iWorld
Viacom18 and Turner India tie up for Voot’s kids content
MUMBAI: Viacom18 and Turner India have announced a strategic tie-up that will see Turner’s popular kids shows play on Viacom18’s over-the-top service Voot.
With this deal, Voot will add to its already existing powerhouse list of close to 100 characters that cut through broadcast affiliation. Shows likeThe Powerpuff Girls, Ben10, Roll No. 21 and Chotta Bheem alongside Dora, Spongebob, Motu Patlu, Shiva and Pokemon are among the few.
Commenting on the tie-up, Turner India South Asia senior vice president and managing director Siddharth Jain said, “We at Turner are dedicated in engaging consumers and collaborators in new ways to develop immersive worlds that enable our fans to experience our brands, franchises and content wherever, whenever and however they like. The collaboration with Viacom18 is a strategic move towards achieving this objective of being where our fans are and we know from our own New Generations 2016 research that 71% of today’s plurals are mobile phone users and 30% of them are on surfing the internet.”
Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats said, “Online kids content is one of the major white spaces that exists in the country today. Through a dedicated offering within VOOT, called VOOT Kids we had started our journey to create the largest online destination for kids’ content in India. This vision saw us aggregate content from both within our network brand Nick and outside, to launch with over ~7000videos of kids content. This strategic partnership with Turner India will further bolster our content repository for VOOT Kids. Additionally, this also brings two powerhouses of kids content on a singular platform to bring forth the best viewing experience for our loyal little viewers.”
Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi further explained, “With close to one-fifth of all viewing on VOOT coming in for VOOT Kids already, we clearly have managed to catch the attention of one of the most discerning audiences and the true digital natives. With this multi-year strategic tie-up with Turner India, we are adding to the depth and variety of content for this audience.”
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
