Balaji Telefilms appoints Praver Awal to lead Digital Originals

MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms is adding a new chapter to its digital playbook. The company has appointed Praver Awal as Head of Digital Originals, where he will lead the digital originals business and build its non-fiction slate alongside fiction, vertical dramas, documentaries and other premium digital formats.

Awal brings more than 17 years of experience spanning television, OTT, films, digital media and advertising. His remit at Balaji will cover content development and IP creation as the company looks to broaden its digital content pipeline across formats and audiences.

His previous work includes projects such as Call My Agent: Bollywood, Hostages S2 and Supermodel of the Year. His career has also taken him through production, content strategy and business leadership roles across several entertainment companies.

Before moving into his current role at Balaji, Awal was working as an OTT, Entertainment, Film & Advertising Consultant, a position he took up in January 2026. Before that, he was the Founder and CEO of Kitaab Entertainment, where he worked from April 2022 to December 2025, focusing on original IP for OTT, film and digital platforms.

Awal previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Sikhya Entertainment from April 2021 to March 2022, overseeing operations and content strategy across films and OTT. His credits during the period included Kathal, Kill and Kicking Balls.

He spent nearly three years at Banijay Asia, serving as Senior Vice President – Scripted & Non-Scripted from July 2018 to March 2021. There, he worked across scripted and non-scripted content, including development, greenlighting, budgeting, P&L management and large-scale productions.

His longest stint was at Endemol Shine India, where he served as Business Head – Youth, Niche & Digital from September 2005 to June 2018. During his nearly 13-year tenure, he worked on youth and digital content, format development, IP creation and franchise building, with a stated track record of 42 shows.

Awal began his career at Miditech as a Production Manager in April 2004, working on productions including Galli Galli Sim Sim, Indian Idol 2 and Extreme Makeover. He later spent four months as Studio Manager at NDTV Profit in 2005.

Balaji Telefilms’ latest appointment comes as the company positions its digital originals operation across a wider mix of formats. The focus on non-fiction, vertical dramas, documentaries and premium digital content signals an attempt to build a slate that can travel across changing viewing habits rather than rely on a single digital format.

With experience stretching from traditional television production to OTT and digital-first content, Awal now takes that cross-platform playbook into Balaji’s next phase of digital originals.