iWorld
#fame announces Closeup Websinger Round 2
MUMBAI: Live video app #fame announced the launch of Round 2 of Closeup Websinger. This round will see Raghu Dixit as the theme mentor and Pritam Chakraborty, who makes his digital debut, as a maha mentor. The theme of Round 2 is folk fusion as the theme. Closeup Websinger is about sourcing the next big voice of Bollywood from the web.
Closeup Websinger consists of five rounds and the winner of each round with different themes will then compete for the ultimate title of the Bollywood Singing Jodi. The show also brings together some of the biggest names in the Bollywood music industry. Ace music composer, Pritam will be seen grooming and guiding the budding talent along with theme mentors; Raghu Dixit, Benny Dayal, Aditi Singh Sharma and Monali Thakur. Unlike other talent shows, the judges here will mentor the talented participants and hone their talent further to make them Bollywood ready.
Commenting on the hunt for the next folk fusion talent, Dixit said, “Folk as a genre forms an imperative part of Bollywood music. Through Closeup Websinger, I am searching for an artist that has a perfect blend of Folk and Bollywood music in the voice.”
This show has already announced the 12 semifinalists who will compete against each other to make it to the top 6 finalists. This was through a meticulous screening by Dixit and Pritam. The Top 6 finalists will then perform live every day on #fame – an app, to build their social following. They will sing, interact, and take requests from their fans and music lovers, thus getting their fans to follow them on the app. The finalists will urge their fans to like, share and comment their videos, etc, thus increasing their social scoring and chances to win the final battle.
Through this proposition, the music lovers can watch them perform anytime, anywhere on their mobile screens, without having them to tune into Television at a specific time. Lastly, this property beautifully l the power of social & digital through views, likes & comments based scoring, not just through SMS.
Watch the music videos of the 12 semifinalists on the official Close-up Websinger YouTube channel –
iWorld
Airtel bets big on digital lending with Rs 20,000 Cr NBFC push
Telecom giant aims to transform India’s credit scene with a high-scale NBFC plan
NEW DELHI: Bharati Airtel is taking a bold step into the financial world. The telecom giant has announced plans to supercharge its Non-Banking Financial Company, Airtel Money Limited, with a whopping Rs 20,000 crore over the coming years.
Airtel will fund 70 per cent of the capital, with the remaining 30 per cent coming from the promoter group via Bharti Enterprises Limited. The move is designed to narrow India’s credit gap and bring simple, secure digital lending to more consumers.
The company is not starting from scratch. Its existing digital lending platform has already disbursed over Rs 9,000 crore, backed by smart underwriting, disciplined portfolio management, and real-time risk monitoring. With 500 plus data scientists and robust analytics, Airtel claims it has built one of the country’s most trusted lending service provider models.
Bharti Airtel executive vice chairman Gopal Vittal said, “Our success over the past two years shows how technology, data, and customer trust can create impact at a national scale. With this NBFC expansion, we aim to build a future-ready digital lending business that stands for trust, innovation, and inclusion.”
Airtel Money received its NBFC licence from the Reserve Bank of India on 13 February 2026. The expansion taps into India’s fast-growing financial sector, where formal credit accounts for just 53 per cent of GDP, highlighting huge room for growth.
The NBFC’s operations will integrate seamlessly with Airtel’s existing lending platform, keeping processes clear for customers while delivering a smooth experience. By leveraging its vast telecom customer base, Airtel aims to set a new benchmark in digital financial services and make lending accessible, simple, and reliable.
The Reserve Bank of India has noted that while Airtel Money has a valid registration certificate, it does not guarantee the company’s financial soundness or the repayment of liabilities.
