iWorld
Pocket Films launches short film OTT
MUMBAI: The big boys are merging their OTTs. Others are announcing new OTTs. Why should the small guys be left out?
Short film aggregator Pocket Films – run by long time web-preneur Sameer Mody – has officially announced the launch of its OTT.
Taking to linkedin Mody posted: “The only OTT you need for shortfilms is here! Enjoy an elevated viewing experience with our curated content in a variety of genres and languages.”
The Pocket films OTT is not designed in the manner that most apps are – it has been launched in a web (mobile responsive) version without any apparent iOS or android variant which needs to be downloaded. It, however, allows creators to create their profile and upload their films, and permit them to be distributed through the wide Pocket Films network. The short films, while limited in number (compared to its YouTube cousin), are available in various genres and in Hindi, Marathi and international languages.
Mody who is the founder & managing director of the company, has been at it for nearly 18 years and over time his firm, according to him, has emerged as the number one partner of You Tube for short content. Pocket Films’ YouTube channel has around 3.91 million subscribers and showcases around 3,000 videos, many created by users.
The channel generates more than 150 million views each month. In addition to YouTube, Pocket Films also distributes its content through OTT platforms, mobile operators, TV channels, in-flight entertainment.
This apart, it organises short film contests in India in partnership with international film festivals like . Manhattan Short, Indian Film Festival, Stuttgart, River to River Florence, Italy, among others.
Recently, Pocket Films has also ventured into production with a special focus on digital series and short films, especially catering to the growing OTT and digital platforms.
iWorld
Tips Music CEO Hari Nair to step down
Girish Taurani and Sushant Dalmia to jointly steer the company as the hunt for a new chief begins
MUMBAI: A leadership shuffle is under way at Tips Music. Hari Nair, the company’s chief executive, will step down on April 30 as the music label begins the search for a successor.
The company said Girish Taurani, executive director, and Sushant Dalmia, chief financial officer, will jointly oversee operations during the transition while the board identifies a permanent replacement.
Nair joined Tips Music in 2023 and set about reshaping the veteran music label into a more digital, data-led enterprise. During his tenure, the company secured licensing and partnership deals with global platforms including Sony Music Publishing and TikTok, while renewing agreements with Warner Music Group.
Drawing on earlier experience in technology and entertainment, including a stint at ByteDance, Nair pushed the organisation towards a performance-driven culture. He built a brand partnerships division and introduced proprietary software systems aimed at strengthening digital distribution and data capabilities.
Kumar Taurani, chairman and managing director, credited Nair with embedding a data-led culture within the company and driving revenue growth in line with shareholder commitments.
In his resignation note, Nair said that after helping transition the label into a modern, digitally focused and process-driven organisation, the time had come to pursue his next leadership challenge.
The leadership change comes as the broader Tips Films group shows signs of financial stabilisation. In the third quarter of FY26 the company reported a net loss of Rs 2.86 crore, narrowing sharply from Rs 14.2 crore in the previous quarter. For the nine months ended December, losses stood at Rs 12.37 crore.
Yet revenue told a more volatile story. Income from operations slid to Rs 4 crore in Q3 FY26 from Rs 56 crore in the preceding quarter, taking total operating income to Rs 4.56 crore.
For a company built on a catalogue of more than 34,000 tracks and decades of Bollywood hits, the next chief will inherit both a digital engine and a volatile music market. The playlist may be familiar, but the next act at Tips Music is only just beginning.
