iWorld
PM Modi becomes first world leader to hit 100 million Instagram followers
Narendra Modi surpasses 100 million mark on 24 February 2026, more than double Donald Trump’s 43.2 million.
MUMBAI: PM Modi just dropped the mic on Instagram because when your follower count crosses 100 million, even the algorithm bows down. Prime minister Narendra Modi has become the first world leader and politician in history to surpass 100 million followers on Instagram, a milestone reached on 24 February 2026 that cements his unmatched digital reach among global political figures.
Modi’s official account now dwarfs the next closest leader, US president Donald Trump, who stands at around 43.2 million followers. The combined totals of the next five most-followed leaders Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto (15 million), Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (14.4 million), Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan (11.6 million), and Argentine president Javier Milei (6.4 million) still fall short of Modi’s individual tally.
The achievement arrives during Modi’s ongoing state visit to Israel, where he was awarded the Speaker of the Knesset Medal, the highest honour from the Israeli Parliament—for strengthening India-Israel ties. His address to lawmakers drew sustained applause, and informal moments, including selfies, underscored the blend of diplomatic and digital influence.
Modi joined Instagram in 2014 shortly after taking office. What began as a supplementary channel for sharing official engagements has evolved into a central outreach tool, featuring photos, reels, stories, governance highlights, foreign visits, cultural moments, and direct citizen connection. Analysts note Instagram’s visual-first format has proven especially effective for engaging younger demographics and building an active international audience beyond India’s borders.
Domestically, the gap is stark, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has around 16.1 million followers, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approximately 12.6 million figures that highlight Modi’s singular dominance on the platform.
Officials from the prime minister’s office called the milestone a reflection of “deepening engagement between leadership and citizens,” with Instagram enabling direct, unfiltered projection of policy, diplomacy, and cultural narratives to millions worldwide.
In an era where political influence increasingly spans physical and digital realms, Modi’s 100-million mark isn’t just a number, it’s proof that in the attention economy, the leader who masters the scroll can command a global stage like no one else.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
