iWorld
Hungama Digital brings top female voices as jury members for Women Game Changers – 2024
Mumbai: Hungama Digital, India’s leading digital entertainment company, announces the jury panel for the brand’s renowned Women Game Changers 2024 initiative. The annual event returns this year, continuing its efforts to empower women by honouring 50 extraordinary women who are making remarkable achievements across diverse industries.
This year’s board includes leaders and experts from various industries with each member offering a unique perspective and experience. The achievers for 2024 will undergo careful inspection and rounds of selection conducted by this board. The panel includes stalwarts from the entertainment industry, including Megha Tata – Media consultant, ex-CEO Cosmos, ex-MD Discovery Communications, Kanan Rai – ex business head, Google Play, Merlin D’souza – music director, Nirmika Singh – founder MOX Asia and ex executive-editor Rolling Stones, Raunaq Roy – vice president, Hungama Digital Media, Preeta Sukhtankar – founder, The Label Life, Soumini Sridhara Paul – SVP artist aloud & content Youtube, Hungama Digital Media, Poornima Seetharaman – director of Design, Zynga and Sonia Parasnis, VP, creative & content programming.
Speaking on the announcement, Hungama Digital Media Pvt Ltd SVP Raunaq Roy said, “We are proud to have brought together our passionate jury panel representing excellence from the core areas of the entertainment industry across film, music, and gaming. Through this annual program, we plan to spotlight the third cohort of women who are not just breaking glass ceilings but building bridges for others to follow. We proudly elevate their stories, successes, and trailblazing spirit, amplifying their impact on the entertainment Industry.”
Adding on, Phantom Movies CEO Shrishti Behl said, “These Gamechangers embody the spirit of progress and innovation, and their collective expertise will ensure a fair and empowering platform for all women across entertainment. I am excited about an industry driven by inclusivity and equality.”
The professionals bestowed with the recognition as ‘Game Changes’ will be announced on Hungama’s website on 1 April 2024, i.e. The Hungama Day. Following the announcement, the winners will be invited to a podcast where they will share intriguing insights from their journeys.
In the last year of WGC 2023, the Gamechangers were given an opportunity to be a panellist at the Conceit Nexus 2023, an invite to the iOS Developer Conference: Women in App Development, sponsored access to Mumbai’s Tech Week 2024 and early access to the panel plus networking event at IGX (India’s largest gaming expo) 2024.
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
