iWorld
ZEE5 premieres Tamil silent thriller ‘Mercury’
MUMBAI: ZEE5, one of India’s leading digital video on demand platforms, has been consistently setting the audience expectations higher with new digital premieres every week, fresh off the theatre. This week, to fortify its content library even further, ZEE5 premieres Tamil film Mercury, a silent thriller written and directed by renowned film maker Karthik Subbaraj. Mercury has a power packed star cast including Prabhu Deva, Remya Nambeesan, Sananth Reddy, Narendran, Deepak Paramesh, Shashank Purushotham and Anish Padmanabhan.
Mercury revolves around five friends who try to cover up a death of the friend who accidently died of mercury poisoning. Problem arises when the dead friend comes out of his grave! Will he take revenge? What is the truth behind his death?
Click here to watch the film: https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/mercury/0-0-6916
Manish Aggarwal, Business Head, ZEE5 India said, “ZEE5 has witnessed unchartered growth in regional markets. We have strengthened our Tamil portfolio with interesting originals like Kallachirippu and America Mappillai along with latest movies. With a gripping narrative, differentiator of a ‘silent thriller’ and a stellar cast, Karthik Subbaraj’s Mercury clearly stands out. We hope that with this launch on the platform, audiences will enjoy the film again with new vigor.”
Karthik Subbaraj, Director, Mercury, commented, “The positive response that my maiden digital venture Kallachirippu received on ZEE5 gave me the confidence that bringing my movie Mercury to ZEE5 straight after the theatre would be an interesting format. With the digital premiere of Mercury on the platform on 11th October, the audience will be delighted to use ZEE5 as their first preference for Tamil entertainment. I am confident that with the massive reach of ZEE5, Mercury will be seen and loved by many more viewers.”
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. 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.
Availability: The ZEE5 App can be downloaded from Googl Play Store http://bit.ly/zee5 and iOS App Store http://bit.ly/zee5ios. Also available at www.zee5.com, as a Progressive Web App (PWA), and on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick. ZEE5 also supports Chromecast.
Pricing: Freemium pricing model with both free and paid premium content (including Originals) to cater to a mix of audiences. Viewers who subscribe to the ZEE5 subscription pack will get access to the entire library of content using the limited period special subscription offer – 99/- for 2 months and 499/- for a year. Offer valid till 31st October.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
