iWorld
TukTuki takes a vertical leap with micro-drama app for India
MUMBAI: Move over reels, there’s a new drama queen in town and she goes by the name TukTuki. Officially launched today, TukTuki is one of India’s first vertical-only micro-drama apps, serving up tightly packed 1–3 minute episodes that together build into an hour-long film. Designed for mobile-first audiences, it’s storytelling reimagined for shrinking attention spans.
With India’s short-form video boom showing no signs of slowing, TukTuki taps directly into the trend by blending bite-sized consumption with big-hearted tales. Each show is crafted for vertical viewing, making dramas as scrollable as memes but with the emotional punch of traditional storytelling. Founder Anshita Kulshrestha summed it up best: “TukTuki is a celebration of India’s cultural diversity and storytelling spirit.”
At launch, the app debuts original dramas in Hindi, with rollouts planned in Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati and more languages. The focus is hyperlocal, family-friendly, and refreshingly clean, a deliberate counter to cluttered feeds. Future updates promise new genres from sports to mythology. Crucially, TukTuki lowers entry barriers for smaller towns by allowing streaming without mandatory logins, making drama accessible even for first-time app users.
With micro-dramas stitched into snackable episodes, TukTuki might just turn the mundane metro ride or chai break into a cinematic binge. It’s a pocket-sized stage, but the ambition is all heart.
Would you like me to also craft an alternate headline with a wordplay on “bite-sized drama”, to lean more on the snackable-entertainment angle?
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
