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Pocket Aces founders discuss digital journey, jobs for writers and attention to consumer
MUMBAI: Digital entertainment company Pocket Aces began its journey in 2014 and today it has four successful brands under its umbrella – Filter Copy, Dice, Gobble and Loco. The company’s founders Ashwin Suresh and Anirudh Pandita took the audience through their journey at Vidnet 2019 organised by Indiantelevision.com on 3 October. The duo shared their thoughts on the journey of the company, challenges and experiences working with YouTube and OTT platforms in an interactive session with Hungama Digital Entertainment VP Soumini Sridhara Paul. At the event, they also expressed that the lack of data available on OTT platforms is the biggest challenge as content creators are used to looking at data to improvise and come up with successful content.
Pandita said, “Early days are always tough. It has been about trying and finding out more about the consumer; what is really changing in the world. That's something on which we spent a lot of time during the last six to nine months.”
Sharing some of his experiences, Suresh said, “One of the things that we remember from the early days is that every time we meet writers, they will always meet us with a sense of hope, they were just hoping against hope for the positive responses from the industry. The industry or an ecosystem should create more jobs; we have to create more opportunities for writers to tell their stories. We have to find writers who can align with the audience because I think there is merit in thinking from a consumer point of view and if the consumers tell us that we want to look at certain types of content, we have to matchmake between writers who can create that or creators who can create that and the audiences. That's how we position ourselves in the industry.”
Pandita said, “I think we are very focused on figuring out the distribution angle and we recognise there are creators who needed it for them. Every person has to share something, which probably can be made into a film or a short story. These guys couldn't do it earlier as there was no platform like YouTube channels, Facebook, etc. Now there are many distribution channels which will distribute their stories.”
The duo also shared its experience on working for YouTube and OTT platforms, “We didn't think that we have content that we should have put up somewhere. We thought reverse and said that whatever people are watching how do we reach them and we asked what kind of content made distribution easy on the platform. In the beginning, we learnt from short-form content and that gave us insights for long-form.”
Suresh said, “I think the best part about working with OTT platforms is the fact that they have the ability to move quickly and to build things that are even complex. So Little Things got picked up by Netflix in season 2. Even as we've been working with them after that what's amazing about platforms like Netflix is that whatever the show needs, they will make available everything possible, which is truly very refreshing for somebody who's been in the film business for a few years.”
Replying to Sridhara’s question on whether Pocket Aces wants to be seen as a tech-driven media company or media-driven tech company, Pandita said, “We will evolve with technology as it is always a tool to get our final outcome. We look forward to even the older TV, cable or satellite companies that are seeking to resolve any issues. Anywhere we see that opportunity, we will bounce on.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
