iWorld
Indian audio streaming market sees new entrant as Velvet brings in Pankaj Tripathi
MUMBAI; The Indian audio streaming sector continues to expand with Velvet, a new platform specialising in cinematic audio stories, announcing actor Pankaj Tripathi has joined as co-founder. Tripathi recently released a bunch of his stories written and narrated by him on Velvet.
The bootstrapped venture, which launched quietly in late 2024, was founded by actor and dialogue coach Vikas Kumar, alongside Akshat Saxena, Varad Bhatnagar and Sharib Khan. It joins a growing market that includes successful platforms such as Pocket FM, Pratilipi FM and Kuku FM.
“From folk tales to epics, our stories have always had the power to inspire, educate, and entertain,” said Mr Tripathi. “We aim to elevate this tradition into a cinematic experience for the ears, whilst remaining deeply rooted in our cultural ethos.”
The platform, which focuses on preserving and promoting traditional storytelling, has attracted over 10,000 direct listeners and reaches more than one million users through partnerships with Josh App in India and Future Today Group in the US.
The announcement follows the recent launch of Eshtory by former radio executive Harrish Bhatia, indicating growing interest in India’s audio streaming market.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
