iWorld
ZEE5 unveils their biggest Bengali Original, ‘Sharate Aaj’ for Bangladeshi audiences on 21st February
MUMBAI: ZEE5 today unveils its third and biggest Bengali original web-series ‘Sharate Aaj’. Shot completely in London, the show traces the lives of a close-knit Bengali community getting set to bring in the festive cheer of Pujo when they are hit by a terror attack conspiracy. Will love and humanity triumph over hate and will the true spirit of Durga Puja prevail?
Renowned Actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay who also produced Kaali, ZEE5’s first Bengali Original web-series, is now directing Sharate Aaj and also acting in it. The power-packed star cast includes Payel Sarkar, Riddhi Sen, Surangana Bandyopadhyay and Joydeep Mukherjee. The show is also high on the music quotient featuring a mix of Rabindra Sangeet and folk songs.
Parambrata Chattopadhyay said, “It feels good to be associated with ZEE5 for the second time. Working with this platform gives me the freedom to think creative and try different concepts. Sharate Aaj is the story of identity crisis, cultural bonding and a terror threat, making the show an edge-of-the-seat thriller. The show is completely shot in London and showcases the vibrant Bengali culture present in the city. I am really excited that this show is available globally on ZEE5. I know that this will especially strike a chord with audiences in Bangladesh, a country I have a strong association with.”
“At ZEE5, we’re constantly pushing the envelope to create shows across languages that strike a strong chord with our audiences across the globe, and we have a fabulous line-up of 72 such shows over the coming year. ‘Sharate Aaj’ is a new marquee show that explores the strong cultural thread that connects Bengalis all over the world and brings them together. With its stellar star cast, we’re sure that it will resonate strongly with our audiences in Bangladesh.” said Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer – ZEE5 Global
Other Originals lined up for February by ZEE5 include The Final Call, starring Arjun Rampal in his digital debut as a suicidal pilot on duty and Abhay, starring Kunal Kemmu playing an investigative officer in the first procedural format crime thriller. ZEE5 Original Rangbaaz is also now available in Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi and Malayalam.
With over 1,00,000 hours of Indian TV Shows, Movies, Cineplays and Videos, ZEE5 offers the largest bouquet of content across 12 languages to South Asian audiences across the globe. ZEE5 also offers 60+ popular Live TV channels, including ZEE’s best loved channels.
ZEE5 is available on Google Play Store, iOS App Store, www.ZEE5.com as well as on Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TV, Android TVs and Amazon Fire TV.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
