iWorld
Maxis in trouble as SC summons its chief
MUMBAI: The Supreme Court of India has restrained the transfer of 2G licences from the Malaysian company Maxis which were allotted to Aircel originally. Chief Justice J S Khehar also proposed to restrain earning of any revenue by using the 2G spectrum licences. Maxis had allotted its licence to Aircel in 2006.
The bench said that the instant order was issued to bring to the notice of Malaysian business T Ananda Krishnan – the owner of Maxis group and to ensure he makes his appearance in the apex court. The bench also comprised of Justices N V Ramana and D Y Chandrachud.
The apex court also declared that the 2G licences shall be seized if Krishnan and another Maxis executive Ralph Marshall fail to appear on 27 January. The bench has also asked the telecom ministry to devise ways to prevent adverse impact which can take place if the 2G licences are provided to the other service providers and not Aircel.
Krishnan added that they cannot tolerate a person using the national resource such as spectrum of India and not honouring the court notice. The court has also directed the government of India to publish the order instantly in two leading Malaysian newspapers. The court specified that, if the proposed order is passed, it would not be open to any of the accused to raise the issue of monetary losses.
BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy had alleged that FIPB clearance to Aircel-Maxis was granted illegally. Special 2G prosecutor Anand Grover said that hearing on framing of charges in the trial court is scheduled for 9 January. The bench has also added that the material for further hearing on 27 January and other charges made by the BJP spokesperson will be dealt at a later stage.
Also Read: Aircel-Maxis case: 2G court seeks to speed trial against Marans
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.
