Gaming
Shemaroo Entertainment partners with The Sandbox, in the BharatBox destination
Mumbai: Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, one of India’s leading media and entertainment conglomerates, is elated to unveil its collaboration with The Sandbox, a leading decentralised gaming virtual world and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, set within BharatBox, a new cultural metaverse hub in The Sandbox featuring high-profile artists and brands from India’s entertainment industry. This venture signifies Shemaroo’s progressive dive into the digital space, amalgamating cinematic heritage with state-of-the-art technology, bringing forth the Bollywood metaverse to BharatBox.
With a legacy spanning over six decades in delivering unparalleled entertainment, Shemaroo’s foray into Digital Collectibles and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) has solidified its presence in the metaverse. Together with BharatBox, this venture will reinvent entertainment, infusing iconic Bollywood IPs such as Jab We Met, The Great Gambler, Disco Dancer, Khuda Gawah, Blue, 22 Yards, and many more, offering fans an immersive virtual engagement with their cherished characters.
Key Features of the Shemaroo x BharatBox metaverse experience:
1 Central Land Parcel: Envisioned as the Bollywood heartland on The Sandbox. Activities range from film launches, award ceremonies, live concerts to screenings, ensuring continuous engagements.
2 Gaming Zones:
a Retro Night Club (Inspired by Disco Dancer): Gamers can groove to iconic steps, earning rewards and purchasing digital collectibles.
b Gaming Club (Inspired by The Great Gambler, starring Amitabh Bachchan): Creating a casino-themed gaming experience.
c Underwater Treasure Hunt (Based on Blue): Navigate oceanic depths and treasures.
d Cricket Game (From 22 Yards): Experience the cricketing universe, with teams, tournaments, and virtual merchandising.
e Horse-riding (Rescue) Quest (Khuda Gawah themed): Embark on thrilling missions across majestic terrains.
f Café for Socializing (Jab We Met): A space to connect and converse amidst iconic movie moments.
g Action Game (Tango Charlie): Engage in strategic warfare, unlocking advanced weaponry and challenges.
Shemaroo invites global fans to embark on this digital journey, blurring lines between reel-life entertainment and real-life experiences.
Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd chief operating officer Arghya Chakravarty said, “Our alliance with The Sandbox is a testament to Shemaroo’s commitment to innovation and embracing the future of entertainment. As we bridge the illustrious world of Bollywood with the pioneering metaverse of BharatBox, we are creating more than just an experience. It’s a tribute to our fans, offering them an immersive journey into the heart of Indian cinema, where they can not only relive their favourite moments but also be a part of them. The future is digital, and we are thrilled to lead the charge with The Sandbox metaverse.”
“Our core mission is to empower global creators and inspire them to launch new types of experiences based on true digital ownership, utilizing our #no-code Game Maker,” remarked The Sandbox co-founder and COO Sebastien Borget. “We’re thrilled Shemaroo chose The Sandbox to expand its metaverse experiences in association with BharatBox, as they are are helping to bring Bollywood and its millions of users to the metaverse to explore exciting new content.
“We at BharatBox are incredibly excited to collaborate with a legacy brand like Shemaroo,” said BharatBox CEO Karan Keswani. He added, “This partnership is not just about bringing Bollywood to the metaverse but celebrating the rich cinematic history of India in a space that’s redefining the future. Merging traditional cinematic masterpieces with the limitless potential of the digital realm signifies the dawn of a new era for Bollywood enthusiasts globally.”
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.
