iWorld
Amazon Prime Video now speaks Tamil, Telugu
MUMBAI: Amazon Prime Video, today announced the launch of Tamil and Telugu User Interfaces (UI), including navigation, browsing and customer support, to offer a more localised entertainment experience on Prime Video app and on PrimeVideo.com. In addition, a large and growing selection of Prime Video’s content can be watched with show descriptions and subtitles in Tamil and Telugu. The introduction of localised user interfaces, including the recently launched Hindi interface, exemplifies Amazon Prime Video’s effort to customise the offering based on needs of their customers. Prime Video already offers large content libraries in six Indian regional languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali and Kannada.
Prime members with a preference for these languages can now discover and enjoy Prime Video’s collection of entertainment in their language of choice. Customers can now watch Prime Original Series like Breathe, Comicstaan, the recently launched Mirzapur, Bollywood blockbusters such as Padmaavat, Gold and Raazi with show-titles, show descriptions and dubbing or subtitles in Tamil and Telugu. Moreover, viewers can also enjoy Amazon Global Originals like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan with dubbing or subtitles in Tamil and Telugu. With this move, customers can now navigate, manage their account information, payments, receive customer support, and enjoy features like add to their watch-list in these local languages.
Talking about the launch, Amazon Prime Video India business director and head Gaurav Gandhi said, “At Amazon Prime Video, we recognise the importance of localising our service as we continue to grow and expand the Prime customer base across the country. We are delighted to make Prime Video available in Tamil and Telugu User Interfaces, in addition to Hindi UI which we launched recently. A large base of our customers can now have an even more engaging experience by accessing and using Prime Video in the language of their choice. We will continue to build on our localisation initiatives, adding more content with Tamil and Telugu subtitles or dubbing, and evolving the service experience for Prime members in India, enabling them to watch their favourite movies and TV shows in the language of their choice.”
Prime members opting for the Tamil or Telugu experience on Prime Video can select their preferred language option from the settings of their Prime Video app for iOS and Android, on their desktop or personal computers via PrimeVideo.com or through supported connected devices like Smart TVs, latest Apple devices, gaming consoles such as Xbox One and PS3, PS4. Once chosen, the preferred language option will be saved for their future usage. Customers will always have the choice to control and change their language preference at any time and they can set different language options for each device they own.
With this launch, customers can also enjoy Tamil blockbusters including Kaala, Ghajinikanth, Kadaikutty Singham and Telugu titles including Goodachari, U Turn, NOTA, with titles and descriptions in Telugu and Tamil respectively.
Amazon Prime membership is available at Rs 999 annually and Rs 129 monthly.
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
