iWorld
dittoTV to launch new youth centric web series ‘Strugglers’
MUMBAI: Zee Digital Convergence Limited’s OTT platform dittoTV has a new feather added to its hat. Zee Digital-Original Content will release a web series titled Strugglers which will go on air from 22 March 2016. The youth centric series revolves around four young boys contemplating a common dream to make a mark in bollywood.
With only lucky few getting an opportunity to get into the glamorous entertainment industry, the group decides on taking the ‘not so taken’ adventurous road by turning into making a porn movie.
Catering to the younger mindsets, the 10 episodic series has been divided into two parts. With a long weekend right round the corner, the first four episodes will go on air on 22nd while the rest 6 episodes will entertain the viewers on 23rd.
The story sheds light on four oddball characters played by Meherzaan Mazda, Errol Marks, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Ajay Jadhav. They share a common ambition of entering the film industry to which they fail. The group of boys decide on making a porn film in order to gain recognition which kick-starts a great mis-adventure taking them on a roller-coaster ride of sleepless nights, hilarious happenings, devastating heartbreaks and self-liberation.
Speaking about the new series, DittoTV business head Archana Anand says, “The plot of the series is extremely funny and positive. This is a highly entertaining and youth centric offering and we are hoping to get the audience hooked to dittoTV via a continuous stream of such interesting and engaging series. We have placed it back-to-back so that the viewers can binge-watch the entire series on the coming long weekend”.
Produced by RPG group, the series might also move to the other channels under ZDCL’s umbrella. The web series will launch simultaneously with its opening episode on Ditto TV and YouTube.
The platform is focused on markets like the US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Asia Pacific and some parts of Africa and had recently launched advertiser based video on demand model Ozee.
dittoTV also plans to carry non-Indian content shortly in the markets where it has been launched.
With a presence in over 175 countries and a strong content base of over 1000 movies, 4000+ shows and 450+ TV shows, dittoTV has already obtained the largest base for OTT content consumed across the country.
iWorld
Prime Video to stream Tamil thriller Exam from May 15
Seven-episode series from National Award-winner A. Sarkunam streams in India and 240-plus countries
MUMBAI: Prime Video announced on April 27th that Exam, a taut seven-episode suspense drama set against the crucible of high-stakes competitive testing, will premiere on May 15th in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Written and directed by A. Sarkunam, a National Award-winner, the series is produced under the Wallwatcher Films banner by the creative duo Pushkar and Gayatri, who have previously delivered Suzhal: The Vortex (both seasons) and Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie for the platform. Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan lead the cast, with Abbas in a pivotal role.
The show will stream in Tamil with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada, and subtitles in 15 languages, including English, a distribution sweep that underscores Prime Video’s push to globalise Indian regional content.
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India, framed the series as both timely and commercially astute. “Exam is a very timely and relevant story that captures the emotional intensity of competitive exams and masterfully transforms it into a thrilling high-stakes drama,” he said. “We believe it is a story that will resonate deeply with millions.” Madhok noted that it was a privilege to once again collaborate with Pushkar and Gayatri following the success of Suzhal and Vadhandhi.
For Pushkar and Gayatri, the series is as much a moral reckoning as a thriller. “With Exam, we wanted to dig into ambition, injustice, and those moral crossroads that people face when pushed to the edge,” the creative producers said. “At the heart of this story is a young woman who refuses to remain powerless. Her journey is not about glamorising defiance, but about exploring the emotional and ethical cost of standing up to a system stacked against her.” They described Prime Video as “an incredible collaborator” and “the perfect home” to bring the series to global audiences.
Wallwatcher Films, which Pushkar and Gayatri founded and run, has been on a productive streak with the platform. Beyond Exam, the company is also readying Vadhandhi Season 2 for Prime Video, making the duo one of the platform’s most active regional creative partners.
The real exam, it seems, is for Prime Video itself: can a Tamil drama about systemic injustice and a young woman’s defiance crack audiences from Chennai to Chicago? If Pushkar and Gayatri’s track record is anything to go by, the answer is likely yes, and the results will be out on May 15th.
