iWorld
Painting a reel-istic canvas With a ‘Gadar’ marketing strategy
Mumbai: In an ingenious collaboration, Zee Studios and White Rivers Media created a trailblazing promotional campaign for Gadar 2, combining the magic of ‘Reel Wala Trailer’ with the charm of an artistic mural. These two initiatives celebrated the iconic legacy of the film while embracing cutting-edge marketing strategies.
Reel-ing in audiences: An industry-first trailer launch
Zee Studios and White Rivers Media, in partnership with Meta, unveiled a #ReelWalaTrailer that pushed the envelope of marketing strategies. It was the first-ever movie trailer launched in an Instagram reel format.
“We created an experience for our audiences, and I was incredibly happy with it. I was eager to see how our fans would react to this. This collaboration was truly a memorable one,” stated Bollywood super star Sunny Deol, following an Instagram Live interaction at Meta’s Mumbai headquarters.
“Considering the way young people are creating and consuming Reels, and the way it sparks cultural trends, a movie trailer built for Reels is an exciting proposition. Congrats to Zee Studios for setting this precedent and we’re glad to have partnered with them for it.” added, Paras Sharma, Director and Head of Content and Community Partnerships, Facebook India (Meta).
Unveiling an iconic character mural
Concurrently, a captivating mural paying homage to the legendary character ‘Tara Singh’ (played by Sunny Deol) was unveiled near Mumbai’s Andheri East Flyover. Famous artists Siddhesh and Akil collaborated to create this mesmerizing artwork, beautifully capturing Tara Singh’s spirit.
White Rivers Media CEO & co-founder Shrenik Gandhi remarked, “Art holds the power to convey emotions and stories, and this mural is a prime example of the same! Marketing the sequel of one of the most iconic movies with Zee Studios was an innovative experience.”
An Everlasting Imprint
Neeraj Joshi, Marketing Head of Zee Studios, emphasized, “With Meta’s unique offering and our partner White Rivers Media, we tried to craft a unique cinematic journey for our audiences with a pinch of nostalgia. I am overwhelmed to see the love our marketing efforts have received.”
Gadar 2’s innovative marketing strategies not only pay tribute to its iconic characters but also captivates audiences through creative approaches. The film, starring Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Utkarsh Sharma, directed by Anil Sharma, has grossed 135+ crores over the weekend, delighting audiences and film critics alike.
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
