iWorld
TVF launches mockumentary titled ‘Not Fit’
MUMBAI: The Viral Fever (TVF) founded by Arunabh Kumar, has released an original mockumentary series titled Not Fit. The trailer and the first episode of the web series was aired on 16 December, 2015 on TVF Play. The series is created by Dice Media.
The new series follows the path of the popular web series Pitchers, which was a success. The series is written and directed by Sudev Nair and is a tongue-in-cheek look at the world of aspiring actors and the weird and wonderful environment they inhabit.
Talking about the new series, Kumar says, “The fabulous team of Dice Media led by Ashwin Suresh and Anirudh Pandita along with Sudev Nair have been able to create an original series that is akin to our TVF mantra and we are happy to have them as our partners.”
“We are extremely proud to have created Not Fit, soon after the tremendous success of our previous videos,Ban Ban, and Neta Sabki Leta. We are working hard to bring more engaging and entertaining content to young Indian audiences and look forward to collaborating with Arunabh and his team,” added Dice Media co-founder Ashwin Suresh.
Speaking about the new initiative Dice Media co-founder Anirudh Pandita said, “We’re happy to partner with TVF on this series. We believe the company has the right audience for this show and this partnership allows us to showcase our content to them. The two brands have a common mission, which makes us natural partners as we push the envelope when it comes to content formats in India.”
The prequel of to the series is already out on YouTube.
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
