iWorld
Now blockchain & NFTs come to TV
MUMBAI: For all those naysayers and fence-sitters, it is here and it is now. Blockchain and cryptocurrency are coming to the broadcast television business. US TV network Fox has announced the formation of a new non-fungible token (NFT) company called Blockchain Creative Labs. The new firm will create NFTs based on the intellectual properties it owns. Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier announced this at the advertiser targeted Upfronts on Monday.
NFTs, which exist on blockchain – a digital ledger similar to the networks that underpin bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies – notched up $1.5 billion in sales in just the first quarter of 2021. Each NFT is unique, cannot be duplicated, and is equivalent to an ownership deed to digital or physical artwork, music, or digital collectibles such as IPL 2021’s best video moments. Of course, someone else may have an image or copy of the piece, but that’s not the original which of course has a big-ticket price.
They have become all the rage nowadays following the success of digital artist Mike Winkelmann aka Beeple, who sold an NFT for $69 million. They are not restricted to just art; they have extended to sports collectibles, highlight show reels, augmented reality sneakers, music, and even digital cats.
Fox is getting into the NFT game in the hope of monetizing its properties beyond television (in the crypto world) where the major revenue sources are advertising, or pay-TV, or syndication.
Blockchain Creative Labs’ first attempt at exploring the potential of TV show characters and properties is going to be with Krapopolis, an animated comedy series set in mythical ancient Greece, which is being directed by Ricky and Morty and Community creator Dan Harmon.
Fox says that its marketplace “will curate and sell digital goods, ranging from NFTs of one-of-a-kind character and background art, and gifs, as well as tokens that provide exclusive social experiences to engage and reward super fans.”
Addressing the advertiser-dominated audience during the upfronts, Collier said that as “an advertiser-focused, artist-first and animation-obsessed company, Fox is going to take advertisers into the world of blockchain-powered tokens, including NFTs…we will also help your brands connect directly with fans and enthusiasts through NFTs.”
Will other broadcasters and networks also take the plunge? Will it inspire Indian media players to explore this space? These are cryptic questions.
iWorld
Sony LIV acquires worldwide digital rights for Marathi romance Toh Ti Ani Fuji
Film shot in Japan and India to stream exclusively on the platform from 10 April 2026.
MUMBAI: Love knows no language, but this Marathi romance is about to speak to audiences far beyond its roots and it’s doing so with a scenic detour through Japan. Sony Pictures Networks India has acquired the worldwide digital rights for the Marathi-language romance feature Toh Ti Ani Fuji (also known as Main, Woh Aur Fuji), with an exclusive direct-to-digital release on Sony Liv scheduled for 10 April 2026. Sony Pictures Networks India will retain exclusive worldwide theatrical and linear rights.
Filmed extensively in Japan and India, the film marks an unprecedented Marathi-language romance set on an international canvas. It explores how relationships evolve under the pressures of distance, time, and shifting emotional realities, using Japan not merely as a backdrop but as an emotional landscape that mirrors the characters’ inner journeys.
Written by Irawati Karnik and directed by Mohit Takalkar, the story follows a deeply passionate relationship that gradually turns toxic due to contrasting personalities, shifting priorities, and unfair emotional expectations. Seven years after their separation, the former couple unexpectedly reunite in Japan, reopening old wounds and unspoken desires while questioning whether love altered by time can ever find its way back.
Producer Shiladitya Bora said the partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India reflects the growing belief that “regional is the new mainstream.” He added that the film’s multi-language digital release on Sony LIV will help it connect with newer audiences across India and the world.
Director Mohit Takalkar described the film as an exploration of how love changes in today’s urban world, shaped by ambition, geography, and the pressure to evolve. “It began as a very personal exploration of relationships, and to see it reaching a wider audience feels deeply satisfying,” he noted.
Actors Lalit Prabhakar and Mrinmayee Godbole highlighted the film’s intimate yet universal take on love, separation, and rediscovery. Godbole particularly praised how filming in Japan added a global dimension while keeping the story deeply personal.
From a toxic romance that travels from India to Japan and back, Toh Ti Ani Fuji promises an emotionally layered story that feels both specific and universal. For Sony LIV viewers, this first-of-its-kind Marathi film offers a chance to experience love, loss, and second chances with a refreshing international flavour.
The film streams exclusively on Sony LIV from 10 April 2026.
