MAM
Disney+ Hotstar unveils ‘Bas Aao #FreeMeinDekhteJaao’ campaign
Mumbai: The much-awaited Asia Cup 2023 is around the corner and to amp up the excitement, Disney+ Hotstar has unveiled its campaign ‘Bas Aao. #FreeMeinDekhteJao’, focusing on its proposition of ‘FREE on mobile’. The platform has lifted its paywall for mobile and tablet only viewers for both Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup this year to further democratise the game of cricket. Starting 30 August, the Asia Cup brings some of the biggest cricket rivalries at the forefront with teams going head-to-head to win the coveted trophy. Cricket lovers can watch all the matches from 3:00 PM (IST) LIVE & Exclusive on Disney+ Hotstar and Star Sports Network.
Disney+ Hotstar’s new campaign for the Asia Cup 2023 takes a light-hearted and funny twist on the audience’s urge to catch the action packed matches anywhere – anytime on their mobile devices. Conceptualised by Tanmay Bhat, Deviah Bopanna and team Moonshot, the platform released a film that showcases the intensity of India’s love for cricket. The ad film is directed by Kishore Iyer.
Speaking about the campaign, a Disney+ Hotstar spokesperson said, “Cricket holds a special place in the hearts of Indians, and we want to make this sport even more accessible to our users. By offering the opportunity to watch the Asia Cup and the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 for free on mobiles, we are geared up to take cricket to every corner of the country and tap into digital-first audiences. The campaign film too reflects the same ethos, bringing to light the lengths we Indians go to follow cricket, along with Disney+ Hotstar’s commitment to delivering a top-notch and convenient viewing experience.”
Adding to the thrill and fervor, the anticipated comebacks of big players such as KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shreyas Iyer to the Asia Cup will add a dynamic edge to the matches, making the tournament even more enthralling for fans. Starting 30 August, the tournament, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and Pakistan, will feature a total of six teams – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal – battling it out for the winning spot. The Group Stage of the tournament will be played from 30 August to 5 September, with India and Pakistan going head-to-head on 2 September. The next stage will be played from 6th September to 15 September, and the final match is scheduled for 17 September.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
