iWorld
Times Play plugs into India’s biggest OTT bundles for wider digital reach
MUMBAI: Times Play is no longer playing solo. The digital OTT platform from Times Network has rolled out one of the broadest distribution launches seen for a new streaming service, plugging itself directly into India’s leading telecom OTT bundles and content aggregation platforms.
With this move, Times Play is now available on JioTV+, Airtel Xstream Play, Vi Movies & TV, Tata Play Binge and OTTplay, significantly expanding its footprint across India. The integrations allow users to access Times Play seamlessly within platforms they already subscribe to, without the friction of managing another standalone app or payment.
The rollout marks a major milestone for Times Play, positioning it as a pan-India OTT offering embedded within everyday digital consumption habits across both mobile-first users and large-screen viewers. Alongside telecom and aggregator tie-ups, the platform is also available across major connected TV ecosystems and operating systems, including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TVs and LG Smart TVs.
In content terms, Times Play aims to be a one-stop destination that blends live television with video-on-demand. Developed by Times Network, the platform brings together Hollywood films, web series, short-form content, live television and sports under a single subscription. Its live TV offering spans 11 channels, covering entertainment, lifestyle, business and news.
Premium channels on the platform include Romedy Now, Movies Now, MNX, MN+, Zoom, Times Now, Times Now Navbharat, ET Now, ET Now Swadesh, Mirror Now and Pickleball Now. The inclusion of Pickleball Now reflects the platform’s focus on emerging sports alongside mainstream entertainment and news.
Times Television Network CEO and chief growth officer for media & entertainment Ashish Sehgal said the distribution strategy was central to the platform’s design. “Times Play is built to combine the experience of live TV and VoD content for digital users, and this launch across India’s leading telecom OTT bundles and aggregators brings that vision to life,” he said.
Sehgal added that availability within established ecosystems was key to scaling reach. “Times Play’s presence across platforms allows us to reach audiences at scale, within environments where they already consume content. It enables a unified viewing experience across screens, without the friction of multiple applications or subscriptions.”
For Times Network, the expansion reinforces a broader push towards building a robust digital content ecosystem that balances credibility and scale. By distributing Times Play through trusted telecom and aggregator platforms, the network is betting on convenience and familiarity to drive adoption, rather than relying solely on direct-to-consumer downloads.
As competition in India’s OTT market intensifies, Times Play’s bundled-first strategy signals a clear intent: meet audiences where they already are, and make discovery easier by folding premium content into everyday digital routines.
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
