iWorld
Gaurav Gandhi leaves Viacom18
MUMBAI: After serving the organisation in various roles for eight years, Gaurav Gandhi, the chief operating officer of Viacom18 Digital Ventures, has decided to move on.
Gandhi joined Viacom18 in 2010. During his tenure, he contributed significantly to Viacom18 in several capacities. Prior to his current role, he did a commendable job in growing the company’s franchise overseas, establishing a strong distribution business at IndiaCast and leading the commercial function during the early days of the organisation.
Commenting on the development, Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats said, “Gaurav has contributed significantly to Viacom18’s growth journey. He has led an extremely capable team to make Voot a brand that is loved by its consumers. Gaurav has been a passionate and driven colleague whose counsel I have always valued. On behalf of all of us at Viacom18, I would like to thank Gaurav for his contribution and wish him the very best for his future endeavours.”
In a very short period of time, Gandhi has led Voot to become one of the frontrunners in the Indian online video space. Viacom18 is expected to announce his replacement in due course.
Gandhi couldn’t be reached for a comment.
As the group COO for IndiaCast Media Distribution (a joint venture between TV 18 and Viacom18), Gandhi’s mandate was to monetise all channels and content assets across media, platforms and geographies. His responsibilities included maximising both revenue and reach for content and services across both domestic and overseas markets.
Gandhi joined Viacom18 as the chief commercial officer in March 2010. Within 11 months, he became the head of distribution and international business at the company. After plying his for more than two years, Gandhi was elevated as the COO of Sun18 – North, a company formed by Viacom18 and TV18. In May 2012, he was given the role of group COO at IndiaCast Media Distribution, which is a venture between Viacom18 and TV18.
Before joining Viacom18, Gandhi spent around three years working with NDTV Imagine Ltd as executive VP of business operations and content sales. He also worked with Star India between October 2003 and March 2007 as VP commercial and business planning.
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iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
