MAM
Yogesh Saini joins WAVES Bazaar as head of marketing and business development
MUMBAI: Yogesh Saini has joined the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) Bazaar, under the National Film Development Corporation (nfdc), as head of marketing and business development, signalling a renewed push to position India’s creative industries on the global stage.
Based in Delhi, Saini will lead marketing, branding and international outreach for WAVES across films, OTT, gaming, animation and the wider AVGC ecosystem. His mandate includes building global partnerships with studios, platforms and broadcasters, scaling B2B markets and roadshows, and strengthening industry engagement through initiatives such as Creatosphere and WavesX.
Saini brings nearly two decades of experience across India’s media and entertainment landscape. Most recently, he was head of marketing at Civic Studios, where he worked on international and Indian film and OTT projects, blended pop culture with social impact storytelling, and integrated AI-led marketing solutions to scale reach and engagement.
Earlier, he headed marketing at The Viral Fever, steering campaigns for breakout shows such as Panchayat, Gullak, Tripling and Pitchers across multiple OTT platforms. Before that, Saini spent close to six years at Fox Star Studios, leading marketing for both Bollywood and Hollywood slates in India and overseas markets, working on franchises including Deadpool, Kung Fu Panda, X-Men and Ice Age.
His career also includes stints at Walt Disney India, Sony DADC and Moser Baer Entertainment, spanning theatrical releases, home entertainment, consumer products and international distribution.
At WAVES Bazaar, Saini is expected to play a central role in aligning government, industry and global stakeholders as India seeks to expand its creative economy footprint worldwide.
New city, new mandate, bigger canvas — and the race to take Indian storytelling global is firmly on.
Brands
HP launches Smart Champs learning game show with JioStar for students
Sanya Malhotra hosts quiz series blending fun, learning and prizes
NEW DELHI: HP India has teamed up with JioStar to launch HP Smart Champs, a new learning-based game show designed to make education engaging for school students across the country.
Hosted by Sanya Malhotra, the 10-episode series brings together students from Grades 5 to 9, who compete in teams through quiz and puzzle-based challenges that test knowledge, logic and teamwork. The show will begin streaming on JioHotstar from April 11 and will premiere on Nick on April 18, with weekend episodes airing at 7 PM.
Powered by HP Smart Tank printers, the format integrates print-based learning into the gameplay, using worksheets, clues and visual problem-solving tools to encourage hands-on participation. The idea is to move students beyond rote memorisation and towards more applied, curiosity-led learning.
The competition promises high stakes, with winners set to receive a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, while runners-up will take home Rs 5 lakh. Additional rewards include HP AI laptops, Smart Tank printers and accessories, while the winning school will be awarded an HP Smart Tech Lab.
Speaking about the initiative, HP India managing director Ipsita Dasgupta said, “At HP, we believe nurturing India’s youth is key to the country’s progress, and technology plays a foundational role in enabling this. With HP Smart Champs, we wanted to create something beyond traditional learning, a fun-filled platform where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking take centre stage.”
On the show’s reach, JioStar head entertainment sales Mahesh Shetty said, “HP Smart Champs reflects how children today learn through exploration and experience. With Nick and JioHotstar, we are creating a multi-screen approach that is both engaging and meaningful.”
Highlighting the role of print, HP India senior director print Satish Kumar said, “The show brings print-based learning to life in an engaging format, helping students develop deeper understanding through hands-on experiences.”
The journey to the finale began with participation from over 1,000 schools across 26 cities, narrowing down to 34 finalists who will compete in a studio showdown in Mumbai.
With its blend of entertainment, education and technology, HP Smart Champs is positioning itself as more than just a quiz show. It is a nationwide push to make learning interactive, accessible and, above all, a lot more fun.
