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GUEST COLUMN: Film and TV revolution through NFTs and metaverse
Mumbai: Technology and entertainment have historically gone hand in hand. For every new technology that came about, the world of entertainment has usually been at the forefront and adapted it to its advantage. Take the example of any technology in the past, starting from VCRs to DVDs to Blu Ray and now to 3D cameras, Imax cinemas; the entertainment industry has always made the best use of it.
Today, as we see newer forms of technologies like NFT’s, blockchain and metaverse emerge, the entertainment space is already eyeing different ways how to make the optimum use of it. Ranging from sports collectibles to music collectibles, in-game purchases in video games and NFT sales rose to more than $17 billion globally in 2021.
Bollywood and NFTs
The Indian entertainment sector, too, has started to explore ways in which it can include these new, pathbreaking technologies. Given the connection that Indians share with Bollywood, it is no surprise that we have seen a lot of interest when it comes to collectibles featuring celebrities. Domestic marketplaces are turning over both physical and digital assets, and the collectors who are bidding for these assets are spending big.
In terms of revolutionising the entertainment space, NFTs have allowed studios to find another avenue of monetisation. Big Budget films that are made for hundreds of crores, now have another way of recovering their costs by selling digital assets. Additionally, studios that have a ton of memorabilia from films that are a part of our social and cultural fabric, now have the option to convert these collectibles into NFTs and add another source of revenue to their existing models. Smaller films too have an additional avenue to recover costs through selling NFTs to fans. With NFTs, even smaller films that have a cult following can reap decent amounts of revenue.
Bollywood enters metaverse
There are many questions about the metaverse. Can things be worth anything in a virtual place that does not even exist in reality? While that can be said for social media as well, Bollywood has literally marked its territory in the metaverse. Producer VashuBhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment recently purchased virtual land on metaverse for $5,613. The production house is calling the space Poojaverse and it plans to provide users with a movie theatre-like experience. Another example is singer Daler Mehndi who bought land-titled ‘Balle Balle Land’ for an undisclosed amount. The singer plans to open an NFT store in the space where he plans to sell both digital art and merchandise as both virtual and digital products. Reportedly, the singer will have live concerts in the virtual space and even have interactive games.
Another exercise of the entertainment industry’s tryst with metaverse is the ALTBalaji’s reality show titled “Lock Upp.” Even though it is using the metaverse as a way of marketing rather than being an actual metaverse based on a blockchain, it does have features where viewers can experience the unique world of the show, complete tasks, and win real money. With viewers always looking for a personal connection with celebrities, connecting with their favorite actors or artists in the metaverse becomes something very special for them.
While NFTs are faring much better than the metaverse space, as technology evolves, the entertainment sector, like always, will not fail to take advantage of this unique opportunity and cash in on this revolution.
(About Author: Abhayanand Singh is the Vistas Media Capital and Fantico group CEO and co-founder)
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
