iWorld
Sony Pictures Entertainment, SonyLiv & One Digital join hands for ‘Passengers’
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment India (SPE) and SonyLiv have teamed up with One Digital Entertainment for SPE’s next release, Passengers.The action thriller starring Hollywood’s Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence is being released in India on 6 January 2017 in 3D in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
“We are absolutely thrilled at having the opportunity to produce a song featuring Raftaar, who is an instant hit and very popular amongst millennials. The song is highly inspired by our sister concern, Sony Pictures Entertainment’sPassengers. Apart from Raftaar, Jubin Nautiyal and Shirley Setia have also lent their voice in this track.
Sony Pictures Networks EVP and SonyLiv head for digital business Uday Sodhi said: “We Liv to Entertain. We are very confident that our audience will enjoy this latest addition and look forward to produce more such songs in the near future.”
Raftaar, whose digital portfolio is handled by One Digital Entertainment, has created a special rap for Passenger’s promotions in India.http://www.sonyliv.com/dplnk?schema=sony://asset/5262307239001
Titled Aadat, the song captures the romance element of the film between the two strangers (Pratt and Lawrence) who discover love as they battle imminent death to save the lives of 5000 sleeping passengers on a sinking space ship. Aadat will be played in theatres across India before the English and Hindi versions of the film.
“Being associated with a studio as big as Sony Pictures Entertainment is not only exciting but also a great pleasure. The concept of promoting a Hollywood film in this manner is very innovative and executing this was equally great. We are confident that Raftaar’s connect with the youth will grab the attention of not only the music and movie fanatics but also reach a wider audience base,” added One Digital Entertainment COO and co-founder Gurpreet Singh Bhasin.
Sung by Jubin Nautiyal and Shirley Setia along with Raftaar, It has been written by Sukumar Dutta and penned by Amit Kumaran.SPE MD Vivek Krishnani said, “Passengers brings Hollywood’s two top stars together for the first time. Both are youth icons and it was therefore natural for us to look at ways to engage with the youth. With Raftaar being a popular name amongst the millennials, we were confident that partnering with him would be an interesting opportunity for us to create exciting content that finds resonance with the masses in India. With the support of SonyLiv’s team and their effort along with One Digital Entertainment we are excited to share Aadat with the audiences”
iWorld
Prime Video bets big on India with global originals, films and franchise expansion
Execs highlight scale, travelability and new IP bets as India anchors global strategy
MUMBAI: At Prime Video Presents 2026, the message was clear and confident. India is not just part of the plan, it is central to it.
In a lively fireside chat hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, Kelly Day, vice president of prime video and amazon mgm studios international, Nicole Clemens, vice president of international originals, and Gaurav Gandhi, vice president for Apac and Anz, laid out an ambitious roadmap. Think bigger stories, wider reach and a sharper focus on building franchises that travel.
Kelly Day, a regular visitor to India, set the tone early. Calling the country “one of the most important markets globally”, she pointed to the sheer scale and diversity of audiences as a driving force behind Prime Video’s growth. Indian Originals, she said, are not just local hits but global engines powering subscriptions and engagement.
That global appeal is already visible. According to Clemens, around 25 percent of viewership for Indian content now comes from outside the country. Shows rooted deeply in local culture are finding fans worldwide, proving that specificity, when paired with universal themes, travels well. From gritty dramas to sharp thrillers, Indian storytelling is increasingly crossing borders with ease.
Clemens, who joined recently to lead international originals, was particularly upbeat about India’s creative range. She highlighted a growing slate of over 100 shows in development and production, with more than 60 percent returning for multiple seasons. For her, the formula is simple. Authentic stories, told well, resonate everywhere.
Adding to the buzz, she teased new and returning titles, alongside a fresh superhero universe, the Kalyug Warriors. It signals a push into new genres while doubling down on familiar fan favourites.
If content is king, distribution is the clever courtier. Day outlined Prime Video’s layered business model in India, which blends subscription, rentals, add on channels and ad supported viewing through Amazon MX Player. The idea is straightforward. Give viewers choice, whether they want premium, free or pay per view.
India, she noted, has also become a testing ground for innovation. Tiered pricing, mobile only plans and language diversity have all been sharpened here before being exported to other markets. In many ways, the India playbook is now influencing global strategy.
For Gaurav Gandhi, the next chapter is about scale with intent. He outlined four priorities. Making Prime Video more accessible, pushing Indian content globally, building stronger franchises and supercharging the films business.
On films, the platform is moving beyond licensing into co productions and now theatrical releases in partnership with amazon mgm studios. These films will eventually stream on Prime Video, creating a full circle from cinema halls to living rooms across 240 countries.
Franchise building remains another key pillar. With hits like The Family Man, Mirzapur and Panchayat already enjoying multi season success, the focus is now on creating the next wave of enduring IP. Newer titles are already lining up for second seasons, signalling a steady pipeline.
What stood out through the conversation was a shared belief. Streaming in India is still in its early innings, and the runway is long. With a mix of local flavour and global ambition, Prime Video is betting that stories from India will not just stay at home, but travel far and wide.
Or as the executives seemed to suggest, the world is watching and India has plenty more to show.
