iWorld
ErosNow gets into a mess with provocative social media posts
MUMBAI: These are sensitive times. Brands and influencers have to tread carefully, almost as if they are walking on egg shells. Streaming service Eros Now learnt it the hard way over the past couple of days.
Ever since the start of Navratri 2020, Eros Now – which is part of Eros STX – has been posting short videos and digital stills from movies produced by Eros International. Some of these featured Deepika Padukone from 2015's Bajirao Mastani. Kareena Kapoor Khan in her Chhammak Chhallo avatar from the 2011 film Ra.One on Twitter. These were accompanied by provocative – and what could be called raunchy messaging, obviously to evoke a grin from the young who flock to dandiya and garba gatherings. The person behind the push is a young social media executive.
"Be naughty, sweet toh mithai bhi hai," read a tweet shared alongside one of the Navratri posters.
Another poster featured a picture of actor Katrina Kaif along with the caption "Do you want to put the ratri in my Navratri?"
All hell broke loose as a section of the Twitterati found the language offensive and vulgar and derogatory of Hindu icons and festivals. And the trolls got to work with a vengeance: starting a hashtag boycott ErosNow which soon became a chorus – so much so that it trended worldwide.
Some even alluded that Ali Hussein the head honcho of ErosNow is a Muslim, which is why the streamer was insensitive to Hindu sentiments. We, at indiantelevision.com, know that a religious slur was not the intent, the idea was to connect with the youth in a manner they talk and joke amongst themselves.
Shame On @ErosNow
Maximum Retweet And Repeat With Me #BoycottErosNow pic.twitter.com/NunUhoW9pl
— Arun Yadav (@beingarun28) October 22, 2020
But the trolls had a field day.
"Dear Eros Now, Why have you posted these double-meaning vulgar banners for the auspicious festive season?" asked one Twitter user.
Others called for strict action to be taken against the company.
Nevertheless, following the uproar ErosNow decided to pull down the so-called offensive tweets and images.
And it shared in a tweet where it explained itself: “We at Eros love and respect our cultures equally. It is not, and it has never been our intention to hurt anyone’s emotions. We have deleted the concerned posts and apologise for having offended anybody’s sentiments.”
— Eros Now (@ErosNow) October 22, 2020
At the time of writing, the anti-ErosNow campaign was losing steam, even though a bunch were still posting their annoyance on Twitter.
iWorld
WhatsApp tests ‘WhatsApp Plus’ paid subscription tier
€2.49 plan adds customisation tools, messaging and calls remain free.
MUMBAI: Your chats may soon get a glow-up at a small monthly price. WhatsApp is testing a new paid subscription tier called ‘WhatsApp Plus’, signalling a shift towards premium personalisation features while keeping its core services free. The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited set of Android beta users, with early reports from WABetaInfo indicating a price of €2.49 per month (approximately Rs 274). Meta has confirmed the test, stating that it is designed for users who want more control over how they customise and organise their app experience.
Importantly, the subscription remains optional. Core functionalities including messaging, voice calls and community features will continue to be available free of charge, ensuring that the platform’s primary use case remains unchanged.
Instead, WhatsApp Plus focuses on aesthetic and organisational upgrades. These include exclusive sticker packs, new themes, custom app icons and personalised notification tones. On the functional side, subscribers may be able to pin up to 20 chats significantly higher than the current limit of three along with access to custom chat lists and enhanced categorisation tools.
Industry observers suggest the offering is largely cosmetic. Social media consultant Matt Navarra noted that the features lean more towards visual and usability enhancements rather than altering the app’s core functionality.
While global pricing has not been finalised, the subscription is expected to remain a low-cost monthly plan, with reports indicating a possible one-month free trial for eligible users. The feature is still in beta, meaning the final set of offerings could evolve before a broader rollout. Support for iOS users is also anticipated in the coming weeks.
The move mirrors a broader trend in the social and messaging ecosystem, where platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram have introduced similar subscription layers adding premium features without placing core services behind a paywall.
For WhatsApp, the strategy appears clear, keep the conversation free, but charge for a little extra flair around it.
