iWorld
Yash Soni starrer Mithada Maheman to premiere on ShemarooMe
MUMBAI: Some journeys aren’t defined by the destination—they’re shaped by the people you meet along the way, and how they quietly help you rediscover parts of yourself. That’s the kind of journey Mithada Maheman takes you on. It’s an emotionally layered Gujarati film filled with drama, twists, and moments of laughter. The movie is now set to reach audiences across the globe with its world digital premiere on ShemarooMe from 14 August 2025, perfectly timed for the Independence Day weekend.
Directed by Chinmay Parmar, Mithada Maheman follows the lives of four individuals whose paths cross by chance, but whose lives are transformed through kindness, empathy, and acceptance of one another. At its center is Aditya (played by Yash Soni), a young man fighting his own emotional battles. Just when he is on the verge of giving up, he meets Hari (Mihir Nishith Rajda), a warm-hearted taxi driver who takes him on an unplanned road trip, one that slowly becomes a path to healing.
Their path soon brings two others into their circle—Komal (Aarohi Patel), whose grounded presence provides emotional clarity, and Jay (Mitra Gadhavi), whose humour masks a quieter pain. As these strangers travel through hill stations, highways, and tea stalls, what unfolds is a story of unexpected bonds, vulnerability, and slow but steady emotional transformation.
Sharing his thoughts on the role, Yash Soni said, “Aditya isn’t a loud or dramatic character, his pain is internal and hard to explain. That’s what made him feel so real to me. Playing this role reminded me that sometimes we don’t need to fix people, we just need to sit with them, without judgment. ‘Mithada Maheman’ is about those silent moments of understanding and small acts of care. I’m grateful to be part of a film that approaches such a delicate subject with honesty and warmth. I believe a lot of people will see themselves in Aditya, or in the people who walk beside him on this journey.”
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
