MAM
Sony invests Rs 100 million to market Indian Idol 5
MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is all ready to launch the fifth season of its flagship property, Indian Idol, on 26 April.
The channel is pumping Rs 100 million to market the reality show and has roped in Amul, Nokia, Tata Docomo, Suzuki, Piramal Pharmaceuticals, Parle Agro and Tata Motors as show sponsors.
The fifth season is jointly produced by format co-owners Fremantle Media India and Wizcraft. It will be aired from Monday to Thursday at 9 pm. Altogether, a total of 35 episodes will be screened including the finals.
The promotional activities will remain high across the Hindi speaking market (HSM). Apart from SET‘s own network, the channel has booked 6000 TV spots across 14 television channels.
Says SET marketing head Danish Khan, “The marketing of the show is being conducted in phases. While the first phase focused on spreading awareness about the auditions that was held in different parts of the country, the second phase will involve a lot of experiential marketing to get in more and more people to sample the show.”
The channel has tied up with Radio Mirchi as the show‘s radio partner. As part of its out-of-home initiative, Set has booked around 800 hoardings in 11 cities across Indian.
SET has priced a 10-second ad spot for Rs 250, 000, added a channel source.
Says SET programming head Ajay Bhalwankar, “Indian Idol 5 will showcase the inspirational and emotional stories of people. It will give the flavor of our vast country, showcase great singing talent and unique characters. We have made it to a weekly format so that people can follow their favourite
characters more closely and immerse themselves in the Indian Idol experience.”
The new season will be judged by Anu Malik, Salim Merchant, and Sunidhi Chauhan and will be hosted by Abhijeet Sawant and Prajakta Shukre.
Says FremantleMedia India MD SK Raj Barua, “By tapping into the international and creative expertise of Fremantle Media‘s global network, we expect the new season to showcase everything that has made Idols one of the world‘s most inspiring brands.”
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
