iWorld
Ad spend on mobile to hit $240 billion globally: App Annie
MUMBAI: According to the State of Mobile 2020 report by App Annie, this year comes out to be the biggest year for mobile, with advertisers fuelling the revenue. Mobile ad spends reach $240 billion as brands utilise mobile’s potential. The report also states that the war between streaming giants will heat up in 2020 and consumers will ultimately decide where they want to spend 674 billion hours on mobile.
Apple arcade and Google play Pass will act on creating innovative new games for consumers and generate new revenue streams for publishers. After 2G, 3G, and 4G, 5G is the next battleground, and the gamers will be first to reap the benefits. Consumer and mobile ad spend to top $380 billion globally in 2020.
The report further stated that consumers have spent 50 per cent more sessions in entertainment apps in 2019 as compared to 2017. The increase in the adaptation of video streaming apps on mobile devices to watch movies, TV shows, concerts, and live events on-demand helped bolster demand for Entertainment apps.
Availability of high-quality streaming platforms, increase in user-generated content, and offline mode becoming standardised were seen as the industry advancements that helped tip the scales from screen size to on-the-go viewing.
As per the report, competition in the streaming space will help better user experiences to drive growth in downloads, revenue, and usage, which will ultimately lead to partnerships and consolidation to win the wallets of consumers long term.
The report also stated that the entry of Disney+ into the streaming space along with other streaming colossal Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO now as incumbents, AppleTV+ as a new entrant, HBO max and NBSUniversal’s peacock set to launch in 2020 has increased the competition.
Around 25 per cent of Netflix’s iPhone users have also used Disney+ in Q4 2019, its highest overlap of users among top video streaming apps in the US.
According to TikTok, it saw the greatest two-year growth in cross-app usage of Netflix at over 135 per cent, enticing that the current competition in the video streaming space is heating up not only by traditional companies launching a standalone streaming service but from social media companies carving new mobile-first consumption pathways.
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
