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Prime Video elevates Padma Kasturirangan to head of south, India Originals
MUMBAI: Padma Kasturirangan has been promoted to head of South, India Originals at Prime Video, marking a significant step forward in her career. In a recent LinkedIn post, Kasturirangan shared her excitement about stepping into this expanded role, where she will oversee the streaming giant’s growing slate of Tamil and Telugu Originals.
Having joined Prime Video two years ago as head of Telugu Originals, Kasturirangan has played a pivotal role in building the platform’s Telugu content offerings, working closely with creators to bring fresh, engaging stories to audiences. Her promotion underscores Prime Video’s commitment to strengthening its foothold in South India, with plans to scale up its Originals program in the region.
Before joining Prime Video, Kasturirangan was vice president of Telugu Original Content at Zee5, part of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. Her vast experience in content creation and her deep understanding of regional storytelling have made her an influential figure in the industry. Kasturirangan has also been associated with several other media companies, including Tamada Media Private Limited, contributing to her diverse and extensive background in the Indian entertainment space.
As she embarks on this new chapter, Kasturirangan is poised to continue shaping the future of South Indian content on Prime Video, nurturing new markets, and delivering stories that resonate with audiences across the region.
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Sameer Nair shares heartfelt note as he exits Applause Entertainment
After nine years building the streamer’s content engine, one of India’s best-known TV men is moving on
MUMBAI: Sameer Nair is out. The chief executive of Applause Entertainment, the content studio backed by Kumar Mangalam Birla’s media empire, has announced his departure after nearly nine years at the helm, closing the chapter on one of Indian entertainment’s more quietly consequential careers.
Nair, who built Applause from the ground up in its current avatar, oversaw a slate that spanned Indian originals and international adaptations, threading together a hub-and-spoke business model that partnered with streaming platforms, broadcasters and production houses alike. The results were uneven, as they always are in content, but the ambition was not.
In a post on LinkedIn, Nair was generous to his outgoing patron. He thanked Birla for being an “inspirational boss and a great patron of the arts,” and signed off with a cheerful “Au Revoir” and a promise to remain Applause’s biggest cheerleader. Whether that sentiment survives the next chapter remains to be seen.
No successor has been named. Applause Entertainment did not immediately comment.
Nair built the machine. Now someone else has to run it — and in a streaming market that is simultaneously consolidating and convulsing, that is no small ask.
