iWorld
Gaana brings in Sandeep Lodha as new CEO
Mumbai: Music streaming app Gaana has bolstered its management by naming Sandeep Lodha its new chief executive officer and roped in former Times Internet executives Vivek Pandey as chief operating officer (COO), and Ram Awasthi as chief technology officer (CTO). With this new leadership team in place, the Times Internet-owned streaming service plans to foray into the OTT sector.
All the three leaders bring with them almost 60 years of rich experience that is poised to provide Gaana with the growth impetus, said the platform in a statement on Tuesday.
Times Internet, chief executive officer, Gautam Sinha said that the Indian OTT ecosystem is about as “exciting, dynamic, and competitive” as it has ever been and there is “unprecedented interest” from global companies keen to tap into the Indian consumer opportunity. “At Gaana, we are equally excited about our next stage of tech-led relationships with users, content producers, and advertisers,” Sinha added.
A leader within the media and entertainment industry, Lodha has 22 years of rich experience in scaling brands in hyper-growth sectors with Disney, Bain & Company, Weddingz, and Intel Capital.
Pandey has been the vice president of revenue strategy and analytics at Times Internet and also managed TIL’s adtech stack. Previously, he was at the helm of major digital transformations at companies like Tata Cliq, MakeMyTrip, and Indiatimes Shopping.
Awasthi is a technology leader with experience in envisioning, architecting, and delivering a broad range of distributed, internet-scale, and real-time applications. In his earlier role, he was responsible for leading new business initiatives and setting up high-performance technology teams and evaluating tech stacks for different business units under Times Internet.
“Our new CEO Sandeep’s experience leading hyper-growth brands like Disney & OYO, Vivek’s 360-degree product, growth and monetisation experience, and Ram’s strong & visionary leadership in technology make us believe we can achieve the audacious goals we have set for the brand in the coming years,” Sinha said.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
