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
Ankuur Rajesh Kapila named national sales head – India at ZEE5 & digital
Former sports-gamification executive to drive revenue strategy and digital monetisation across India
MUMBAI: A seasoned dealmaker across television, sport and digital, Kapila steps in as national sales head – India, charged with sharpening revenue strategy, widening market reach and deepening digital monetisation. The mandate is clear: convert scale into sales and attention into advertising.
The move bolsters the streaming ambitions of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited as competition intensifies in India’s crowded OTT market. The focus will be on stronger advertiser tie-ups, smarter packaging and monetisation that keeps pace with shifting viewer habits.
Kapila arrives from JioStar India Pvt. Ltd., where as vice president – sports gamification he helped scale Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan into one of the country’s largest live play-along ecosystems. During the Indian Premier League and major international tournaments, the platform engaged over 300 million fans, blending branded integrations with sponsorship-led revenues.
The appointment also marks a homecoming. Across a 14-year earlier stint at the company, Kapila handled brand solutions across regions and genres, led key account management for the GEC cluster and oversaw programming and content acquisition at Zee Studio. Few executives have worked as many sides of the revenue engine.
For ZEE5, the signal is unmistakable: monetisation is back in the spotlight. With advertisers chasing measurable impact and platforms chasing profitability, Kapila’s brief is to make growth pay. In the streaming wars, scale is vanity, revenue is sanity, and momentum is everything.
