Banijay Asia Forays into LIVE Entertainment

Produced & Executed the Pre-Match Ceremony at India-Pakistan Cricket Clash

 Banijay Asia, India’s leading content powerhouse, announced its foray into LIVE Entertainment & Special Events, with an unforgettable pre-match entertainment ceremony at the historic India-Pakistan cricket match. Produced and executed by Banijay Asia, and orchestrated by BCCI, the star-studded event, titled "A Musical Odyssey," took place at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, captivating an audience of over 100,000 cricket enthusiasts. 

The mesmerizing evening, directed by Varun Gupta, comprising opening and a mid-innings act, witnessed renowned musical talent including Shankar Mahadevan, Arijit Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Neha Kakkar, Darshan Rawal and Sukhvinder Singh, who set the stage on fire with their chart-topping hits and melodious renditions. The atmosphere was electric as the crowd joined in, creating a harmonious blend of cricket and music.

Commenting on the project, Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO of Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, stated, "We are honored and humbled to be part of a historic evening, by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and would like to thank the entire BCCI team for their confidence in us. This event marked the first foray for Banijay Asia into the ‘LIVE Entertainment’ space, an area which, with the support of Banijay Events, it hopes to grow. We believe in creating unique and unforgettable experiences, and this evening was a testament to our commitment to bringing home unforgettable entertainment experiences."

The "A Musical Odyssey" event added a new dimension to cricketing extravaganzas by merging the enthusiasm of sports with the magic of music, uniting fans from all walks of life. It showcased Banijay Asia's expertise in producing and executing grand-scale, entertainment-driven events that leave an indelible mark on the audience.

The news comes months after the global launch of Banijay Events, and Banijay’s acquisition of live entertainment specialist, Balich Wonder Studio. Banijay Events will look to partner closely with Banijay Asia in the region to expand its efforts in this space. 

About Banijay Asia 

Over the last few years, Banijay Asia has delivered mega-hit scripted adaptations like The Night Manager, Call My Agent Bollywood, Hostages, and Fall, and successful Originals like Dahan, Matsya Kaand, Undekhi, Tribhanga amongst many others. The content studio’s upcoming shows include Indian adaptations of The Good Wife, Monk, House and Suits. On the non-scripted front, Banijay is leading the genre with blockbuster titles like The Kapil Sharma Show, MTV Roadies, The Voice, The Big Picture, Into The Wild with Bear Grylls, Case Toh Banta Hai and more. The content studio’s upcoming shows include Survivor and Temptation Island.

About Banijay

Launched in 2008, media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, is home to over 130 production companies across 21 territories, a multi-genre catalogue boasting over 180,000 hours of original standout programming, and a complementary live entertainment business – Banijay Events.

Imagining and delivering high-quality, multi-genre IP that was born locally and travels globally, the business offers the best stories told the best way, and represents some of the biggest global brands in the market including Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Mr Bean, Love Triangle, Hunted, The Summit, Black Mirror, Blow Up!, and Starstruck among others.

Built on independence, creative freedom, collaborative entrepreneurialism, and commercial acumen, the company, operates under the direction of Chief Executive Officer, Marco Bassetti. It is under his leadership, the business has grown to reach €3.2bn in revenues and €472m in EBITDA for 2022.