iWorld
Bodhi Tree partners author Amit Khan to create original OTT and TV projects
MUMBAI: Bodhi Tree Multimedia Ltd (BTML) has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with celebrated Hindi novelist Amit Khan’s creative venture, Amit Khan Content Hub (AKCH), to jointly develop premium original content for television and OTT platforms.
The partnership combines BTML’s production scale, operational expertise, and financing capabilities with AKCH’s prolific storytelling and loyal reader base. Together, they aim to deliver narratives that balance mass appeal with creative depth.
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) will be formed, with BTML holding a majority stake. BTML will handle financing, operations, and strategic partnerships, while AKCH will lead creative development and production execution.
Author of over 100 Hindi pulp-fiction novels and founder of AKCH, including the iconic Commander Karan Saxena series (which was later adapted into a Jiocinema series of the same name), Amit Khan said, “I am thrilled to join hands with BTML, a company that has consistently delivered high-quality and impactful content. With our combined strengths, we are confident of creating stories that will resonate with viewers and leave a lasting mark on the Indian entertainment industry.”
BTML, managing director, Mautik Tolia, added, “This partnership is a confluence of creativity and capability. Amit Khan is one of India’s most celebrated novelists and storytellers, and we are excited to bring his distinctive vision to screens nationwide through BTML’s production infrastructure and industry relationships.”
BTML, listed on both NSE and BSE, has produced 100 plus shows and over 3,000 hours of content across languages including Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, and Bengali. With this collaboration, both BTML and AKCH aim to target domestic and international audiences with fresh, compelling narratives.
The first slate of projects is expected to combine rich storytelling with high production values, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to creating content that engages audiences across platforms.
iWorld
Arafta Season 2 greenlit as YouTube hit crosses 850 million views
GoQuest, Rains double down on global Turkish drama success story
MUMBAI: GoQuest Media and Rains Pictures have greenlit Season 2 of Arafta, riding on the runaway success of its debut season that has clocked over 850 million views on YouTube and secured licensing deals across 19 territories.
The upcoming season, already in production, will span 100 episodes and continue with a YouTube-first release strategy, a model that has proved to be a quiet disruptor in global content distribution. Season 1, which premiered in November 2025, built a strong digital following before translating that traction into international deals.
The series is currently licensed to platforms including Amazon MX Player in India, Kanal 7 in Turkey, and Vidio, along with several markets across Europe such as Romania, Hungary and Latvia. Across five language channels, the show has amassed more than 2.5 million subscribers, signalling growing global appetite for Turkish storytelling.
Notably, many of these licensing deals were struck after the show had already aired on YouTube, flipping the traditional distribution model on its head. Instead of competing with broadcasters, the digital-first strategy appears to be doing the heavy lifting in building awareness and audience demand.
GoQuest Media managing director Vivek Lath said, “Arafta is proving out what we believed about the make-to-sell model. A YouTube-first release does not compete with licensing. It builds the asset that licensees are buying.”
Season 1 wrapped on April 17 with a globally streamed finale that drew over 102,000 concurrent viewers, setting the stage for the next chapter. Lead actors İlsu Demirci and Emin Günenç will return, with the narrative continuing to explore themes of love, vengeance, sacrifice and fate.
Rains Pictures executive Sevda Kaygısız said the decision to move quickly into Season 2 was driven not just by success, but by the depth of the story still to be told. “Arafta is not just a successful project for us; it reflects our belief in powerful storytelling and building a genuine emotional connection with audiences,” she noted.
As Turkish dramas continue to travel beyond borders, Arafta’s success underscores a larger shift in how global hits are made and sold. In this case, the small screen found its big moment online first, and the world followed.
