iWorld
WinZO inks principal sponsorship deal with two PKL teams
Mumbai: Social gaming platform WinZO has been announced as the new principal sponsor for Future Group-owned Bengal Warriors and Adani Group’s Gujarat Fortune Giants for the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League’s (PKL) season 8.
Focusing on developing a culturally relevant sporting ecosystem, WinZO sees this sponsorship as organic and supporting local talent which promotes ‘Bharat ka Khel- Kabaddi,’ said the platform in a statement
With a presence in deepest parts of the country and 80 per cent of the user base consuming content in vernacular, WinZO persists to provide social interactive games and formats that are enjoyed by the masses. Hosting 80+ games in 12 languages for a user base of 65 million+, 90 per cent of WinZO’s user base is spread across tier 2 to tier 5 markets, it further said.
“Just like Kabaddi, WinZO is also homegrown and is building for Bharat. The opportunity struck an instant chord with us,” said WinZO co-founder and CEO Paavan Nanda. “We believe that the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League will certainly provide a massive boost to the growth of the sport and players in the country. It’s a matter of great pride for us to play our part in the advancement of Kabaddi in India.”
Vivo PKL, India’s professional Kabaddi league, is the second most viewed sporting event in the country, second only to the Indian Premier League (IPL), with a viewership of 430 million, said the statement.
“We are delighted to welcome WinZO as the lead sponsor for Bengal Warriors. The game Kabaddi has really found its rightful place as the largest sports league in India,” stated Bengal Warriors CEO Sandip Tarkas. “Bengal Warriors is one of the founding teams of Vivo PKL and is one of the most exciting teams in the league. With WinZO’s association, we are sure Kabaddi will make a BIG splash in the online games space as well.”
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
