iWorld
Prime Video launches ‘Taking Guard: India’s Quest for Kiwi Glory’
Mumbai: Prime Video is all set to broadcast India men’s tour of New Zealand beginning from 18 to 30 November. Ahead of the tournament in New Zealand, the OTT platform has also launched a 6-part mini-series Taking Guard: India’s Quest for Kiwi Glory.
This mini-series is part of Prime Video’s special programming initiative around the upcoming series that starts on 18 November with the first T20I and concludes with the last ODI on 30 November.
The series explores India’s fabled rivalry with the Kiwis, going back to 1967, through archival match footage, sound bytes and graphics. The documentary moves seamlessly through varied themes chronicling India’s tour to New Zealand over the years. Former greats of the game, who lend their voice in telling this riveting story include Ravi Shastri, Ajit Agarkar, Danny Morrison, Simon Doull and Ian Smith. Harsha Bhogle, who has not only witnessed this rivalry from close quarters but has been the voice narrating the highs and lows from some of these matches from the commentary box, also talks about his experience.
“At Prime Video we are committed to super-serving our customers in India, providing on-demand access to the best in entertainment across formats, genres and language,” said Prime Video India head of sports Chaitanya Divan.
He added, “We are now excited to bring them the best in live sports and provide a new viewing experience of the much anticipated bi-lateral tour this November, between the two titans of the cricketing world – India and New Zealand.”
“Indians have a huge appetite for cricket and we are excited to present the new exclusive mini-series Taking Guard before India’s highly-anticipated tour to New Zealand in a few weeks. Featuring insights and analysis from cricketing legends, Taking Guard casts the spotlight on the rivalry between the two countries, which barely sees any baring of the teeth, snarling or heated moments on the field but is full of intense competition and peppered with mutual respect. We are excited and look forward to this contest between two terrific and evenly-matched sides and will announce a few more initiatives for cricket fans in the coming weeks as the action moves from Australia to New Zealand.” Divan added further.
iWorld
Applause Entertainment partners with Story TV for premium microdramas
Collaboration to produce and adapt content for mobile-first audiences starting 2026.
MUMBAI: Applause Entertainment just shrunk the drama screen because when stories fit in your pocket, even the biggest plots feel like a quick binge. Applause Entertainment, the Aditya Birla Group-backed content powerhouse behind hits like Black Warrant, The Hunt, Criminal Justice and Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, has entered an exclusive partnership with Story TV, India’s leading microdrama platform, to create a slate of premium short-form series for mobile-first viewers.
Under the agreement, the two companies will co-produce new-age microdramas across multiple genres. Story TV will also acquire rights to Applause’s romantic-thriller series Hello Mini and adapt it into a vertical microdrama format.
Story TV, which launched in July 2025, has quickly become a dominant player in the microdrama space with a library exceeding 1000 titles in romance, thriller, action and family drama across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The platform ranks as the second most downloaded entertainment app worldwide, according to Sensor Tower data.
Story TV founder and CEO Saurabh Pandey said, “As an early entrant into microdramas in India we are at the forefront of blending storytelling and technology to expand this emerging format into mainstream territory. Our partnership with Applause Entertainment will further expand the audience of microdramas with a focus on premium storytelling that is yet to be seen in the Indian entertainment industry.”
Applause Entertainment chief business officer Prasoon Garg added, “At Applause, our focus has always been on building strong stories across formats. As newer storytelling formats like microdramas gain momentum, we see value in engaging with them through meaningful collaborations. Our unique partnership with Story TV enables us to explore this emerging space alongside a platform that has demonstrated strong understanding of the format and its audiences.”
The tie-up positions both companies to capitalise on the rapid rise of bite-sized, vertical content tailored for smartphone consumption, where attention spans are short and global reach is instant.
In a screen-sized world where stories now race against the scroll, Applause and Story TV aren’t just making microdramas, they’re proving that the smallest screen can still deliver the biggest emotional punch, one vertical episode at a time.
