Netflix Uses Generative AI for the First Time

Big moment in entertainment tech: Netflix has officially used generative AI to produce final footage in one of its original series for the first time.

The scene appears in The Eternaut, an Argentinian sci-fi show, where a building collapses in Buenos Aires during a toxic snowfall. Instead of traditional VFX, Netflix’s team used AI tools to generate the sequence—completing it 10 times faster and at a fraction of the cost. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the creators were “thrilled with the result,” and emphasized that AI is helping make films “better, not just cheaper”.

"That sequence actually is the very first [generative] AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original series or film. So the creators were thrilled with the result," Sarandos said during the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

The Eternaut is officially a Netflix Original. It’s an Argentinian sci-fi series produced by Netflix in collaboration with K&S Films, and it premiered globally on the platform in April 2025.

What makes it especially notable is that it’s the first Netflix Original to feature generative AI in its final footage—used to create a dramatic building collapse scene in Buenos Aires. That sequence was completed 10 times faster than traditional VFX methods, marking a major shift in how Netflix approaches visual production.

Netflix Originals are films, series, documentaries, and specials that are either produced, co-produced, or exclusively distributed by Netflix. They’re branded as “Netflix Originals” even if Netflix didn’t create them from scratch—sometimes the company picks up shows from other networks or international studios and gives them global exposure.

Beyond visuals, Netflix is exploring AI for natural language search and Ad personalization.

Imagine saying “Show me a dark psychological thriller from the ’80s” and getting spot-on recommendations. For Ad personalization, generative AI

could help brands create tailored, cost-effective content.

However, this AI leap isn’t without controversy. The entertainment industry is still grappling with ethical concerns around AI’s impact on jobs and creative ownership—especially after the 2023 Hollywood strikes.

To recall, this year in April, Kannada film director Narasimha Murthy made waves by creating Love You, which is claimed to be the world's first Al-generated feature film.

Filmmakers exploring next-gen tools often ask how generative AI stacks up against traditional CGI. While both “make images with computers,” their pipelines, controls, costs, and creative roles diverge significantly.

CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), begins with concept art –› 3D modeling –› texturing –› rigging –› lighting –› rendering –› compositing. Each stage demands specialized artists and software (Maya, Houdini, Nuke).

VFX is artist-driven, precision-crafted. Every frame is manually built using tools like Maya, Houdini, or Nuke. It is time-intensive and expensive. Requires large teams and hardware.

While Generative AI, on the other hand, starts with a text or image prompt. It leverages pretrained models (Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, DALL·E) to synthesize visuals in seconds. Gen AI Requires prompt engineering more than manual sculpting.

Kannada Filmmaker Narasimha Murthy Crafts India’s 1st AI-Made Movie

Kannada director Narasimha Murthy has made waves by creating Love You, which is claimed to be the world's first Al-generated feature film. This marks a fascinating shift in filmmaking—AI is now stepping into creative storytelling in ways we’ve never seen before.

The film was crafted using 30 Al tools, with a budget of ₹10 lakh, and took six months to complete. It features Al-generated characters and 12 songs, with Murthy himself writing the dialogues and lyrics.

While the film is a groundbreaking experiment, Murthy acknowledged some challenges, such as inconsistencies in character features and difficulties in lip-syncing. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has granted it a U/A certificate, making it the first Al-generated film approved for theatrical release in India.

A priest named Narasimha Murthy from Siddehalli village near Bengaluru created the first AI generated Kannada film titled Love You.

The 95 minute film was made with a budget of 10 lakh rupees and took six months to complete.

Murthy worked with Nuthan, a graphic designer turned… pic.twitter.com/UeCYYhAQCH

— Daily Updates (@dailyupdates04) April 23, 2025

Narasimha Murthy faced several challenges while creating Love You, the world's first Al-generated feature film. One of the key hurdles is Character Consistency Issues where in maintaining uniform facial features for Al-generated characters throughout the film proved difficult. At times, characters appeared slightly different in different frames.

Lip-Syncing Difficulties is also one of the challenges. Matching Al-generated animations to dialogue was a tough challenge, as the lip movements didn't always align perfectly with spoken words.

Rendering Time & Computational Power was another challenge. Processing Al-generated visuals required substantial computational resources, making the production time-consuming despite its relatively low budget.

Creative Control vs Al Limitations also existed in the film made. While Al provided innovative outputs, Murthy had to manually adjust dialogues, lyrics, and character interactions to ensure coherence and emotional depth.

Despite these challenges, he successfully completed the film within six months using around 30 AI tools. It’s fascinating to see AI pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

PVR INOX Unveils SCREENIT, A Groundbreaking Feature for Personalized & Customized Movie Shows

PVR INOX Unveils SCREENIT: Revolutionizing The Movie Experience with Personalized Shows

SCREENIT: Create, Promote & Earn via PVR INOX APP!

PVR INOX Limited, India’s largest and most premium cinema chain, has just unveiled SCREENIT—a revolutionary platform, available only on PVR INOX app that redefines the way audiences experience cinema. With SCREENIT, movie enthusiasts can create or join customized shows at their preferred cinemas, bringing a whole new level of personalization and excitement to the big screen. But that’s not all—now you can also turn your love for movies into rewards!

Inspired by the overwhelming success of re-releases, expanding to over 120 cinemas nationwide SCREENIT takes the cinema experience to the next level by giving audiences the unique opportunity to relive cherished classics and fan favorites. This ground-breaking platform puts the power of curation directly into the hands of moviegoers, enabling them to choose from a diverse library of 500+ titles and create unforgettable, community-driven screenings.

“SCREENIT is more than just a platform—it’s a transformative step toward redefining the cinematic experience, said Mr. Renaud Palliere, CEO of Luxury Collection and Innovation, PVR INOX Limited.

SCREENIT empowers audiences to curate their movie experience—choosing what, when and where to watch—all while offering exciting rewards. By turning movie screenings into personalized and rewarding events, SCREENIT enhances the joy of cinema and encourages deeper connections within communities”, Mr. Renaud said. 

Mr. Kamal Gianchandani, Chief Business Planning & Strategy, PVR INOX Limited, added, “The overwhelming success of re-releases has shown us that audiences still crave the unmatched experience of watching iconic films on the big screen. SCREENIT is our way of celebrating this nostalgia while providing a modern, flexible, and highly personalized way to enjoy films. It’s an innovation that brings timeless cinema back to life on your terms.”

How SCREENIT Works

Effortless Customization: Users can explore the SCREENIT platform, exclusively available on the PVR INOX app, to create or join a show. Browse through a wide selection of movies, pick your preferred cinema and time, and book your tickets. If the perfect show doesn’t exist, users can easily create one by selecting the movie, timing, and location. With a minimum of just two tickets required to create the show, users can then invite friends or join shows created by other movie enthusiasts.

The Ultimate Movie Playlist: SCREENIT’s curated movie library offers a diverse collection of films, from timeless classics to fan favorites, catering to every kind of viewer.

Share & Earn Rewards: Once a show is created, users can share a unique promotional link with friends, family, or communities to encourage them to join the screening. For every ticket booked through the shared link, users earn exciting rewards, making the movie experience not just enjoyable but also rewarding.

Promote & Earn’: Turn Your Passion for Movies into Rewards

With the innovative ‘Promote & Earn’ feature by PVR INOX, you can now create a unique promotional link for any "Now Showing" movie directly through the PVR INOX app. Share this link across platforms like social media, WhatsApp, and messages to invite your network to book tickets. For every ticket booked through your link—whether it’s for a show in your city or any other city—you earn 2% of the ticket amount as a cash incentive. The more you share, the more you earn, turning your love for cinema into a rewarding opportunity. This feature makes it easy to connect with audiences, build excitement, and monetize your passion for movies!

Download the PVR INOX app today and embark on an innovative journey filled with rewards. Experience entertainment like never before!

PVR INOX Limited is the largest film exhibition company in India with 1739 Screens across 353 properties in 111 cities (India and Sri Lanka). Since their inception, both PVR and INOX have created iconic cinema brands with storied histories of achieving significant milestones and setting benchmarks in the film exhibition industry. With a collective heritage of transforming out-of-home entertainment in the country, the merged company offers a wide range of cinema services such as child-friendly audis, the latest screening technology, superior sound systems, a wide range of F&B offerings, film and non-film content, and an array of formats in the premium screen category.

For further information, please visit: http://www.pvrcinemas.com

Sports Education and Infrastructure Startup Push Sports Raises Seed Round from BeyondSeed

L-R -- Nitin Pahuja, Co-Founder, Push Sports, Puru Singh, Founder, Push Sports and Mukul Grover, Co-Founder, Push Sports

Delhi based Sports Education & Infrastructure start-up Push Sports has raised an undisclosed amount in its seed round from institutional and HNI investors from India and overseas. Singapore based investor syndicate, BeyondSeed led the round with Delhi based, Moonshine Technologies Pvt Ltd, who also run Pokerbaazi.com, investing sizeable funds alongside Ah! Ventures. The fund raised will be utilized for expanding reach from 6 exclusive arenas in Delhi NCR to the cities of Chandigarh, Jaipur and Rohtak.

Push Sports is building a full stack, sports led Fitness and Training platform providing access to professionally run, digitally connected playing arenas with day & night sports facilities. With a newfound focus on “children’s health post Covid” and various government led initiatives aiming at the growth of grassroot sports in the country, Push sports is well placed to carve a niche for itself in the USD 20 BN wellness market in India.

According to Shiva Vilayanur, Co-founder and COO at BeyondSeed, “As per market estimates, driven by India’s massive youth population, the Indian Sports Industry is expected to grow to USD 100 BN by 2027. We believe that Push Sports is plugging a gap in the fragmented recreational & sports coaching market segment in India that is catering to kids U-14 and youth, by providing top class infrastructure and competitive training programmes focusing on overall wellbeing and health of the child.

He further added that most importantly, the “Push team” led by Ex Ranji Player and ICC Level 2 Coach, Puru Singh alongside Nitin Pahuja and Mukul Grover with their sports management know-how and passion for sports in general, is well positioned to capture a greater share of the market.

“Sports is a superpower when it comes to managing physical and mental well-being. Especially in formative years, it can stimulate holistic growth of an individual by developing key skills such as teamwork, leadership, managing failure and social engagement. At Push we partner with parents in exploring the greatest talents of each child by offering a platform to express and hone their skills and personality” said Puru Singh, Founder, Push Sports.

“Our go-to-market strategy has provided us a capital efficient growth engine that can be scaled-\fast to capture this USD 2 BN TAM opportunity in South Asia and the middle east. Working with Schools, Clubs and Societies helps reduce our capex and customer acquisition costs in addition to acting as a strong barrier to entry at the hyperlocal level.” says Pahuja, Co-Founder, Push Sports commenting on the business model of the company.

Commenting on the growth plans of the company, Mukul Grover, Co-Founder, Push Sports said, “We have built a strong consumer franchise with our technology first approach, world-class coaches and focus on creating IP leagues at the junior level. With this fund raise we aim to invigorate our competitive advantage even further by expanding our arena network at top academic institutions of the country in line with our go-to-market strategy.”

The company is an exclusive strategic partner of Da One Sports, owned by Indian Cricketer, Shikhar Dhawan, and is managing all Da One Sports’ academies and in-school programs and thereby making in-roads at various key locations in the country.

Push Sports has been growing at a fast clip with over 150% revenue growth expected in FY23 vs FY22. With over 400+ subscribers and 1500+ pay to play customers, the company has seen a strong growth in its subscriptions business with a churn rate of less than 3%.

About Push Sports

Incorporated in 2019, Push Sports is a start-up which primarily focuses on ‘Sports Education’ - catalyzing fitness through sports led interventions, while also monetizing the physical sports infrastructure across education institutions and corporate sports houses to make it more sustainable.

Led by Puru Singh, Delhi Ranji Player, the journey of Push Sports kicked off with the Cricket First Agenda. His efforts were complemented wholeheartedly by Nitin Pahuja, the co-founder and Mukul Grover, the cricket enthusiast. Apart from training the children, Push Sports also organizes field tournaments and matches. It has a subscriber base of 2000+ customers with 400+ sports education subscribers and 1500+ pay-to-play customers.

One Moto India Becomes Official EV 2-Wheeler Partner of Rajasthan Royals in the Upcoming Season of Popular Cricket League

The EV two-wheeler brand will be one of the Associate Sponsors of the Royals for the upcoming season

One Moto India - The first-ever British Brand of elegant and premium EVs in India, has announced that they will be one of the Associate Sponsors of the Rajasthan Royals franchise, coming on-board as the Official EV Partner in Two-Wheeler Segment for the upcoming Season 15 of the most popular cricket league which starts from March 26, 2022.

As part of the association, One Moto India’s official logo will feature on the back of the Royals’ playing helmets and caps, while the mobility company will also unveil the special range of Limited Edition of One Moto two wheelers - RR X One Moto. The association with the Royals will also see the Rajasthan-based franchise’s players encouraging their fan community to shift to Electric Vehicles and become a part of India’s EV revolution.

Furthermore, the brand will also give away custom design One Moto Rajasthan Royals limited edition scooter range across the Rajasthan Royals academies in Nagpur, Mumbai, Dubai, and the ones that open during the upcoming season.

“Rajasthan Royals has always promoted an eco-friendly approach as a team. The Royals have also always adopted a sustainable approach with steps like opting for jerseys made of sustainable material and the team has been a frontrunner to send a message which is in line with what One Moto India as a brand has been doing. The team and the brand have synergies in place, and the league could be an opportunity to educate masses about making an informed choice of switching to EVs,” said Mr. Mohammed Muzammil Riyaz, Partner & Promoter of One Moto India.

Meanwhile, Jake Lush McCrum - Chief Executive Officer, Rajasthan Royals, also reacted to the association, “We are delighted to welcome a globally recognized brand like One Moto on board. Their vision of providing sustainable yet stylish EV vehicles to consumers has a strong synergy with our central purpose of transforming society through the significant platform we have as an IPL franchise. Through this partnership, we are excited to help them further expand across India and around the world while creating a positive societal impact."

"We are the first generation to be affected by climate change, therefore it is also our responsibility to do something about it. Switching to EVs is being driven in the form of a mission in India. If we can share the approach with people and motivate them towards making this lifestyle change, then it will be a contribution to be remembered. With this thought in mind we have partnered with Rajasthan Royals,” said Mr. Sameer Moidin, Co-Founder & Partner, One Moto India.

One Moto has chosen to associate with the Royals for Season 15 2022 as the team's ethos in sync with the brand’s ambition to promote sustainable solutions and create awareness.

The brand has been on an aggressive spree on all the facets including associations with players like Global Assure, and back-to-back product launches including the EV two-wheelers - Byka, Commuta, Electa.

About One Moto India

One Moto Is A British Mobility Company Shaping And Electrifying The Last-Mile With Iconic Electric Motorcycles, Bikes, And Scooters. One Moto forayed in India and is promoted by Ellysium Automotives in the country. The brand has launched 3 products for Indian consumers and weaved a strong network of 75 Dealers, the brand is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Mumbai Startup FilMe Introduces QR Code-Based Technology to Watch Films

Innovations are an eclectic mix of a new technology, an old problem, and a big idea. The ubiquitous QR code used for making payments can now be used for watching films. The revolutionary innovative technology has been introduced by an entertainment industry start-up FilMe. The innovative technology does not end here, it makes movie watching even easier and economical.

With FilMe now viewers don’t have to pay for subscriptions, monthly commitments or search from hordes of apps on smartphone to enjoy that movie that they wanted to see. On FilMe one can watch movies the ala carte way (pay per view) by just scanning a QR code using phone’s camera, viewer can watch films without any subscription and app download, in a matter of seconds.

As learnt this disruptive product offers even more value as it enables multiple viewings over a 7-day period for a flat price of Rs. 30 only with ability to share the movie with friends and family. The technology also enables casting of content on television. At this extremely lucrative pricing FilMe enters with a better value proposition in a market where players like Google Play Movies, iTunes, YouTube and recently launched services like Shemaroo Box Office and Zee Plex have their presence. FilMe is rolling out its operations from third weekend of September.

FilMe has acquired rights of recently released, highly rated Hindi films like Badla, Kamyab, Chaman Bahar, Sky is Pink, What are the Odds and Pihu among others and aggressively acquiring quality content from all languages. The films are available under the range called “FilMe Ikon”.

Talking about the innovation and his new platform Dr. Abhishek Shukla, Founder of FilMe says, “Our key value add is the relief from costly 3-4 monthly subscriptions that consumers take and do not even use to the optimum. With FilMe, there is no confusion of browsing thousands of titles to arrive at what you want to watch. Our wide online and offline distribution ensures that we give what you want to watch right when you want to watch. He adds that with FilMe we are looking to expand the pay per view model in India which has been not been properly addressed with right kind of product and content offering.”

Apart from India, FilMe is launching its services in Gulf and middle east countries also. In India FilMe plans to have a country-wide distribution set up to sell the FilMe retail cards and will be available through mobile retail stores, electronic superstores, Cafes, Stationery stores, booths at shopping centers, and departmental stores. Consumers can also buy it online on Amazon, Paytm and BookMyShow along with company’s own website.

Harsha Bhogle Joins E-Sports Platform "Fantasy Akhada" as an Investor

He has entered into a long-term agreement with the brand where he will also be the Brand Ambassador.

The Voice of Indian Cricket - Harsha Bhogle, joins hands with Fantasy Akhada–one of India's fastest growing Fantasy Sports Platform. Harsha Bhogle will be the face of the brand for the next 2 years and by picking up stake in the startup, he has further reinforced his confidence and commitment towards the brand.

Founded by Mr. Amit Purohit in January 2020, Fantasy Akhada is a young & dynamic organization that has a vision of exponentially enhancing the level of sports engagement in India. In a short span of 8 months and after delighting over 1 lakh customers on the platform, Fantasy Akhada is now ready for the next phase of growth in India’s rapidly evolving Fantasy Sports Industry. This phase will not only witness the brand’s accelerated growth in the traditional Daily Fantasy Sports format but will also witness the expansion of the brand’s horizon in terms of driving sports engagement amongst Indian audiences by linking it to the thrill of cricket and enjoyment of sports via different game play options.

On association with Fantasy Akhada, Harsha Bhogle, Indian Commentator said; "I have always been interested in fantasy sport because it allows fans to test their wits against others and allow them to be more involved. Fantasy Akhada is an initiative of hard-core sports lovers who understand the fan and fantasy sport and I enjoy seeing young, driven people trying to move ahead. I am hoping Fantasy Akhada will become a platform where fans can congregate and enjoy playing fantasy sport".

Amit Purohit, Founder, Fantasy Akhada elaborates that; “We are excited to have Harsha, a stalwart in the world of cricket, join us as an investor at this stage of our journey. When we decided to look for a brand icon for Fantasy Akhada, we aimed at having someone who has an immensely powerful brand image in the minds of the Indian Cricket Fans. We were also clear that it was not just about getting a face for the brand but, in fact, we wanted someone who shares our vision that we have for the business and believes in it wholeheartedly. We are a young organization and we would also be looking at Harsha as a mentor to us from time to time. Hence, we are humble yet highly enthusiastic to have Mr. Bhogle onboard with us.”

“This is a long-term partnership wherein apart from being the face of the brand, he will also guide us in this journey thanks to his vast experience and in-depth knowledge in the world of sports, especially Cricket. We are also very sure that his understanding of fan behavior/preferences and strong business background will help us in planning the next phase of growth for our startup.” Amit added.

Over the next few months, the company plans to leverage the funding raised so far coupled with Harsha Bhogle’s association to drive the next phase of growth. Over the next quarter, on the back of IPL 2020 and a packed cricket calendar, driving the critical metrics aggressively for the Daily Fantasy Sports model will be a key focus area for the organization. While the brand continues to move up the ladder and strengthen its position in the traditional DFS ecosystem, it also intends to push the Predictions Game & Match Club Format and ask people to sample the same in a big way during the IPL. Fantasy Akhada has been growing by more than 100% month on month post the lockdown on sports ended globally and now with Harsha’s association just before IPL 2020, the growth rate is expected to be astonishing.

Another key focus area where the company aims to invest a lot of time, thought and resources is Customer Engagement and Retention. In its 8-month long journey, Fantasy Akhada has displayed phenomenal retention levels thanks to the 24*7 dedicated customer care, instant problem resolution and safe and quick withdrawals. Maintaining the levels of customer satisfaction and subsequently improving them, irrespective of scale, will be an equal focus area for the organization.

About the company:

Fantasy Akhada is the flagship product of a Fantasy Sports Startup, based out of Gurgaon. The company has raised over USD 175,000 so far (in 8 months) via Angel Investors who believe in the vision of the Company. The company believes that Fantasy Sports is a key lever in enhancing the sports engagement of a fan/viewer. The platform has something to offer for the entire spectrum of Sports Fans. From the Predictions Game, which is for the casual fans, to various formats of Fantasy Sports, Fantasy Akhada aims to provide a wide range of game play options to sports fans in this country.

The platform currently offers only Cricket and Football and will be soon expanding to Basketball as well. On Fantasy Akhada, users can first hone their skills by playing Practice (Free) Contests. For those who wish to WIN money using their sports knowledge and selection skills, there are Public Cash Contests and Private Contests on the platform as well. Whether you are up for bragging rights or the money, come join us on https://www.fantasyakhada.com/

Saregama, Facebook Ink Global Licensing Deal

Saregama on Wednesday announced a global deal with Facebook to license its music for video and other social experiences across Facebook and Instagram.

This partnership will allow users to choose from a wide variety of music to add to their social experiences such as videos, stories via music stickers and other creative content, a statement said.

Users will also be able to add songs to their Facebook profile, it added.

"...Now millions of Facebook users will be able to add music from our vast catalogue to stories and videos they create and share," Saregama India Managing Director Vikram Mehra said.

Saregama has a catalogue of over one lakh songs across many different genres including film songs, devotional music, ghazals and indipop in more than 25 languages.

Saregama will allow people, globally, to use their favourite retro Indian music to further enrich their content on our platforms, Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships at Facebook India, said. PTI SR

FICCI and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas Release FICCI Frames Report on 'Entertainment Law Book 2020

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the oldest & largest apex business organization in India and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, India's largest & leading law firm are delighted to release its joint report 'Entertainment Law Book 2020'.

This report presents regulatory developments in the field of TV broadcasting and distribution, music, radio, filmed entertainment and other segments in the Media & Entertainment space. It also includes several thought provoking articles on diverse topics, dealing with the issues in the Media & Entertainment sector. The report was originally scheduled to launch at the FICCI Frames 2020, however due the given COVID-19 situation the conference was called off this year. A copy of the report is attached here.

On release of the report, Mr. Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas said, "It is an honour and a privilege to present this report on the legal and regulatory issues impacting the Media and Entertainment sector. This report gives a bird's eye view of all important and relevant developments in the past year, encompassing the entire gamut of the Media & Entertainment sector. I would like to thank FICCI and members of its Media & Entertainment Committee for choosing us as a knowledge partner for the second consecutive year and all those who have contributed their time and valuable insights in making this report a possibility."

Mr. Dilip Chenoy, Secretary-General, FICCI said, "The Report touches upon some vital aspects that are playing an influential role in charting the way for the future of the Media & Entertainment industry. The issues lay strong foundations of the possible framework and solutions to developing the laws that will in time, govern the Media & Entertainment industry, in our country. On behalf of FICCI, I express our appreciation to Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and the members of the FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee for presenting the 2020 edition of this Report."

Mr. Bharat Vasani, Partner (Head - Media & Entertainment) said, "I am very delighted at the release of FICCI Frames Entertainment Law Report 2020. It was great experience to meet the key players in this industry and get their practical insight into the future of different verticals of this industry and the impact of digital revolution."

About Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas takes forward the values going back 103 years, of the erstwhile Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., whose pre-eminence, experience and reputation of almost a century has been unparalleled in the Indian legal fraternity. Tracing its professional lineage to 1917, the Firm of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is now the largest full-service law firm in India, with over 750 lawyers including over 130 partners, and offices in India's key business centres at Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad. The Firm advises a large, and varied client base that includes domestic and foreign commercial enterprises, financial institutions, private equity funds, venture capital funds, start-ups and governmental and regulatory bodies.

The firm, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, was awarded recently awarded with "Law Firm of the Year" & "India Deal Firm of the Year" at ALB India Law Awards 2020, "India - Firm of the Year" at the AsiaLaw Regional Awards 2019 and "India Deal Firm of the Year" at the In-House Community Counsels of the Year Awards 2019. The firm was also named as the "Most Innovative National Law Firm of the Year - India for 2018" at the IFLR Asia Awards, having also been successful in winning the prestigious & coveted "National Law Firm of the Year, 2018 for India" at the Chambers Asia-Pacific Awards. The firm was also voted as the "Employer of Choice for 2020" from India, by the Asian Legal Business, building upon the several awards that the erstwhile Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. had won in the past.

Established in 1927, FICCI is the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India. Its history is closely interwoven with India's struggle for independence, its industrialization, and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing global economies. A non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI is the voice of India's business and industry. From influencing policy to encouraging debate, engaging with policy makers and civil society, FICCI articulates the views and concerns of industry. It serves its members from the Indian private and public corporate sectors and multinational companies, drawing its strength from diverse regional chambers of commerce and industry across states, reaching out to over 2,50,000 companies.

 

~ Newsvoir

ZEUX Innovation Partners with Discovery India for India 1st Aggregated Real-Life Entertainment App

• Launched in March 2020, Discovery+ app has received rave reviews and a rapidly expanding user base


• ZEUX’s UX design expertise enabled the app to stand out in terms of discoverability, stickiness, share-ability and intelligence


• Unique features including Shorts and WhatsApp sharing have garnered tremendous traction & praise from users

ZEUX Innovation, India’s pre-eminent outcome driven UX design firm, proudly partnered with Discovery India to design the Discovery+ app. The app was launched on 18th March 2020 and continues to garner rave reviews across major app stores for its content and user experience.

Commenting on the ZEUX & Discovery collaboration, Issac John, Business Head, Discovery India said, “As a product, our team was very conscious of solving barriers for user adoption in a cluttered OTT market like India. The various researches and design workshops that ZEUX led for us, placed user motivations at the heart for solving these barriers. The iterative work, completed over several months, has paid rich dividends for us as expressed by the umpteen user reviews that have highlighted the rich yet simple to navigate UI & UX of Discovery Plus”.

ZEUX designed the Discovery+ app with an end objective to deliver a best-in-class and differentiated OTT experience. 

The ZEUX Edge: 5 key UX design pillars for Discovery+

One-stop-shop	As a first step, ZEUX conducted foundational research with target users across India to ascertain Discovery’s app consolidated strategy. Other insights gathered regarding content preferences, subscription models, pricing, etc. also helped establish a clear app strategy and laid down a solid foundation for the design effort.
Discoverability	ZEUX completely re-imagined the content categorisation approach for Discovery+ and created several innovative content buckets and micro-genres (such as: time of day, emotion, content length, life stage, brag value, etc.). This not only ensured that the overall information architecture of the app matches the target users’ mental models but also enhanced content findability.
Stickiness	The unique ”Shorts” feature was an innovation crafted specifically to enhance engagement for the new-age generation. Never seen before on any OTT platform, Shorts brought snackable non-fiction content & infinite scrolling to offer a unique engagement strategy for Discovery+
Shareability	ZEUX built a hyper-simple sharing experience by seamlessly integrating user’s most preferred sharing channel (WhatsApp) into the app interface. This innovation has proven to be a key factor in enhancing content share-ability resulting in higher organic user acquisitions for Discovery+
Intelligence	Circular content toggles at the top of key pages were created by ZEUX to ensure that the home & landing pages for core content categories showcase Discovery’s vast content breadth and depth. Click-data from the toggles also fortified the app’s intelligence gathering mechanism and fuelled its content personalisation & recommendation engines.

Commenting on the success, Saurabh Gupta, Co-founder, ZEUX Innovation, said, “We are proud to be the UX design partner for Discovery+. We leveraged the science of human performance & persuasion design to craft an OTT experience that is a perfect balance between delivering specific business outcomes, addressing diverse user needs and effectively managing technology considerations”.

Adding to the perspective, Hemal Gathani, Co-founder, ZEUX Innovation, said, “Client support was the key factor in transforming our thoughts into reality. The fact that the Discovery team supported our thought process and empowered us to think laterally, led to a seamless delivery from our end”.

About ZEUX Innovation

Set up in 2016 by Saurabh Gupta and Hemal Gathani, ZEUX Innovation was built with a vision to design exceptional digital experiences and deliver real business outcomes. Mumbai headquartered ZEUX Innovation today caters to an esteemed clientele across sectors and is focused on delivering business empowering UX ecosystems. Clientele includes: Reliance Retail, Discovery, Stanley Black & Decker, IDFC First Bank, HDFC Life, Tata Sons, Dream11, etc.

"The Mindfulness Movement" Film from Executive Producers Deepak Chopra & Jewel, has Worldwide Digital Release on April 10

THE MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT from Executive Producers Deepak Chopra and Jewel to pivot from national theatrical to worldwide digital release.

• The film will be available in multiple languages on April 10.


• Available to rent or purchase at - TheMindfulnessMovement.com


• In the spirit of a global release, they have subtitles in at least five languages (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese for Brazil, and Hindi).

The film was initially going to be in over 50 theaters across the US and Canada but due to concerns about the coronavirus, they accelerated their plans for a global online release. The film is available to rent or purchase at - TheMindfulnessMovement.com it has subtitles in at least five languages.

The upcoming documentary THE MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT Produced and Directed by Rob Beemer, Executive Produced by Deepak Chopra and Jewel, is a feature documentary that examines the growing number of people throughout society who believe mindfulness - a peaceful quality of attention anyone can develop by simply focusing on the present moment in a non-judgmental way - is the key to creating a healthier, happier world. The documentary also offers an interactive element, giving viewers the chance to close their eyes and practice during brief guided meditations led by well-known mindfulness teachers.



Abramorama's Richard Abramowitz (CEO) and Karol Martesko-Fenster (COO) said, "This film's value has increased exponentially in the past few weeks so we've worked with Rob Beemer to ensure that it would be broadly available when it is most needed. Mindfulness: if not now, when"

Producer and Director Rob Beemer added, "We're shifting gears as quickly as possible to the worldwide online release and will be providing viewers with additional content from some of our experts who will explain how mindfulness can reduce fear and anxiety during this global health crisis and provide simple mindfulness techniques to help people to cope."

[tnm_video layout="mnmd-post-media-wide"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrxD7BF5gM[/tnm_video]

Deepak Chopra and Jewel have been speaking out about the importance of mental health during the crisis, including their recent appearances on CNN. Deepak has been reminding people that as they take care of their physical hygiene to slow the spread of the virus, "It's also important to practice mental hygiene because stress weakens our immune systems, which is why the film can be a valuable resource." He said, "The Mindfulness Movement is a must-see film, especially for our challenging times."

In addition to promoting various fundraisers, Deepak has been conducting free online guided meditations, including a recent live global meditation that was so popular that the live stream crashed.

Jewel has been sharing the mindfulness techniques that helped her escape homelessness, which she offers for free at JewelNeverBroken.com, and raising over $550,000 for mental health resources during her recent "Live From San Quarantine" concert from her bedroom. She said, "Mindfulness can help reduce the pandemic's silent symptoms of anxiety, fear and depression."

Chopra has also been working to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental wellbeing through a global movement called "Never Alone" and a film "The Offering".

He is doing this in partnership with actress and humanitarian, Gabriella Wright, director and meditation teacher Michel Pascal, and Social Entrepreneur Poonacha Machaiah.

Poonacha is an Indian origin global thought leader and has recently launched the Warrior MonkTM brand targeted at creating a positive societal shift through the compassionate transformation of humankind. It is dedicated to empower everyone to be more resilient in the body and mind through unique compelling online training programs to master resilience, and products for reducing inflammation in the body, enhancing motivation, energy, mood, memory, focus and overall cognitive processing.

These tools are all the need of the hour right now. People need aids through these tough times for the mind body and soul.

THE MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT follows the emotionally compelling stories of four main characters (Jewel, Dan Harris, Sharon Salzberg and George Mumford) who reveal their personal hardships and explain how mindfulness transformed their lives. Woven between these journeys are profiles of the leaders, history and science behind the movement, as well as looks at the many places where mindfulness is already helping to improve society, including schools (from inner-cities to Harvard Business School), Fortune 500 companies, police forces, prisons, network newsrooms, neuroscience laboratories, therapist offices, sports teams, military veterans groups and the health care industry.

THE MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT features experts in the field including Dan Harris (ABC News correspondent & GMA weekend co-host, author of "10% Happier"), Sharon Salzberg (Author and Co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society), Jon Kabat-Zinn (author and Founder of the UMASS Center for Mindfulness), Daniel Goleman (Psychologist and Author of "Emotional Intelligence"), Fleet Maull (Founder of Prison Mindfulness Institute), Diana Winston (Author and Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center), George Mumford (teacher and author of "The Mindful Athlete"), Tim Ryan (US Congressman, Ohio and Author of "A Mindful Nation"), Bill George (Senior Fellow at Harvard Business School, former Fortune 500 CEO, and author), Leigh Koechner (Speaker, Podcaster, Parenting Expert & Spiritual Teacher), Richard Davidson (Neuroscientist and Founder of the UW-Madison's Center For Healthy Minds.

It is interesting to note that the film was funded through donations to its non-profit fiscal sponsor, The International Documentary Association. So many people who were aligned with the cause got a chance to get associated with the film.

Nina Kler Wellbeing Crusader and Writer from New Delhi, India is the key contributor for the film by virtue of her contribution. She has been on the forefront of the Mindfulness Movement in India thanks to her stint at BW Businessworld as Editorial Lead of Wellbeing.

She has in the past interviewed, engaged and learned from many of these International luminaries.

She shares that this movie couldn't have come out at a better time for people. "While life 'Pre-COVID' was probably hectic enough, 'Post-COVID' the only way to stay sane and centered is to practice mindfulness."

About Abramorama

Abramorama is the preeminent global theatrical distribution, marketing and rights management partner for documentary and music films today and is recognized for the consistent high quality of its work on award winning feature films. A partner to record labels, artists, managers, filmmakers and IP owners, Abramorama is recognized as an innovator in the focused, personalized form of film distribution and event cinema, providing invaluable alternatives to filmmakers and content owners. Abramorama continues to trail-blaze exciting new pathways for filmmakers to find their audience. Over the course of nearly 20 years, Abramorama has successfully distributed and marketed hundreds of films, and recently launched its music-centric film fund focused on the global release of iconic music documentaries, alongside numerous live integrated special theatrical events.

For more information, please visit abramorama.com.

About Mangurama

Mangurama, a partnership between Abramorama and Giancarlo Canavesio's aspects of human existence. The company distributes and invests in the completion of paradigm challenging Mangusta Productions, brings films that celebrate "consciousness" to the big, medium, and small screen.

Mangurama's films and episodic programs, are the next generation of mind, body, spirit documentaries, covering not only spirituality, eastern philosophy, yoga and meditation, but also economics, politics, philosophy, sexuality and other and consciousness expanding visual content. Released and upcoming feature documentaries and episodic series include Tyler Chandler and Nick Meyer's Dosed, Tom Cronin and Jacqui Fifer's The Portal, Rob Beemer's The Mindfulness Movement, Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake's award-winning Weed The People, Adam Schomer's The Road To Dharma - Riders of The Himalayas, Randall Wright's Summer In The Forest, Bruce Parry's TAWAI - A Voice From The Forest, Raz Degan & Appian Way's presentation The Last Shaman, and Tao Ruspoli's Monogamish. New paradigm docs on DMT, channeling indigenous wisdom, the metaphysics of Blockchain, and new conscious capitalism are in various stages of development and production for release in 2020.

Netflix Introduces Improved Parental Controls

Video streaming platform Netflix on Tuesday said it is introducing new parental controls, including a PIN protect feature to prevent kids from accessing specific profiles.

The new features are introduced at a time when people across the globe are spending more time indoors as part of efforts to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus that has claimed thousands of lives globally.

There are various reports that suggest that people are spending more time, consuming content online across platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar given the lockdown.

"...based on feedback from its members, it (Netflix) has launched new, improved controls on its service to help parents, guardians and elders make the right viewing decisions for their families," Netflix said in a statement.

It added that parents can now PIN protect individual profiles to prevent kids from using them; tailor their kids' Netflix experience by filtering out titles that are not appropriate for their age; and remove individual series or films by title.

Parents will also be able to see what their kids have been watching within the profile created for them and turn off auto-play of episodes in kids profiles, the statement said.

These controls can be added to the Netflix profile by going to account settings on a laptop or a mobile browser, it added.

Netflix said it has been investing in a variety of kids and family films and TV shows, including animated films like Klaus, interactive shows like Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal and kids' series such as Boss Baby.

The Indian kids series Mighty Little Bheem is the most-watched pre-school series on Netflix globally, and the second-most watched kids' series for Netflix worldwide, it added.

Since its launch in April last year, Mighty Little Bheem has been watched by over 27 million households worldwide, including in Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.

Netflix has also announced Ghee Happy, an animated show about Hindu deities who, as children, attend a special daycare and discover their own powers. PTI SR

14 Indian Artists Collaborate from Homes to Create Unique Music Video

Inspired by the spirit of India and Indians, some of the country’s most well-known singers along with a bevy of young upcoming artists have collaborated online to create a unique song titled “Chappa Chappa Afwaah Chale”, based on Vishal Bhardwaj’s evergreen hit from the film Maachis. 

Led by Padmashri and National Award winner Hariharan, the band that calls themselves ‘The Sur-Viralists’, comprises of celebrities from various fields including Padmashri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, playback singers Roop and Sunali Rathod and Ishaan Dutta, MasterChef Ranveer Brar, the young sibling duo of Actor Karan & Music Producer Akshay Hariharan, the svelte and talented Reewa Rathod, Marketing Guru turned Foodpreneur Vinod G. Nair, Diamond merchant Punit Gupta, renowned IT Advocate Nadeem Lasani, US based cryptocurrency expert Rakesh Sreekumar and music composer Immanuel Berlin.

The brainchild of Vinod G. Nair, who has also penned the lyrics for the Lockdown version of the original soundtrack, the song cautions people to not become victims of rumours (Afwaah) and to avoid being party to spreading false rumours. 

The 5-minute track will release as a 1-minute promo video, that too has been entirely self- shot by the band members in their homes and the full track will be available as a free download on all social media and music platforms. 

The Chappa Chappa Afwaah Chale track will be released on April 2, 2020 at 5pm across all social media platforms simultaneously. Follow #TheFightAgainstAfwaah, #AfwaahStopCorona  and #TheSurViralists for updates. 

“When we started off with the project, we all felt that it was impossible to achieve. But thanks to the marvel of technology and app-based platforms, we did it, says Vinod G. Nair, who conceptualised the initiative. “After this, we are now gearing up to do an even more ambitious project aimed at infotaining people as they battle the virus from their homes”, he adds.

Says Hariharan, “In the current environment where everybody is #gharbaithoindia and under #lockdown, the spread of rumours via social media especially whatsapp is alarming. We want to tell people to ignore rumours and to stop their friends and others from spreading them”.

Legendary Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who is also an avid drummer, adds, “The song is a fun track with a serious message behind it – Afwaah Roko, Corona Roko. For every 1 person getting infected with the #COVID-19 virus, there are hundreds getting infected by the Afwaah Virus, which is equally dangerous and debilitating. People experience fear, despair and frustration due to uncontrolled rumour mongering and tend to be disturbed through-out the day”.

The 1-minute promo video is a light-hearted humorous look at the frustrations of people who are being bombarded with #fakenews, rumours and Afwaahs all day long. 

Huawei's Announces the Grand Launch of its Next Image Awards; World's Leading Online Mobile Photography Competition

Huawei has also announced the launch of the fourth edition of its legendary Next Image Awards. Huawei's Next Image Awards is one of the world's best online photography awards that is committed to broaden the horizon of visual culture and encourage mobile photography worldwide.

The "NEXT" in NEXT-IMAGE refers to the next generation of photographers using the next generation of tools to create and spread the next generation of visual content - all with new forms of interaction and feedback. The "IMAGE" part of the name refers to both static imagery and new forms of dynamic visual expression.

Huawei has proposed the "NEXT-IMAGE" concept not only to highlight the many years of innovative spirit it has brought to the field of visual expression, but also to create a new word that conveys its insight into what it believes is growing into a new school of photography. In 2019, more than 150 + countries participated and over 520,000 entries were received.

The competition requires the participants to send their best photograph, which will be meticulously judged by the jury members. Under the umbrella of the competition lies six categories, one of which a participant must stick to while submitting his/her entry. The participants have to send their entries and brownie points will be awarded to shots taken through a Huawei phone. Apart from the 3 grand prizes of USD $10,000 each, each of the 6 categories will have its own winners. Fifty runner ups can also win the flagship Huawei P40 Pro smartphone each.

The six categories are as follows -

1. Near Far - Discovering new places and new experiences thereby using new features of phone camera, for instance tele-photo, super-wide angle or macro-shooting lens.


2. Good Night - Capturing fun moments in low light.


3. Hello Life! - Sharing the emotion or the inspiration in everyday experiences.


4. Faces - Experimenting with identity and the power of portraiture of you yourself, her/him/it or them.


5. Live Moments - Filming stories in less than 10 minutes (at least 10 seconds, mp4 only).


6. Storyteller - Sequencing 3 to 9 photos to express the emotion, to record the changes or to find a trend.

The jury consists of eminent photographers such as Steven McCurry and Elizaveta Porodina, along with Li Changzhu, Vice President of Handsets Product Line of Huawei CBG and Andrew Garrihy, Western Europe CMO of Huawei CBG.

"Huawei's Next Image Awards is one of the world's most well-known online photography competitions. Since 2017, more than 150 countries have participated and we have received more than 1 million submissions. We extend the invitation to all photography enthusiasts worldwide to participate in the contest and win exciting prizes of upto USD $10,000. We truly believe that a photograph is worth a thousand words and has the ability to capture the beauty all around us," said Huawei's spokesperson.

The entries are open from March 26th 2020, and will close on 31st July, 2020.

About Huawei Consumer BG

Huawei's products and services are available in more than 170 countries and are used by a third of the world's population. Fifteen R&D centers have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei's three business units Smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services, etc. Huawei's global network is built on almost 30 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.

For more information, please visit: consumer.huawei.com/in.

For regular updates on Huawei Consumer BG, follow us on:

Facebook: facebook.com/HuaweiMobile

Twitter: twitter.com/HuaweiMobile

YouTube: youtube.com/HuaweiMobile

Instagram: instagram.com/huaweiMobile

IIT Roorkee Incubated Startup offers Free Interactive Books during the Current Lockdown

• Aim to entertain kids and sharpen their linguistic abilities


• The comics are available in Hindi, English, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, Marathi

A TIDES, IIT Roorkee-incubated startup TBS Planet Comics Studio is offering interactive comics free of cost to entertain kids during the quarantine period in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The comics are available in six vernacular languages namely Hindi, English, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, Marathi thereby aiding kids to hone their linguistic skills. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the shutdown of educational institutions and children are staying at home. They should utilize this time in reading which will not only entertain them but also hone their linguistic skills and supplement classroom learning. This initiative is in line with our commitment to offering curated experiences to our readers. It will keep kids engaged while their parents work from home,” said Mr. Rajeev Tamhankar, Founder &CEO, TBS Planet Comics Studio. 

The interactive comics enables kids to play games where they can choose to play as a character and shape the adventure according to the choices they make in the story. It is available on accessing the link https://www.tbsplanet.com/en/read and caters to six genres- Action superheroes, Comedy, Horror, Mythology, History, and Moral Stories. 

“It is commendable that one of our students has come forward so that the children are engaged during the present lockdown. This initiative will encourage more kids to embrace reading during their leisure hours,” said Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee.

The comics are centered on six superheroes- Ved, Varun, Karma, Yug, Takshak, and Rudra. Ved is a Delhi- based detective who uses his wit and intellect to solve cases. He was brought up by magician Anand. The character is truly Indian and was also among #1 bestseller on Amazon in the Indian comics’ category. Deriving from the Indian mythology, Varun came into existence underwater after Dwarka submerged. The comics portray the adventures of water-based superhuman Varun. Karma is among the most intriguing characters of the comics' superhero universe. Karma punishes criminal to the extent of crime.

Yug is an immortal warrior who has been saved by King of Devpur for a mission of eliminating evil from the planet. Based in antiquity, this superhero indulges in interesting adventures. Takshak is the Snake-man superhero of the TBS Planet Comics universe. He is currently banned from the snake world and is living in Mumbai to explore the pearl of time, also known as “Kaal-Moti”. His story includes many adventures while he tries to comprehend the human world.  Rudra is the son of Vayu and the blessing of Shiva. He is among the most fierce and powerful characters of the TBS Planet Comics Universe. As Veer, he works as a tourist guide in Haridwar.

TBS Planet Comics Studio is supported under the Technology Incubation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (TIEDS) of IIT Roorkee. To promote innovation and entrepreneurship, TIEDS facilitates incubation of new enterprises with innovative technologies by admitting them at its Incubator, TIDES, and rendering physical, technical, financial and networking expertise.

About IIT Roorkee (https://www.iitr.ac.in/)

IIT Roorkee is an institute of national importance imparting higher education in engineering, sciences, management, architecture and planning, and humanities and social sciences. Since its establishment in 1847, the Institute has played a vital role in providing technical human resources and know-how to the country. In the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2019, the institute has been ranked 3rd among the IITs, while on the citations criterion, it has been ranked 1st among all the Institutes in India.

Top Stories About Cricket in India

All recent news reports regarding sports start with unfortunate information. Sports events are being canceled worldwide due to the COVID-19 outbreak. India is no different from the rest of the world when it comes to prioritizing the health and safety of its citizens. 

The last India cricket match that was scheduled to happen on March 12 between India and South Africa was abandoned without the ball bowled. After that, all the rest have been canceled until stated otherwise.

Nonetheless, cricket is still one of the main topics in India. Everyone is trying to predict the development of the current situation and the impact it will have on the whole cricket season. We’ve tried to find some information regarding this issue, as well as the details about the cancelation of the last match. Therefore, make yourself a coffee and let’s start.

Indian Cricket Brought to a Halt

The complete ban on cricket matches in India surprised both the players and the fans, as the game had taken a central place in Indian culture since its humble beginnings in 1721. From that moment on, cricket games were only paused during the World Wars, and even then the ban was not absolute. However, faced with the “invisible enemy” called coronavirus, cricket officials had to make a move and obey the new rules.

The first official suspension hit the Indian Premier League. The competition should have started on March 29, which made its suspension inevitable. As the Indian government introduced visa restrictions and prohibited all public gatherings, all scheduled cricket matches had to be postponed until April 15 at the earliest. What’s more, the area in which the BCCI is located is under complete lockdown and no organization will operate there until the end of March.

Still, state officials decided not to cancel the whole season yet. They plan to monitor the situation and go one step at the time. After April 15, the state will make further moves regarding the upcoming cricket matches. Until then, only the competitions scheduled for the near future will be affected.

Last Cricket Match Got Canceled

India and South Africa have some unfinished business when it comes to the ODI series. Both teams had been intensely preparing for the game scheduled for March 12 when they were informed that the match must be played behind closed doors. The reason for such a decision was the coronavirus pandemic that started spreading rapidly.

However, soon after, team officials got new information. The BCCI changed the decision from playing without the audience to not playing at all. Additionally, the BCCI decided to cancel the matches scheduled for March 15 and March 18, too, as the things with the deadly virus became severe. 

In their statement, the BCCI emphasized that South Africa will get another chance to come to India to play the remaining three One Day Internationals. BCCI-CSA agreed to work on the new schedule together.

Even though the news about coronavirus has been broadcasted worldwide, both Indian and South African teams seemed surprised by the complete suspension of the ODI series. This is no wonder, as the decision was made quickly after both teams got their practice schedule.

However, the CEO of Cricket South Africa, Jacques Faul, was grateful that the BCCI made this decision. He believes the issue should be taken seriously, primarily for the benefit of cricket players and the rest of vital team members.

The BCCI also mentioned that this decision was made in accordance with the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. These organizations, together with the Indian government, strongly recommended the cancelation of all mass gatherings, including cricket games.

Postponing the ODI series was not the first difficult decision for the BCCI. Earlier this month, they decided to cancel the Indian Premier League so that the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t get the chance to infect any team members.

Even though the government strongly suggested that everyone should stay at home and go out only when necessary, countless fans still showed up for the game between India and South Africa. This implies that the complete ban on sports activities and other large gatherings was a smart decision that should prevent the virus from spreading.

Fantasy cricket is driving the viewership for small State leagues, Women's Cricket and Ranji Trophy

• FanFight emerged as best platform to play fantasy cricket online which offers tournaments on all leagues be it IPL, Women's cricket, State Leagues in India and International matches.


• Akhil Suhag, Founder & CEO strongly agrees on online fantasy cricket has grown multifold on the lines of growth happened in cricket in the last two to three years.


• The demand for women's cricket, International leagues and State leagues have gone up and players are looking at new opportunities where in they can gain edge over others to increase their chances of winning

Fantasy sports have certainly gained a fair share of traction over the last couple of years in India due to advent in popularity of sports such as Cricket, Football and Kabaddi coupled with technological advancement in the arena of gaming industry in India.
At present the people in India are majorly playing and following Fantasy Cricket as Cricket is religion in India. But due to increase in technological advancements the people are getting more engaged to other sports such as Football & Kabaddi. The enhancement of Fantasy games have created enormous viewership for state leagues, women's cricket and Ranji trophy in Tier I and Tier II cities.

The Indian obsession with cricket is certainly no secret. The last few years have also seen a significant rise in the popularity of other sports which has resulted in the introduction of several leagues in various games. The growth in the number of sports enthusiasts is clear from the burgeoning television viewership, advertisements, merchandising, fan clubs associated with the rise in popularity of such sports in India.

The simple reason that in Tier I and Tier II cities viewership of above leagues have increased because, at FanFight, we constantly strive to be creative and innovative by thrusting and believing that there is always more creative and innovative solutions offering to the discerning audience. This mind set ensures that we continue to serve a diverse yet never content audience and are consistently striving to better their offering and thereby providing awesome game playing experiences to viewers.

In addition, the demand for women's cricket, International leagues and State leagues like Karnataka etc. have gone up and players online are looking at new opportunities where in they can gain edge over other players and increase their chances of winning.

Today, what is more interesting about various tournaments including women's cricket viewership is that more users engage on gaming platforms from smaller markets. Fantasy Cricket is driving the traffic in Tier II and Tier III cities for viewership of smaller versions of IPL in various states.

The exponential growth in Tier I and Tier II markets can be attributed to more internet users now than three years ago and a majority share in the new internet user base, who are often just coming online to take part in such fantasy games that have garnered national appeal.

IPL has a pull over the masses and the consumption of the sports is not limited to television alone. With upcoming Indian Premier League, the experts are stating that it is a golden period for online fantasy sports games. Also, social media users are actively participating in fantasy cricket applications by discussing the game on cricketing sites going through live commentary.

Factors like the popularity of cricket and rising internet penetration, in IPL 2020 we can see the digital penetration crossing over 300 million viewers. Taking this engagement to the next level are the fantasy cricket applications, users connect with the game and make predictions for the winning team. What we expect to see this year on fantasy cricket apps is significant engagement with the game and a large volume of registrations. Exciting and innovative competition formats and the ability to showcase cricket knowledge and skill along with competing with real players has made fantasy cricket the preferred medium to enjoy IPL and cricket.

Presently India have more than 100 million fantasy sports players and it is growing with rapid speed of 20 to 30% per year. It is also becoming popular as it is a skilled game and not gambling. And hence the fantasy sports market is increasing rapidly in India.

About FanFight leading online fantasy gaming platform:
FanFight was founded by ISB alumni Mr. Akhil Suhag in 2016. Currently has players base of more than 6 million and emerged as fastest growing fantasy cricket gaming platform. FanFight is designed with lots simplicity so that everyone can play on this platform for good gaming experience and win money too. Players can also play Football and Kabaddi on the platform as popularity of these two games have been on the rise in India in the last couple of years.