iWorld
Filmfare Awards to simulcast on Facebook globally
MUMBAI: Worldwide Media, India’s leading lifestyle and entertainment content company, has entered into a strategic partnership with Facebook for its iconic Filmfare Awards Franchise. The year-long partnership will provide exclusive non-linear digital simulcast partnership to the entire Filmfare awards franchise including Filmfare Hindi, Filmfare Marathi, Filmfare South, Filmfare Punjabi and Filmfare Glamour and Style Awards in 2020.
Kickstarting the association with 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards, the awards show will simulcast on February 16 at 9.00pm on Filmfare’s official Facebook page, in addition to red carpet highlights, backstage footage, special moments and best of Filmfare archive content, that will be exclusively available digitally on Facebook and Instagram.
Ensuring enhanced reach and innovative content, 65-year old iconic Bollywood awards, will now harness the global reach of social media. Speaking about its partnership with Facebook, Worldwide Media CEO Deepak Lamba said, “Filmfare Awards has for a while now been clear market leader in audience reach and engagement driven by our TV coverage, leveraging our large digital and social platforms, and via extensive news reportage by the TOI group. We are also excited because we will leverage the various FB tools to drive like-minded communities of Bollywood buffs to discuss, debate and enjoy topics and content of similar interest levels. It will enable them to talk about the world of movies, favourite stars and artists all year around, centered around exciting content that the Filmfare team creates.”
“Social media is revolutionizing the way audiences discover, consume and share entertainment content. We have seen people form some of the most vibrant global communities around their favorite movies and stars on Facebook and Instagram. We are excited to partner with Filmfare to bring exclusive and engaging videos, photos and more for people on our platforms.” added Facebook India director and head of partnerships Manish Chopra.
As part of #FilmfareOnFB this year, Filmfare has launched its official Facebook group “All Things Filmfare'', where fans from around the world can relive iconic moments of the Filmfare legacy and can discuss their favorite Filmfare moments. Fans can also join in on the #FilmfareOnFB buzz. This year, over 30 creators will also join in the pre-Filmfare anticipation, talking about their favorite Filmfare moments, of which five creators will get to be on the Filmfare Red Carpet and backstage, to create exclusive content for Facebook and Instagram.
iWorld
WhatsApp tests ‘WhatsApp Plus’ paid subscription tier
€2.49 plan adds customisation tools, messaging and calls remain free.
MUMBAI: Your chats may soon get a glow-up at a small monthly price. WhatsApp is testing a new paid subscription tier called ‘WhatsApp Plus’, signalling a shift towards premium personalisation features while keeping its core services free. The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited set of Android beta users, with early reports from WABetaInfo indicating a price of €2.49 per month (approximately Rs 274). Meta has confirmed the test, stating that it is designed for users who want more control over how they customise and organise their app experience.
Importantly, the subscription remains optional. Core functionalities including messaging, voice calls and community features will continue to be available free of charge, ensuring that the platform’s primary use case remains unchanged.
Instead, WhatsApp Plus focuses on aesthetic and organisational upgrades. These include exclusive sticker packs, new themes, custom app icons and personalised notification tones. On the functional side, subscribers may be able to pin up to 20 chats significantly higher than the current limit of three along with access to custom chat lists and enhanced categorisation tools.
Industry observers suggest the offering is largely cosmetic. Social media consultant Matt Navarra noted that the features lean more towards visual and usability enhancements rather than altering the app’s core functionality.
While global pricing has not been finalised, the subscription is expected to remain a low-cost monthly plan, with reports indicating a possible one-month free trial for eligible users. The feature is still in beta, meaning the final set of offerings could evolve before a broader rollout. Support for iOS users is also anticipated in the coming weeks.
The move mirrors a broader trend in the social and messaging ecosystem, where platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram have introduced similar subscription layers adding premium features without placing core services behind a paywall.
For WhatsApp, the strategy appears clear, keep the conversation free, but charge for a little extra flair around it.
