Hindi
Viacom18 takes ‘digital first’ marketing route for Ajay Devgn’s ‘Drishyam’
MUMBAI: Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam, which is slated to release this year, has become the talk of the town with its first look trailer launch, which depicts Devgn in the all new avatar of Vijay Salgaonkar.
Produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Drishyam has employed innovative marketing strategy and released the trailer on Facebook, which went viral in no time, scoring one million hits in 24 hours. The trend soon caught up on other social media platforms as well.
Viacom18 Motion Pictures vice president marketing Rudrarup Dutta said, “Drishyamis a film, which is high on content and intrigue. We went ‘digital first’ with the trailer as the target was richer engagement with our audiences. We are delighted with the response on all social platforms, where not only did the trailer generate views but also a high no of likes and shares too setting the pace for a unique and innovative campaign that is to follow.”
Effectively using social media as a platform, the Unlock Drishyam App was launched on Facebook, where the gamer must find clues and answers, which eventually led along Vijay’s trail in the film. Unfolding the game’s mystery gave the gamer insights into the trailer much before its launch. In this exclusive tie up with Facebook, winners had the trailer appear automatically on their timelines.
The concept was extended to on-ground promotions at multiplexes, where in association with Mid-Day, Mail Today and I-next (Dainik Jagran), people saw a ‘real news’ front page cover on the newspapers distributed at theaters, brining alive the real and relatable content of the film.
Drishyam is directed by Nishikant Kamat and also stars Tabu essaying the role of a female police officer IG Meera Deshmukh. The movie is set to release on 31 July.
Hindi
YRF Entertainment appoints Saugata Mukherjee as head of content
Former SonyLIV content head to steer films and series at streaming arm
MUMBAI: YRF Entertainment, the streaming arm of Yash Raj Films, has appointed Saugata Mukherjee as head of content, signalling a strong push to scale its original films and series slate.
Mukherjee joins the company following a successful three-and-a-half-year stint at SonyLIV, where he served as executive vice president and head of content. In his new role, he will report to CEO Akshaye Widhani and lead the creative direction and commissioning strategy for YRF Entertainment’s growing slate.
The appointment comes on the back of YRF Entertainment’s recent global success with titles such as The Romantics, The Railway Men and Mandala Murders, which have helped position the studio as a serious player in the streaming space.
At SonyLIV, Mukherjee played a key role in shaping the platform’s identity as a premium content destination. Under his leadership, the service delivered acclaimed originals across genres, building a reputation for storytelling depth and creative risk-taking. His exit was described as “one of the harder goodbyes”, reflecting both the impact of his tenure and the strength of the team he leaves behind.
Mukherjee brings with him a wide-ranging career that spans publishing, television and streaming. Before SonyLIV, he led content initiatives at HBO Max under Warner Bros. Discovery, where he was instrumental in shaping the platform’s India strategy. His earlier roles include senior leadership positions at Hotstar and Star TV, where he worked on building original content pipelines and collaborating with top creative talent.
With a career that began in publishing at firms like HarperCollins and Pan Macmillan, Mukherjee’s journey reflects a deep-rooted understanding of storytelling across formats and platforms.
His move to YRF Entertainment comes at a time when the battle for streaming audiences is intensifying, with studios doubling down on high-quality originals to stand out in a crowded market.
For YRF, the appointment is more than just a leadership hire. It is a clear signal that the studio is ready to scale its streaming ambitions, with Mukherjee expected to play a central role in shaping its next chapter.
