iWorld
Neeraj Pandey, Voot Select unveil upcoming web series ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’
Mumbai: Voot Select on Wednesday launched the trailer of its upcoming web series, titled Bandon Mein Tha Dum. The series will show the nail-biting journey of the 2020/21 India tour of Australia. Directed by Neeraj Pandey the web series will soon premiere exclusively on Voot Select.
The trailer was unveiled at a grand launch in the presence of ace cricketers Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Siraj, Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari and director Neeraj Pandey.
Coupled with a powerful script, behind-the-scenes footage, candid narratives from the winning squad like Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Siraj, Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari, their coaches, as well as journalists who covered the series, Bandon Mein Tha Dum sheds light on the trials and tribulations that the Indian cricket team had to navigate ahead of their unforgettable victory against team Australia at their home ground of Gabba, where they hadn’t lost a Test match for 32 years. The web-series focuses on how the team played extraordinarily high-quality cricket and simultaneously redefined the concept of hard work, perseverance, determination, and commitment, setting the highest standards of sportsmanship while breathing new life into the fading format of Test cricket!
Talking about how Bandon Mein Tha Dum came about, Neeraj Pandey said, “Bandon Mein Tha Dum is an epic tale that outlines ‘Miracles do happen’ and it happened in the India-Australia Test series 2020/2021 which culminated in India’s stunning defeat of the world no.1 test side at their hallowed home turf of Gabba where they hadn’t lost a test match for 32 years. The series was won by India in such a manner that it not only captured the imagination of the entire nation but also provided tremendous joy to the cricketing and wider sporting community all over the world at a time when people were still trying to come to terms with the devastation Covid-19 had brought in their lives. The human stories in this cricketing fairy tale elevated the series beyond a cricketing audience and created huge euphoria across all segments of Indian society. The nation was gripped and it was therefore befitting for us to bring the story to the people of India of one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sports and cricket.
Nothing excited me more than retelling this story which went beyond high-quality cricket, hard work, perseverance, determination, commitment, sportsmanship and decoding the x-factor through the mind of the players which repeated the David Vs Goliath story!”
Talking about the series, Viacom18 Digital Ventures chief operating officer Gourav Rakshit said, “At Viacom18 Digital Ventures we have successfully built an ecosystem that caters to the evolving needs of our viewers. With a strategy to create an everyday consumption proposition, we have consistently brought forward entertainment that is high in quality and binge-worthy. Our robustly curated content mix and our success with digital-first is a testament to our commitment to providing viewers with game-changing experiences. ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’ is the first of the many such narratives and we will continue to explore new genres and avenues that are in sync with our audience’s core values.”
Further Viacom18 head- SVoD and international business Ferzad Palia added, “Bandon Mein Tha Dum is a story that every Indian deserves to know, and re-live. The series is based upon the unheard stories and the real struggles behind the victory of the Indian cricket team during one of it’s toughest times. Neeraj is a storyteller par excellence and we are honoured to have him create this special event series for our members. This is the first among many of an entertainment slate like never before. We’re certain that the series will set a new benchmark in special event storytelling.”
Gaming
Nodwin Gaming partners with Runestone for esports data and integrity solutions
South Asian esports leader joins forces with Czech tech firm to enhance tournament operations.
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming has just levelled up its game by bringing in a specialist to keep the scoreboard honest and the fans fully engaged. The leading South Asian esports and gaming company has announced a strategic partnership with Runestone, a Prague-headquartered esports technology firm specialising in real-time data and engagement solutions for tournament organisers and publishers.
The collaboration aims to strengthen competitive integrity, improve operational oversight, and deliver more interactive viewing experiences across Nodwin’s properties. It will initially focus on the Nodwin Clutch Series for Counter-Strike 2, a Tier 2 tournament that provides emerging teams with consistent competitive opportunities and helps build the talent pipeline.
The latest edition of the series recently concluded with Big defeating ECSTATIC 2–1 in the grand final of the $50,000 online event.
Nodwin Gaming chief business officer at MENA and global head of data monetization Teemu Koski said, “Integrity and transparency are fundamental to sustainable esports ecosystems, especially in Tier 2 competition where the next generation of talent emerges. Runestone’s expertise complements our experience in building scalable esports IPs.”
Runestone head of partnerships Michael Schwartz added, “Nodwin Gaming has built one of the most dynamic esports ecosystems across emerging markets. We’re thrilled to collaborate on supporting tournaments with greater transparency, deeper fan interaction, and scalable tools.”
Both companies are exploring opportunities to extend the partnership across additional titles, including mobile-first competitive ecosystems, and to develop new products for publishers, tournament operators, and event promoters.
In the rapidly growing world of esports, where fair play and fan excitement are equally crucial, Nodwin Gaming and Runestone are teaming up to ensure every match is not only competitive but also transparent and engaging. This alliance could well become a game-changer for Tier 2 tournaments across South Asia and beyond.








