iWorld
Netflix unveils a robust content line-up of 17 upcoming originals
KOLKATA: Netflix has today unveiled an exciting lineup of 17 original stories, including six new films and two new series. From thrillers to romantic comedies to lighthearted dramas, this unparalleled and diverse collection of entertaining stories will launch on Netflix in the coming months.
VP-Content, Netflix India Monika Shergill said, “We are excited to share our lineup of stories across formats and multiple genres. We know our members have unique tastes, moods and needs – sometimes, they want to lean back and watch a delightful comedy, and at other times, they want a pulse-pounding thriller that brings them to the edge of their seats. We are so proud to bring these diverse stories created by acclaimed and emerging storytellers and producing partners. Together with the finest stories from around the world and our rapidly growing selection of licensed titles, we want to give our members something to discover and love on Netflix every day.”
The six new additions to Netflix films include – multi-starrer Ludo, a unique comedy drama about four people whose lives collide with each other (featuring Abhishek A. Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao, Aditya Roy Kapur, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Pankaj Tripathi and Pearle Maaney); Torbaaz, an emotional story of transformation (starring Sanjay Dutt); crime thriller Raat Akeli Hai (featuring Radhika Apte, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Aditya Srivastava, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Nishant Dahiya and Shweta Tripathi); Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare, a stirring drama about two cousins and their quest for freedom (starring Konkona Sensharma and Bhumi Pednekar); romantic comedy Ginny Weds Sunny (featuring Yami Gautam, Vikrant Massey) and award-winning animated romance film Bombay Rose, the first Indian animation film ever selected to open Venice Critics’ Week.
These distinctive and captivating stories join the upcoming slate of Netflix films which include the inspiring true story of Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (starring Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi, Viineet Kumar, Manav Vij and Ayesha Raza Mishra); a dysfunctional family drama Tribhanga – Tedhi Medhi Crazy (featuring Kajol, Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar); a horror story set in a village in Punjab Kaali Khuhi (featuring Shabana Azmi, Satyadeep Mishra, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Riva Arora); Serious Men, a witty drama based on Manu Joseph’s novel (starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Nassar, Shweta Basu Prasad); an intense police drama Class Of ’83 (featuring Bobby Deol, Bhupendra Jadawat, Hitesh Bhojraj and Annup Sonii) and a uniquely entertaining dark comedy AK vs AK (starring Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap).
The two new exciting series are Mismatched, a young adult romance (starring Prajakta Koli and Rohit Saraf) based on Sandhya Menon’s book ‘When Dimple Met Rishi’ and A Suitable Boy, based on the critically acclaimed book by Vikram Seth (starring Ishaan Khatter, Tabu, Tanya Maniktala, Rasika Dugal, Shahana Goswami and Ram Kapoor), which will be available on Netflix globally except in the United States and Canada. They join the lineup of upcoming series including the delightful Masaba Masaba (starring Masaba Gupta and Neena Gupta as themselves with Neil Bhoopalam); Bombay Begums, a contemporary drama (featuring Pooja Bhatt, Amruta Subhash, Shahana Goswami, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand) and a fun dramedy Bhaag Beanie Bhaag (earlier titled Messy, starring Swara Bhasker, Ravi Patel, Dolly Singh and Varun Thakur).
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
