iWorld
HCL Concerts partners Jashn-e-Rekhta 2025 as exclusive music lead
NEW DELHI: HCL Concerts has teamed up with the Rekhta Foundation as the exclusive music partner for Jashn-e-Rekhta 2025, adding fresh energy to the much-loved Urdu festival set for 5 to 7 December at Baansera Park in New Delhi.
For nearly a decade, Jashn-e-Rekhta has been the city’s winter magnet for poetry, language and performance, drawing younger audiences into the world of Urdu. This year’s musical slate, curated with HCL Concerts, promises a lively sweep of styles that travel from classical to qawwali, film to orchestral experimentation.
Across two stages, Mehfil Khana and Dayaar-e-Izhaar, the festival will host a notable line-up. The opening day features Mehakti Khushbu ka Safar Gulzar ke Saath with Gulzar and Divya Dutta, followed by Rang-e-Mausiqi by Sukhvinder Singh.
On 6 December, audiences can experience Dhruv Sangari’s qawwali at Dayaar-e-Izhaar, while Mehfil Khana presents Saaz Aur Sama by Salim-Sulaiman and Rang Aur Noor, Huma Khalil’s homage to cinematic gems shaped by Urdu poets.
The final day brings an Orchestral Qawwali by Abi Sampa and Rushil Ranjan, before closing with Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin, a tribute to Sahir Ludhianvi led by Javed Akhtar, Shankar Mahadevan and Pratibha Singh Baghel.
HCL Group associate general manager Nikhil Soni, said the association reflects the platform’s commitment to widening access to performing arts and supporting artists who shape India’s musical legacy.
Rekhta Foundation head of programmes and festival Satish Gupta, noted that music has always been central to the festival’s charm and that HCL Concerts shares its vision of keeping artistic traditions deeply rooted yet widely resonant.
With this partnership, HCL Concerts continues its push to build a vibrant ecosystem for Indian performing arts while helping cultural expression reach broader, more diverse audiences.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
