Gaming
Shemaroo & BharatBox sell out Jab We Met Geet digital avatars
MUMBAI: Just when we thought the digital collectible frenzy was just a passing fad, Shemaroo Entertainment and BharatBox announced that their offer of 3,333 exclusive Jab We Met collectibles based on the character Geet portrayed by Kareena Kapoor in the popular film sold out. The Geet avatars, featured in the Jab We Met themed game on The Sandbox, became an instant favorite among fans.
The partnership not only generated over $40,000 in revenue within just 45 days but also showcased the growing influence of such collaborations on the global stage. The campaign’s success reflects the growing appetite for culturally relevant digital assets in the country today
Following this, the Jab We Met avatars attracted significant global interest, alongside a substantial inflow of buyers from India and across the globe. This solidified Shemaroo Entertainment’s IP on the global stage while amplifying BharatBox’s presence in mainstream entertainment. Notably, the campaign saw strong participation from Indian players, creators, and brands.
The primary participants included nearly 67,000 creators and users. Following the pre-launch, the campaign rolled out for the next few months, with a comprehensive strategy including teaser campaigns, educational content, and allowlist opening alongside early incentivisation through questing.
Additionally, Bharatbox and Shemaroo Entertainment worked with key opinion leaders (KOLs) followed by three Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) Sessions conducted with The Sandbox, gathering over 200,000 tune-ins. Lastly, social media giveaways for questing winners included $SAND as well as physical rewards offered by Shemaroo Entertainment to avatar holders.
The Geet collection reinforced the potential of popular Indian cinema IPs in the metaverse, tapping into India’s strong player-creator community within the blockchain gaming ecosystem. The campaign leveraged BharatBox’s blockchain infrastructure within The Sandbox, utilising no-code tools for creators and play-to-earn (P2E) models to incentivise player engagement. These features democratise access to the metaverse, making it easier for creators to monetize and for players to participate.
“Selling out the Jab We Met collection is a testament to innovation in the metaverse space,” said BharatBox CEO Karan Keswani. “Shemaroo Entertainment and BharatBox are bringing Indian culture to a new generation of digital-first audiences. This milestone reinforces our ability to deliver culturally resonant and commercially successful projects in the metaverse.”
Shemaroo Entertainment chief operating officer Arghya Chakravarty added: “At Shemaroo Entertainment, our mission has always been to innovate and connect with audiences through diverse storytelling. The success of the Jab We Met digital collectibles is a shining example of how Indian cinema’s timeless charm can seamlessly transition into new-age platforms like the metaverse. We are thrilled to see such enthusiastic participation from fans, and this milestone reinforces our commitment to redefining entertainment in the digital era.”
The resounding success of the Jab We Met collection signals the massive growth potential for BharatBox and Shemaroo Entertainment and is part of a broader India story within blockchain gaming, said a press release issued by Shemaroo.
BharatBox continues to lead the metaverse conversation in the country with India emerging as a top market, with an impressive 66,091 creators and an user base doubling from 150,000 to 350,000. This collaboration will pave the way to expand partnerships and forge new pathways for cultural IPs to thrive in a decentralised economy.
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
