iWorld
Saugato Bhowmik may replace Gandhi as Viacom18 Digital COO
MUMBAI: Soon after the news of Gaurav Gandhi leaving Viacom18 was announced last week, speculation was rife about who would take the hot seat to lead the company’s digital arm Viacom18 Digital Ventures, under which Voot operates.
A source close to the development has told Indiatelevision.com that Saugato Bhowmik is the top choice among those gunning for the spot of COO.
Although the company is still said to be considering various profiles, the management seems to have narrowed down its choice to Bhowmik.
Bhowmik currently serves as the executive vice president and business head of consumer products and integrated network solutions at Viacom18 leading two key businesses, which are tasked to build the network’s brands outside the broadcast and movie studio space.
He joined Viacom18 in 2013 and has a rich experience and understanding of consumer behaviour and insights. Bhowmik began his career at Dabur India as the area sales manager in 2002 and moved to Hindustan Unilever in 2004 where he refined his consumer-marketing skills in strategic brand management roles for key brands for India as well as globally.
Gandhi quit Viacom18 after eight years. Launched in 2016, Voot is Viacom’s digital service that offers content in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Bengali.
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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.
