iWorld
Dekkho claims 200% m-o-m growth in first quarter, fastest growing short-format app
MUMBAI: Dekkho, a leading online video streaming platform, has released statistics on its performance, indicating an impressive first quarter for the newly launched brand. The platform has emerged as India’s fastest growing app in the short-format video segment, achieving a whopping 200% month-on-month growth.
Within only a span of three months since its launch, Dekkho’s network has touched over 1,000,000 unique visitors without any ATL marketing campaigns.
Dekkho also received 1000+ reviews with an average rating of 4.6 on the Play Store. Dekkho is available both on iOS and Android.
Having launched its beta version in December 2016, Dekkho went live at the end of February 2017 on iOS, Android and the web. Through its mobile-first strategy, the platform is actively tapping the growing number of smartphone users in the country and offering them the most accessible entertainment options. This is evident in the fact that more than 90% of users on Dekkho consume content through mobile devices. Dekkho aims to take independent creators, which constitute 85% of the video production market to multiple distribution channels, including its native apps, website, affiliate websites, OEMs and Telecom players. The platform focuses on driving a simplified browsing and viewing experience for its users by bringing them the most relevant content through peer group recommendations as well as by matching it with their viewing preferences. In addition, features like sharing videos on social media and artist interactions drive the highest number of young users to the platform with nearly 33%+ users belonging to the 25-34 years age segment. Dekkho is monetised by video advertising, which is currently dominated by Facebook and Google, and is slated to become a Rs 20,000 crore market by 2020.
Dekkho co-founder Tanay Desai said, “Our prime focus has been user retention and engagement through interactive features. We have outdone most short-format peers through superior delivery of video. We are investing in content licensing and upscaling technology infrastructure to offer users with a selection of highly engaging and new-age content on a smart platform. We have creators across music, food, fashion, travel, comedy, lifestyle and fitness. Dekkho feels the pulse of the audience in terms of snackable video and aims to become the default destination for short-format video across multiple languages. Moreover, our collaborations with content creators, telecom operators and equipment manufacturers provide fully customized solutions to meet a user’s daily need for a premium viewing experience. Scripted content has been done with across numerous business models. Various media houses and telcos have tried AVOD, SVOD and TVOD, albeit with lukewarm success. On the unscripted side, which is a way larger pie, we are the company with deep Indian roots. Our long-term goal remains focused on creation of a sustainable, three-way ecosystem for creators, advertisers, and users through a free-to-use service.”
Dekkho has deployed an intelligent content recommendation feature, which has resulted into 1.6x growth in views per user session. Dekkho’s video play rates are over 90%, which is amongst the highest in the premium segment for any OTT platform. The web platform has a watch-time of a staggering 11 minutes+ per visit, while the mobile platform records 8+ minutes of watch-time for each visit. Each user consumes 7 pages on the web platform per visit and 4-5 pages on the app. Live channels and content on Dekkho contribute nearly 3 times to watch-time statistics with a 94% rate of video ad completions. Its weekly and monthly user retention is 2.5-3 times that of the industry average in the short-format category, hosting 60%+ of its user base on a monthly active (MAUs) basis. In a bid to scale its operations, Dekkho has undertaken strategic partnerships with some of the largest OEMs and telecom players for content distribution in order to realize its goal of touching the mass over the next year.
Offering content across various genres like music videos, fashion, food, travel, lifestyle and comedy, Dekkho adds nearly 1000 hours of licensed content from producers and distributors each month to its library. Dekkho’s library consists of over 150,000+ videos, 12,000+ hours of content, and 80+ channels across seven languages.
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.
