iWorld
Blush Originals to release Papa Reji’s story
MUMBAI: The inspiring tales of real life heroes, people who stood up against all odds, the stories that will melt everyone’s heart are the stories that Culture Machine’s Blush is set to recite under its Blush Original vertical. Encouraged by the heart-warming response for its first documentary-narration on Bollywood stunt woman Geeta Tondon, Blush has come up with a new story based on Papa Reji to be released on Father’s Day.
Papa Reji Thomas gave up his government job and started the Bless Foundation to shelter HIV+ve kids that have been abandoned by their families. Reji shelters 22 children, he takes care of their medical treatment, their living expenses and their education with the help of public donations. He has so far managed to rehabilitate 90 percent of the kids brought under his care. His wife and kids stay with these children as one big family, giving these kids parental care and a place to call home.
The channel calls Papa Reji’s story a reality check. During times when we are stuck with our worldly problems, people with the least amount of money and huge hearts are making a difference. “It does not take a big bank account to help people, it takes determination and a very big heart” expressed Blush channel director Akanksha.
The film on Geeta Tondan narrated the tale of how she survived an ugly marriage, of her escape from brothels and her bringing up her two young children. It recounted how Geeta made her space to do stunts for Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt as Bollywood’s leading stuntwoman.
Blush has content under many verticals like Unblushed, which has stories of outstanding celebrity heroes, and Blush Verdict for its entertainment column. The Original space is entirely dedicated to the real life stories that deserve to be told. “We wish to inspire people through these strong hearted humans, Blush Originals is a celebration of humanity and spirit that people have to live it” explained Seda.
In spite of Blush being a women-centric content creator, Blush Originals is planning to not only concentrate on female stories, but also narrate any inspiring story from a chaiwala to an up market entrepreneur. Any tale that can inspire. Seda asserted that through digital platforms it has become much easier to create awareness among people and have them share what they have gone through. Digitization has brought people together to empathize and understand the other person’s journey, and Blush is planning to make most of it. It is also open to creating something around a concept and connect various individual stories to it.
Each documentary is planned to be shot in its own taste say the makers. All the productions are in-house, shot with Sony F7 and 5D Mark III cameras. Blush Originals is set to release one documentary per month. The production team has informed that its is ready with two more videos to be released in July and August.
Explaining about the people to be showcased, the makers said that they pick up stories amongst themselves. “These are the people we come across day by day, it could be my friend or a neighbor or just someone I run into. There is a story everyone has and every story deserves to be told” added Seda.
There is no specific search team. It is an in-house task to find people. The makers also claim that they have such a good response after the first video that stories are coming to them now.
On the marketing and promotion front, Blush is majorly using cross promotion with its sister YouTube channel Being Indian. Otherwise it is pushing the videos through regular online marketing strategies. “Documentaries have reached the right audiences through digitization” commented Seda while explaining the promotion front.
There are no tie ups with any brands or sponsors as of now. These documentaries are intellectual properties of Blush.
iWorld
Prime Video bets big on India with global originals, films and franchise expansion
Execs highlight scale, travelability and new IP bets as India anchors global strategy
MUMBAI: At Prime Video Presents 2026, the message was clear and confident. India is not just part of the plan, it is central to it.
In a lively fireside chat hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, Kelly Day, vice president of prime video and amazon mgm studios international, Nicole Clemens, vice president of international originals, and Gaurav Gandhi, vice president for Apac and Anz, laid out an ambitious roadmap. Think bigger stories, wider reach and a sharper focus on building franchises that travel.
Kelly Day, a regular visitor to India, set the tone early. Calling the country “one of the most important markets globally”, she pointed to the sheer scale and diversity of audiences as a driving force behind Prime Video’s growth. Indian Originals, she said, are not just local hits but global engines powering subscriptions and engagement.
That global appeal is already visible. According to Clemens, around 25 percent of viewership for Indian content now comes from outside the country. Shows rooted deeply in local culture are finding fans worldwide, proving that specificity, when paired with universal themes, travels well. From gritty dramas to sharp thrillers, Indian storytelling is increasingly crossing borders with ease.
Clemens, who joined recently to lead international originals, was particularly upbeat about India’s creative range. She highlighted a growing slate of over 100 shows in development and production, with more than 60 percent returning for multiple seasons. For her, the formula is simple. Authentic stories, told well, resonate everywhere.
Adding to the buzz, she teased new and returning titles, alongside a fresh superhero universe, the Kalyug Warriors. It signals a push into new genres while doubling down on familiar fan favourites.
If content is king, distribution is the clever courtier. Day outlined Prime Video’s layered business model in India, which blends subscription, rentals, add on channels and ad supported viewing through Amazon MX Player. The idea is straightforward. Give viewers choice, whether they want premium, free or pay per view.
India, she noted, has also become a testing ground for innovation. Tiered pricing, mobile only plans and language diversity have all been sharpened here before being exported to other markets. In many ways, the India playbook is now influencing global strategy.
For Gaurav Gandhi, the next chapter is about scale with intent. He outlined four priorities. Making Prime Video more accessible, pushing Indian content globally, building stronger franchises and supercharging the films business.
On films, the platform is moving beyond licensing into co productions and now theatrical releases in partnership with amazon mgm studios. These films will eventually stream on Prime Video, creating a full circle from cinema halls to living rooms across 240 countries.
Franchise building remains another key pillar. With hits like The Family Man, Mirzapur and Panchayat already enjoying multi season success, the focus is now on creating the next wave of enduring IP. Newer titles are already lining up for second seasons, signalling a steady pipeline.
What stood out through the conversation was a shared belief. Streaming in India is still in its early innings, and the runway is long. With a mix of local flavour and global ambition, Prime Video is betting that stories from India will not just stay at home, but travel far and wide.
Or as the executives seemed to suggest, the world is watching and India has plenty more to show.
