e-commerce
Paytm Insider announces its new theatre initiative, ‘Front & Centre’
NEW DELHI: India’s leading entertainment ticketing platform, Paytm Insider is set to deliver theatre experiences digitally with its new initiative, ‘Front & Centre’. Created keeping in mind storytellers as well as theatre-lovers, this initiative aims to bring the experience of theatre alive, online.
‘Front & Centre’ is launching with a showcase of notable plays Every Brilliant Thing by QTP and Iti Ninna Amrita (Kannada) by Rangashankara Theatre in July, followed in August by One on One – Unlocked by Rage Productions, Timeloss produced by Akvarious Productions and Doppelganger by The Company Theatre. A key focus for Paytm Insider with this is bringing theatre productions in regional languages from across India in the spotlight. The plays currently featured are in Hindi, English and Kannada and more productions in other languages will continue to be added.
Paytm Insider CEO, Shreyas Srinivasan, adds “Over the last year, we’ve brought several exciting theatre productions forward including plays by Aadyam, Salim-Suleiman’s Umrao Jaan and storytelling works by Kommune. The launch of Front & Centre reaffirms our investment in strengthening the vibrant theatre ecosystem in India.”
‘Front & Centre’ has conducted its first workshops with sessions on Audio Drama with Frederick Greenhalgh, Scriptwriting with Carl Miller, and Comedy writing with Anuvab Pal. With these workshops, Paytm Insider aims to provide a lens into the art of theatre for those already in the field, and even for those stepping into it. Paytm Insider is supported on this initiative by Shernaz Patel and Nadir Khan, using decades of their experience to re-imagine theatre for the digital world.
Speaking on the IP, Creative consultant, Front & Centre, Nadir Khan, said, “Lockdowns and social-distancing provide much disturbance to a form that is meant to be consumed live and is essentially a dialogue between a performer and a live audience. At its very core, however, theatre is about story-telling. Stories that need to be told and need to be heard. Stories that excite, entertain, provoke, educate and inspire. With Front & Centre, we’re hoping to provide a home for theatre practitioners to continue doing just that, albeit online for now. It’s a new medium, really, and the challenges that come with that are both exciting and daunting. I’m very happy, therefore, that Paytm Insider has decided to dive head-first into it with Front & Centre and has allowed me to be a part of that journey. I’m certain that this will help Indian theatre to continue to work, grow, collaborate, innovate, stay relevant, engage and (most of all) continue that dialogue between the performer and audience.”
Speaking on the IP, Creative consultant, Front & Centre, Shernaz Patel – "If I had been told three months ago that the internet would be my new stage and the sofa my new auditorium I would have laughed disbelievingly. I am a purist. I thrive on the live and immediate thrill of theatre and shy away from technology. And yet like it or not here we are. I could have hibernated. But Insider’s Front & Centre came along at the right time and made me embrace this new normal. Because it’s a platform that understands that theatre is vital. That theatre is where compelling stories get told. That theatre has a unique place in our collective culture to educate, inspire and entertain."
Speaking on the launch, Paytm Insider Business Head Live entertainment (IPs & Partnerships) – Varun Khare said, “As large gatherings to watch theatre productions remain a thing of the distant future and live performing arts are adopting a new alternative of moving online. We're working hard to create a sustainable ecosystem for artists, producers, promoters & all those behind the scenes to come together to continue entertaining fans across the country. We strive to make it a great alternative medium to entertain fans. With Front & Centre, we hope to (re)connect fans with the power of theatre and storytelling.”
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
