On a cosy July evening in the year 2000, beloved movie star <keyword id="19898963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amitabh-Bachchan" source="keywords">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> waltzed into all of our living rooms through television screens — and simply never left. With the show’s 16th season going in full swing, we can't imagine the phenomenon that is <keyword id="19946508" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kaun-Banega-Crorepati" source="keywords">Kaun Banega Crorepati</keyword> without the living legend. But, did you know the megastar of the century Amitabh <keyword id="19898966" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bachchan" source="keywords">Bachchan</keyword> almost turned down the offer to host the show? <h2><keyword id="23040300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Who-Wants-to-Be-a-Millionaire" source="keywords">Who Wants to Be a Millionaire</keyword>? — Desi version</h2>In the late 90s, <keyword id="19976122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Star-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Star India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Star India">Star India</keyword> was looking to make a significant impact on <keyword id="19981325" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-television" source="keywords">Indian television</keyword> and was inspired by the success of the British show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’. <keyword id="21697104" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sameer-Nair" source="keywords">Sameer Nair</keyword>, who had recently become the head of programming at Star, believed that this format could work well in India. He approached <keyword id="22921014" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Siddhartha-Basu" source="keywords">Siddhartha Basu</keyword>, a respected television producer known for quiz shows, to bring this idea to life in the Indian context. While Basu was game, something he didn’t particularly anticipate was that Nair would want one of the biggest movie stars in the country to host it. And as much as Mr Bachchan enjoys his banter with participants on the show today, he wasn’t particularly jumping with joy at the prospect of hosting the show when the opportunity was first presented to him. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112264328" title="Bachchan says Kaun Banega Crorepati makers have introduced &amp;#39;interesting changes&amp;#39; in season 16" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Rock-bottom</h2>When Sameer Nair, Siddhartha Basu and Big B’s agent <keyword id="23040301" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sunil-doshi" source="keywords">Sunil Doshi</keyword> decided to get Amitabh Bachchan on the show, the senior actor’s career was in a slump. His recent films had not been successful, and his company ABCL’s efforts in hosting the Miss World 1996 in Bengaluru had reportedly driven him to near bankruptcy. However, hosting a television show was seen as a significant departure for a Bollywood superstar, potentially signalling that his film career was over. In the late 1990s, the general perception in India was that television was a step down from films, especially for someone of Bachchan’s stature. According to Sunil Doshi, Bachchan’s agent, his family was also against the idea of him doing television. They likely shared the concern that moving to television might harm his image and further diminish his standing in the film industry. While intrigued by the concept, Senior Bachchan himself was unsure about how the show would translate to the Indian audience. <h2>A life-altering proposition</h2>Mr Bachchan’s resistance did not deter Basu, Nair or Doshi. To convince him, the team arranged for Bachchan to visit the UK to see the original show in action. After observing the scale and drama of the production, Bachchan reportedly had one condition: that the makers would replicate it exactly in India. Satisfied with their assurance, he agreed to take on the role, a decision that would not only revive his career but also transform Indian television. The move was risky for all involved, especially considering they had to increase the prize money from lakhs to an enormous ₹1 crore — something that was unprecedented on Indian television at the time. Further, Amitabh Bachchan's payment for hosting <keyword id="19903931" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KBC" source="keywords">KBC</keyword> Season 1 was a significant topic of discussion at the time, especially given that it was his first venture into television. While the exact amount he requested is not widely disclosed, it is reported that he charged around ₹25 lakh per episode. This amount was a huge deal for Indian television at the time and reflected Bachchan's star power and the risk involved in bringing such a big-name Bollywood actor to the small screen. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111484322" title="Prabhas&amp;#39; Kalki 2898 AD enters 700 crore club in first week; eyes spot of biggest Hindi hit of 2024!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Just like that, Bachchan’s stardom was reborn</h2>The gamble paid off, and KBC became a cultural phenomenon, throwing Bachchan back into the spotlight and setting new standards for Indian game shows. Imagine the year 2000 — India had barely 32 million landlines and just a few million mobile users, a stark contrast to the over a billion today. The production of KBC was no small feat. The team from Synergy, led by Siddhartha Basu, had to navigate a labyrinth of meetings with government officials and telecom companies to ensure they could build a robust backend for the show. The entire Synergy crew uprooted from Delhi to Mumbai, assembling a dedicated team of around 250 to 300 people. The show’s setup was meticulously crafted. Renowned set designer Nitin Desai brought his expertise to create an extraordinary set that included floor lighting, a custom-designed chair, and a computer system — all modelled after the original British version’s “bible” provided by Celador. The level of quality was something the Indian audience, and even the production crew, had never witnessed before. When the phone lines opened for contestants to try their luck, the response was overwhelming. The system was designed to handle a certain number of calls, but they received 150% more than anticipated — about 1.2 million calls — before they even began shooting in June 2000 at a specially constructed set in Mumbai’s Film City. The scale and excitement were truly astonishing, marking the beginning of a television revolution in India. Well, the rest is history. Today, when KBC comes on, every person’s eyes are glued to the television. When Mr Bachchan quips, we laugh; when he tenses up, so do we; and when he asks “Lock kar diya jaye?”, we can’t help but allow the little smile of familiarity that creeps in.

Amitabh Bachchan almost didn’t host Kaun Banega Crorepati! So how did the show’s makers convince Big B?

<ul><li>Legal research helps determine the steps required to answer legal queries and helps to form a sound base for legal decision-making.</li><li>Many law firms and in-house legal teams are earning profits by opting for automated legal research solutions powered by modern technological solutions.</li><li>This article explores the key elements required to construct a solid foundation for any <keyword id="6137671" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="legal-practice" source="Orion">legal practice</keyword> and the important steps to conduct proper legal research.</li></ul>Building capabilities is essential for any organisation to thrive, and the legal sector is no exception. To achieve consistent performance, legal practices must integrate their people, processes and technology efficiently. One crucial aspect of this integration is legal research, which serves as the foundation for making informed legal decisions and providing valuable insights for cases. In a broad sense, any research is a methodical quest for the collection, categorisation, and analysis of the right information. This holds true particularly for legal research, as answering legal questions correctly helps to form a sound base for <a href="https://www.infosysbpm.com/offerings/functions/legal-process-outsourcing/case-studies/documents/winning-back-a-lost-cause.pdf">legal decision-making</a>. <h2 style="line-height:1.295;text-align: justify;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">Understanding legal research</h2>As a legal professional, it is a lawyer’s duty to understand the distinctions within the law and have the capability to interpret legal precedents. Legal research is the method to first determine the steps required to answer the legal query and then follow the process to collect relevant data to answer those questions. This entire process makes legal research an integral part of the legal profession and an essential skill to have when working on any type of case. It may sound simple, but legal research is quite demanding and requires not only an in-depth knowledge of the law but also a good grasp of information analysis. Organisations are building this capability so that it can be leveraged as a managed service offering to make the legal research process more efficient, both in terms of time and cost. This way, many law firms and in-house legal teams are earning profits by opting for automated legal research solutions powered by predictive analytics to provide cutting-edge solutions and using their domain expertise to help lawyers. <h2 style="line-height:1.295;text-align: justify;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">Constructing a solid foundation for your legal practice</h2>Legal research is not an optional or incidental part of the process but a necessity before starting work on any legal matter. Commonly, any legal practice will search for primary and secondary sources of legal information, irrespective of jurisdiction and subject matter. The two information sources of legal research — primary law (focusing on case law, status, and regulations) and secondary sources (explaining the legal theory, such as treaties, journals, and digests, etc.) — are the stepping stones in identifying key facts, legal arguments, and doctrines relevant to the issue at hand. In addition, legal research provides a comprehensive understanding of any legal issues using the following methods. <ul><li>Analysing the law by breaking it into separate elements, simplifies understanding and the interpretation of specific statutes and cases.</li><li>Forming coherent legal standards by blending distinct elements of different cases and statutes, justifying specific legal decisions which may be very useful in building an argument.</li><li>Breaking down doctrinal issues and advising legal professionals or clients about the application of legal theories in specific cases, or criticising judicial opinions and resolving conflicts based on legal doctrine.</li><li>Curating teaching material for legal professionals and students to help them understand legal theories, doctrine, statutes, and case laws.</li><li>Arguing for improvements in legal practices and examining crucial legal doctrines from the perspective of economics, sociology, politics, and other sciences.</li><li>Leveraging AI/automation to access, analyse and apply legal information and augment the process.</li></ul>And with these, legal research offers benefits to legal professionals as well through: <ul><li>Fact-finding: Providing comprehensive knowledge about cases, including all the facts and evidence of the case before the authority and the jury.</li><li>Understanding key issues: Simplifying issues by eliminating unnecessary or irrelevant data and allowing focus on core facts to argue the matter at hand.</li><li>Finding answers: Getting accurate answers to understand the whole issue with the concerned authority and developing a strategy to effectively counter any arguments.</li><li>Value add: Providing more value when presenting case evidence and other details in front of the concerned authority while interpreting the underlying legal theory and precedent that supports the argument.</li></ul>Fundamentally, legal research ensures better clarity on any issue and anticipates different arguments that may come up in court. <h2 style="line-height:1.295;text-align: justify;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">Steps to successfully execute legal research</h2>Legal research is a comprehensive process; and here are a few things to consider while undertaking legal research: <ul><li>Understanding the issue: It is critical to be cognizant of the issue under consideration to better evaluate the core details and supporting information uncovered during legal research.</li><li>Recognising the primary and secondary sources: Primary and secondary sources of research must be correctly identified to generate a cohesive representation of the collected information.</li><li>Evaluating information: The knowledge of the issue at hand and the information collected from both sources must be aligned to evaluate accuracy.</li><li>Selecting core information: <a href="https://www.infosysbpm.com/offerings/functions/legal-process-outsourcing/case-studies/documents/beating-the-clock-and-securing-data.pdf">Data collected</a> is evaluated and the findings are used to build well-researched legal arguments and an informed strategy that incorporates core details with supporting background information.</li><li>Studying deviations: It is important to study deviations from the norm to understand potential counterpoints and prepare strong arguments to support the required issue. </li></ul>It is time-consuming to follow these steps manually and there may also be ancillary costs to accessing reliable data sources, which is one of the key reasons prompting modern law firms to consider outsourcing legal research. With the intervention of modern technological solutions such as automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud-based services, legal research is now easier, faster, and cost-efficient, resulting in its emergence as a promising service line in the legal managed services space. By harnessing the power of technology and following best practices, legal professionals can conduct effective research, leading to better decision making and improved client representation. In this rapidly evolving legal landscape, organisations that prioritise legal research can thus gain advantage and stay ahead in delivering better services. Disclaimer: This article is authored by <keyword id="147098" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="sunil-nair" source="Orion">Sunil Nair</keyword>, Solution Design Head (Legal), <keyword id="6079860" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="infosys-bpm" source="Orion">Infosys BPM</keyword> and <keyword id="18151668" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="debshikha-dutta" source="Orion">Debshikha Dutta</keyword>, Sr. Practice Lead (Legal), Infosys BPM. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India.

Strengthening your legal practice: How advanced research tools are changing the game

In yet another tragic accident in Maharashtra, a woman died after a BMW collided with a two-wheeler in Mumbai's Worli area early Sunday morning. The accident happened around 5:30 am on <keyword id="20167466" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Annie-Besant-road" source="keywords">Annie Besant Road</keyword> as the luxury car's driver lost control, according to local police. As per media reports, The BMW car was driven by Mihir Shah, the son of Palghar <keyword id="19905334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Shiv Sena" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Shiv Sena">Shiv Sena</keyword> leader <keyword id="22321117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajesh-Shah" source="keywords">Rajesh Shah</keyword>. Talking to the Time of India, Rajesh Shah said he had learned about the hit-and-run case involving his son but was waiting for further details. The victim, identified as <keyword id="22321116" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kaveri-Nakhwa" source="keywords">Kaveri Nakhwa</keyword>, 45, was riding with her husband, Pradip Nakhwa. They were returning home to Worli Koliwada from the seafood market Sassoon Dock in Colaba when the accident took place. The 45-year-old Kaveri was severely impacted from the collission and thrown onto a car's bonnet as per the local media reports. The driver allegedly continued for about 100 meters with the women on the bonnet and then fled the scene. The authorities are currently investigating the hit-and-run to identify and apprehend the driver involved. After the collision, Kaveri fell onto the road, and passersby quickly alerted the authorities. She was taken to Nair Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. Both Kaveri and Pradip were fisherfolk by profession. Following the accident, the driver and another occupant of the car were booked and detained by the police. Legal proceedings are underway and medical tests are expected to be conducted to determine whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol. <keyword id="20187556" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra-Chief-Minister-Eknath-Shinde" source="keywords">Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde</keyword> emphasized that there would be no partiality in handling the case, stating, "The law is equal for everyone and no one would be spared. The police will not shield anyone. The Mumbai accident is unfortunate. I have spoken to the police department to take strict action." When asked if the driver involved was the son of a Shiv Sena leader, Shinde maintained, "The law is equal for all and the government sees every case in the same way. There will be no separate rule for this accident. Everything will be done as per the law." In response to the incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and local MLA Aaditya Thackeray called for swift justice. "Visited the Worli Police Station today and met with senior police officers investigating into the hit and run case that occurred in Worli today. I will not go into the political leanings of Mr Shah, the accused of the hit and run, but I hope the police will act swiftly to catch the accused and bring him to justice. Hopefully there will be no political refuge by the regime," Thackeray posted on X. Thackeray, along with MLC colleague Sunil Shinde, met with Pradip Nakhwa and assured him that they would do all within their power to ensure justice is served. This incident comes less than two months after a similar accident in Pune's Kalyani Nagar area on May 19. In that case, two IT professionals from Madhya Pradesh were killed when a Porsche, allegedly driven by an underage, intoxicated teenage driver, crashed into their motorcycle. The case garnered widespread nationwide attention after it emerged that the minor was released on bail on the same day under lenient terms. Further reports alleged an effort involving the accused's parents and hospital doctors to tamper with blood samples to negate alcohol tests and falsely implicate the family's driver. Sunday's incident in Mumbai has revived concerns over similar issues of road safety, accountability, and the influence potentially exerted by the politically powerful. (With inputs from PTI and the Times of India)

Mumbai hit-and-run case: Woman killed as BMW rams two-wheeler; CM Shinde assures justice

<ul><li>ICICI Bank and SBI led with the maximum gains of 4.68% and 3.99%.</li><li>Wipro and Tata Motors defied the trend and traded in negative. </li><li>This was the biggest single-day jump since May 20, 2022 for the benchmarks.</li></ul> India's benchmark indices, <keyword id="6484188" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="sensex" source="Orion">Sensex</keyword> and <keyword id="6354813" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="nifty" source="Orion">Nifty</keyword>, soared to unprecedented highs during Monday's market action. The Nifty rallied 2% to close at 20,686 while the Sensex jumped almost 1400 points to close at 68,865. This surge was fuelled by the recent triumph of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in state elections, coupled with robust domestic macroeconomic data and mounting expectations of a US rate cut in March. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,383.93 points, or 2.05%, to close at a lifetime high of 68,865.12. The index touched an intra-day record peak of 68,918.22. The barometer logged its biggest single-day jump since May 20, 2022. The broader Nifty also climbed 418.90 points, or 2.07%, to hit its all-time closing high of 20,686.80. On the 50-stock benchmark Nifty, 44 closed with gains. Among the Sensex firms, ICICI Bank and SBI led the index with the maximum gains of 4.68% and 3.99%, respectively. Other major gainers were Larsen &amp; Toubro, Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Bank. On the other hand, Wipro and Tata Motors defied the trend and traded in negative. "The benchmark index hits its all-time high following the landslide victory of BJP in elections in three states. It spurred a rally with an anticipation that the country will witness a stable government post the general elections next year," Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, said. As the Sensex and Nifty reached their all-time highs, market experts provided insights into the driving forces behind this impressive rally. Sunil Shah attributed the surge to the favourable outcome of state election results, stating, "Only one reason I would accurate to this rally, Sensex is up by more than 900 points, the reason is the outcome of state election results and results are in favour of the ruling party". Dr V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, emphasized the significance of political stability and a reform-oriented government in driving market optimism. He stated, "The state elections results have turned out to be a big event which can trigger renewed optimism and further rally in the market. The market likes political stability and a reform-oriented, market-friendly government. From the market perspective, the results were better than expected". Vijaykumar further said, "The market has already partly discounted a BJP victory with a 500-point rally during the last 4 sessions. But the mood is so exuberant that the rally will continue. The global backdrop also is favourable with the US 10-year bond yield declining to 4.23%. An across-the-board rally in stocks is in the offing. A restraining factor will be the valuations which are high and will get stretched further with the rally gaining momentum". The Indian stock markets reflect a dynamic interplay of political events, macroeconomic indicators, and global factors, contributing to a complex and evolving financial landscape. Investors remain watchful as the market navigates through these dynamics, balancing exuberance with underlying fundamentals. (With text input from PTI)

Dalal Street witnesses record highs as Nifty and Sensex close 2% in the green

<ul><li>Experts and industry players have welcomed the long-awaited <keyword id="7393806" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="national-logistics-policy" source="Orion">National Logistics Policy</keyword>, calling it transformational and a ‘game changer’.</li><li>The <keyword id="187135" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nlp" source="Orion">NLP</keyword> includes a new single-window platform for accessing all transport services digitally to an online portal to address grievances.</li><li>With the NLP, the immediate aim of the government is to reduce the cost of <keyword id="108235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logistics" source="Orion">logistics</keyword> and bring it in line with global standards.</li></ul>The Indian government finally announced the much-awaited National Logistics Policy, and that has the industry players excited. The primary aim of the new policy is to bring down the cost of logistics in line with global standards. The NLP, as it is being called, aims to standardize several aspects of logistics, including things like the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (<keyword id="44600" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ulip" source="Orion">ULIP</keyword>), Ease of Logistics Services (E-Logs) platform, and more. Here are some of the goals of the new National Logistics Policy: <ol><li>Bring down logistics costs from the current 14% of the Indian GDP to 10% by the end of 2022. In countries like Singapore, US, and South Korea, this stands at 8%.</li><li>Improve Logistics Performance Index and catapult India to the top 25 countries.</li><li>Minimize logistical issues via standardization of the warehousing sector and reduce transportation stress on roadways by offloading some of it to other modes of transport.</li><li>Enhance workforce skills via Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.</li><li>Address issues of the logistics industry via unified service platforms like ULIP and E-Logs.</li></ol>Industry players have welcomed NLP, saying that this will be a “game changer”. “Push towards seamless multimodal transportation and modern connectivity will be a game changer as it will shift the transportation stress from just road to other modes as well,” said Vineet Agarwal, MD of Transport Corporation of India. Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, "The National Logistics Policy is a welcome move and this along with PM Gati Shakti plan will help build a more resilient logistics ecosystem in the country. Along with improving efficiency across the value chain, it will also result in a considerable reduction in logistics costs from their present level, thereby benefiting the end customer with lower costs." Sunil Nair, CEO of Snowman Logistics said that the much-awaited National Logistics Policy covered most of his expectations. “The integration of 30 systems from seven different departments is one of the most liked solutions,” said. Ease of access to information will also enable better business opportunities, said Zaiba Sarang, co-founder of iThink Logistics. “NLP gives the smallest person in the ecosystem access to information that was available to key stakeholders only. 85% own less than 10 trucks and their empty trucks can pick up the goods from the best place which will yield them higher returns,” she said. The government’s aim to reduce dependence on just one mode of transport is important, said Pervinder Singh Chawla, co-founder of Onmove. “NLP attempts to have strong infrastructure (the heart of logistics) and tech infrastructure to support a fast-growing manufacturing economy. NLP has its focus on tactical multimodal implementation (the tail of cheetah) that is flexible, cost efficient and agile,” he said. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="NLP could be the UPI of logistics, say analysts" comment="subhead" text="NLP could be the UPI of logistics, say analysts">NLP could be the <keyword id="6358921" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="upi" source="Orion">UPI</keyword> of logistics, say analysts</cmsannotation> One of the common issues plaguing the Indian economy has been bureaucracy and the red tape. The NLP also tries to address this to an extent with ULIP, which is a single window interface that integrates all digital services for the transport sector at a single place. “Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) will bring all digital services related to the transportation sector into a single portal. The platform aims at breaking individual silos, promoting integration among various ministries/departments and creating a single window thereby bringing in transparency and efficiency,” said a report by JM Financial. “The aim is to create a UPI-like structure in which every single transaction of the logistic department can be authenticated,” the report added further, explaining how ULIP could transform the logistics landscape. It remains to be seen if ULIP can do for logistics what UPI has done for sending and receiving money. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/anil-agarwal-profile-vedanta-resources-listing-in-london-stock-exchange-gujarat-semiconductor-chipset-plant/articleshow/94297057.cms">Anil Agarwal – how a Bihar boy who knew only ‘yes’ and ‘no’ went onto list the first Indian company on London Stock Exchange</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/for-every-100-pulled-out-by-foreign-investors-from-the-indian-equity-markets-domestic-investors-have-ploughed-back-89-this-year/articleshow/94220904.cms">For every ₹100 pulled out by foreign investors from the Indian equity markets, domestic investors have ploughed back ₹89 this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/from-sbi-to-icici-indian-banks-are-entering-an-earnings-upgrade-cycle-says-morgan-stanley/articleshow/94049013.cms">Time to buy banks? Morgan Stanley says yes as banks are entering 2nd leg of earnings upgrades</a>

National Logistics Policy will be a game changer, say industry players

<ul><li>“For the Indian market, we don't look at creators who are trying to put a trick, instead look at creators who are good storytellers,” <keyword id="6660" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="firework">Firework</keyword> India and EMEA CEO Sunil Nair told Business Insider.</li><li>Last year, the US-based Firework was reportedly considered by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-weighs-acquisition-of-rival-to-video-app-tiktok-11570213344">Google for a possible acquisition</a></li><li>Today, the startup is wooing cash-strapped publishers, as much as individual creators, in India where the consumer seems to have a ceaseless hunger for video content.</li><li>Check out the latest news and updates on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/">Business Insider.</a></li></ul>From Moj to Josh, there are at least 26 short <keyword id="2032971" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Video-apps">video apps</keyword> in India that have shot to popularity after TikTok’s ban, but Sunil Nair, the India and EMEA CEO of Firework, wants the platform to be more than just a clone. “For the Indian market, we don't look at creators who are trying to put a trick, instead look at creators who are good storytellers. We have people like florists and pet therapists – these are people who wouldn’t easily get a following on a social media platform. We take that content and allow it to exist across a large swath of partners – it could be a blog, or a website or an e-commerce portal,” said Nair, who earlier led Alt Balaji, worked with Reliance Jio and Star Network. In fact, almost every creator on Firework who gains popularity on the platform or builds revenue is verified, according to Nair. A team of moderators also check on the quality score of each video. The US-based Firework aims to create a web community for video consumers as well as creators, including individuals and brands. From being considered by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-weighs-acquisition-of-rival-to-video-app-tiktok-11570213344">Google for a possible acquisition</a>, today, the startup is betting on the Indian market with a seemingly ceaseless hunger for video content. <div type="image" title="firework" msid="79526271" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sunil Nair and Jason Holland. Firework was founded in 2018 and launched in India in 2019. Firework is backed by the US-based Lightspeed Ventures, IDG Capital, GSR Ventures, and ChinaRock Capital Management. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Globally, Firework pushes out half a million videos per month and currently, only 100,000 of that come from India. According to Comscore, Firework in India has about 30 million monthly users. While most companies come to India for the sheer scale that the populous country offers, Firework is looking beyond the millions of users, most of whom prefer free services. Explaining the company’s strategy in India, Jason Holland, the President of Global Business at Firework, said that they are roping in publishers as much as they are wooing individual content creators. “In our conversations with publishers in India, as we go through understanding what their needs look like, we always talk about video and their strategic roadmap. And you know, whether video is important to them. And the overwhelming response to that is yes, absolutely, it is,” he said. If a website, and it could be a news website like Bloomberg or Reuters, who are their clients globally ,wants to produce a video but doesn’t have the budget or the human resources to create, they could reach out to Fireworks for an individual project or a series. Fireworks would charge an amount for creating the content. “We don't just do regular filters. Our platform offers more for users to create better videos. We have built tools, which allows the user to use the camera in various ways – if you're an iPhone user, you could use the front and back camera together, if you are an Android user, you could use the 360 degree camera feature,” said Nair. So, it is not just an platform for people to put videos like they do on TikTok or Instagram reels. Firework has another vertical which serves businesses too. <div type="image" title="IMG-20201202-WA0021" msid="79526288" hostid="261"></div> <div type="image" title="IMG-20201202-WA0020" msid="79526304" hostid="261"></div> Firework has tied up with over 160 publishers and brands in India and are focusing on growing the number. This is the vertical that is seeing a stronger growth in India, according to Holland. “The next one year is going to be pretty interesting because the next year will open up the market. We're looking at regional content – Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, among others. Those are going live and we have significant traction that's coming out there,” he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-maps-has-a-new-community-feed-which-looks-a-lot-like-yelp-or-tripadvisor-on-steroids/articleshow/79525031.cms">Google Maps has a new 'community feed', which looks a lot like Yelp or TripAdvisor on steroids</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/fortnites-biggest-ever-event-saw-15-million-players-3-million-viewers-and-took-twitch-down/articleshow/79523514.cms">Fortnite's biggest ever event saw 15 million players, 3 million viewers and took Twitch down</a>

INTERVIEW: Video creation platform Firework insists it is more than a TikTok rival as it woos publishers in India⁠— not just individual content creators

<ul><li>Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> announced that the government will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, <keyword id="6357332" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gaming" source="Orion">Gaming</keyword> and Comics (<keyword id="1920258" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="avgc" source="Orion">AVGC</keyword>) promotion task force for boosting talent in the animation and gaming sector.</li><li>We speak to experts from the industry to understand the larger implications of the move and how it will help the industry.</li></ul>During her Union Budget speech yesterday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force for boosting talent in the animation and gaming sector. Sitharaman said the AVGC sector will provide a huge opportunity for young professionals and also create new job opportunities for the youth. “The AVGC sector offers immense potential to employ youth. An AVGC Promotion taskforce with all stakeholders will be set up to recommend ways to realize this and build domestic capacity for serving our markets and the global demand,” Sitharaman said during her speech. The move is expected to attract new talent and give them the required support to take the AVGC sector global. The AVGC sectors, and especially the gaming industry has been witnessing a healthy growth. Most industry reports have predicted that the next few years will contribute to immense growth for the industry. A recent report by Sequoia India and BCG had said that while the gaming industry in India is currently smaller than that of the US and China and is 1% of the global gaming market, it is generating $1.5 billion revenue and is expected to triple to over $5 billion by 2025 on the back of the ‘mobile first’ phenomenon. So the government’s move comes at an opportune time. To understand the larger implications of the move, we spoke to experts from the gaming industry and here’s how they thought the government's move will give a boost to the segment: <keyword id="2388996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sai-srinivas" source="Orion">Sai Srinivas</keyword>, Co-Founder and CEO, Mobile Premier League It is very encouraging to see that the Union Budget has taken into consideration some of the long-pending suggestions for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector, while noting the strong potential this industry holds for employment-generation as well as taking ‘Made in India’ game titles global. We welcome the Hon’ble Finance Minister's announcement to set up an AVGC Promotion Task Force to provide a much-needed boost to the sector. This announcement highlights the need to build capacity to serve both domestic and global markets, and is a strong indicator of the impetus that the government is willing to provide for its growth. It is also heartening to see the government's commitment to work with the industry, allowing for a balanced approach that accommodates the needs of all stakeholders and strengthens the ecosystem holistically. A progressive tax regime, predictable regulatory framework and supportive funding policies will allow the industry to compete on the world stage and fulfil the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for the Indian digital gaming sector to be a global powerhouse. Moreover, it will also help develop a workforce of young and employable AVGC professionals to usher in the next tech revolution from within India. With a renewed focus on the AVGC sector, blended financing for deep tech and IT, hardware and electronics manufacturing combined with deployment of 5G and affordable internet in underserved areas, it is clear that the government is committed to take the Indian startup ecosystem to the next level. We are hopeful that with the positive support of the government, the coming years will see online gaming, VFX and esports startups leading the charge in the global economy. By developing deep tech intellectual property and exporting services, they can help cement India’s position as a world leader in the sector. Rajan Navani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, JetSynthesys I strongly welcome the formation of a AVGC task force for promotion, something that we as an industry have been pushing for a long time. It is high time that animation, visual effects and gaming are recognised as an industry because of the sheer potential that they carry. Skyrocketing further owing to the pandemic, these industries have the power to create large employment as well as give Indian gaming companies an opportunity to become globally competitive and play an increasingly larger role at a global level. Building a task force that will address the needs of this industry across various ministries would be a very proactive approach towards strengthening this industry, in my opinion. The aim to rollout 5G services in FY 2022-23 along with affordable broadband services and efficient connectivity to allow equal access to e-services in remote and urban areas has also been long due. The focus of Hon FM on new emerging technologies particularly like Blockchain and AI, a word which was repeated several times during the speech is again a very positive move to show that digitalisation is truly the future, and a strong focus area for government. Digitalisation was applied across agriculture, healthcare, skills, education and appeared in various shapes and forms throughout the budget speech. Additionally, the national tele-mental health programme is a great initiative by the government as the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of people to an unfathomable extent. Various channels and platforms like ThinkRight.me by JetSynthesys and others in the space can together help tackle India's mental health issues. In all, we’re truly excited about the future of digital India and what this means to JetSynthesys which is here to play a key role in the daily digital lives of a billion Indians. As a country, we hope to move forward with jet speed and transform our country into an atmanirbhar, technologically and digitally forward nation. Vishwalok Nath, Director, World Esports Cup We welcome the steps by the Finance Minister of India as part of Budget 2022-2023 including the creation of the AVGC task force. We hope that this task force can help promote the creation of a robust infrastructure for game development with gradual benefits to the esports community. We are also looking forward to the 5G spectrum auction this year. 5G can further promote the latest innovations and mass adoption of technologies like cloud gaming in the country. There is a huge scope of employment for the youth in the gaming industry. Esports/Video Games is a versatile industry and there is a huge scope for professional gamers as well as other jobs like casters, commentators, and other support staff appointed by the esports tournaments like producers, editors, analysts, product managers, game testers, referees, production crew members, event managers, social media managers, etc. Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India &amp; Vice President, Asian Esports Federation It is encouraging to finally see the seriousness from our Government towards this sector which has been long neglected. This will definitely help in setting up the policies which would encourage and build our capacities and capabilities to export to the rest of the world; leading to more domestic video game development studios and more investments in the AVGC sector. Spectrum auctions for 5G is a welcome move for the gaming industry as well, 5G can disrupt the industry by enhancing the live streaming of games and cloud gaming as well. The task force should consist largely of people who have been part of the ‘Video Game’ industry and are playing an active role in shaping up the Indian video game industry. <keyword id="263906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jehil-thakkar" source="Orion">Jehil Thakkar</keyword>, Partner and Media and Entertainment Sector Leader, Deloitte India The setting up of the AVGC promotion task force announced in the Union Budget will help India achieve its potential of achieving 20 lakh jobs according to Deloitte projections. These are critical skills for growth of the metaverse and India is poised to take advantage of this ecosystem. Sagar Nair, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Qlan It is this continued acceptance that will lead to the progress of the Indian gaming and esports industry. First was esports’ entry in the Asian Games as an official event followed by a government dedicated task force to work with the AVGC sector. I have no doubt that these initiatives as part of the national budget policy highlight the true potential of the Indian gaming &amp; esports segment not only in India but also on the global circuit. The statement clearly indicates the backing of homegrown game developers, tournament organizers, and esports companies and recommendations from the appointed task force will help build domestic capacity for serving out markets and the global demand as well. Sunil Yadav, CEO, PlayerzPot The AVGC sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in India, and attracts a huge interest from a large cross section of the population. The announcement of the new AVGC task force is a welcome one, as we expect it will help to build domestic capacity and also serve the global demand. The task force has come at the right time, for those pursuing a career in gaming as the sector is booming right now and needs more talented youngsters to grow. With the government introducing digital rupee and a visible trend in crypto adoption, NFT’s will grow significantly. 5G services auction within FY 22-23 across the country will play an important role in the growth by further penetrating in the markets and also enhancing the gaming experience. As the honorable minister mentioned in her budget presentation, the gaming sector has the potential to become the torchbearer of 'Create in India' &amp; 'Brand India', on the same lines we were hoping for transparent and progressive regulation that will help differentiate games of skill from those of chance, because this is a key area of concern for the industry as a whole. Dilsher Singh Malhi, Founder &amp; CEO, Zupee The creation of the AVGC promotion task force is a welcome move. The initiative with industry participation will help in establishing uniform, progressive policies that will promote growth and investments in the sector, which in turn, will lead to job creation, revenue generation, and engagement opportunities. This will be a crucial step towards bridging the digital divide and unlocking a fully connected and empowered digital India. We believe that this initiative will pave the way for the Indian gaming industry to establish itself on a global stage. Rahul Tewari, Chief Financial Officer, Games24x7 The gaming industry welcomes the decision to set up a task force for Animation, Visual Effect, Gaming and Comics. AVGC taskforce can provide the long-term policy impetus and bring together the various stakeholders to turbocharge the vibrant ecosystem in gaming and animation. India has a deep and very high-quality talent pool of developers and creative artists who will transform India into a global player in the interactive entertainment space in the coming years. We hope this paves way for regularity clarity for gaming, a sector that has contributed immensely to India’s start-up success in the last few years. Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara Technologies Ltd. The government’s announcement of an AVGC task force to seek recommendation to create the way forward is a welcome move. As we know, India presently commands around 10% of the global AVGC market and has the potential to reach 20-25% by 2027. This taskforce will facilitate employment for the youth, build domestic capacity to serve the Indian markets and also meet global demand. <keyword id="3471731" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="roland-landers" source="Orion">Roland Landers</keyword>, CEO, The All-India Gaming Federation I am pleased that the government has announced a progressive budget; stating the gaming industry as a sector that generates various job opportunities for the youth while boosting the economy of the country. The ideas proposed for the sector are very encouraging. We are thrilled and look forward to the AVGC task force that will give a major boost to the game development sector by building scale and adding to the overall online skill gaming industry’s momentum. AIGF and the skill games council of domain experts will be happy to assist, if need be, in playing a consultative role for the same Likewise, the tax extension to four years will benefit the entire start-up ecosystem in online gaming which is in the excess of 300 companies. Furthermore, the Hon’ble FM’s announcement of the digital rupee launch will increase purchases of virtual goods in games through microtransactions. Finally, 5G auctions when implemented will enhance the gamer experience dramatically as well as facilitate the adoption of new technologies in gaming. Overall, the budget has opened more avenues for the gaming industry.

The gaming industry lauds the government’s decision to set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics promotion task force

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545bd1cc6bb3f71b1777a963-2400/softbank-ceo-masayoshi-son.jpg" alt="Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son" data-mce-source="Yuya Shino/Reuters" data-mce-caption="Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son" />Yuya Shino/ReutersSoftbank CEO Masayoshi Son.</div></div></div>(<keyword id="76338" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Reuters">Reuters</keyword>) - Japanese technology giant SoftBank is considering an investment of more than $1 billion (£800 million) in coworking space provider WeWork, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/softbank-mulls-investment-of-over-1-billion-in-wework-1485814702?mod=wsj_nview_latest" target="_blank">the Wall Street Journal reported</a>, citing people familiar with the matter.The deal could be among the first from SoftBank's $100 billion (£80 billion) technology fund, which was <a href="http://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/news/press/sb/2016/20161014_01/" target="_blank">announced last October</a> and is being described as the largest fund of its kind in the world.SoftBank and WeWork declined to comment.WeWork is currently valued at nearly $17 billion (£14 billion) and SoftBank's valuation of the company is expected to be at or above this figure, the WSJ said, citing the sources.SoftBank previously discussed an investment in WeWork before pulling out, the Journal reported, citing two people familiar with the matter, and added talks may not result in a deal this time.Some SoftBank executives have raised questions whether the WeWork deal is over-valued, saying a company in the business of office space is far afield from tech-focused investments, the newspaper reported.SoftBank also recently held discussions with Uber, though it isn't clear if an investment is in the pipeline, the WSJ reported.Masayoshi Son, the CEO and chairman of SoftBank, told President Donald Trump that he will create 50,000 new jobs in the US as a result of his investment activities in the country. Half of the $100 billion (£800 million) is going to go to US companies, according to a <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/806214078465245185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">Tweet from Trump</a> last December.When the fund was announced, SoftBank said it will be made up with $45 billion (£37 billion) from Saudi Arabia via the Kingdom's Public Investment Fund, $25 billion (£20 billion) from SoftBank, and $35 billion (£28 billion) from other global investors.A number of tech giants have confirmed that they intend to contribute to the fund. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-to-invest-1-billion-in-softbank-tech-fund-2017-1" target="_blank">Apple, for example, confirmed earlier this month that it plans to invest $1 billion (£800 million)</a> in the fund. Other investors include Oracle founder Larry Ellison and chipmakers Foxconn and Qualcomm. Mubadala, a holding company established and owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, is planning to invest $10 billion.(Reporting by Sangameswaran S and Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair)

The world's largest tech fund is considering a $1 billion plus investment in WeWork

The seventh edition of the Indian Premier League produced several memorable moments engineered by uncapped Indian players across the eight franchises. From game-turning to tournament-winning, gocricket.com takes a look at the uncapped players who made a telling impact from their performances during the 2014 season. 
 
Akshar Patel, <keyword id="13883" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Kings-XI-Punjab">Kings XI Punjab</keyword> 
17 matches, 62 runs, highest score 42*, 17 wickets, economy 6.13, best bowling 3/24 
 
The Gujarat left-arm spinner, 20, impressed with his control and variation for KXIP right from the first game and went on to feature in all the games ahead of the much-experienced Murali Kartik, finishing with 17 wickets, one behind Sandeep Sharma and tied with Mitchell Johnson for the franchise. His economy rate of 6.13 was a tournament best among players with more than three games and even bettered that of Sunil Narine, which gave a sense of the hold he kept during the middle overs. His 42* against Delhi Daredevils took KXIP to victory in a tense chase which highlighted his all-round skills. He was later rewarded with a call-up to the national side for the ODI series in Bangladesh. 
 
Manan Vohra, Kings XI Punjab 
8 matches, 324 runs, strike rate 139.05, highest score 67 
 KXIP retained the uncapped Manan Vohra, showing faith in the Punjab batsman after he promised in his debut season in 2013. But Vohra wasn't part of the playing XI in the first half of the tournament as KXIP preferred Cheteshwar Pujara over him to partner the volatile Virender Sehwag. Pujara was replaced by Mandeep Singh, and it was only after Mandeep's failure that Vohra finally got his chance against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a game where he produced an eye-catching knock that included two sixes off Dale Steyn. He cemented his place after that and reserved his best for the last, as his 67 anchored KXIP in the <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> final. Vohra showed big-match temperament, but will have to improve on his running between wickets. 
 
Sandeep Sharma, Kings XI Punjab 
11 matches, 18 wickets, economy 8.81, best bowling 3/15 
 
KXIP emerged the biggest contributor to the 'best uncapped players' list with Sandeep Sharma becoming the third entry from the team. Sandeep was the pick of the KXIP fast bowlers with 18 wickets from 11 games and made an impact immediately after he was drafted into the team. His opening spells proved pivotal as he swung the new ball to snare early wickets, twice dismissing Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli off successive balls. He wasn't as effective when the ball didn't swing, going for plenty in the final few games indicating inexperience. Still 20, Sandeep will become a better bowler by adding an extra yard of pace and with experience. 
 
Yuzvendra Chahal, <keyword id="12643" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Royal-Challengers">Royal Challengers</keyword> Bangalore 
14 matches, 12 wickets, economy 7.01, best figures 2/17 
 
In a tournament that will be remembered for its legspinners, Yuzvendra Chahal was one of the standout exponents, proving to be the bright spot in a forgettable season for RCB. Chahal's exploits playing junior level chess for India were often spoken about, hinting at his ability as a thinking bowler. Chahal picked up 12 wickets and bowled with great accuracy, holding his own against some of the hardest hitters in the game. Karanveer Singh, the KXIP legspinner, warrants special mention as he picked up 11 wickets from just the five games he played, and even though he went for runs in the final, he ended up with four key wickets. 
 
Karun Nair, <keyword id="13802" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rajasthan-Royals">Rajasthan Royals</keyword> 
11 matches, 330 runs, strike rate 142.24, highest score 73* 
 
Rajasthan Royals have showed the propensity to unearth promising talent in the IPL, and this season was no different as Karnataka batsman Karun Nair made handy contributions opening the innings with Ajinkya Rahane. Two of Nair's major contributions came in games where other RR batsmen were found wanting, against RCB and Mumbai Indians. Against MI in the last league game, it was on the back of Nair and Sanju Samson's crucial partnership that helped RR post a big total. 
 
Pravin Tambe, Rajasthan Royals 
13 matches, 15 wickets, economy 7.26, best figures 4/20 
 After impressing in the 2013 Champions League, 42-year-old Tambe earned a first-class debut for Mumbai last season, before ending the season with an impressive IPL 7. The legspinner was difficult to put away as he finished the tournament with 15 wickets and took the first hat-trick of the season in a match-winning effort against <keyword id="6354467" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Kolkata-Knight-Riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</keyword>. He made the list just ahead of fellow legspinner Karn Sharma, who had an equally impressive season for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but played one game more for his 15 wickets. 
 
Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai Indians 
11 matches, 5 wickets, economy 7.58, best figures 2/22 
 Mumbai Indians direly missed the services of Lasith Malinga after he left to join Sri Lanka for the tour of England, but Gujarat pacer Jasprit Bumrah filled in admirably for his more illustrious teammate. Bumrah finished with just five wickets from 11 games, but he bowled plenty of overs in the Powerplay as well as in the death, and led the line in the absence of the injured <keyword id="12644" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Zaheer-Khan">Zaheer Khan</keyword> first and Malinga later. His ability to fire in yorkers consistently with an unorthodox action meant he kept things quiet with a tournament economy of 7.58. 
 
Manish Pandey, Kolkata Knight Riders 
16 matches, 401 runs, strike rate 117.94, highest score 94 
 
After arriving in the IPL with a century five years ago, Manish Pandey's contributions largely went unnoticed in between. This season, however, Pandey benefited from being a consistent member of the side and the clarity of being KKR's No 3 batsman. He made handy contributions throughout the tournament but brought out his best in the final. His game-changing 94 in a chase of 200 took KKR to their second IPL title and earned him a Man-of-the-Match award. 
 
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