Latest news with #GauravGandhi
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
BharatNet Phase 3: Echelon Edge selected by HFCL, ITI-Terasoft, NCC to deploy NMS, OSS solutions
NEW DELHI: Homegrown IT solutions provider Echelon Edge on Wednesday said it has been selected by consortium partners HFCL , ITI-Terasoft, and NCC, to deploy a network management system (NMS) and operations support system (OSS) under the BharatNet Phase-3 programme. The Gurugram-headquartered IT company said the deployments will strengthen network control and visibility for BharatNet's middle-mile infrastructure across multiple states and union territories. BharatNet Phase-III is one of India's most significant rural connectivity programs, aimed at delivering high-speed broadband to villages and underserved areas. As part of this initiative, Echelon Edge will deploy a centralised OSS platform that will unify the management of BharatNet's extensive network infrastructure. The project spans key regions including Madhya Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh (East and West), Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Punjab. By consolidating Element Management Systems (EMS) into a unified monitoring ecosystem, the OSS solution will provide centralised command and control, making it possible to manage the network efficiently while ensuring uninterrupted connectivity. With advanced IP/MPLS provisioning, the system will facilitate smart routing and scalable backbone communication to support the growing demand for high-speed internet. The deployment will also introduce predictive analytics for proactive network health monitoring. Through comprehensive end-to-end service assurance, the solution will ensure consistent and reliable connectivity from the transport layer to access points. In addition, the platform will provide structured governance for incidents, problems, change management, SLAs, and knowledge resources. 'With this deployment, we are bringing automation and centralized control to the core of BharatNet's middle mile while ensuring reliable services, greater transparency, and a network that's built to scale for the future,' said Gaurav Gandhi, CEO & co-founder of Echelon Edge.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amazon Doubles Down on Dual Streaming Strategy in India With Prime Video and MX Player
In a wide-ranging conversation at the APOS summit in Bali on Wednesday, senior regional executives from Amazon laid out their vision for the company's twin-pronged streaming strategy in India, where the tech giant operates both the subscription-based Prime Video platform and the ad-supported service Amazon MX Player. The dual-service approach, they argued, is key to capturing India's vast and varied entertainment consumer base. 'India is a really heterogeneous and diverse country with customers having very different needs,' said Gaurav Gandhi, vp of Prime Video for Asia Pacific and MENA. 'Prime Video caters to customers who are subscription-ready, who have actually transitioned to streaming as their first or only choice of entertainment. Amazon MX Player is aimed at customers who are now transitioning from traditional media — TV or they are not subscription-ready yet — though they are still seeking high-quality premium content.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'The Shining,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'Megalopolis' Costume Designer to Receive Locarno Vision Award Engagement, Monetization, Quality Content and the Impact of AI Take Center Stage at NATPE Budapest 'Rivals' Breakout Bella Maclean Cast in Ray Panthaki's Directorial Debut 'In Starland' (Exclusive) Prime Video, which has achieved some local hits like The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Made in Heaven, also isn't neglecting the big screen, still an essential entertainment pillar in cinema-mad India, which famously produces more movies per year than any other nation. The company is currently preparing for a bigger push into theatrical production through Amazon MGM Studios. Starting in 2026, the studio will release four to six original Indian films in theaters annually. The next Amazon MGM Studios feature, Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi, is slated to hit cinemas this September. The plan builds on Prime Video's past co-productions with leading Indian studios. Nikhil Madhok, head of originals for Prime Video India, described the platform's creative strategy as 'premium, nuanced, and cinematic,' arguing that the company invests in production values and themes for its series to rival feature films — in order to cut through a content landscape that's hyper competitive. He cited shows like Khauf, a horror series that doubles as a meditation on urban trauma, and Dupahiya, which taps into nostalgic yearnings for rural India. 'We were very clear from the start that the local content in India had to be highly differentiated from television, but at the same time, when it lands up on the service, sitting next to our international content, it must be equally compelling, if not more,' Madhok explained. Meanwhile, Amazon MX Player, which reaches over 250 million monthly users — many of them mobile-first— has carved a niche with local scripted and unscripted fare, dubbed international content, and escapist franchises like Hustler and Aashram, the latter of which has netted more than 200 million views. Amazon acquired the MX Player service, a former rival, from India's Times conglomerate last year — in a deal pegged at about $100 million by local press — and promptly merged the service with its AVOD platform Amazon miniTV to create Amazon MX Player. Amogh Dusad, head of content for Amazon MX Player, revealed plans for the service to boost its efforts in the buzzy micro-drama category. As part of a new initiative titled MX Fatafat, the company will produce a slate of serialized micro-dramas optimized for smartphones. Each series will comprise 80 to 100 episodes of one to two-minute vertical videos, ideal for brief moments of consumption throughout the day. 'MX Fatafat is a fresh approach, requiring unique writing and production methods, and we are looking forward to launch it later this year,' Dusad said. The panel, moderated by Media Partners Asia executive director Vivek Couto, also touched on Amazon's broader investments in India's surging creator economy. Gandhi noted that over half of Prime Video's current originals feature first-time talent, and the company is actively co-producing short-form content with emerging creator voices through MX Fatafat. With continued investment across both services, Gandhi stressed that Amazon remains bullish on the long-term potential of India's hyper-competitive streaming market, which has seen local champion JioStar emerge as the dominant player in recent months. 'It's still early days for streaming in India,' Gandhi said. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Mint
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Split screen: Why Amazon has a twin-track streaming play in India
MUMBAI: While global streamers consolidate into super apps, Amazon is doing the opposite in India. It is running two distinct platforms, Prime Video and MX Player, each catering to sharply different user bases. 'India is a highly heterogeneous market. Prime Video serves customers who are subscription-ready and have adopted streaming as their primary entertainment option,' Gaurav Gandhi, vice president – Asia Pacific & MENA, Prime Video, said while speaking at the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) 2025 in Bali on Thursday. 'MX Player, on the other hand, targets a more transitional audience — mobile-first users who are still anchored in traditional media but seeking quality content without the barrier of a paywall.' Amazon acquired MX Player from Times Internet in 2023 and has since integrated it as an ad-supported service under the Amazon umbrella, while continuing to scale its subscription-led flagship, Prime Video. Prime Video positions itself as a full-fledged entertainment hub, offering premium originals, global content, movie rentals, and third-party channels. MX Player operates in the ad-supported space, targeting scale and reach across Bharat, with a reported 250 million monthly users. This separation, Gandhi said, enables Amazon to serve both ends of India's digital consumption spectrum — from immersive cinematic storytelling to daily on-the-go escapes. Nikhil Madhok, head of originals at Prime Video India, who oversees Prime Video's local original content, said the company has always focused on delivering content that is not just localised but also deeply differentiated from what's on television. 'Our investment levels are closer to cinema than TV. The idea was always to create content that could hold its own alongside global shows like Fallout or The Boys,' he said while speaking at the event. Series like Made in Heaven, The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Call Me Bae have become multi-season franchises, building loyalty and scale over time. On the film front, Prime Video's model spans licensing, direct-to-streaming, co-productions and, most recently, theatrical releases. 'We started with licensing post-theatrical releases, then direct-to-streaming during the pandemic, and later co-productions,' Madhok said. 'Now, through Amazon MGM Studios, we've entered the theatrical space directly. Starting 2026, we will release four to six Amazon-produced films in theatres each year, beginning with Nishaanchi by Anurag Kashyap this September.' For MX Player, the content strategy is driven by deep consumer insights from a vast and socio-culturally diverse base, said Amogh Dusad, head of content at Amazon MX Player. The biggest upcoming bet from MX Player is MX Fatafat — a micro-drama vertical format series aimed squarely at India's mobile-first audience. With episodes clocking in at 1–2 minutes and designed to be consumed in short bursts across 80–100 episodes per story, the new format is built for scroll-happy viewers. Despite differences in platform logic, Gandhi emphasised that both services share a common creator-first philosophy. 'We've been very deliberate in bringing new voices to the fore — more than 50% of Prime Video's projects have first-time creators involved,' he said. 'With MX Fatafat, we're co-creating with emerging talent. This kind of intentionality helps grow the creative economy and expand the total addressable market for storytellers.' Amazon has also added an ad-supported tier to Prime Video in India and Japan — a move Gandhi said allows the platform to reinvest more into content while giving consumers choice. Early signs show traction with both consumers and advertisers, especially when combined with Amazon's wider full-funnel ad solutions across e-commerce and video. While most rivals consolidate, Amazon is choosing fragmentation and this may be its edge in a crowded and noisy market. Even as global content budgets shrink, Amazon is doubling down on India. 'We feel optimistic about the streaming landscape,' Gandhi said. 'It's still early days. Whether it's theatrical releases, multi-language originals, or short-form innovations — there's significant headroom for growth.' Globally, Prime Video has around 200 million paid memberships as of February 2025, and while the company doesn't disclose geographical data, various industry sources put India subscriber base between 11 million and 13 million. Amazon MX Player, reaches over 250 million monthly unique users, securing its place among the largest AVOD players in the country. India's OTT market, valued at approximately $3.5 billion in 2024, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 17% for the rest of the decade.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amazon Doubles Down on India Streaming Wars With Two-Platform Strategy
Amazon is playing a dual-platform game in India's competitive streaming landscape, with Prime Video targeting subscription-ready consumers while its ad-supported Amazon MX Player courts viewers transitioning from traditional TV. Speaking at the APOS conference in Indonesia, Amazon executives outlined their strategy for serving India's diverse streaming audience through two distinct services. Gaurav Gandhi, VP of Asia Pacific and MENA for Prime Video, explained the rationale behind the approach. More from Variety Nike and Amazon Set Livestream As Kenyan Track Star Faith Kipyegon Attempts to Break Four-Minute Mile 'Bridgerton' Star Jessica Madsen Joins Amazon Viking Series 'Bloodaxe' Jensen Ackles and Eric Dane's Crime Thriller 'Countdown' Is Tedious and Repetitive: TV Review 'India is a really heterogeneous and diverse country with customers having very different needs,' Gandhi said during the panel discussion moderated by Vivek Couto of Media Partners Asia, which organizes APOS. 'Prime Video caters to customers who are subscription-ready, who have actually transitioned to streaming as their first choice or the only choice of entertainment. While Amazon MX Player is aimed at customers who are now transitioning from traditional media — TV or are still on it, but are not subscription-ready yet, though they are seeking high-quality premium content.' The strategy reflects Amazon's bid to capture the full spectrum of India's streaming market, from premium subscribers to mobile-first viewers. Prime Video dominates on living room devices, while Amazon MX Player reaches over 250 million monthly users, primarily on mobile. The platforms' content approaches differ significantly. Prime Video focuses on premium originals across 10 Indian languages, plus global content and add-on subscriptions to services like Apple TV. Amazon MX Player focuses on scripted dramas, unscripted content, dubbed international programming, and short-form video. Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals for Prime Video India, said, 'We've been very clear about bringing premium, nuanced, segmented, and highly differentiated cinematic quality originals. The investments that we're making in the production quality for these originals is way higher than linear television, and closer to cinema.' This approach has yielded franchise hits including 'Made in Heaven,' 'The Family Man,' 'Paatal Lok,' and 'Call Me Bae.' Madhok stressed that Prime Video thinks 'very deeply about themes, and not just genres,' citing horror series 'Khauf' as exploring young women's urban challenges beneath its genre packaging. Amazon is also making a major push into theatrical releases through Amazon MGM Studios. As revealed by Variety, the company recently set 'Nishaanchi,' directed by Anurag Kashyap, for September theatrical release. 'Starting 2026, we will be releasing four to six movies in theatres every single year,' Madhok said, marking a significant expansion of Amazon's theatrical footprint in India. Since 2020, Prime Video has premiered over 65 movies across six languages directly on the service while continuing to license theatrical releases for streaming premieres. Meanwhile, Amazon MX Player is preparing to launch MX Fatafat, a micro-drama format targeting mobile-first audiences. Amogh Dusad, director and head of content for Amazon MX Player, described the new offering as 'serialized stories told in short, one-to-two-minute episodes, with 80 to 100 episodes per series, in vertical format.' The format aims to provide 'quick entertainment during brief moments throughout their day' for mobile users, Dusad explained. MX Fatafat is slated to launch later this year. Dusad noted that MX Player's content strategy draws on customer insights about aspirational themes. 'Themes of inspiration and aspiration resonate with customers because these are people who really want to go up the socio-economic ladder, and rags-to-riches stories or content about an underdog's journey strike a chord with their lives,' he said. The platform's franchise 'Aashram' has attracted over 200 million streams in India, while series like 'Hustler' taps into startup culture themes. Both platforms are actively cultivating new talent, with over 50% of Prime Video's originals in development featuring new creators either in front of or behind the camera. Gandhi underscored this as intentional support for India's creative economy. 'One of our big successes this year, 'Dupahiya' came from absolutely new, first-time creators,' Gandhi noted. With MX Fatafat, Amazon MX Player plans to unlock 'a new wave of first-time creators by actively co-creating content with emerging talent.' Amazon continues investing in both platforms as it sees significant opportunities in India's streaming market. 'It is still early days for streaming in India,' Gandhi said, expressing optimism about both ad-supported and subscription-based services' growth potential. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
WAVES 2025 NDTV Exclusive: Why Nikkhil Advani Thinks History Needs A "Sexy" Makeover
New Delhi: India's creator economy is at a tipping point, with the potential to emerge as a global hub for storytelling. But the ambition, according to key industry voices, must go beyond replicating old formulas. It requires identifying gaps, thinking hyper-locally, and scaling creatively for international relevance. Speaking to NDTV's Editor-in-Chief, Sanjay Pugalia, on the second day of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President of Amazon Prime Video, reflected on the platform's eight-year journey in India. He said, "Our journey with Prime Video India has been over eight years. It's been amazing for us - full of learning and a lot of love from customers." He added, "When we started, we realised that to make an impact in India, you have to think local. As a market and as a country, we are so diverse that there's no single definition of 'local'. So, we had to think in multiple ways - local tastes, local languages, local milieu." This approach, he said, was rooted in identifying what the Indian ecosystem lacked. He shared, "The first gap was the absence of high cinematic-value storytelling in India, which was already present internationally. The second gap was in movies - while we made a lot of them, there weren't enough theatres to screen them. The third was that everyone was locked into their own language. Keeping these three things in mind, we tried to bridge the gaps." Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane pointed out how the rise of streaming platforms has given creators the freedom they didn't have 10 to 15 years ago. He stated, "From where we were 10-15 years ago - when there was only one format and films were made only for the big screen - to now, the landscape has changed entirely," he said. "Platforms like Prime Video and other streaming services have given creators the freedom to think beyond just a two-hour film in a theatre. Now you can make a crime series with multiple seasons and episodes. You can do a comedy series, something like Jubilee or Mumbai Diaries - there's so much freedom to tell stories." Motwane believes India is still in the early stages of this shift. He added, "We're at a stage where filmmakers are discovering this freedom and just going for it. But I don't think we've reached the point where we've fully taken advantage of it yet. When that happens, the next step will be to create stories that not only work in India but also travel globally. That's when we'll truly enter the next generation of Indian storytelling," he said. "Ten to fifteen years ago, people thought Indian content meant only Bollywood. That stereotype has broken, and over time, it will continue to break with different types of shows, films, and creators." Director Nikkhil Advani, who is currently busy with his upcoming revolutionaries, believes that historical storytelling must feel alive, not academic. "Whenever you're working on something related to a historical period, the richer and more authentic the material, the better the starting point," he said. "I did Rocket Boys, and now I'm working on Revolutionaries. It's always about the source material," he said. Advani's approach is clear: entertain first, educate later. "In the case of Revolutionaries, I'm having a lot of fun making it. The first thing I say is, 'Let's make revolutionaries sexy. Let's have fun with it.' Because if you give people a history lesson, their reaction is usually, 'nahi sunna hai, nahi dekhna hai' (don't want to listen, don't want to watch)," he concluded. According to the PMO, WAVES 2025 will host participants from over 90 countries, including more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300+ companies and 350+ startups. The program features 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses covering broadcasting, infotainment, AVGC-XR, films and digital media. India is also hosting its first Global Media Dialogue with ministerial participation from 25 countries. The WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace, will connect over 6,100 buyers with 5,200 sellers across 2,100 projects. NDTV is at the inaugural edition of the Waves Summit, currently on at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. The event brings together the who's who of showbiz, creators, and everyone who's anyone in the world of entertainment in India and beyond. Catch all updates on from May 1 to May 4.
