iWorld
Happydent hosts stand-up comedy show for hearing impaired
Mumbai: Happydent, Perfetti Van Melle India’s beloved chewing gum brand, has always been known for enabling sparkling smiles through its brand proposition “Dikha Battissi Kar Baat Achhi Si”. For the first time ever in India, Happydent hosted a one of its kind stand-up comedy show “Sign to Smile” in Mumbai on World Smile Day for the hearing impaired, breaking the barriers and embracing inclusivity. The show witnessed some of India’s favourite stand-up comedians taking the stage including Abhishek Upmanyu, Urooj Ashfaq, Anirban Dasgupta, Shreeja Chaturvedi, Shashwat Maheshwari, Madhvendra Singh along with three sign language translators who played a pivotal role in translating the show seamlessly. It also featured Shubham Chaudhary, an ISL (Indian Sign Language) performer and actor, who added a unique comedic dimension to the show while making it accessible to all.
In line with the World Smile Day theme ‘Do something kind and make someone smile’, the event proved that humor knows no boundaries. Happydent’s pioneering initiative not only showcased its dedication to spreading sparkling smiles but also underscored the importance of making the world a more inclusive place for all.
Commenting on this exceptional initiative, Perfetti Van Melle India chief marketing officer Gunjan Khetan stated, “On World Smile Day, we brought smiles that radiated from ear to ear. Happydent is all about sparkling smiles, and our unique event “Sign To Smile” exemplified our commitment to enabling smiles. We are proud to partner with India Signing Hands in creating an unforgettable evening of humor and inclusivity.”
Indian Signing Hands (ISH) founder & CEO Alok Kejriwal expressed their pride in being part of the ‘Sign to Smile’ show. They said, “Translating humour for the hearing-impaired audience is a rewarding experience, and ‘Sign to Smile’ by Happydent exemplifies the power of a smile in breaking down barriers. We are delighted to have contributed to this one-of-its-kind initiative, making smile accessible to all and fostering inclusivity through sign language.”
Harshil Karia, founder and MD of Schbang, the creative, media, and technology transformation company that partnered with Happydent on the ‘Sign to Smile’ campaign, shared his thoughts, stating, ” Our collaboration with Happydent for the ‘Sign to Smile’ campaign has been an inspiring journey into the realm of creativity and inclusivity. This initiative celebrates laughter’s universal appeal and aims to make humor accessible to everyone, breaking down barriers and uniting people from all walks of life. Happydent has entered a territory where humor becomes a universal language, and we’re excited for more innovative collaborations in the future.”
“Sign To Smile” transcends the boundaries of a typical comedy show and celebrates inclusion and the power of laughter to unite us all.
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.
