iWorld
ShareChat’s parent company enters coveted unicorn club
KOLKATA: Mohalla Tech, the parent company of Moj and ShareChat, has become the latest entrant to the coveted unicorn club. The start-up has raised $502 million in its latest round of funding led by Lightspeed Ventures and Tiger Global, along with participation from Snap Inc, Twitter and India Quotient. With the new rounds of investment, its valuation has passed over $2.1 billion.
ShareChat CEO & co-founder Ankush Sachdeva said, “We are at an exciting inflection point in our journey, where we are going after a massive opportunity with the right team in place and the backing of long-term investors who have a deep conviction in our mission. With ShareChat & Moj, we are well-positioned to build the largest AI-powered content ecosystem in India.”
With this infusion of capital, the company is looking at aggressively growing its user base, strengthen our creator community, AI-powered recommendation engine and platform health, added Sachdeva.
Tiger Global partner Scott Shleifer said, “As internet penetration increases, ShareChat’s leading content creation platform is poised to expand dramatically by bridging into online purchases of goods and services. Additionally, Moj is well-positioned to seize the opportunity presented by the growth of short video in India. We are impressed with the team’s understanding of these rapidly evolving technologies and its ability to execute quickly, and we are excited to partner with them as they continue to build a great company.”
Lightspeed Venture Partners partner Ravi Mhatre said, "We are excited to witness the market-leading growth of Sharechat's short video product Moj over the past year, with adoption in metro cities, towns and villages across the length and breadth of India. Lightspeed globally is honoured to double down on its partnership with Sharechat to build one of India's iconic consumer Internet companies."
Lightspeed has backed the start-up in every Series A investment round since 2016.
Founded in 2015, Mohalla Tech has now successfully raised over $766 million across six fundraising rounds, enabling ShareChat to substantially grow and differentiate itself by delivering a unique, tech-led social media experience. Furthermore, Moj, which launched in July 2020, has already made huge strides towards leadership in the short video space. Moj and ShareChat together, with a 280 million-strong user community, envision building a cohesive AI-powered content ecosystem to address India’s growing digital needs.
iWorld
Prime Video and Hrithik Roshan reunite for quirky heist comedy Mess
HRX Films expands pact with quirky heist comedy set for production
MUMBAI: Prime Video is doubling down on its partnership with Hrithik Roshan, announcing a new comedy film Mess that promises chaos, chuckles and a clever twist on the classic heist.
Produced by Hrithik Roshan and Eshaan Roshan under HRX Films, a division of FilmKraft Productions, the film is being made in association with Soda Films Lab. Directed by Rajesh A Krishnan, Mess marks the second collaboration between the streaming platform and HRX Films after the upcoming thriller Storm.
At the heart of Mess lies an unusual premise. A group of robbers break into the home of a man with OCD, only to find themselves outmatched in a night-long standoff that flips the script on who is really in control. It is a set-up that blends tension with humour, turning a break-in into a breakdown of expectations.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok said, “A good story should surprise and entertain, and Mess does both with ease. It brings together a unique premise, memorable characters and a tone that keeps you laughing throughout.”
He added that the collaboration with HRX Films continues to grow stronger, with the new film reflecting a shared appetite for bold and original storytelling.
Hrithik Roshan said, “After Storm, Mess feels like a natural next step in our journey with Prime Video. The film captures the kind of unconventional storytelling we want to champion, with Rajesh bringing a distinctive voice to the narrative.”
Director Rajesh A Krishnan said, “The world of Mess is a mix of comedy and chaos, unusual enough to keep audiences on edge while still delivering humour. It has been a deeply collaborative and creatively fulfilling experience.”
The original screenplay comes from Paul Soter, with adaptation and dialogues by Kapil Sawant, adding another layer of craft to the film’s offbeat narrative.
As production gears up, Mess looks ready to live up to its name, serving up a delightful tangle of mayhem, mischief and movie magic for audiences in India and beyond.
