iWorld
Nokia MixRadio broadens the horizon for music lovers in India
MUMBAI: Nokia MixRadio, the popular global music streaming service today announced its collaboration with talented musician and popular artiste, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Ustad Khan joins a long list of celebrated artistes such as Lady Gaga and India’s very own Priyanka Chopra to collaborate with the popular music app – Nokia MixRadio.
Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will also be exclusively curating playlists for Nokia MixRadio giving music lovers across 31 countries exclusive access and insight to the singer’s renditions and musical tastes. This service will be available across popular ranges such as the Nokia Lumia and the Nokia X family.
Mr. Viral Oza, Director Marketing, Nokia India Sales, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobile Oy says, “As Nokia MixRadio expands into the emerging market of digital global music streaming in developing markets, it is slated to see an upswing of growth resulting in one in every fifteen users coming from India. To cater to this rising user demographic we are slated to position Nokia MixRadio as the ultimate gateway to not only offer diversely curated domestic music but also the best of international music. Through our collaboration with an iconic artiste like Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan we look to give our consumers across different platforms the best music experience at their fingertips”
Speaking ahead of the occasion, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan said, “It is great to experience what Mix Radio is all about and being part of such a project is overwhelming. I want my album “Back 2 Love” to reach out to the masses and global audience. Mix Radio is surely the best way forward for this. The producer of this album, Salman Ahmed and MD of UMI, Devraj Sanyal both have been instrumental in making this happen. There are two amazing videos as well which I am sure will be loved by all my music lovers”.
Devraj Sanyal, Managing Director, Universal Music/EMI Music, South Asia said; “The long awaited new album ‘Back 2 Love’ from the legend Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is a collection of ten stunning new soulful songs and is easily his best work to date. Being his first new album in seven years, it needed a launch platform that will do justice on a global scale and we believe that there is no better place than to launch on MixRadio.”
“Nokia has been and continues to be one of our most valued partners. After just launching Priyanka Chopra’s new International single globally on MixRadio, we are now ready to take our partnership with MixRadio further with the launch of Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s new album ‘Back 2 Love’ to a worldwide audience”, concluded Sanyal.
MixRadio is also equipped with a unique PlayMe feature allowing users to discover 30 million tracks and at the touch of a button, taking playlists offline. When data connection is not available, the feature offers users the opportunity to enjoy music anytime anywhere, by taking hours of music and mixes offline, perfect for commuting and avoiding data costs.
As digital revenues show an increase of 43% in 2013 globally and are set to top $5.9 billion in 2014, MixRadio will deliver its personalized, unique listening experience, allowing listeners across the globe to access the most popular playlists created by musical experts and celebrities that are free of adverts, sign ups or subscriptions.
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.
