TOIFA Awards to reward best in content & creativity on OTT

MUMBAI: In a pioneering move to reward creativity in the thriving space of OTT entertainment, The Times of India (BCCL) on Friday announced the launch of the inaugural 'Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA)' OTT Edition 2023 at a press conference in Santacruz, Mumbai.

The awards ceremony will take place in the last week of July.

TOIFA-OTT is an awards ceremony dedicated to the OTT platform, which is the new medium of the modern age. Web films and series have captured the imagination of audiences- as well as a large share of the entertainment market. The content is robust and has now got another means of recognition.

On Friday, Sivakumar Sundaram, CEO - Publishing and Executive Director of Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd (BCCL), Siddharth Roy Kapur, Founder, Roy Kapur Films, and Shibasish Sarkar, President of the Producers Guild of India, announced that TOIFA will fete the best in streaming content.

TOIFA will honour and celebrate exemplary talent in acting, content creation and technical prowess in online Hindi films and series that premiered on streaming platforms between Jan 1, 2023 and Dec 31, 2023.

The event began with the unveiling of the magnificent TOIFA OTT trophy, which is carved in black and light blue, depicting a film reel upon the crown.

The awards are being mentored by an Advisory Council comprising industry stalwarts such as Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Sameer Nair, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Nikkhil Advani, Aanand L Rai, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Madhureeta Mukherjee.

Another feather in the cap is that TOIFA will have the largest jury of any film awards ceremony in the country. To this end, it has partnered with the Producers Guild of India whose 175 members have been requested to vote.

TOIFA will impart a much-needed transparency, credibility and objectivity to the entire awards ecosystem. Moreover, the process will be audited by EY.

Sivakumar Sundaram said, "TOIFA has emerged as the definitive awards platform for the Indian film industry. This year, recognising the increasing significance of streaming platforms, we are delighted to launch the TOIFA - Hindi OTT edition. Through a rigorous voting process in partnership with the Producers Guild of India, we will celebrate outstanding talent in 28 different award categories on OTT."

Shibasish Sarkar of the Guild said, "We are delighted to partner with the TOIFA OTT Awards and are confident that they will provide credible and prestigious recognition for outstanding work in the streaming space. Especially so, as the jury/academy comprising Producers Guild of India members will be voting."

Siddharth Roy Kapur said, "I am pleased to join the Advisory Council. The initial scepticism about 'yet another awards function' quickly wore off. I was impressed by the commitment of the organisers to create a credible and respected platform that will recognise excellence in streaming. This aligns well with our shared goal of celebrating exceptional talent across all creative and technical disciplines in the industry."

This ceremonious moment was followed by an in-depth exposition of the award categories by the Advisory Council.

The TOIFA OTT Edition 2023 is presented by KRasa, co-powered by Goldiee Masale & KPT Pipes in association with Usha Kakade Productions & Amante!


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.