iWorld
Disney+Hotstar thanks partner brands post IPL 2020
KOLKATA: Disney+Hotstar has seen massive traction during IPL 2020, both in terms of audience as well as advertising. More than 300 brands leveraged the platform’s scale and reach during the tournament. Thanking partners, the OTT platform tooted the horn of its success from the front page of The Economic Times’ last Friday.
“Thank you for partnering with us and ensuring we were sold 100 per cent during this Dream11 IPL 2020,” said Disney+Hotstar in the jacket spread. However, the platform did not share any metrics on engagement or viewership like it did the last two years.
Disney+Hotstar currently boasts 18.5 million subscribers, a figure shared by its parent company The Walt Disney. “Disney+ ended Q4 with 73.7 million paid subscribers or an increase of over 16 million subscribers versus Q3. Disney+ Hotstar subscriber additions were the largest contributor to this increase, driven by the start of the delayed IPL season. Disney+ Hotstar subscribers now account for a little over a quarter of our global subscriber base,” Disney senior executive vice president and chief financial officer Christine McCarthy said.
The platform decided to take IPL matches behind a paywall this year. It struck a deal with Jio and Airtel to boost subscriptions too. Hence, the bold move allowed brands to reach high spender quality audiences. It also added new features to the interactive Watch’N Play social feed. Replicating the exhilarating roar of the stadium, fans were able to use an interactive emoji stream, a move designed to boost engagement and social media traction.
Every year, once the tournament gets over, the platform advertises to thank its partner brands and share the overall metrics that it has achieved during the tournament. It helps in creating a strong perception for the tournament as well as about Disney+Hotstar and how it is preferred by the audiences across the country.
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.
