iWorld
Exciting content to end your May with a bang
Mumbai: As May draws to a close, get ready for a grand finale that promises excitement across screens! From the heartwarming and inspiring tale of ‘Mr. & Mrs. Mahi’ hitting theaters, to the nail-biting climax of the IPL season streaming live, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a movie buff eager to watch Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao in action, a cricket fan on the edge of your seat for the IPL showdown, or an audio series enthusiast awaiting the latest twists in ‘Asura’, the end of May has it all.
Dive into these six thrilling entertainment options and make your May memorable:
Mr. & Mrs. Mahi (In theaters)
Mr. and Mrs. Mahi, directed by Sharan Sharma, stars Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao. The drama follows Mahendra, a failed cricketer, and Mahima, a doctor, united by an arranged marriage. Sharing the nickname ‘Mahi’, they bond over their mutual love for cricket. Mahendra recognizes Mahima’s talent and supports her dream of becoming a cricketer, coaching her along the way.
IPL finale (Jio Cinema)
The edition 17 of the Indian Premier League reaches its thrilling climax on Sunday, 26 May, in Chennai. Will the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinch their long-awaited IPL title, or will Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) win the title? Stay tuned for an electrifying showdown, only on Jio Cinemas!
Asura (Pocket FM)
Darsh, a 15-year-old boy, who has always been disrespected by his family, has always brought down his family’s name by failing in martial arts exams for five consecutive years. But then one night something happened, due to which a terrible and huge change took place inside Darsh. What happened that night? Will Darsh ever be able to regain the love and respect of his family? After repeated failures, will Darsh ever be able to achieve success in his life? Listen to Asura to know about Darsh’s journey only on Pocket FM.
Panchayat (Amazon Prime Video)
Jitendra Kumar returns in this popular series, capturing the challenges of an engineering graduate turned Gram Panchayat secretary in a remote village. This season, highly anticipated for its gripping storyline, sees Abhishek Tripathi, played by Kumar, entangled in the vibrant drama of Phulera. After a tense altercation, Abhishek’s future in the village is uncertain. Amidst village politics, he navigates a budding romance with Rinki, the local leader’s daughter, while contending with power-hungry rivals.
Mahabali Mayank (Pocket FM)
In the deep forest of Bihar, lies the real Nalanda University, a secret academy of martial arts and magic. There studies Mayank, a rebellious young boy who is a royalty from the Gupta dynasty. In his blood runs the power to win over the world. But to activate it, Mayank has to first learn discipline first. Find out further about his insightful journey in this fantasy drama. Tune into Mahabali Mayank only on Pocket FM.
Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan movie (in theaters)
A live-action adaptation of Rajiv Chilaka’s 2012 animated film brings Chota Bheem and his friends to life. Set in the fictional kingdom of Dholakpur, the film captures Bheem’s bravery and his friends’ loyalty as they embark on thrilling adventures. With great visuals and dynamic performances, this version aims to enchant both new viewers and longtime fans, retaining the charm and excitement of the beloved original.
MUMBAI: If cricket were a binge-worthy series, this one just dropped its most explosive pilot yet. The opening weekend of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League has come out swinging, smashing records across both television and digital platforms and reaffirming the tournament’s unmatched pull in India’s sporting and media landscape.
Backed by two high-octane matches featuring 200-plus run chases, the tournament delivered a combined reach of over 515 million viewers across linear TV and digital platforms via JioStar’s broadcast ecosystem, including Star Sports and JioHotstar. More tellingly, engagement surged alongside reach, with total watch-time hitting 32.6 billion minutes, a sharp 26 per cent jump over the opening weekend of the previous season.
The numbers reveal a deeper shift in how India watches cricket. Connected TV (CTV) consumption rose by 30 per cent, while peak concurrency on digital platforms jumped 61 per cent, signalling a growing appetite for shared, big-screen streaming experiences. On traditional television, the momentum held strong, with TV ratings (TVR) climbing 24 per cent compared to earlier seasons’ opening matches.
A key driver of this spike has been the evolution of the viewing experience itself. This season introduced differentiated feeds, most notably a Hindi CTV broadcast featuring cricketing voices such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan. Blending expert analysis with a watch-along format, the feed has added a conversational, almost second-screen feel without requiring viewers to leave their screens.
According to JioStar CEO for Sports Ishan Chatterjee, at the opening weekend underscores not just scale but also the depth of engagement that live cricket continues to command. He noted that the combination of large-screen viewing and digital interactivity is creating a more immersive and personalised experience, while also delivering tangible outcomes for brand partners.
From the league’s perspective, the early numbers point to a tournament that continues to reinvent itself. Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairman of the IPL, said the strong start reflects how high-quality cricket paired with enhanced viewing formats is resonating with audiences nationwide, while Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted the “quality of engagement” as a key takeaway, not just the scale.
Commercially too, the opening weekend signals robust advertiser confidence. The broadcast is led by co-presenting sponsors including Google (Search AI Mode), Campa Energy, and Havells & Lloyd, alongside co-powered partners such as Birla Opus, Hero Motocorp and Amazon. A long tail of associate sponsors from OpenAI and Asian Paints to Flipkart and Amul further reflects the league’s unmatched ability to aggregate advertiser interest at scale.
Taken together, the opening weekend numbers are less a spike and more a statement. With 515 million viewers, 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, and double-digit growth across formats, IPL 2026 has not just started strong, it has set the tone for a season that looks poised to push the boundaries of both sport and spectacle.
