iWorld
Viu launches music-filled comedy on freedom of speech: ‘banned’
MUMBAI: Viu India, a leading OTT platform, is set to entertain Viuers with the launch of its recent most music-filled comedy series ‘Banned’. Produced by ‘Bodhi Tree’, the series will take audiences on the rollercoaster journey of four ‘Punjabi jatts’ who get stuck in a political conundrum for an antisocial act in their music video; putting the spotlight on freedom of speech.
The series includes songs by the talented singers from the Bollywood industry, Shashwat Singh and Vivek Hariharan. The star cast includes Paresh Pahuja, Sheetal Thakur, Sahil Anand, Deepak Kalra, Vivek Mushran among others.
Commenting on the launch, Bimal Unnikrishnan, Head Content – Viu India said, “Our original series Banned focuses on freedom of speech. We pick subjects which focus on the topics that are interesting to millennials today and bring them to life with storylines that are engaging and fresh.”
Embark on this journey of ‘Banned’ every Friday, only on Viu.
e-commerce
Instamart gold dig event at Hussain Sagar goes viral
Hyderabad activation ties to gold price lock offer ahead of Akshaya Tritiya
MUMBAI: All that glitters isn’t just gold, it’s also great marketing. A quirky on-ground activation by Instamart at Hussain Sagar Lake has turned into a viral spectacle, with videos of people digging for gold coins flooding social media feeds this week. The campaign, executed in collaboration with Moms, transformed a patch of the city’s iconic lakefront into what online users quickly dubbed a “mini gold rush”. Armed with spades, participants dug through a mud-filled pit in search of hidden gold coins, an activity that drew crowds, cameras and plenty of commentary online, ranging from amused disbelief to outright fascination.
At the heart of the frenzy was a promotional push for Instamart’s ‘Gold Price Lock’ feature, which allows users to secure prevailing gold rates between April 10 and April 16 and complete their purchase later during Akshaya Tritiya, a period traditionally associated with high gold buying. The mechanic cleverly blended physical participation with digital conversion, turning curiosity into a potential transaction.
Branded as ‘Gold Diggers’, the activation leaned into gamified engagement. Those who struck lucky walked away with coins, those who didn’t were nudged with a simple message: lock the price now, buy later. The result was a steady stream of footfall and a surge in user-generated content, as onlookers and participants alike documented the spectacle.
The timing is significant. India remains one of the world’s largest consumers of gold, with demand peaking around Akshaya Tritiya. Data from the World Gold Council suggests the festival alone accounts for roughly 25–30 tonnes of gold purchases annually, making it a high-stakes window for brands looking to tap into consumer sentiment.
As the ‘Gold Price Lock’ feature remains live until April 16, the campaign has already done its job turning a simple product feature into a citywide moment. Because sometimes, the quickest way to get people talking about gold isn’t to sell it, it’s to make them dig for it.
