India based BharatBox, a joint venture between Brinc and Sandbox aims to bring 1 million users into the metaverse, which will rank at the top of the blockchain gaming ecosystem. Since its inception it has collaborated with brands to try and elevate the metaverse ecosystem in India. Some of the names include Shemaroo, CoinDCX, Hungama, GoQii, KGeN among others.
The company recently partnered with Shemaroo to reinvent the entertainment landscape with Bollywood IPs such as ‘Jab We Met’, ‘The Great Gambler’, ‘Disco Dancer’, ‘Khuda Gawah’, ‘Blue’, ’22 Yards’ etc. The company also recently partnered with Goquii to launch a health and wellness platform in the metaverse.
BharatBox based here said that it wants to build a strong community focus and has helped The Sandbox reach a figure of 66,000 creators which is the highest number of creators, hailing from the Indian market.
BharatBox said that it to create a new cultural hub featuring key partners from India’s entertainment, art, and sports sectors, including Bollywood. The new entrants have joined The Sandbox’s virtual real estate and have committed to building experiences in BharatBox. BharatBox will create the experiences and also provide IPs and brands via its partner network in India, as well as build the games alongside Web3 developers.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Karan Keswani, CEO, BharatBox
Q. BharatBox, a joint venture between Brinc and Sandbox, aims to bring one million users into the metaverse. What is the gameplan going to be to get there?
Our strategy to achieve one million users centers around democratizing access to the metaverse through creator-first tools, partnerships with culturally relevant IPs, and incentivised engagement.
BharatBox within The Sandbox offers no-code tools to enable creators to easily build metaverse experiences, while our focus on play-to-earn models encourages gamer participation as well. So, it’s a win-win on the retail end.
Following this, we have partnerships with brands like Shemaroo, Hungama, and CoinDCX to help introduce new audiences to the metaverse by tapping into India’s massive entertainment, gaming, and tech ecosystems. Additionally, through gamified campaigns, exclusive NFTs, and community-driven content, we offer unique user onboarding to our IPs and scaling both, adoption and engagement for ourselves and our partners.
Q. The goal is to build an open metaverse that will enable digital ownership. This is a long-term seven-year journey. What are the different facets to this?
Building an open metaverse with BharatBox entails creating a decentralised ecosystem where users and creators create, own, and interact with XPs and digital assets.
It includes but is limited to, creator empowerment by offering 100% IP rights to monetize their work without intermediaries. Another facet is, cross-sector engagement which we are popularly known for in India. Partnerships with brands across Bollywood, sports, and art ensure diversity in just just content creation but also monetary opportunities.
Q. What is the business model of BharatBox?
The business model of BharatBox is to create gamified experiences for IPs and brands on the metaverse, through NFTs which can be traded and players can be empowered with digital ownership.
Q. A couple of years back, there was a lot of hype around the metaverse, NFTs, and blockchain. Then there was an NFT and blockchain collapse. What were the learnings from this?
The NFT and blockchain downturn underscored the need for sustainable ecosystems. Speculative trading gave way to a focus on utility-driven assets, making digital ownership more meaningful. BharatBox has prioritised building for the long term by focussing on IPs with intrinsic value, such as Bollywood classics, we ensure relevance.
Following this, it’s also essential to educate users and bridge the awareness gap about NFTs as tools for ownership, not just collectibles. Last but least, since we are entering yet another bull market with a lot of hype and FOMO driven decisions, BharatBox with The Sandbox aims to reward the community for trusting us throughout the bear market and new users for choosing the platform.
Q. India is among the top five countries globally contributing to metaverse development, alongside the US, the UK, Germany, and Canada. What trends are we seeing in the metaverse in the country?
India is definitely experiencing massive growth in creator-driven platforms, gaming, and digital collectibles. The country’s metaverse landscape is heavily influenced by Bollywood, sports, and a burgeoning gaming industry.
Natively, we might see more trends around collaborative IPs in the metaverse, i.e., brands and creators are developing immersive experiences. Alongside this, the already popular play-to-earn model will continue to dominate, enabling users to monetise their participation.
Q. How is it going to impact and benefit the media and entertainment sector?
The metaverse offers media and entertainment companies new ways to engage with audiences and monetise content. Brands can create virtual fan meet-ups, gamify stories, and offer collectible NFTs to deepen audience engagement.
For example, the success of Shemaroo’s ‘Jab We Met’ avatar collection demonstrates how iconic IPs can generate significant revenue while broadening their fanbase globally.
Q. Could you shed light on the partnerships done with brands like Shemaroo, CoinDCX, Hungama, GoQii, KGeN?
These partnerships have brought diverse offerings to the metaverse:
● Shemaroo: Leveraging Bollywood IPs to create exclusive collectibles and immersive experiences.
● CoinDCX: Promoting Web3 awareness among Indian users.
● Hungama and GoQii: Driving gamified fitness and entertainment campaigns.
These collaborations showcase BharatBox’s ability to integrate across industries.
Q. How is AI helping BharatBox scale up?
BharatBox’s core tech does not include AI. However, AI powers data-driven insights for better marketing and business output to enhance user engagement, personalise experiences, and optimise campaigns.
Q How are Sand tokens helping gaming professionals monetize content like gaming?
Sand tokens enable seamless in-game transactions, incentivising gaming professionals and creators. By tokenising their work, creators earn from every interaction, including direct purchases, royalties, and user participation rewards.
Q. How will the company help Shemaroo grow Bollywood IPs such as ‘Jab We Met’, ‘The Great Gambler’, ‘Disco Dancer’, and others through gaming?
BharatBox transforms these IPs into interactive gaming experiences and exclusive NFTs, bringing Bollywood to global gamers. This not only boosts monetization but also modernises the way fans connect with classics, enhancing cultural relevance.
Q. How can the metaverse help sports properties like the IPL?
The metaverse enables immersive fan experiences such as virtual stadiums, player meet-ups, and NFT-based collectibles. By gamifying fan engagement, IPL franchises can unlock significant revenue streams while enhancing global reach.
Q. How does the company comply with data privacy regulations and prevent fraud?
We are KYC enabled and we comply with GDPR globally. Our KYC is with a strong multi factor authentication system and face verification. That’s why user data is extremely secured and protected.
