Gaming
Neela Mediatech announces strategic partnership with JioGames
Mumbai: Neela Mediatech’s gaming platform TMKOC PLAY, built on the leading IP, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has announced a strategic partnership with JioGames. With this partnership, the company aims to roll out over 50 games on the JioGames platform targeting a significant base of Indian mobile and cloud gaming users.
JioGames users will now have the opportunity to enjoy a diverse selection of games centred on the theme of ‘TMKOC’ and immerse themselves in the roles of their cherished characters from the series. This partnership will enable JioGames to welcome fresh users from the existing audience of over 60 million captivated by the ‘TMKOC’ intellectual property.
Announcing this partnership, Neela Film Production and Neela Mediatech creator, producer and MD Asit Modi said, “TMKOC and Jio are familiar names in households nationwide, and their user base extends even to the remote corners of cities and towns. Therefore, it’s a strategic move to capitalize on each other’s strengths. This partnership will facilitate an expansion of our user base, providing an exceptional digital entertainment experience.”
Neela Films, the production house recently invested Rs 24cr into Neela Mediatech, the gaming, animation and e-commerce business as an extension to Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah IP. The company has recorded 5 million game downloads, and their YouTube rhymes channel has expanded its subscriber base from 1.5 million to 3 million in a brief span. This growth encompasses multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Bhojpuri and Gujarati.
The platform will host free-to-play games and cloud-based adventures, for both single-player and multiplayer gamers. Bhide Scooter Race, TMKOC Air Hockey, Bhide Pickle Delivery, Gokuldham Kite Flying and Tapu Skating Adventure are the first of many games that are available on the platform.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
