iWorld
Sky invests in mobile fan engagement & sports marketing company
MUMBAI: After recently investing in programmatic advertising company DataXu and OTT video company TV4 Entertainment, Sky has now invested ?0.3 million in mobile fan engagement and sports marketing company InCrowd in a bid to help accelerate innovation.
InCrowd, formed by the team behind the sports data company, Opta, specialises in developing mobile apps, offering real time content, match analysis and interactive games, providing clubs and rights holders with a direct way to engage with fans.
Sky Sports will work with InCrowd to explore new ways of delivering the best content to sports fans.
InCrowd has also developed its own connectivity software that sits within its apps, allowing phones to share all available connectivity, rather that compete for it. Any information requested by an app user without a signal can be provided by the network, while the more phones that join the network, the better the solution works.
Sky, which offers fast, reliable connectivity to thousands of venues around the country through its Wi-Fi business, The Cloud, will work with InCrowd to develop in-stadia connectivity even further.
Sky director of corporate development & strategic investments Emma Lloyd said, “This is the latest in a series of investments in pioneering technology companies, which we know bring real benefits to customers. We’re really looking forward to working with InCrowd, a company that shares our passion for innovation, and for finding new and exciting ways to deliver content.”
InCrowd co-founder and CEO Aidan Cooney added, “Sky are world leaders in delivering content to sports fans wherever they are. We’re incredibly excited to be working with them to explore new ways of engaging with fans.”
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
