Digital
Balaji’s stars align as Astro Guide app rockets past 250k downloads
MUMBAI: The stars didn’t just align, they stampeded. Balaji Telefilms’ newest digital venture, Balaji Astro Guide, has blasted past 250,000 downloads within 24 hours of its launch announcement, marking one of the fastest-scaling app debuts by an Indian entertainment studio and signalling that the cosmic craze is very much alive and swiping.
What began as a routine launch post by Ektaa R Kapoor, joint MD of Balaji Telefilms ltd, quickly turned into an unplanned stress test. The announcement triggered traffic surges 2–3 times higher than the company’s projected benchmarks, pushing servers briefly off balance before engineers stabilised and restored full performance. If the universe was sending a message, it seemed to be: prepare for liftoff.
Within hours, Astro Guide climbed the charts, securing a top spot on the iOS Free App (Lifestyle) category. The momentum places Balaji squarely within the high-frequency, high-retention world of digital astrology, one of India’s fastest-growing consumer tech categories, fuelled by a blend of cultural tradition, daily ritual, and algorithm-friendly recurrency.
For Kapoor, the early numbers weren’t just encouraging; they were affirming. “Astrology is a deeply personal and culturally rooted category. Our aim is to bring authenticity and trust. The early traction has validated our creative and product direction,” she said, crediting the surge to a market hungry for credible astro-led guidance wrapped in a modern UI.
Balaji’s leadership believes the app is more than a shiny new toy in the digital universe, it’s a strategic shift. Sanjay Dwivedi, Group CEO and CFO, noted that the response had surpassed even the company’s upper-case scenarios, adding that the astrology and spiritual wellness segment represents a large, recurring-use category.
“We expect this to become a meaningful contributor to our digital revenue over the next 12–18 months,” he said.
Astro Guide now sits at the intersection of content, culture, and consumer-tech, signalling Balaji Telefilms’ ambition to expand beyond traditional entertainment into scalable, long-term digital IP. With its blistering first 24 hours and clear appetite from users, the app appears well on its way to becoming the company’s next major digital engine, one that’s reading charts while rewriting them.
Digital
Truecaller opens Business Chat platform to global partners and enterprises
Expansion aims to replace SMS with trusted, rich and conversational messaging
MUMBAI: Truecaller has expanded access to its Business Chat platform, opening it up to global channel partners and enterprise solution providers as it looks to reshape how businesses connect with customers.
The move allows partners worldwide to offer the platform to enterprise clients, enabling a shift away from traditional SMS towards a more interactive, verified and media-rich communication experience. The company is positioning this as a higher-trust alternative in an increasingly cluttered digital landscape.
With over 500 million active users globally, Truecaller is betting on its scale and daily engagement to give brands a more direct and credible way to reach consumers. The platform supports contextual conversations, real-time insights and engagement metrics, allowing businesses to fine-tune communication across the customer journey.
“The definition of success for modern enterprises has evolved. It’s no longer just about delivery but about earning attention and driving meaningful engagement,” said Truecaller global head, GTM Priyam Bose. He added that opening the platform to partners creates a gateway for brands to connect with users in a more trusted and action-oriented environment.
The expansion is already underway, with partners such as Gupshup and OneXtel live in India, while Globe Teleservices, Cloudcom and Sling Africa are driving adoption in international markets.
By equipping partners with data-driven tools and a conversational interface, Truecaller aims to help businesses cut through noise and build stronger customer relationships. The platform also promises a cleaner, more secure interaction layer, addressing long-standing concerns around spam and trust in business messaging.
As enterprises rethink customer engagement in a post-SMS world, Truecaller’s latest push signals a clear ambition to become a central player in conversational commerce.
