iWorld
Globo’s ‘Merciless’ & ‘The Hunter’ premiere on U.K. & U.S. VoD
MUMBAI: Globo’s series ‘Merciless’ and ‘The Hunter’ are now part of the Walter Presents VoD service, which is dedicated to foreign drama and comedy in the UK and U.S. The service is part of Channel 4’s online platform. The licensing of the series to the streaming service is part of Globo’s strategy to produce and distribute creative and quality content covering a range of different platforms.
The Brazilian series are available in the platform in Portuguese language with subtitles in English. Written by award-winner Glória Perez (‘India – a Love Story’ and ‘The Clone’), ‘Merciless’ revolves around the psychopath Edu (Bruno Gagliasso, ‘Rising Sun’), a handsome, smart and articulated man who uses all of his charm to hide his real and dark personality. Responsible for a series of murders that baffle the police, Edu captivates the emotionally unstable Ray (Débora Falabella, ‘Brazil Avenue’), who falls in love with the young man while doesn’t even notice his other side. In the international market, the series has already been licensed in 4K to the Korean group EPG. In addition, SIC, one of Portugal’s largest open TV networks and a large consumer of Globo’s content, has also invested in the show.
‘The Hunter’ is a breathtaking 13-episode series that tells the story of André – played by charming actor Cauã Reymond (‘Above Justice’ and ‘Brazil Avenue’) –, a cop who is wrongfully imprisoned. When he gets out of jail, he is driven by a single goal: tracking leads to prove his innocence. He starts working as a bounty hunter after he is kicked out of the force, and his relentless search for the truth in the criminal underworld begins. Packed with action and sensuality, the thriller was broadcast by SIC and boosted the Portuguese network’s ratings by 55 per cent during its premiere.
Click here to watch the trailer of ‘Merciless’
Click here to watch the trailer of ‘The Hunter’
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.
