iWorld
ZEE and Birla Opus Paints unveil content integration across diverse markets
Mumbai: ZEE Entertainment has announced a partnership with Birla Opus Paints, marking a key deal in the Indian media and advertising space. Birla Opus Paints, a new player in the paints industry, is focused on building a strong brand presence across various markets. ZEE Network, with its wide reach in India and globally, offers the brand a platform to connect with its target audience.
Birla Opus Paints has come on board as the co-title sponsor for ZEE’s flagship singing reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa across Hindi, Telugu and as a co-powered sponsor in Tamil – further expanding its footprint across multiple regions. The collaboration goes beyond traditional sponsorships, as ZEE’s sales and brand integration teams have devised a unique and creative set of brand placements within Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. In line with the Opus brand’s creative ethos, ZEE has executed a unique network-wide innovation that cuts across both GECs and movie channels, ensuring that the brand’s presence is impactful and widely recognised.
ZEEL chief growth officer – digital & broadcast revenue, Ashish Sehgal shared his excitement about the partnership: “Partnering with Birla Opus Paints, one of the most anticipated new entrants in the market, has been an incredible opportunity. With Birla Opus Paints joining us as the co-title sponsor on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa across Hindi and regional markets, we are amplifying their brand visibility with our initiatives. We’ve pushed the boundaries of creativity with a unique innovation, integrating their mascot into our content across multiple languages, ensuring that the brand’s presence is not only visible, but unforgettable. We look forward to collaborating with them in the future as well and hope the brand rises and shines.”
ZEE CMO Kartik Mahadev emphasised the power of content in driving brand narratives: “At ZEE, we believe that content has the ability to create meaningful connections between brands and their consumers. Our partnership with Birla Opus Paints is a testament to this belief. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa connects cultures through the power of music with its presence across 8 language markets. By seamlessly incorporating engaging touchpoints on our iconic singing reality show, we’ve crafted a richer brand experience for Birla Opus across markets. We’re excited to collaborate with a brand that shares our vision for innovation and storytelling.”
Birla Opus Paints CMO Inderpreet Singh spoke on the strategic importance of this partnership: “Birla Opus Paints wants to add beauty & colour to life of every Indian. ZEE Network, with its unmatched reach and content innovation, is a perfect partner to create meaningful connections with our consumers.”
Speaking on the collaboration, Wavemaker India chief client officer & office head – West, North & East, Shekhar Banerjee said, “At Wavemaker, our commitment is to forge distinctive brand experiences for Birla Opus Paints and we’ve crafted something truly special in partnership with Zee Network. We thank Zee Network for breaking some well-established norms of television to create a partnership that delivers beyond standard sponsorship and also leverages their diverse portfolio of channels. This collaboration is the result of dynamic creative synergy, meticulously designed to be impactful and resonate deeply with our audience, ensuring Birla Opus achieves the visibility and impact.”
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
