iWorld
Times Internet acquires digital video rights of ICC Events for US & Canada
MUMBAI: Times Internet owned Cricbuzz.com has become the exclusive licensee for digital video clip rights for United States and Canada for all ICC events for a period of four years.
The digital rights for all events scheduled to take place between 2016 and 2019, including the ICC World Twenty20 which begins in March in India will vest with Cricbuzz.com.
The four-year deal includes seven ICC events starting with the ICC World Twenty20 2016.
The deal gives Times Internet exclusive rights to deliver a comprehensive video package that includes video clips of pre-match, in-match and post-match coverage.
In the first agreement of this nature, the ICC is providing in-match video clips to digital licensees and Times Internet will have exclusive access to six minutes’ video clips from every hour of match coverage starting with the first ball and ending with the winning moment.
As the exclusive video clips licensee for these two North American markets, Times Internet will also get access to key moments from all matches in the ICC archive.
Times Internet Limited’s newly acquired digital clips rights in the United States and Canada will supplement Cricbuzz.com’s existing live coverage in the form of text, scorecard and infographics across its digital platforms.
“North America has traditionally been our largest audience base outside of India and we are thrilled to be able to offer an enhanced experience of the ICC events to cricket fans across that region with near-live in-match clips. We are excited to partner with the ICC to grow the sport in the region through our coverage of the premier competitions in the sport of cricket,” said Times Internet CEO Satyan Gajwani.
The other events included in the package are ICC Champions Trophy 2017, ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018, ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018, ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 and ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
iWorld
Prime Video to stream Tamil thriller Exam from May 15
Seven-episode series from National Award-winner A. Sarkunam streams in India and 240-plus countries
MUMBAI: Prime Video announced on April 27th that Exam, a taut seven-episode suspense drama set against the crucible of high-stakes competitive testing, will premiere on May 15th in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Written and directed by A. Sarkunam, a National Award-winner, the series is produced under the Wallwatcher Films banner by the creative duo Pushkar and Gayatri, who have previously delivered Suzhal: The Vortex (both seasons) and Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie for the platform. Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan lead the cast, with Abbas in a pivotal role.
The show will stream in Tamil with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada, and subtitles in 15 languages, including English, a distribution sweep that underscores Prime Video’s push to globalise Indian regional content.
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India, framed the series as both timely and commercially astute. “Exam is a very timely and relevant story that captures the emotional intensity of competitive exams and masterfully transforms it into a thrilling high-stakes drama,” he said. “We believe it is a story that will resonate deeply with millions.” Madhok noted that it was a privilege to once again collaborate with Pushkar and Gayatri following the success of Suzhal and Vadhandhi.
For Pushkar and Gayatri, the series is as much a moral reckoning as a thriller. “With Exam, we wanted to dig into ambition, injustice, and those moral crossroads that people face when pushed to the edge,” the creative producers said. “At the heart of this story is a young woman who refuses to remain powerless. Her journey is not about glamorising defiance, but about exploring the emotional and ethical cost of standing up to a system stacked against her.” They described Prime Video as “an incredible collaborator” and “the perfect home” to bring the series to global audiences.
Wallwatcher Films, which Pushkar and Gayatri founded and run, has been on a productive streak with the platform. Beyond Exam, the company is also readying Vadhandhi Season 2 for Prime Video, making the duo one of the platform’s most active regional creative partners.
The real exam, it seems, is for Prime Video itself: can a Tamil drama about systemic injustice and a young woman’s defiance crack audiences from Chennai to Chicago? If Pushkar and Gayatri’s track record is anything to go by, the answer is likely yes, and the results will be out on May 15th.
