Luminary, the world’s leading subscription-based podcast and audio entertainment network, is today announcing its official launch in India, with an elevated content slate for global South Asians. Today the network is launching two new shows: Konkona Sen Sharma-hosted Barefoot Boys based on India’s historic soccer win against the British in 1911, and How I Masaba helmed by fashion mogul Masaba Gupta in conversation with remarkable women on business, art, culture and more.
The network arrives in India with a focused goal of creating a refined podcast listening experience, serving as a ‘cultural label’ for the voices of India. Luminary’s pioneering format – best exemplified through its award-winning podcast, The Midnight Miracle, hosted by Dave Chappelle, Talib Kweli and yasiin bey – caters to an audience that actively seeks smart, entertaining, and dynamic audio content.
Having seen considerable success globally with names like Chappelle, Lena Dunham, and Russell Brand, Luminary will extend its content legacy to the Indian market. Luminary will develop and curate localized stories with a global appeal.
First on Luminary is Barefoot Boys, one of India’s greatest sports stories. The podcast will recreate the untold story of 11 barefooted Indian football players who defeated a trained, experienced British team during a 1911 match. Giving voice to the real-life ‘Lagaan’ moment is National Award-Winning Actor Konkona Sen Sharma.
In How I Masaba, the iconic business and creative leader Masaba Gupta takes a seat opposite fellow pioneering women who are breaking ceilings, barriers and boundaries. In this light-hearted, insightful business-meets-life podcast, Masaba will get chatty with the changemakers, taste-makers and the trend-setters of modern India, setting the pace for the next-gen ‘sheroes.’
Commenting on the concept of Barefoot Boys, Konkona Sen Sharma said,“The tale of Barefoot Boys is timeless. It will stand the test of time even 100 years from now. This is the power and guts of the story. I am honored to tell this story, as a Bengali and more so as an Indian. Luminary has done a great job bringing this concept to fruition, which I am sure will be well-appreciated by audiences.”
Talking about her upcoming podcast, Masaba Gupta shares,“I was always interested in back stories of badass women who have conquered so much. This is going to be really special since I get to talk to women I am inspired by every day! Expect a non-preachy, honest and crazy exchange of ideas, stories, and even mishaps.”
Luminary plans to address and innovate the content and business models in India by leading the country’s untapped paid-subscription audio listening base.
Commenting on the market entry, Rishi Malhotra, Luminary CEO said, “India is an important growth market for podcasting, storytelling, and Luminary. Our shows truly blur the lines between podcast and art, and we’re excited to bring this unique approach into one of the world’s most rich and dynamic cultures. There are endless stories to uncover in India, and we look forward to telling them through a premium, subscription-based model that entertains and elevates.”
Luminary will work towards building a premium podcast space where discerning listeners can access high quality podcast productions through a subscription model. The network invests talent and funds to ensure a superior listening experience. India is the third largest podcast consumer having 57.6 million monthly listeners (PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2020). Amidst this vast listener base, Luminary recognizes the unexplored readiness of avid consumers to turn subscribers to access first-rate content.
The US-based network presents original content from superstar content creators across music, sports, comedy and culture and has won awards from the prestigious outlet The New Yorker, as well as The Webby Awards and Adweek to name a few.
