GECs
B4U ties up with iDream; to be co-producer in all its films
MUMBAI: B4U Worldwide, the holding company of B4U Movies and B4U Music, has in a major initiative joined hands with iDream to be co-producer in all its films.
iDream, by far the largest film fund that has emerged in India in recent times, is promoted by SSKI and has already produced / funded / distributed some well received independent movies of directors such as Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) and Gurinder Chadda (Bend it Like Beckham). iDream has backed off beat cinema with films such as Mitr (which has won 3 National Awards), as well as big star cast films like the soon to be released Agnivarsha with Raveena Tandon, Jackie Shroff, Sonali Kulkarni, Milind Soman playing lead roles in it. iDream also funded the recent moderate hit 16th December, as well as Indias biggest special effects film, the soon to be released Janantram Manantram and has in the pipeline several other productions, an official release states.”
The move builds synergies with the global presence and distribution channels of B4U being used effectively. The venture also ensures an output deal for B4U, which can now show all the new productions on its channels worldwide, including India, the release says. B4U was first launched in the United Kingdom three years ago and today has a presence in the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, the Middle East, South Africa, Mauritius, and the Indian sub-continent.
The initiative comes just ahead of B4U Movies going pay (31 August). The channel is priced at Rs 8.90 per month per subscriber with special schemes for the operators on subscription and decoder price. The schemes have also been made attractive for the rural operator where the package includes all costs of decoder and subscription, distribution head Debashish Dey says.
Backed by a vision to serve global audiences, IDream has found the right partner in B4U as a co-producer since now all its production would be guaranteed the best marketing platform on all the B4U channels worldwide and thereby maximize the value of each property,” the release quotes Shripal Morakhia, Chairman of iDream Production as saying.
B4U is committed to bring good value to its Bollywood fans globally. For B4U this is a natural extension. It has a Film Studio tie-up with the film city, it has production strengths, it has global distribution strengths. The co-production funding tie-up and output deal will strengthen the B4U Channels and ensure that the vision to create a vehicle for the complete Bollywood dream is achieved, is what Ravi Gupta, CEO, B4U had to say about the tie-up.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
