iWorld
Zakir Khan partners with Mech Mocha’s Jetpack Joyride for his new show, Chacha Humare Vidhayak Hain, premiering on Amazon Prime
MUMBAI: With smartphone gamers constantly on a rise in India, brands are turning to gamification for boosting adoption and user-engagement. Partnering with fun and popular mobile games allow brands to enjoy riveted attention of highly engaged users. By the same token, Zakir Khan has joined hands with Jetpack Joyride by Mech Mocha.
Zakir Khan’s first show will debut today on Prime Video, in tandem with Jetpack Joyride India, a mobile game by Mech Mocha, starring Zakir Khan. Zakir Khan’s character Ronnie Bhaiya will be a playable character, with players getting a chance to complete various challenges. Lucky winners of these challenges will be greeted by Zakir himself over video call and will receive autographed T-shirts.
Having shot to fame with his relatable persona of “Sakht Launda”, Zakir Khan has more than 2 Mn followers on YouTube. Recently launched Jetpack Joyride shot to fame with its one of a kind partnership with popular Youtuber such as Zakir Khan, Tanmay Bhat & Biswa Kalyan Rath. In less than a month, it has clocked up more than 1.5 Mn downloads.
Mech Mocha, developers of Jetpack Joyride have previously partnered with “Fukrey Returns” movie. Arpita Kapoor from Mech Mocha, developers of Jetpack Joyride added, “Brands have realised the potential of top-notch mobile games in offering highly engaged users in a controlled environment. Celebrity brand is no different and a growing number of brands are accessing this medium to expand their presence, across the board.”
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
