iWorld
FIFS announces 4th edition of the GamePlan conference
Mumbai: Fantasy sports self-regulatory industry body, the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), has announced the fourth edition of its Annual Conference – GamePlan 2021, to be held virtually on 25 August. The event will witness the launch of an industry report on online fantasy sports (OFS), ‘Online Fantasy Sports: Creating a Virtuous Cycle of Sports Development’ along with in-depth discussions on the growth, impact, and potential of the industry.
GamePlan 2021 will include keynotes by UP Law Commission, chairman, justice AN Mittal; Government of Telangana, Industries and Commerce (IandC) and Information Technology, principal secretary, Jayesh Ranjan; Invest India, MD & CEO, Deepak Bagla and justice (retd) Arjan Sikri.
The conference will host a ‘CEO Roundtable on leadership Lessons from Founders’ with Dream11 and Dream Sports, co-founder & CEO, Harsh Jain; MPL, co-founder & CEO, Sai Srinivas; Games 24×7, co-founder & CEO, Bhavin Pandya, and MyTeam11, co-founder & CEO, Vinit Godara.
Besides the report launch and keynotes, there will also be three panel discussions on ‘The Economic Impact of OFS in India’, ‘Fantasy Sports: Fuelling Sports Consumption and Fan Engagement’, and ‘The Evolving Legal Landscape of Fantasy Sports in India’.
Among the eminent dignitaries speaking at the event are Dream11 and Dream Sports, COO & co-founder, Bhavit Sheth; Indian quizzer, orator, writer, sports producer and VP at Baseline Ventures India Pvt Ltd, Joy Bhattacharya; ITW Mediaworx, managing partner & CEO, Nikhil Vyas; NBA India, AVP-global partnerships, Siddharth Chury; Gameplan Sports, MD, Jeet Banerjee; enJogo, co-founder & CEO, Kishore Taid; Supreme Court of India, senior advocate, Gopal Jain, and Saraf & Partners, partner, Vaibhav Kakkar.
The panel discussions will be moderated by Ninanand Mathew, founding partner, Santosh Mathew; TMT Consulting, Deloitte, partner, Prashant Rao; Deal Advisory, partner and KPMG India, head – media and entertainment, Girish Menon; IndiaTech.org, president and CEO, Rameesh Kailasam, and LawNK, principal lawyer, Nandan Kamath.
Commenting on the announcement of the new edition, FIFS and FSRA, and former CIC, Govt of India, chairman, Bimal Julka said, “We are delighted to be back with the fourth edition of GamePlan where, together, we will deliberate on the impact and potential of the Online Fantasy Sports industry. With the right guidance and regulations, the Indian OFS industry will certainly have a far more positive impact on the Indian economy and sports ecosystem.”
The 2020 edition of virtual GamePlan was attended by over 1500 delegates from technology platforms, game developers, fantasy sports operators, financial institutions, payment gateways, consulting firms, media agencies, sports leagues, and legal advisory firms.
iWorld
Hari Om OTT bets on AI-first filmmaking after Bharat Next Gen takeover
Platform plans six devotional series yearly, with Dronacharya set for June 2026 release.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… algorithm. In a move that blends mythology with machine learning, devotional streaming platform Hari Om OTT is placing artificial intelligence at the heart of its filmmaking playbook. Founded by media entrepreneur Vibhu Agarwal and recently acquired by Bharat Next Gen Digital Pvt Ltd, the platform has announced a full scale AI first content strategy that positions artificial intelligence as the backbone of its film production model. The company plans to launch six original devotional series annually, beginning in the upcoming financial year.
Rather than treating AI as a post production shortcut, Hari Om OTT says it has spent the past 14 months building a full 360 degree in house AI ecosystem designed to power the entire creative pipeline. The platform has assembled a specialised internal team that includes AI Creative Directors, devotional content researchers and dedicated scriptwriters, bringing everything from concept development to execution under one roof.
The studio already has multiple films in production and is targeting at least three theatrical releases in the coming financial year. Leading the slate is Dronacharya, scheduled for release in June 2026, followed by Khatushyam Ji, Salasar Balaji and Rani Dadi Sati. Additional projects in development include stories centred on Agrasen Maharaj Ji and Chatthi Maiya.
Beyond feature films and series, Hari Om OTT is also expanding into a documentary vertical that explores the cultural heritage and temples of different Indian states. Designed as a state wise tourism promotional series, the project will use AI driven visual tools to offer immersive glimpses into India’s spiritual and architectural legacy, aiming to connect devotional storytelling with heritage tourism for global audiences.
Bharat Next Gen director Kanhiya Mittal described the upcoming slate as the start of what he calls a new cinematic movement powered by artificial intelligence.
“With Dronacharya, we are initiating a new cinematic movement powered by AI. This technology allows us to present India’s sacred history and cultural legacy with greater scale and authenticity. Our vision aligns with the prime minister’s emphasis on AI first innovation for India’s growth. We believe storytelling rooted in tradition, enhanced by technology, can position India as a global leader in human centric AI creativity,” he said.
Backed by Bharat Next Gen, Hari Om OTT is now positioning itself as a technology forward devotional content studio operating at the intersection of artificial intelligence and culturally rooted storytelling, where epics from the past may soon be shaped as much by code as by creativity.
