iWorld
OMTV and PlayBox TV unite, boosting spiritual entertainment in the premium paid category
Mumbai: Exciting news unfolds for spiritual seekers and enthusiasts as OMTV, a niche OTT platform specialising in spirituality, forges a powerful collaboration with PlayBox TV, a leading OTT aggregator platform. This strategic partnership aims to bring profound content to the premium paid category, revolutionising the spiritual entertainment landscape.
OMTV has been a trusted source of free spiritual content, captivating viewers with its enlightening programs. Now, through this collaboration with PlayBox TV, OMTV takes a significant leap into the premium paid market, offering an elevated spiritual experience to its dedicated audience. By joining forces with PlayBox TV, OMTV gains access to a robust distribution network and cutting-edge technology, enhancing its ability to deliver premium spiritual content to a wider audience. This expansion reflects OMTV’s commitment to providing high-quality, transformative programming that transcends boundaries.
The partnership with PlayBox TV allows OMTV to cater to the discerning needs of spiritual seekers who value insightful teachings, wisdom, and guidance. With an extensive library of spiritually enriching content, OMTV ensures a comprehensive range of programs, spanning various spiritual traditions and practices.
Speaking about the same, OMTV founder & MD Nitin Jai Shukla said, “We are very excited about our new collaboration with PlayBox TV. This partnership marks a significant milestone for our viewers, as it allows us to expand our premium spiritual content to a wider audience. Through this alliance, we aim to offer an elevated and transformative spiritual experience, inspiring and empowering viewers on their spiritual journey,”
PlayBox TV, renowned for its diverse content offerings, gains an esteemed spiritual partner in OMTV. The collaboration enables PlayBox TV to strengthen its position as a comprehensive OTT aggregator platform by adding spiritually focused content to its portfolio. This mutually beneficial partnership opens new avenues for growth and innovation in the spiritual entertainment segment.
Audiences can look forward to an enhanced spiritual journey as OMTV’s premium paid content becomes available on the PlayBox TV platform. From the teachings of renowned spiritual leaders to immersive meditation experiences, OMTV’s premium programs will provide subscribers with a transformative and enlightening viewing experience.
PlayBox TV founder Aamir Mulani said, “This collaboration enriches our platform by adding a premium range of content that spans various genres and interests. With OMTV’s varied library of spiritual and edutainment programs, we are catering to the discerning needs of our viewers who seek high-quality and engaging content. Playbox TV CTO Shalindera Sawant added, “This alliance enhances our commitment to providing a comprehensive user experience for our valued subscribers, we are thrilled to collaborate with OMTV.”
The collaboration between OMTV and PlayBox TV symbolises a collective commitment to expand spiritual awareness and foster personal growth. Both platforms aim to empower viewers by providing a curated collection of spiritually uplifting content, accessible with ease and convenience.
As OMTV embarks on this exciting chapter, the partnership with PlayBox TV paves the way for a new era of spiritual entertainment. Stay tuned for updates as OMTV’s premium paid content is seamlessly integrated into the PlayBox TV platform, enriching the lives of spiritual seekers worldwide. Together, OMTV and PlayBox TV strive to create a platform that inspires, enlightens, and transforms lives, where spirituality meets innovation, convenience, and premium content.
iWorld
Schmooze launches AI matchmaker Riya to personalise dating
300,000 users try feature as retention doubles on Gen Z dating app.
MUMBAI: Love might be blind, but now it’s also algorithmically curated and apparently quite chatty. Schmooze has introduced an AI-powered personal matchmaker named Riya, marking its latest push to move beyond swipe-led dating into deeper, personality-driven matchmaking. Unlike traditional matching systems, Riya interacts directly with users through conversations asking about everything from lifestyle and humour to relationship goals and family values. The idea is simple but ambitious: understand users beyond surface-level preferences and recommend matches that actually fit.
The feature builds on a pattern Schmooze had already observed. Its earlier AI tool, People Finder, allowed users to describe their ideal partner in detail and users did exactly that. Requests ranged from “an extrovert who works in tech and likes to cook” to hyper-specific traits, signalling a clear shift towards intent-driven dating.
That insight exposed a gap. While dating apps typically rely on probability-based algorithms, many users already know what they want they just lack a system that can interpret it meaningfully.
Riya attempts to fill that gap using a conversational approach. Instead of rigid inputs, it gathers signals organically sometimes through casual questions about weekend plans or social habits while mapping deeper compatibility markers in the background.
To support this, Schmooze has built its own end-to-end voice AI stack and large language model, rather than relying on third-party systems. The move is aimed at keeping costs in check while handling scale, and ensuring tighter control over user data and privacy.
The early numbers suggest traction. More than 300,000 users have already interacted with Riya, with those users showing 2× higher retention compared to others on the platform. While the system is designed for short interactions, some users are spending up to 40–50 minutes in conversation occasionally even asking for date ideas, prompting the company to add personalised recommendations.
The launch is the latest step in Schmooze’s broader attempt to rethink dating for Gen Z. Founded by Vidya Madhavan and Abhinav Anurag, the platform initially stood out by using memes as a proxy for personality tracking over 3.5 billion meme swipes across its base of more than 5 million users.
In a market dominated by global players like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, Schmooze’s approach signals a shift from visual-first discovery to interaction-led compatibility. And with AI now stepping in as a digital wingman, the dating game may be moving from swipe right to speak right.
