iWorld
Cyber threats loom in Special Ops 2 trailer
MUMBAI: JioHotstar has plugged in with the trailer for Special Ops Season 2, signalling the electrifying return of Kay Kay Menon as the redoubtable R&AW officer Himmat Singh. This time, the stakes are not just high, they’re sky-high, as the series pivots to a perilous cyber front.
Created and directed by Neeraj Pandey, who also serves as a writer for the series, alongside Deepak Kingrani and Benazir Ali Fida, the show’s cinematography was handled by Sudheer Palsane, Arvind Singh, and Praveen Kathikuloth.
Under the keen eye of director Shivam Nair, the new season plunges audiences into a volatile geopolitical skirmish. Wars, it seems, are no longer confined to muddy battlegrounds but are now waged in the digital ether, with the enemy lurking in plain sight. Himmat and his crack squad face a silent, insidious war – one of coordinated cyber breaches that threaten to dismantle national stability without a whisper of warning or a single visible scar. It’s a battle for the very soul of the nation, folks.
A sterling ensemble cast, including Prakash Raj, Vinay Pathak, Karan Tacker, Saiyami Kher, Muzammil Ibrahim, Gautami Kapoor, Parmeet Sethi, and Kali Prasad Mukherjee, lend their considerable talents, adding layers of intensity to this high-octane narrative.
The Grand Hyatt Mumbai played host to the grand unveiling, where the full cast mingled with the press. JioStar CMO & head-SVOD Sushant Sreeram, offered a fascinating insight into the streaming giant’s greenlighting philosophy. Addressing the perennial question of audience attachment to characters, Mr Sreeram mused that on-screen personas transcend mere viewing figures, becoming integral to a process. He elaborated, rather pointedly, that audiences seek inspiration, hope, or solace in these journeys, finding reflections of ‘either what we are or what we want to be.’
While JioHotstar boasts a ‘repertoire’ of ‘best characters’, their true vibrancy, he noted, stems from the collective genius of ‘writing it, to directing it, to the people who actually portray the characters,’ not forgetting the ‘fantastic teams at JioStar’ who bring them to the screen. In essence, he argued, these on-screen figures are but echoes of ‘our close relationships’, promising both familiarity and ‘surprise and, you know, delight’ this season.
JioHotstar, not one to miss a beat, shared the trailer on Instagram with a pithy caption: “This time, everyone is a Target! Cyber-Terrorism vs. Himmat Singh and his squad. #HotstarSpecials #SpecialOps2, streaming from July 11, only on #JioHotstar”.
https://www.instagram.com/jiohotstar
With a fresh antagonist in Tahir Raj Bhasin, and a global scale matched by razor-sharp performances, Special Ops Season 2 is set for a thrilling 11 July drop. Brace yourselves, because this time, the battlefield is everywhere!
iWorld
Frodoh, Chaupal introduce non-intrusive first-screen ads for OTT platforms
New ad-tech layer unlocks revenue without interrupting OTT viewing
MUMBAI: Frodoh has partnered with regional OTT platform Chaupal to roll out what it calls an industry-first “first-screen” monetisation framework, aimed at helping subscription-led streaming services generate additional revenue without interrupting content viewing.
The new model focuses on connected TV home screens, introducing ad formats that sit within the discovery layer rather than the content itself. In simple terms, viewers may notice subtle brand placements while browsing, but once they hit play, the experience remains ad-free.
The technology is designed to tap into high-attention areas such as session depth, viewing intent and discovery behaviour, turning previously unused interface space into monetisable real estate. For OTT platforms, this opens up a fresh revenue stream without diluting the premium experience that subscribers expect.
Chaupal chief executive officer Sandeep Bansal said the move balances growth with user trust. “By partnering with Frodoh, we are introducing a sophisticated ‘first-screen’ monetisation layer that integrates seamlessly into our UI, ensuring discovery remains native and non-intrusive while keeping content consumption ad-free.”
From Frodoh’s side, the pitch is clear: expand the ad pie without cluttering the screen. Frodoh founder and chief executive officer Russhabh R Thakkar said the framework creates a new category of advertising by unlocking high-visibility home screen inventory that was previously untapped.
Industry watchers see this as part of a broader shift in OTT monetisation strategies, especially as subscription platforms look to diversify revenue without risking churn. With connected TV usage rising steadily, the home screen is quickly becoming the next battleground for attention.
If the model scales, this partnership could signal a subtle but significant shift in how OTT platforms monetise, proving that sometimes, the most valuable ad space is the one you see before the show even begins.
