iWorld
ZEE5 annnounces its latest marquee original – poison
MUMBAI: After the success of shows like Rangbaaz, The Final Call,Karenjit Kaur – The Untold Story of Sunny Leone, ZEE5 now announces its latest marquee original – POISON. Starring Arbaaz Khan,Tanuj Virwani, Freddy Daruwala and Riya Sen in lead roles, the ten episode web seriespremieres on 19th April. Produced by Altus Media, directed by Jatin Wagle and written by Shiraz Ahmed, the show is a dark mystery thriller with multi-layered characters, each having their own hidden agendas.
Set in Goa, the story kicks off when Ranveer (played by Tanuj Virwani), a man who has just come out of jail after serving a sentence, starts of on a journey of danger, intrigue and secrets with a thirst for revenge. It depicts a man on a mission; so focused that he won’t let anything distract him or get in his way, neither the beautiful beaches of Goa and the life there, nor love.
Speaking about the show,Jatin Wagle, Director, said, “The web medium has given wings to content that cannot be shown in a two or three-hour format and needs a longer duration format for bringing alive the story. I am glad that I had the backing of a platform like ZEE5 and the cast who had the confidence to present the show the way I had envisioned it.”
Manish Aggarwal, Business Head, ZEE5 India said, “All our marquee originals have been well received by the audience – both in terms of views and subscriptions. Today, we are the fastest growing OTT platform in the country and are committed to bringing intriguing and gripping stories for our subscribers. Poison is an edge-of-your-seat thriller which will appeal mainly to the male audience across the 18-34 age group. With a strong script and a brilliant cast, we are confident that it will take the subscribers on a thrilling ride this summer.”
With over 3500 films, 500+ TV shows, 4000+ music videos, 35+ theatre plays and 90+ LIVE TV Channels across 12 languages, ZEE5 truly presents a blend of unrivalled content offering for its viewers across the nation and worldwide. With ZEE5, the global content of Zindagi as a brand, which was widely appreciated across the country, has also been brought back for its loyal viewers.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
