iWorld
TVF to launch Barely Speaking with Arnub
MUMBAI: After creating quite a buzz during its last season two years ago and reviving the talk show culture in India, TVF is all set to launch Season 2 of the most watched online talk show in India – TVF’s innovative, popular, iconic talk show – Barely Speaking with Arnub – later this month.
Created as a parody to a TV talk show, the first season of Barely Speaking with Arnubfeatured leading actors and political icons – from Shahrukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra to the current New Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal.
The popular online show was built on the same ideology and premise on which TVF was initially created, which was to deliver great and awesome content for its audiences.TVF entered the niche market of online talk shows in 2014 with Barely Speaking with Arnub. The talk show became an instant hit with audiences not just in India, but across the world, with each episode clocking over 2 million views!
In the growing age of digital media where branded online content has taken off in a big way, the silver screen has realised the importance of the web. Barely Speaking with Arnub provides a innovative platform not just to films and filmmakers for their pre-release promotions, but, also to celebrities to showcase their human, more natural side to their fans, not just in India, but across the world!
Arunabh Kumar, CEO and Founder of TVF says, “TV Channels have tried a lot of talks shows and the new millennium has seen several established actors trying their hand at hosting one. This led to all of the talk shows being more or less similar in India. From radio to television to print media, every domain has been tried and tested by celebrities to connect to their audiences, but no medium connects them better than digital. When we wanted to create an online talk show, we knew that no amount of marketing or promotions would help if we don’t create a talk show with a difference. And that’s when we decided to turn the talk show format on its head and conceive it as the ‘toughest host a guest will ever get!’
In the growing age of digital media, where online content is spreading like wildfire, every popular celebrity has recognised the importance and power of the web. Stars and celebrities want to connect to young viewers and that’s where we have managed to hit the nail with the TVF Brand which everyone loves and deliver a talk show that stands out. And more so, it helps them stand up for something they believe in with a smile. TVF created ‘Barely Speaking with Arnub’ catering to the digital audiences’ taste and helping humanise some of the country’s biggest celebrities. In the scores of interviews that SRK gives for his movie promotions, what audiences remember is ‘Barely Speaking With Arnub’. It is also the most watched online talk show in India. TVF also created history in India by getting a politician on the show and talk to us as one of us. With the 2nd Season of Barely Speaking, we want to help get more celebrities from across the field connect to new age Indians and share what they believe in. And of course the host – Arnub with a U — ensures to keep the viewers and guests smiling!.”
Biswapati Sarkar, Executive Creative Director, TVF added, “The funny thing about the show is not that we are making fun of celebrities or that we are parodying the existing Indian journalism culture. It is the fact there is a show at all and real life celebrities are appearing in it. This season, we have expanded the Arnub universe featuring new storylines and characters in his life apart from the interviews. I’m having a great time right now working with the writers on the episodes and really excited to play Arnub once again.”
Catch the Season 2 trailer of Barely Speaking with Arnub here – http://tvfplay.com/257c9a
iWorld
Tips Music CEO Hari Nair to step down
Girish Taurani and Sushant Dalmia to jointly steer the company as the hunt for a new chief begins
MUMBAI: A leadership shuffle is under way at Tips Music. Hari Nair, the company’s chief executive, will step down on April 30 as the music label begins the search for a successor.
The company said Girish Taurani, executive director, and Sushant Dalmia, chief financial officer, will jointly oversee operations during the transition while the board identifies a permanent replacement.
Nair joined Tips Music in 2023 and set about reshaping the veteran music label into a more digital, data-led enterprise. During his tenure, the company secured licensing and partnership deals with global platforms including Sony Music Publishing and TikTok, while renewing agreements with Warner Music Group.
Drawing on earlier experience in technology and entertainment, including a stint at ByteDance, Nair pushed the organisation towards a performance-driven culture. He built a brand partnerships division and introduced proprietary software systems aimed at strengthening digital distribution and data capabilities.
Kumar Taurani, chairman and managing director, credited Nair with embedding a data-led culture within the company and driving revenue growth in line with shareholder commitments.
In his resignation note, Nair said that after helping transition the label into a modern, digitally focused and process-driven organisation, the time had come to pursue his next leadership challenge.
The leadership change comes as the broader Tips Films group shows signs of financial stabilisation. In the third quarter of FY26 the company reported a net loss of Rs 2.86 crore, narrowing sharply from Rs 14.2 crore in the previous quarter. For the nine months ended December, losses stood at Rs 12.37 crore.
Yet revenue told a more volatile story. Income from operations slid to Rs 4 crore in Q3 FY26 from Rs 56 crore in the preceding quarter, taking total operating income to Rs 4.56 crore.
For a company built on a catalogue of more than 34,000 tracks and decades of Bollywood hits, the next chief will inherit both a digital engine and a volatile music market. The playlist may be familiar, but the next act at Tips Music is only just beginning.
