MAM
Arunabh Kumar inspires the Gurgaon crowd at Signature Start Up Masterclass
MUMBAI: Signature Start Up Masterclass session in Gurgaon had the storyteller Arunabh Kumar share his passion to paycheck journeyduring a free-wheeling chat with the witty host Cyrus Sahukar.
Signature Start Up Masterclass is a celebration of the real life success stories and provides a unique platform to passionate individuals who are looking for the right inspiration and guidance by giving them an opportunity to hear their icons share the story of how they managed to successfully convert their passion into paycheck.
During the Masterclass session, Arunabh shared his story of how his future was decided for him, when he went to Kota to prepare for IIT and made it in the next attempt, however, he had bigger dreams to fulfil. Arunabh came to Mumbai to work in a US Air Force project when he realised his discomfort of working in a technical environment. Through his alumni network he got the opportunity to work as an assistant to Farah Khan in Om Shanti Om, soon to be followed by a stint in the popular Delhi Belly.
Eventually, Arunabh started The Viral Fever in 2011 as a production house for branded content and later the desire to make originals shows led him to start the YouTube network. TVF is the first company in the country in the area of Youth Entertainment to create Progressive and New-Age Content. He created India’s first original web content – Rowdies – under TVF’s Online Network for Entertainment, that went viral and with 1 million views in less than 5 days. Presently, the channel has over 185 videos and India’s Two Most successful series – Permanent Roommates and Pitchers, with over 50 million views.
With a 15 member team, 2 offices, one in Mumbai and the other Delhi, and as the 2nd biggest New Media network in the country for youth entertainment, Arunabh Kumar’s story is nothing less than an amalgamation of inspiration and passion.
To quote the New Media Entrepreneur, “We all have ambitions and dreams but not many are inspired enough to pursue them and that is the reason I am very happy to be a part of Signature Start Up Masterclass as it helps me in encouraging people to follow their passion no matter how crazy it is.”
The evening witnessed a remarkable turnout at Imperfecto, Cyberhub, comprising of people who were seeking inspiration to turn their passion into paycheck. Following the interactive session, the audience was entertained by a live performance by the band PCRC.
Signature Start up Masterclass is headed to Pune on 11th June 2016, with Kunal Kapoor and Varun Sheth. Book your tickets on: http://bit.ly/1X6lNUw
MAM
Lessons from global media markets on building enduring content franchises
Rose Audio Visuals COO and CFO Mitesh Patel.
MUMBAI: The global media landscape has undergone a fundamental shift. Success today is no longer defined by a single hit show. It is defined by the ability to build intellectual property (IP) that travels, evolves, and compounds over time.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this shift is central to how we think about content pitching and creation. We are no longer in the business of just making shows. We are in the business of building IP ecosystems.
From Hits to Franchises
Globally, the most successful content is designed to extend beyond its first outing. It travels across: Seasons, Platforms (TV → OTT → Digital), Formats (series → spin-offs) Shows like Stranger Things and Money Heist are not just successful series they are multi-layered franchises with global recall, fan engagement, and long-term monetisation. The key learning is simple: If content cannot scale beyond one season or one platform, it remains a project not a franchise.
Local Stories, Global Impact
One of the most powerful global trends is the rise of culturally rooted storytelling. Platforms today reward local authenticity combined with universal emotion. Stories that are deeply regional are no longer limited by geography they are amplified by it. Consider the global impact of Squid Game or India’s own Sacred Games. The takeaway is clear: The more authentic the story, the greater its potential to travel if the emotion resonates universally.
Monetisation Begins After the First Window
A critical global learning is that the true value of content is not realised at launch, it is realised over time.
Strong franchises unlock multiple revenue streams: Licensing, International remakes, Brand integrations, Digital extensions , Events and immersive experiences
Global players like The Walt Disney Company have mastered this approach, turning content into long-term ecosystems that extend far beyond the screen.
The first window is just the beginning. The real value lies in what follows.
At Rose Audio Visuals, we increasingly evaluate projects not just on commissioning value, but on their long-term franchise potential.
The Rise of Creator-Led Franchises
An important global shift is the emergence of creator-led IP ecosystems.
Creators today are not just content producers they are building full-scale franchises across platforms, formats, and businesses.
A powerful example is MrBeast. What started as YouTube videos has evolved into: Multiple content formats, Global audience scale , Brand extensions and businesses, High-impact experiential content This is a fundamentally different model digital-first, audience-owned, and infinitely scalable.
This model is still in its early stages in Indian but it represents a massive opportunity.
The next wave of Indian content franchises may not come from traditional studios alone but from creators who think like media companies.
Balancing Data with Creative Instinct
Streaming platforms today are deeply data-driven. Data helps Identify emerging genres, Predict audience behaviour , Inform commissioning decisions However, global experience shows that data alone does not create hits. Data informs scale, but storytelling creates impact.
Talent is the Foundation of Franchises
Enduring franchises are rarely accidental they are built through long-term creative partnerships. Globally, there is a clear focus on nurturing Actors, Writter, Show runner and director. Franchises are not built on scripts alone they are built on creators. This is an area where we continue to invest deeply building long-term relationships with talent rather than project-based collaborations.
Multi-Platform Thinking from Day One
Content consumption today is inherently multi-platform. A successful show must be designed not just for its primary platform, but for: Short-form extensions, Social media amplification, Digital-first engagement. Every show today needs a second life beyond its original format.
India: A Market at an Inflection Point
India today stands at a unique moment in its content journey.
We are seeing significant opportunity in Regional markets (Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and others) Emerging formats such as micro-dramas, Scalable, franchise-driven fiction IP
India does not lack stories. What we have historically lacked is structured franchise thinking something that is now beginning to evolve.
The Way Forward
The biggest lesson from global markets is this: The future belongs to companies that do not chase hits, but systematically build franchises. Because while hits may deliver immediate success, franchises create long-term value, recall, and compounding growth.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this belief shapes how we develop, greenlight, and scale content across platforms.
For content companies today, the question is no longer “Will this show work?” It is: “Can this become a franchise?”
A Personal Note
Having worked across content, business, and strategy, one thing has become increasingly clear to me, the most valuable companies in our industry will not be those that create the most content, but those that create content that endures.
Building a franchise requires patience, conviction, and a long-term lens something that the industry is only now beginning to fully embrace.As we continue this journey at Rose Audio Visuals, our focus remains simple: to move from volume-driven creation to value-driven storytelling. Because in the end, stories may start conversations but franchises build legacies.
