iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar to premiere ‘Rudra – The Edge of Darkness’ on 4 March
Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar has released the second trailer for “Rudra – The Edge of Darkness.” The six-episode series starring Ajay Devgn in the lead is slated to go live on 4 March in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali.
The show is an India rendition of the British series “Luther.” Directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, the series is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with BBC Studios India. The show features a stellar cast including Raashi Khanna, Esha Deol, Atul Kulkarni, Ashwini Kalsekar, Tarun Gahlot, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Satyadeep Misra in pivotal roles.
“In Rudra – The Edge of Darkness, we are excited to bring a riveting thriller with one of India’s most loved actors, Ajay Devgn. Sameer Nair and his amazing team, Applause have helped deliver a show that we hope you will enjoy” said the head of content for Disney+ Hotstar and Disney Star HSM entertainment network Gaurav Banerjee.
“We are truly excited to be part of Ajay Devgn’s digital debut at such an ambitious scale with Rudra – The Edge Of Darkness,” said Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair. “It’s been a terrific experience working on this unique narrative together with an amazing cast, crew and our production partners, BBC Studios. At Applause, we believe in the power of stories and storytelling, and with Rudra, we take forward our creative partnership with industry leader Disney+ Hotstar, and hope to continue entertaining audiences across the globe.”
iWorld
JioStar revenue hits Rs 9,784 crore as cricket fuels 22 per cent growth
A surge in digital viewership and sports dominance fuels a blockbuster quarter for the media giant
MUMBAI: JioStar is batting on a flat pitch. The media titan’s fourth-quarter results for the financial year 2026 reveal a business scaling new heights, propelled by an unprecedented appetite for premium sports and digital-first storytelling.
Gross revenue for the quarter soared by 22.15 per cent to Rs 9,784 crore, up from Rs 8,010 crore in the third quarter. Operationally, the momentum was equally strong; revenue from operations climbed 21 per cent to Rs 8,372 crore. These figures underscore the firm’s successful integration following the Reliance and Disney merger, creating a dominant force in the Indian market.
The annual performance has been nothing short of a spectacle. Full-year gross revenue reached a massive Rs 36,248 crore, while annual profit after tax hit Rs 3,210 crore. This rapid expansion reflects JioStar’s ability to capture and monetise the massive growth in India’s media consumption.
Cricket proved to be the ultimate growth engine. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and TATA IPL 2026 delivered “record-breaking viewership” across both television and digital screens. The World Cup final alone drew a global peak concurrency of 72.5 million on JioHotstar, cementing its status as the nation’s premier streaming destination. On television, JioStar maintained a commanding 34.2 per cent viewership share, reaching a staggering 810 million viewers nationwide.
The digital numbers were just as impressive. JioHotstar averaged 500 million monthly active users, driven by consistent subscriber growth and innovative AI-led content discovery tools. These advancements are ensuring that JioStar remains at the cutting edge of the global “Race for Attention.”
With a firm grip on the country’s most valuable sporting rights and a rapidly growing digital footprint, JioStar is perfectly positioned for the future. It has built the ultimate content powerhouse—one that is ready to dominate the Indian living room for years to come.
