iWorld
Prime Video onboards Varun Dhawan as its first #PrimeBae
Mumbai: Varun Dhawan has been named as the first “#PrimeBae” on Prime Video. Dhawan will make sure that the hordes of Prime Video fans are the first Bae (Before Anyone Else’) to learn about the upcoming Prime Video projects, in addition to being the first to get their hands on all the news and updates about them.
The launch of #PrimeBae is a significant step in Prime Video’s aim to build an even more personal and deeper relationship with its viewers by delighting fans who constantly seek the latest information on their favourite Amazon originals & exclusives.
Prime Video, India head of SVoD business Sushant Sreeram said, “Over the years, we have built a strong relationship with our customers, who now rely upon us as their trusted friend—one who encourages, inspires, motivates, and can be relied upon to entertain at all times.”
“We see customers’ love and appreciation for us in their enthusiasm and inquisitiveness to know more about our upcoming shows and movies. With Varun as our first-ever #PrimeBae, we aim to build an even more tight-knit community of super-fans, taking them deeper and helping them experience the inner world of Prime Video,” said Sushant.
The brand hopes to establish a humorous and tongue-in-cheek connection with viewers through Varun Dhawan, who is not only a well-known movie star but is also known and admired for his down-to-earth and friendly persona. As #PrimeBae, Varun brings his off-screen personality, style, humor, and love for Prime Video’s content to build a fun-loving conduit between the brand and the customers.
Sushant further added, “Our shows and movies aim to entertain and immerse audiences in their world—why should the latest news on them not be entertaining too? And what better way to kick-start Prime Bae’s journey than with one of India’s favourite actors, Varun Dhawan? His humour and style are sure to make this an interesting ride. Honestly, there’s no knowing what details #PrimeBae might share next. Just get on-board and see where it takes you!”
Talking about his new role as #PrimeBae, Varun said, “Actors often call their on-screen roles ‘challenging’, but trust me, my new real-life role as #PrimeBae is even more challenging. Let me tell you, getting the andar ki khabar ‘before anyone else’ from Prime Video on their upcoming series and movies is an almost impossible task! But, as a Prime Video super-fan I have accepted the challenge to uncover all the latest news from all the amazing series and movies in the works at Prime Video and share this information with my fans and content lovers across the world. To begin with, I can share with confidence that the first mazedar announcement I will make as Prime Video’s #PrimeBae next week will absolutely delight you. I have all the scoop on it.”
Audiences will be treated to Varun’s personal, inimitable style, as he reveals the scoop on topics ranging from “where is Srikant Tiwari off to next?” to “what happens to Munna Bhaiyya?”, leaving no stone unturned to reveal what Prime Video has managed to keep hidden!
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
