iWorld
Eros Now Strengthens its Presence in MENA by Partnering with E-Vision for ‘eLife Triple Play’
Mumbai, October 2, 2018 – Eros International PLC (NYSE:EROS) (“Eros”), a leading global company in the Indian film and entertainment industry, today announced that Eros Now, its cutting-edge digital over-the-top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform has entered into a strategic partnership with E-Vision, a fully-owned subsidiary of Etisalat, for its SVOD offering ‘eLife Video Packs.’ This partnership further strengthens Eros Now’s existing presence in MENA region (Middle East and North Africa).
With an ardent fan-base of Indian content including films, music and TV series, MENA countries have always been positively receptive towards Indian content. Bollywood content is also popular with the local Middle Eastern population in dubbed and subtitled formats – both of which are offered on Eros Now. Through this partnership, Eros Now’s rich library of over 11,000 film titles, original shows and music videos will be made available to eLife TV subscribers across the region.
Commenting on the partnership, Rishika Lulla Singh, CEO, Eros Digital, said: “The partnership with Etisalat’s eLife Triple Play further intensifies our aim of being a globally present digital entertainment platform with the MENA region being of strategic relevance. Our objective continues to be focused on strengthening our philosophy of being platform agnostic, expanding our worldwide presence and providing the best value and experience to our customers.”
Humaid Sahoo, CEO, E-Vision, said: “We are delighted to enhance our content offering by partnering with Eros. As a pioneer and trusted content aggregator in the region, E-Vision is constantly providing turn-key solutions for content aggregation and content management for IPTV platforms and multi-screens (OTT).”
Previously, Eros Now had announced its mobile billing integrations with major telecom operators in UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. The integration with Etisalat reinforces Eros Now’s penetration strategy in the Middle Eastern markets.
iWorld
Amazon MX Player launches free micro-drama destination Fatafat
New platform offers serialized short-form stories with Munawar Faruqui campaign.
MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player just made micro-dramas free because the only thing shorter than the episodes is now the price tag (zero). Amazon MX Player has launched Fatafat, India’s first completely free premium micro-drama destination, giving mobile-first audiences access to fast-paced, serialized short-form stories without any paywall. Designed for quick viewing bursts, Fatafat features a growing catalogue of romance, drama, thriller and youth-led narratives in bite-sized episodes that are instantly bingeable. Unlike most micro-drama platforms that charge for access, Fatafat removes the barrier entirely, expanding the format’s reach across India.
The launch is supported by a humorous digital campaign fronted by comedian-actor Munawar Faruqui. The spots playfully highlight how small spends on paid micro-drama apps could be better used elsewhere, positioning Fatafat as the smarter, no-cost choice for engaging entertainment.
Amazon MX Player head Karan Bedi said, “Our vision has always been to make premium entertainment accessible to everyone, free of cost. With Fatafat, we are extending that promise to the rapidly growing micro-drama category quick, engaging and mobile-first while remaining completely free for viewers across India.”
Amazon MX Player head of content Amogh Dusad added, “Micro-dramas open up exciting creative possibilities for storytelling. With Fatafat, we are building a diverse slate of serialized stories across genres while keeping the experience fast, engaging and accessible to viewers everywhere.”
Munawar Faruqui said, “Today’s entertainment landscape is defined by content that is fast, engaging, and instantly accessible. Shooting for the campaign was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, especially as the scenarios felt incredibly authentic and relatable.”
Fatafat will continue to expand its library with several new titles in the coming months. The destination is available to stream for free on the Amazon MX Player mobile app.
In a country where attention spans are shrinking faster than episode lengths, Amazon MX Player isn’t just joining the micro-drama party,it’s throwing the doors wide open and telling everyone the snacks (and stories) are on the house.
