MAM
aha collaborates with Sprite for its new campaign featuring Keerthi Suresh
Mumbai: The leading regional OTT platform, aha has partnered with Sprite in a co-branded partnership that is the first of its kind in Telugu-speaking states. The partnership includes a campaign entitled “Friday Night is perfect with Sprite and aha-100 per cent Telugu Entertainment,” featuring national award-winning actress Keerthi Suresh.
It was launched with the idea of positioning Sprite as the preferred drink during OTT consumption on Fridays. Consumers can buy the Sprite bottles carrying the aha logo and scan the QR code to access 24 hours of free aha’s unlimited entertainment.
This offer is exclusive to consumers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for a limited period. The ad film runs around how Keerthi is dodging her parents’ plan to attend a wedding just to chill at home watching a movie on aha with Sprite. The central insight in this campaign is how critical the Friday fix is for young consumers these days and how aha and Sprite give you that fix.
Launched with a promise to provide non-stop entertainment, this partnership will be instrumental in allowing the audience in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to access the high-quality local content offered by aha and experience the entertainment in their native language. Viewers can watch over 250 films, including blockbusters like Bheemla Nayak, the DJ Tilluseries, and original shows like Dance Ikon and Unstoppable, for free for the first 24 hours before choosing from the platform’s multiple subscriptions.
Commenting on this partnership, aha CEO Ajit K. Thakur said, “At aha, we have always tried disruptive innovations to reach our consumers and make 100 per cent local entertainment accessible. We are happy to partner with a leading brand like Sprite to bring great consumer delight. Our audience can access unlimited Telugu content for free by the mere scan of a QR code on a sprite bottle. We are confident that with partnerships like this, we can bring 100 per cent Telugu entertainment closer to Telugu-speaking audiences where they are.”
Adding to it, aha head of non-subscription revenue Nitin Burman said, “We are thrilled to be working with the prestigious beverage brand Sprite. Sprite’s presence and strong emphasis on entertainment will make it possible for local consumer markets to function by providing appropriate entertainment at affordable prices. This collaboration will allow aha subscribers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to watch their favourite films, series, and shows on aha gold from the comfort of their own homes.”
Speaking on this engagement and co-branded campaign with aha, Keerthy Suresh said, “I am excited to be associated with aha Telugu. This aha and Sprite partnership is innovative and helps Telugu audiences consume much more entertainment than before.”
Brands
Ezeepay’s Banking Mitras fuel rural jobs and digital reach
Fintech network widens access, backs women entrepreneurs
MUMBAI: Ezeepay is taking banking to the back roads and bylanes, turning small shops into digital lifelines for communities that often sit outside the formal financial grid. Through its expanding Banking Mitra network, the fintech platform is not only delivering essential services to rural and semi urban pockets, it is also quietly stitching together new livelihoods along the way.
At the heart of the push is a simple idea. Equip local retailers with digital tools, and they become the neighbourhood’s go to counter for banking, payments, and insurance. From Aadhaar enabled withdrawals and domestic money transfers to bill payments and micro insurance, these outlets now offer a mini bank experience where traditional branches are few and far between.
The ripple effect is visible in the form of self employment. As the network grows across tier 2, tier 3, and rural India, it is opening doors for thousands of small entrepreneurs. Women, in particular, are stepping into the role of Banking Mitras, turning kirana counters and small retail points into hubs of financial activity.
Ezeepay co-founder and chief executive Shams Tabrej, said the network is designed to do more than just process transactions. He noted that the initiative is helping women entrepreneurs gain confidence in fintech tools, strengthen their businesses, and create sustainable sources of income in their communities.
The effort also aligns with the government’s She Mart announcement in the Union Budget 2026, which aims to promote women led enterprises and self help group businesses. Ezeepay’s approach combines digital infrastructure, financial literacy training, and income opportunities, giving local retailers the tools to grow while bringing more people into the formal financial system.
With its last mile model, the company is betting that the next wave of digital adoption will not come from big cities, but from the country’s smaller towns and villages. And if its Banking Mitras have their way, the future of finance may arrive not through a bank branch, but across the counter of the local shop.
