iWorld
Chingari strikes music licensing deal with Koinage Records
NEW DELHI: To make its presence felt in the world of new age music, Indian short video app Chingari has announced its collaboration with popular music label Koinage Records. Under the licensing deal, all the released and upcoming tracks of the record label will be now available to Chingari users to create content on the platform.
Koinage Records is known for producing multiple genres of music content with a focus on delivering music for every genre and age. The Delhi-based music label not only intends to collaborate with known artists from the industry but with independent artists across the country.
"We intend to bring forth original content in the independent music space by identifying the right talent and provide them an opportunity to showcase their talent at the highest level,” said Koinage Records business director Ramit Bhat. "With our collaboration with Chingari, we feel our vision to bring forth multi-genre music content will get the right and wider audience.”
Chingari founder Sumit Ghosh said the partnership with Koinage would create a wave among youth in India.
"This collaboration further substantiates Chingari to provide content that’s in sync with the preference of youth in India. Last week, we happily announced Salman Khan as our official brand ambassador and investor. I hope these high-impact collaborations and campaigns will help us impel more audience," added Ghosh.
He went on to say that the start-up’s future outlook is to "continue being the most favourable and most preferred platform to connect with brands, artists, production houses, music labels, and online users like never before, and our ethos to reach out to across every state of Bharat."
Chingari co-founder and COO Deepak Salvi remarked that this alliance will not only help the short form video app to localise content in every language but also help the companies mutually benefit from the perks that come along with the deal.
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.
