iWorld
YouTube FanFest returns to India with global & local stars
MUMBAI: YouTube and Branded Limited with Pepsi, in association with HP have brought back the YouTube FanFest to Mumbai, which is an exclusive live show bringing together established and emerging YouTube stars from India and around the world with fans.
YouTube FanFest, which debuted in India last February, provides fans with the unique opportunity to meet their favorite internet heroes in person.
This year, YouTube FanFest is set to take center stage on 20 March at the NSCI Indoor Stadium in Mumbai. Over 6,000 fans will get face-to-face with some of YouTube’s biggest stars, local internet sensations and up-and-coming talent performing live on stage.
This year’s show features a dynamic mix of music, comedy, dance, fashion and even cooking, all together on one stage. The line-up for the YouTube FanFest Mumbai encore features 24 widely popular YouTubers, including Superwoman, Bethany Mota, Jus Reign, TVF ONE, Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath and East India Comedy.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen popular Indian creators emerge on YouTube and excite people around the world. We’re bringing YouTube FanFest back to Mumbai for a second showing to celebrate this new generation of YouTube stars with some of YouTube’s most passionate fans in Asia,” said YouTube Asia-Pacific director of content and operations Gautam Anand.
“This FanFest in Mumbai is going to be the largest FanFest ever. More stars, more fun and more screaming fans in one of YouTube’s largest Asian markets,” said YouTube FanFest producers and branded CEO Jasper Donat.
According to PepsiCo India VP – marketing Vipul Prakash youngsters today are creatively inspired, not scared of new experiences and eager to live life in the now. He further stated that consumers and brands across the world are stepping it up to make great things happen through collaborative innovation and a sense of disruption that’s soon becoming a norm.
“For us, the YouTube FanFest exemplifies all of this and stands for original creativity and the young consumer taking control. These values perfectly embody the Pepsi consumer. We are extremely excited to partner with the YouTube FanFest this year, and in true Live It Abhi style, we look forward to cheering the creative, inventive and spirited young consumer,” added Prakash.
HP India head of marketing, printing and personal systems Lloyd Mathias believed that India has one of the youngest populations in the world and through the FanFest, HP is able to connect with the new generation who are bending the rules as they go creating and enjoying content.
“Keeping millennia’s’ needs in mind, HP has a range of stylish, yet productive notebooks, tablets and hybrid devices that will enable them to bring their creativity to life and go that extra mile,” Mathias said.
To make this day more memorable, fans will have chance to get up close and personal with the stars through promotions run by the YouTubers themselves. Jus Reign, Kurt Hugo Schneider, and Sam Tsui will join several other global and local music sensations for the performances in Mumbai.
“I’m pumped to finally be coming out to Mumbai to see many good looking faces that are way more good looking than mine, see you all on the 20th. ALL OF YOU…” said Reign.
“We are really looking forward to this Fanfest. We’ve never been to India and we are totally excited to be coming to Mumbai to meet fans and to collaborate with other artists,” said Schneider and Tsui.
“Biswa and I are extremely excited to host the second-ever FanFest in Mumbai, to see fans who like our work, and to meet other creators from around the world who we are fans of! We’re counting down the days!” said Kanan Gill.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
