iWorld
Netflix to offer free weekend access on 5-6 December
KOLKATA: Netflix has finally unveiled the dates for its free weekend access to Indian audiences. The viewers can binge Netflix content without subscription on 5 and 6 December during ‘StreamFest’.
To get access to the vast content catalogue of the streaming service, users have to simply enter their name, email address, and create a password on the dedicated SteamFest page. They will be able to stream the platform across devices including smart TV, gaming console, iOS, and Android apps and on PC. However, the streaming will be restricted to standard definition (SD).
Apologising to all the honey bunny cuddly wuddly boo boos out there in advance.@yamigautam pic.twitter.com/1osjyodkML
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) November 19, 2020
The streaming giant is promoting StreamFest aggressively through its social media platforms and has roped in Anil Kapoor, Yami Gautam, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui to spread the word. “That’s right, it’s time to cancel your plans and settle in to watch Netflix. We don’t need any payment details – just your love and undivided attention,” Netflix said on its website.
This 5th and 6th December, your friends might move your moving plans.@AnilKapoor pic.twitter.com/XgmMsAI7Qo
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) November 19, 2020
Netflix has been constantly innovating its marketing and promotion strategy in India to get more users to sign up. “We think that giving everyone in a country to access Netflix for free for a weekend could be a great idea to expose a bunch of new people to the amazing stories we have and hopefully get a bunch of them to sign up. We will try that in India and we will see how that goes,” Netflix COO and chief products officer Greg Peters said.
iWorld
Prime Video to stream Tamil thriller Exam from May 15
Seven-episode series from National Award-winner A. Sarkunam streams in India and 240-plus countries
MUMBAI: Prime Video announced on April 27th that Exam, a taut seven-episode suspense drama set against the crucible of high-stakes competitive testing, will premiere on May 15th in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Written and directed by A. Sarkunam, a National Award-winner, the series is produced under the Wallwatcher Films banner by the creative duo Pushkar and Gayatri, who have previously delivered Suzhal: The Vortex (both seasons) and Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie for the platform. Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan lead the cast, with Abbas in a pivotal role.
The show will stream in Tamil with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada, and subtitles in 15 languages, including English, a distribution sweep that underscores Prime Video’s push to globalise Indian regional content.
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India, framed the series as both timely and commercially astute. “Exam is a very timely and relevant story that captures the emotional intensity of competitive exams and masterfully transforms it into a thrilling high-stakes drama,” he said. “We believe it is a story that will resonate deeply with millions.” Madhok noted that it was a privilege to once again collaborate with Pushkar and Gayatri following the success of Suzhal and Vadhandhi.
For Pushkar and Gayatri, the series is as much a moral reckoning as a thriller. “With Exam, we wanted to dig into ambition, injustice, and those moral crossroads that people face when pushed to the edge,” the creative producers said. “At the heart of this story is a young woman who refuses to remain powerless. Her journey is not about glamorising defiance, but about exploring the emotional and ethical cost of standing up to a system stacked against her.” They described Prime Video as “an incredible collaborator” and “the perfect home” to bring the series to global audiences.
Wallwatcher Films, which Pushkar and Gayatri founded and run, has been on a productive streak with the platform. Beyond Exam, the company is also readying Vadhandhi Season 2 for Prime Video, making the duo one of the platform’s most active regional creative partners.
The real exam, it seems, is for Prime Video itself: can a Tamil drama about systemic injustice and a young woman’s defiance crack audiences from Chennai to Chicago? If Pushkar and Gayatri’s track record is anything to go by, the answer is likely yes, and the results will be out on May 15th.
