilling ride.”

Veteran actor, Sanjay Kapoor said, “Creating a show from home has been an incredible experience. We had to take care of everything from makeup to costumes, on our own. The family members became our crew companions and tirelessly helped us put a great show together. Our director Nikhil has done a phenomenal job in managing all of us virtually and the outcome is fantastic. Shooting for The Gone Game has been one of the best experiences and I hope the audience enjoys watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Arjun Mathur said, “I never thought of shooting for a show remotely, but I am so glad that I was a part of the crew that made it happen. The Gone Game has a mix of everything - creativity, a gripping plot, fantastic crew, and of course a multi-talented director. It was not an easy task coordinating with so many people virtually but we made it happen. While I cannot wait to go back on sets, no taking away from the fact that this was indeed a fantastic experience. Kudos to Voot Select for introducing the audience to a concept like that. I am sure, they are going to enjoy it.”

Digital star Shriya Pilgaonkar said, “ Working on The Gone Game was so exciting and a wonderful learning experience . Everyone from the cast and crew was extremely patient and amazing to work with. It is great that platforms like Voot Select are introducing such concepts to their viewers and making sure that they always have some good  content to consume no matter what the circumstance . This experience will always be memorable and I am so glad that Voot Select has given all of us this unique concept to work with.”

Shweta Tripathi Sharma said, “  As an actor, I am always looking to do some creatively challenging work. The Gone Game is something I was always confident of only because of the makers of the show . I just loved the concept when I heard it and I instantly decided to take it up. The entire experience has been one of a kind. It is not easy to bring out emotions when you are shooting remotely but the creators of the show impeccably brought alive every emotion on screen. I loved the experience and I hope the audience loves it too.”

“The Gone Game – Streaming from August 20, 2020 on Voot Select”

‘Made in India’ Social Media App, Explurger, Built on AI to be Launched on the Independence Day for Global Audience

 

APP 

* The new-age social media app ready to be launched on Aug 15, to further India’s ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ Mission

* Packed with exciting features such as sharing high-quality pictures, videos, creating a bucket list, achieving Explurger levels, sharing future travel plans, automatic Travelogue and much more

* India’s own social media app for the world to connect

* Go #VocalforLocal with Explurger

Centered on user experience, a completely home-grown new-age social media app ‘Explurger’ is ready for a long-awaited global launch on Aug 15, 2020. The app is built to stimulate Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Mission and promises to put India on the world map with the world social media giants.

Explurger is proud to be a truly ‘Made in India’ app — fully conceived, designed, coded by Indians — that offers a safe and secure platform for all its users spread across the globe.

With its simple yet innovative AI-based features, Explurger is packed with exciting features like sharing high-quality pictures, videos, creating a bucket list, achieving Explurger levels, sharing future travel plans, automatic travelogue and much more. 

Jitin Bhatia, Founder, Explurger, talking about the inspiration, says, “Being a software developer at heart, I have always wondered about the fact that despite some of the best apps in the world being powered by Indian brains, there is no social media app in the top category which could be called truly Indian.

So, I was looking for an idea to build an Indian app. Some three years back, upon returning from a business trip, my staff told me that it was probably my 30th trip in that year. That had me thinking that if there were a way to keep a count of the number of times one travels away from home, or tells people how many miles they have travelled, that would be something. And that was my Eureka moment. That’s how Explurger was born. Finally my labour of love, some 2.5 years later, Explurger is all set to be my Independence Day gift to India and the world. I hope people download it and reciprocate my love. I’d love to see PM Modi, US President Trump and Mark Zuckerberg Explurging.”

Although there are several Indian-origin social media apps available in iOS and Android, but Explurger outshines them with its following features:

Complete Travelogue: Check-ins are temporary, Explurge-Ins are forever. Every time you create a post, the AI automatically updates your personalised Travelogue.

Bucket List: When a friend shares a picture/video from a cool place, just add it to your bucket list. So, whenever you’re in the area, Explurger would remind you to check out that place.

Future Travel Plans: Make your future travel plan announcements exciting with a ‘Live Countdown Timer.’

Explurger Levels: Now for the first time ever, gamify your social media experience with Explurger. Everytime you explore a new country, city, cafe, or share a post or get Kudos on your wall, your Explurger level goes up. Go, flaunt it! 

Kudos: Show your approval, give your fellow Explurgers Kudos. Why stick with one like when you can give up to three kudos!

Spread: With a click of a button, now share all your exciting Explurges on other social media apps out there as you post it on Explurger!

Rate on the go: This app allows you to rate an experience, cafe, city, or place!

Explurger is all set to make its mark in the global market.

Sona Mohapatra’s to Release “Raat Ke Musaafir” Music Video on Independence Day 2020

 

Music Video

* Ultra Media & Entertainment to release “Raat Ke Musaafir” music video featuring Sona Mohapatra on Independence Day 2020

* Music video showcases struggles that women face when they dare to dream, especially in the context of safe spaces

* Sona Mohapatra’s new single highlights the need for solidarity when creating safe spaces for women in every sphere, including music

Ultra Media & Entertainment presents music video “Raat Ke Musaafir” featuring vocals by Sona Mohapatra. The song is an ode to the struggles that Indian women face when they dare to dream in the context of safe spaces whenever they work or travel at night. The music video will release on Independence Day 2020 on Ultra Bollywood You Tube Channel and later on Gaana,Spotify,Saavn itunes and other leading platforms.

 The music video produced by Kumar Bharti, and directed by Dehradun-based film maker, Ajay Govind, raises the issue of women’s safety at night in Indian cities. Accomplished artiste Sona Mohapatra, who has raised several women-centric issues, lends her powerful voice to highlight the problems working women face when travelling at night and sheds light on the power of female solidarity in building safe spaces for women in every sphere of life.

 “Raat Ke Musaafir” features actors Sakshi Hasija, who plays a female cab driver aspiring to become a civil servant, and Anupama Sunehria, a young hockey player. Sakshi’s character’s strong maturity and the vibrant energy of Sakshi’s character become the crux of the music video. To add an authentic touch, the producers invited a hockey coach, Sonal Shah, to train Anupama on set. The video has been shot in Dehradun.

 The powerful concept, developed by scriptwriter, Remya Sasindran, delves into the barriers that women face when they have to be out at night to achieve their dreams and how women continue to support each other to make the world a safer place.

The song featured in the video is composed by Nitin Krishna Menon, who last composed music for a short film ‘Missing’ directed by actor Vipin Sharma, which was selected for screening at NYIFF 2020.

 Rajat Agrawal of Ultra Media & Entertainment, says, “We are extremely happy to acquire the rights of the music video ‘Raat Ke Musaafir’, which highlights womens' safety issues on the eve of Indian Independence Day. We partnered with the producers because the creative energy of the entire team was infectious and the final output will definitely empower female viewers and raise awareness. Iconic Sona Mohapatra adds to the overall impact in her inimitable voice. We at Ultra intend to start and felicitate #RaatKeMusaafir safety drive for women working at night.”

 Iconic artiste Sona Mohapatra said, "Raat ke Musaafir immediately struck a chord with me. The narrative, both visually & in song was about women's right to public spaces, be it night or day and their right to be able to dream freely & make those dreams come true! There could be no better spirit to celebrate this Independence Day & one that has come right in the middle of a scary pandemic & health scare where it has become even more evident that in order for humankind to get through to the other side, all genders need to work together, with mutual respect, in harmony because there is a much bigger force at play that no one can control. This harmony can be brought about only if we free women from their shackles." Sona added, "This song has strong electric guitars & is a rock ballad. Unconventional in India since such ‘rockstar’ status is reserved for the men folk more often than not & this too breaks barriers subconsciously & overtly! I enjoyed singing this song straight from the heart because it tells a story without preaching or patronising anyone. Women have been trained to speak softly & are expected to sing like a high pitched bird in a sweet voice only & also be a damsel in distress. This is 2020. Those days are over." 

 “We decided to release the song on Independence Day because freedom is a core theme that runs in the song. Eventually the song is a take on everyone's freedom to be themselves and find others in that journey who will support you,” added Ajay Govind lyricist and director of the music video.

 About Ultra Media & Entertainment Group: Apart from producing 16 feature films, various TV programs and on-going content for IPTV, VOD, Internet, Mobile and more, Ultra Media & Entertainment (ULTRA) is one of the leading film acquisition and distribution companies in the Indian entertainment industry. With over 2000 titles across various languages, ULTRA offers movie licensing services, acquires TV rights, audio rights, VOD rights etc. of content belonging to a wide array of genres and formats. Its library of rich and varied content is sought after in the U.K, Middle East, the U.S, Africa, Asia, etc. Not just that, its post-production studio has been a part of some world-class film preservation and archival projects.

Four Key Tips for Producing Successful Virtual Events Globally

By Ranganath Jagannath, Director, Growth, Agora

Are you wondering how to produce a quality virtual event that will attract your target audience and decision makers? 

As the world is adapting to the new rules of social distancing, I thought it was important to put together a list of the top 4 tactics you should use to ensure your virtual event is a smashing success.

Content is King but Engaging Speakers Are Key

Like traditional events, content is even more important in a virtual event because viewers are able to walk into your event as fast as they are able to head for the virtual doors.

From my personal experience I can tell you that successful events are always rich in quality and engaging content. However, the best events seem to have one thing in common: engaging speakers.

Hunting down a speaker who is truly an expert in their field is one thing but finding a speaker who is also engaging is a key tactic that is often overlooked by producers of virtual events. 

Make sure to produce content that has real value for viewers of the event. Don’t forget the main reason people attend virtual events is to learn something new. Only use engaging speakers and hosts who are comfortable talking about the subject matter.

Invest in Paid Promotion

Just like a traditional event, your virtual event should include a plan on strategic paid promotion.

Build a virtual event promotional communications plan that utilizes digital marketing, email marketing, and social media promotion. Don’t just post an event on your social media channels, sponsor the post to reach your target audience.

Virtual event communications are key so make sure to use email and social media channels on a regular basis leading up to the event. Your communications should emphasize the value of the event in every communication piece sent out. Create a strong, vibrant, and engaging landing page for the event. Overbook the event, meaning if your targeting 100 attendees, your promotional plan should strive to drive 225 signups.

Choose a Platform with Innovative Interaction Capabilities

Deciding which platform to use for your virtual event is equally as important as the content you produce. Think about the times you’ve walked into a physical event and actually were wowed by the look and feel of the event. The same can be said for virtual events that deliver quality video, audio, and interactive experiences to viewers.

Delivering quality video, audio, and interactive experience really does matter! The platform you select should come fully loaded with interactive capabilities and include the opportunity for the inclusion of branding elements on the screen. Make sure to turn the virtual event into a well-oiled branding experience, which means including branding elements prior to, during and at the end of the virtual event. 

Now if you really want to take your virtual event to the next level, consider incorporating live audio or video questions from the audience. Questions via chat are good but live audio and video questions are considerably more interactive and engaging for audiences.  It isn’t that people will stop craving for human interaction in a post covid world, they would rather attend an online event where they would be able to make meaningful human connections through real time engagement. 

Virtual events have a distinct advantage over physical events, viewers are able to instantly interact with speakers and hosts of the event via chat. Incorporate interaction elements throughout the entire event; things like emojis, poll questions and prompting the audience to ask questions via chat work extremely well. Take advantage of advanced virtual event platforms that allow audio and video questions from viewers and encourage interaction between attendees. Success can be measured against parameters such as how much percentage of event attendees were engaged by the interaction elements.   

The Event Lives on Long After It’s Over

So, you’ve spent all this time and money to produce a quality virtual event, now what? The truth is, your event has only just begun because you now have a recorded event that has the capabilities to live on for years. Think of a recently completed virtual event as ongoing branding and lead generation vehicle. While the content from the event might seem old three months down the line, it will be new for those who are viewing the event for the very first time.

Promotion is key to making sure a recently completed virtual event will continue to have success for months to come. Pin-point highlights from the event and use them as promotional items. Remember a quality virtual event has the shelf life of at least a year.

Indian Short-Form Video App Mitron Clocks 9 Billion Videos in a Month

Video App

* Mitron app has been downloaded by more than 33 million users on Google Play Store since launch.

* Strong traction reported from smaller cities and towns

Mitron, a short-form video app, has garnered a massive viewership on its platform with a total of 9 billion videos viewed in one month since the government’s ban on Chinese apps. The company also announced that Mitron app crossed 33 million downloads on Google Store.

Speaking on the development, Shivank Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Mitron said “The idea behind the development of the app was to provide a platform that lets users upload and watch an array of short videos. It is heartening to see the app popularity gained by Mitron within a short span of time. 

It is incredible to see millions of new videos created on the Mitron platform. We thank all our users who have been using this app as their daily dose of entertainment.” 

With a mission to create a short-form video app that reimagines digital engagement and entertainment, co-founders Shivank Agarwal, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, and Anish Khandelwal, an alumnus of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, launched the Mitron app in April, 2020.

“We are seeing strong traction from smaller cities and towns across the country, with towns like Karnal, Hubli, Bhavnagar, Aligarh, Ludhiana and Vijayawada clocking more than 100,000 users”, Shivank added.

Anish Khandelwal, co-founder & CTO said, “While our user growth is very encouraging, we are keenly focusing our efforts on increasing engagement and retention of the users. On an average each user is watching 80 videos per day and with many new product features, we are confident of increasing engagement further".

Browse pure content on NaqaTube; Online version of YouTube

Sick and tired of profanities and explicit nature of some video clips on YouTube, a group of Saudis have developed a “clean” alternative called NaqaTube (naqa being the Arabic word for ‘pure’).

The aim, as they put it, is to prevent the youth from watching sexually explicit video clips online, an Arab news report quoted a moderator of the website as saying. With millions of youth logging into YouTube each day, the group launched NaqaTube, which is simply an amalgamation of “clean” clips from YouTube.

Abu Ibraheem, one of the moderators of the website, said that clips on NaqaTube are religiously safe and often edited prior to being uploaded.

The website’s logo is “participate with us in a clean website.”

The site also censors clips that are against the government, individuals and scholars, or which mock people in general, the report said. Women’s images are totally forbidden, along with music.

“Our dream is to decline the number of visitors to YouTube. Our website has received 5,000 to 6,000 visitors since its launch two months ago,” Ibraheem said.

Much of the material on the site is religiously inclined and the site’s front page displays links to over 10 channels featuring scholars, preachers, children and other Islam-related material. The site hosts clips of scholars from the Arab world delivering Islamic discourse. “We are promoting a moderate Islam, nothing extreme,” he said.

Agencies