JioCinema, an Indian OTT platform, has partnered with PokerBaazi, an Indian poker platform, to release a new six-part poker focused reality TV series, Poker Masterclass. The five-day masterclass is shot as a game show format. The series will feature players competing against each other in various poker games and activities.
Commenting on the release of Poker Masterclass on the platform, Baazi Games founder and CEO Navkiran Singh shared, “We are delighted to announce that PokerBaazi has taken another step in fostering the Indian poker community with the release of one of India’s first poker reality TV shows on OTT, Poker Masterclass, in collaboration with JioCinema. Over the years, we have seen the Indian poker community grow exponentially. This sport continues to offer a lot, and we are now combining entertainment with the skills required to play poker in a unique learning gaming format for our Indian audience. The series highlights the efforts undertaken by poker players to prepare for tournaments and aims to attract a whole new audience to this skill-based sport in India.”
Talking about the partnership, Viacom18 Network head of branded content ad youth properties sales Vivek Mohan Sharma said, “Pushing the boundaries of content through strategic partnerships is our approach of choice, and we’re excited to collaborate on a show like Poker Masterclass. This is our first-ever poker reality show on the platform. Collaborations like this not only enhance the brand’s visibility but also amplify the reach and impact through our vast platform. We’re committed to continue delivering power-packed brand experiences to our audience.”
Set in India’s poker capital, Goa, the series features 28 players who participated in a five-day Poker camp while being guided and coached by four Indian poker professionals to prepare for Indian Poker Masters hosted on PokerBaazi. The Shark Squad, led by Abhishek Goindi, includes Subhodeep Paul (West Bengal), Mahima Walia (Karnataka), Shubham Upadhyay (Haryana), Areyann Gurbaxani (Maharashtra), Pranav Baheti (West Bengal), Siddhant Khanna (Delhi), and Tanay Kauntia (Jharkhand). Vinod Megalmani’s Pocket Rockets features Ramu Kushwaha (Uttar Pradesh), Riyana Rasheed (Karnataka), Pratap Maurya (Maharashtra), Unmesh Nair (Kerala), Apoorv Bhanot (Delhi), Ritesh Khatwani (Rajasthan), and Shivakumar Channappa Koudishetra (Karnataka). Kanishka Samant’s Anti-Tilters team comprises Sachit Malik (Haryana), Vikram Jaiswal (Bihar), Samarth Bhandari (Rajasthan), Vijay Agarwal (Goa), Niharika Bindra (Delhi), Yash Jaiswal (Uttar Pradesh), and Jyotindra Dubey (Madhya Pradesh). Finally, the Crushers, under Shravan Chhabria’s guidance, include Radhika Shankar (Delhi), Anish Arora (Maharashtra), Dhaval Doshi (Maharashtra), Daniyal Akhtar (Jharkhand), Basant Singh (Delhi), Ganesh Durgade (Maharashtra), and Rohit Chaudhary (Haryana).
The participants shown in the series were rank holders in the tournaments held on PokerBaazi’s platform. Four lucky winners were also selected via a social media contest. The participants of the show were also extended with an entry ticket to the Indian Poker Masters series hosted on PokerBaazi’s platform. The winning team was awarded with a trophy and a special call-out to an MVP who outperformed in the Masterclass.
Indian Poker Master series begins on the 4 August on PokerBaazi. The 21-day poker tournament offering a prize pool of Rs 60 crore will feature Indian poker players competing for the title of Indian Poker Master.