The return of the original OTT & Digital Content Awards
Blender's Choice – The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2024 is back, ready to honour the talents of Bangladesh's dynamic digital entertainment landscape. Presented by Ispahani and The Daily Star, this year's edition features an expanded and more inclusive lineup of 29 categories, reflecting the growing diversity of content across OTT and digital platforms. Nominations have officially opened today and will remain open until July 20.
A press conference announcing the event was also held today. Omar Hannan, General Manager, Marketing atIspahani Tea Ltd, Mediacom Ltd CEO Ajoy Kumar Kundu, and Imran Kadir, Head of Marketing at The Daily Star, spearheaded the event. Adding to the excitement, TikTok returns as the entertainment partner.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Celebrities including Azmeri Haque Badhan, Rafiath Rashid Mithila, Yash Rohan, Sharif Siraj, Aditi Rahman Dola, Sarika Sabah, Partho Sheikh, Jahid Nirob, Debosrie Antara, Parsha Mahjabeen Purnee, Masha Islam, Rizvi Rizu, and Saad Salmi Naovi were present at the event.
The award categories include: 9 Popular Choice Awards in Film, Drama, and Series; 4 music categories recognising originality and impact; 12 jury-selected awards for critical and industry acclaim; 3 content creator awards; and 1 People's Choice Award, voted entirely by the audience.
Tajdin Hassan, Chief Business Officer at The Daily Star, stated: "These awards celebrate the bold and brilliant minds reshaping Bangladeshi entertainment. We're not just awarding talent — we're championing a movement."
Echoing this, Omar Hannan added, "We're proud to support platforms that drive the cultural narrative of Bangladesh forward."
Umais Naveed from TikTok noted, "This partnership reflects our commitment to spotlighting Bangladesh's most innovative digital voices and amplifying their reach."
"OTT has made a significant impact on our entertainment industry. Many actors, especially character artistes, struggled to find work in television due to low budgets," shared Azmeri Haque. "OTT platforms have opened up opportunities for a wider range of roles and given visibility to talented actors who were previously sidelined. As an actor, I see this as a positive shift. Directors now have more creative freedom to explore diverse stories, which has brought a refreshing change to our industry."
Rafiath Rashid Mithila also weighed in, "Traditionally, most stories are told from a male perspective, and women's participation in directing has remained limited. But OTT has changed that. We're seeing more female-centric narratives told from a woman's point of view, which is crucial," she maintained. "Genres like thrillers and dramas are now exploring these stories in more depth. In 'Myself Allen Swapan', while the plot centres around Allen Swapan, the character Shaila plays a vital role in driving the narrative."
Popular musician Jahid Nirob expressed his excitement about the awards' inclusion of music categories, "This is a really exciting time for musicians in Bangladesh. The introduction of a category for digital music releases in The Blender's Choice – The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards is a big encouragement. It gives recognition to artistes like us who work behind the scenes—whether it's composing background scores or releasing fewer songs. Last year, I received several nominations, and this year I'm hopeful again (laughs). It's truly inspiring."
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