iWorld
Ready to Anime? Rashmika & Shubman Level Up Crunchyroll
Broadband grows 0.37 per cent to 1007.35 million subscribers.
MUMBAI: Anime isn’t just sneaking into India’s living rooms any more, it’s bursting through the door with a celebrity double act that’s hard to ignore. Crunchyroll has launched its cheeky new India campaign, “Ready to Anime?”, starring actor Rashmika Mandanna and cricket star Shubman Gill in a two-part ad film that perfectly captures how Japanese animation has gone from niche obsession to everyday entertainment staple.
The first spot drops during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with extra airtime woven into Shark Tank India Season 5 on Sony Liv. The second film is lined up for the IPL season, ensuring anime stays front and centre across live sport, streaming binges and casual viewing moments.
The storyline is delightfully simple yet spot-on. On a shoot set, anime enthusiast Rashmika enthusiastically pitches Solo Leveling to Shubman. He nods politely… then keeps glancing at his phone. Everyone assumes he’s distracted until the reveal: he’s completely hooked, streaming on Crunchyroll. Message received: once anime grabs you, good luck stepping away.
Rashmika brings genuine super-fan energy, while Shubman plays the perfect relatable newcomer, bridging longtime otakus and curious first-timers. Together they mirror how anime is crossing over from dedicated fandom into broader cultural chat.
A 2025 National Research Group study (commissioned by Crunchyroll) backs up the buzz, 62 per cent of general entertainment consumers in India say they “love” or “like” Japanese anime. Among teenagers the figure rockets to 74 per cent, making them the most passionate age bracket by far.
Crunchyroll vice president of regional marketing Raúl González Bernal called the pairing a natural fit. “Anime is evolving into a normal part of daily entertainment in India,” he said, noting how the campaign uses two massive influencers from film and sport to show its widening appeal across interests and backgrounds.
Tilt Brand Solutions (under Quotient Ventures) crafted the campaign, with production handled by Studioq. It will roll out across TV, connected TV, digital platforms and social media nationwide.
On the service side, Crunchyroll offers more than 900 anime titles in India, including over 160 dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. New episodes land the same day they air in Japan, with subscriptions kicking off at just Rs 99 per month.
In a market where global pop culture keeps finding fresh footholds, this campaign proves anime isn’t waiting for permission to become mainstream, it’s already here, phone in hand, ready for the next binge.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
