iWorld
ALTBalaji starts mid-Apr, ties up with Micromax & Mobikwik
MUMBAI: The digital platform of Balaji Telefilms, ALT Balaji has announced a strategic partnership with a mobile brand Micromax to help its users get access to exclusive ALTBalaji content and mobile wallet Mobikwik.
The global on entertainment platform ALTBalaji, will offer 250 hours of original content and subscribers can now avail 25 per cent cashback while paying for the service using MobiKwik wallet. The partnership will provide an easy payment facility to MobiKwik’s 55 million registered users to enjoy ALTBalaji.
Speaking on the partnership, ALT Digital Media Entertainment limited CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya said, “With the partnership of Micromax, we will take our repository of original shows, exclusively available on ALTBalaji to the urban masses. Our ALTBalaji app would be bundled on Micromax devices for frictionless download experience, for them to enjoy over 250 hours of original, exclusive content. Micromax will distribute these original shows to its 30 million users via its digital properties. This collaboration makes ALTBalaji the only original digital content generation platform to reach viewers on such a massive scale.”
He further added on partnership, with Mobikwik, “With a vision to create a better consumer experience, the partnership with MobiKwik will facilitate frictionless connection between our subscribers and ALTBalaji. This convenient payment option will allow our consumers to subscribe to our original and exclusive content with ease. We are glad that MobiKwik which is a pioneer in the wallets business will open a new consumer base to our service.”
ALTBalaji, the subscription based digital entertainment platform, will be commercially available from mid-April. The app will be launched with six new shows and will be followed with a new show every 15 days for its viewers to binge watch. The content is created by some of the best talents of Indian Entertainment industry including critically acclaimed directors and actors. The long illustrious list of artists comprises of Nagesh Kukunoor, Juhi Chawla, Nimrat Kaur, Rajkumar Rao, Hansal Mehta, Sakshi Tanwar, Ram Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, Sameer Soni, Yudhishtar Urs, Dipannita Sharma Atwal, and more.
By joining forces together, ALTBalaji and Micromax are attempting to change the way digital content is consumed in India. Created to provide an alternative to mainstream Indian entertainment & TV content, ALTBalaji will bring fresh & interesting stories to audiences in varied genres. The platform will offer more than 250 hours of original content in the first year of it’s launch.
MobiKwik also powers payments for the IRCTC service and can target the users based on the long distance rail tickets that they have purchased, allowing ALTBalaji to offer the service to these customers who are otherwise starved of entertainment or must consume the same content available elsewhere.
MobiKwik business head Bikram Bir Singh said, “This association is in line with our endeavor to make MobiKwik payments ubiquitous.”
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
