iWorld
Twitter India launches #PowerOf18 initiative for youth civic engagement
MUMBAI: Voting rights emerged as the top response when asked what people would consider the power of turning 18 years old, according to a new survey from Twitter India. With this empowering insight, Twitter is launching today a social initiative called #PowerOf18 aimed at encouraging the youth of India to contribute to public debate and participate in civic engagement in the upcoming election season. Supported by Twitter’s mission to serve the public conversation, the initiative was launched by Jack Dorsey, CEO & Co-Founder, Twitter and Maya Hari, Vice-President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Twitter in a Townhall chat with the students of IIT Delhi today. The campaign launch is marked by an emoji activated by the #PowerOf18 hashtag.
Thank you IIT! pic.twitter.com/2Jk8J3TL0N
— jack (@jack) November 12, 2018
The research conducted with over 3,600 respondents aged 18 – 30 year olds, comprising Twitter and non-Twitter users, focused on people’s attitude in India in shaping the political and social environment. The survey found an overwhelming 94% of respondents indicating that they would vote in the upcoming elections. 87% of Indians surveyed believe that voting makes you a responsible citizen and more than half (53%) are voting because they want to make a difference.
The study also pointed towards the rising importance of social media for information consumption. 57% of youth surveyed would turn to social media to find out what’s happening in India and around the world, a percentage higher than all other mediums including newspapers. 69% of Twitter users surveyed always stay up to date with political news and events versus 44% of non-Twitter users.
Additionally, the survey found Twitter users more engaged in civic discussion versus non-Twitter users. 59% of Twitter users actively engage with and raise concerns to the government on issues that affect them or their community versus 37% of non-Twitter users. Two in three Indian Twitter users believe that they are contributing to the public debate by posting on Twitter.
In relation, Twitter India aims to encourage the youth of India with #PowerOf18 to leverage the platform for public conversation and vote for the future they seek. As part of the initiative, Twitter is kickstarting the initiative with an online video series on @TwitterIndia featuring young personalities across India such as Indian singer Jassie Gill (@JassieGill), Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen (@Nikhat_Zareen), writer, poet and #MeTooIndia voice Mahima Kukreja (@AGirlOfHerWords), sharing about their inspirations and their view of #PowerOf18. Twitter seeks to work with more like-minded partners and personalities to create awareness of the importance of voting.
Embeddable Tweet Link: https://twitter.com/TwitterIndia/status/1061882529236557824
Announcing the initiative at IIT Delhi today, Maya Hari, Vice-President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Twitter said, “Our philanthropic mission is to make the world a better place by harnessing the positive power of Twitter. Our company embraces this mission by focusing our support where we can make the greatest impact. Today, we launch #PowerOf18 to encourage the youth of India in taking your place as changemakers and join the most important public conversation for the country – the state and national elections.”
The #PowerOf18 campaign launch at IIT Delhi, concluded with a Q&A round where students had the opportunity to submit their questions to Jack with #PowerOf18.
Embeddable Tweet Link: https://twitter.com/jack/status/1061854329789968384
Several questions focused around Twitter’s role in shaping society and culture, youth activism, upcoming general elections and the importance of voting were raised during the Townhall at IIT Delhi:
In light of India’s rapidly transforming online news & social networking infrastructure- what role should twitter be playing as a market leader & trend setter- in addressing the crucial questions of enhanced economic & social access? @jack @TwitterLive #PowerOf18 @edciitdelhi
— Abhishek Agrawal (@abhi_iitdelhi) November 10, 2018
@jack @Twitter #powerof18 though social media has been a game changer it has introduced a new kind of addiction making people glued to their cell & constant need for likes & followers your views on the same?
— hartejjh sethi (@hartejjh) November 11, 2018
Given the upcoming 2019 general elections in India, what steps are social networking giants taking to curb the spread of fake news? #PowerOf18
— shivang seth (@sseth_07) November 11, 2018
What do you think, us students at 19, should do to have better chances of being successful? @jack @edc_iitd #PowerOf18
— Abhi (@abhiaj98) November 11, 2018
@edciitdelhi question from @jack for IIT Delhi session:
How do you compare the youth of India with youth of America in terms of its activeness in tweeting about social and political environment of their respective countries.#PowerOf18 #IITD— Tanuj Gupta (@tanujkgupta) November 10, 2018
Twitter will be fuelling #PowerOf18 conversations through @TwitterIndia as part of this initiative. #PowerOf18 will serve as a resource for all young Indians to find more information about the elections, support social causes they are passionate about, and join the public conversation. The platform aims to engage more young people in India to contribute to public debate and work with like-minded partners that share the same objective of encouraging civic engagement among the youth.
The nationwide survey was conducted with 3,622 youth respondents from India between 24 September – 19 October 2018. The survey methodology qualifies the respondents as minimally secondary literate, aged between 18 – 30 years old.
Follow #PowerOf18 and @TwitterIndia to be a part of the conversation and community.
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
