iWorld
Imtiaz Ali turns nexGTv’s SPOTLight on India’s talent
MUMBAI: The list of March winners is finally here! nexGTv, India’s largest subscription-driven video entertainment app, has finally disclosed the names of the winners of March edition. At a nascent age of 20, Abhinay Sony bagged the winner slot owing to his chills-inducing short horror movie, 3 AM. Abhinay was previously featured in over 20 short films and has worked as model for 3 brands, appearing on several prestigious ramp shows.
Raghav Diwan’s Valentines emerged as a strong runner-up, narrating a heartfelt tale of romance and longings. Raghav is currently pursuing acting and film making from an acting school in Mumbai and also works as an actor and production manager in Chai Stories. The winners were handpicked by none other than the master story-teller, director and producer, Imtiaz Ali, for the March edition of SPOTLIGHT, a leading talent discovery platform,
nexGTv’s SPOTLight is a stand-alone mobile-centric talent discovery platform extending an incredible opportunity to the emerging generation of passionate, highly talented individuals to showcase their talent via invigorating videos. Amongst the videos posted on their digital platform, one of India’s most sought-after directors, Imtiaz Ali, watches the top 5 most viewed videos and handpicks the winners. The winner is then awarded the grand prize of INR 1 Lakh, while the runner up takes home INR 25000.
Unveiling the names of March winners, nexGTV COO Abhesh Verma said, “We had launched SPOTLight with a view to provide a platform for passionate artists to showcase their talents by creating awe-inspiring videos. SPOTLight further gives users an amazing opportunity to make their talent discovered by our community of over 2 million unique subscribers; and one of the talented director and story-teller, Imtiaz Ali. The ever-increasing number of views garnered by these videos testifies the fact that we, as a nation, respect brimming talent. This is the third successful run of SPOTLight awards and we are hoping to receive furthermore thought-provoking videos from our future participants.”
As a platform, SPOTLight gives its users a chance to upload and monetize the videos. Naturally, it has received an extensive positive response from the users, since India’s young and energetic talent pool is digitally aware and appreciates an unbiased opportunity to showcase talent. From Kottayam in Kerala to Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir, SPOTLight has received stimulating videos from all over India. Continuing the novel concept, SPOTLight is now gearing up for the next month, with Imtiaz Ali on board as the judge. Hence, don’t waste your time waiting for a big break. Make it happen today by submitting your video on www.nexgtvspotlight.com and receive a golden opportunity to be selected by a Master of the Art, Imtiaz Ali himself!
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.
