Rajshri Media (P) Limited, the digital media and entertainment arm of the Rajshri group, launches rajshri.com, a broadband entertainment destination online for premium Indian video content.

Rajshri.com premiered Sooraj R. Barjatya’s movie VIVAH online, simultaneously with its worldwide theatrical release. The online premiere is aimed predominantly at the Global Indians (NRI’s) who are both broadband enabled and technology savvy.

Consumers can stream and download hundreds of full-length feature films, including blockbusters like Phir Hera Pheri, Hera Pheri, Amar Akbar Anthony, Ek Duje Ke Liye, Love In Tokyo, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! etc. Rajshri.com features more than 3,000 hours of licensed premium Indian video content across multiple genres. film and non-film music videos, concerts, humor clips, short films & documentaries.

Says Rajjat A. Barjatya, Managing Director, Rajshri Media, “Digital media and networks are fundamentally changing the way entertainment content is created, distributed and consumed worldwide. Rajshri Media is proud to be at the forefront of this change and aims to entertain and enrich the lives of millions of consumers across the globe with the power of Indian wisdom, heritage and entertainment, using digital technology as an enabler.
Rajshri.com will serve premium Indian video content across multiple genres, free and paid, on demand 24/7 to a worldwide audience. The aim of the portal is to be the first choice of the global Indian community and that of the non-Indian consumer, who is fast increasing her appetite for Indian entertainment and all things Indian.”

Commenting on this pathbreaking initiative, Sooraj R. Barjatya, the director of blockbuster hits including ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ and ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’, says, “Indian entertainment is fast becoming the first choice of millions across the globe. We believe the premiere of VIVAH on rajshri.com marks a new era in the distribution and monetization of Indian entertainment content. In an instant, we are able to reach interested consumers across the world and also convert non-consumers into potential consumers of VIVAH.”

Three versions of VIVAH will be available on rajshri.com starting November 10, 2006: original theatrical version in Hindi, theatrical version in Hindi with English subtitles and its Telugu version, PARINAYAM. Consumers will be offered options to stream the movie on their PCs or download the movie with a limited 72-hour license. Consumers can further choose to stream either high or low bandwidth versions of the movie, depending on the speed of their broadband connectivity. All versions of VIVAH are priced at USD 9.99.

Going forward, Rajshri Media plans to aggressively build depth and breadth in each content category of rajshri.com, add exciting new features to the site on a regular basis, launch comprehensive sections on Astrology, Numerology, Indian Food and Spirituality besides others, add regional language content across multiple categories and integrate rich content repurposed for mobile phones, iPods and other digital devices. One of the key focus areas of Rajshri Media is the creation and development of Original Programming for new media and digital devices, which has the potential to spawn an entirely new digital entertainment revolution in the days to come.

About The Author
Shantanu Sirohi Vice President Strategy & Planning Interactive Avenues Marketing Solutions Pvt. Ltd. 103, Uma Shikhar Building, Plot 541, 13th Road, Khar (west) Mumbai- 400052 Phone : +912224699100 http://www.interactiveavenues.com