iWorld
Haptik appoints Praful Krishna as chief product officer
Mumbai: Jio Haptik Technologies, a conversational AI company and subsidiary of Reliance Jio Platforms has appointed Praful Krishna as its chief product officer (CPO).
In his new role at Haptik, Krishna will drive the transition of businesses from web to the conversation economy, resulting in significantly improved customer experience. “Krishna will spearhead Haptik’s strategic vision and be the driving force behind building the brand’s suite of products. He will also oversee product requirements, design, messaging, pricing, reliability, and customer engagement,” said the statement.
“In addition to being an ex-entrepreneur, Praful has a proven record of success in both startups and large companies and his arrival marks a critical moment in Haptik’s growth journey,” said Haptik CEO and co-founder Aakrit Vaish. “I am confident that under his leadership, the product will be making even further strides in solving customers’ biggest pain points across the conversational commerce journey; and accelerate our journey towards becoming a global leader in the conversational AI economy.”
Krishna comes with 20+ years of cross-functional experience in developing, digitising, marketing, and investing in AI and NLP-driven products at startups and Fortune 500s. He was previously founder & CEO at Coseer, a company helping data science teams in enterprises with intelligent process automation tools. Before entering the world of AI and products, he was at a hedge fund and a consultant with McKinsey & Company.
“I truly believe Haptik is poised to be a global leader in enabling conversational commerce for brands by meeting the user wherever they are – from metaverses to phone lines – and helping them throughout their journey – from acquisition to advocacy. It has already seen incredible momentum: not everyone can boast 500+ million users served with billions of interactions,” remarked Krishna.
Krishna is an alumnus of IIT Bombay and Harvard Business School. Currently, he lives in San Francisco.
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.
