iWorld
HiPi unveils anthem for HiPi Star Hunt
KOLKATA: HiPi, India’s hottest short video platform for self-expression and recognition, has unveiled an anthem for its ongoing initiative, HiPi Star Hunt, India’s first ever digital auditions on a short-video platform. Created in association with Dharavi’s hottest multi-lingual hip-hop collective 7Bantai’Z, the anthem highlights HiPi Star Hunt’s core ethos of ‘Sabko Break Milega’, in other words, the need for democratization of talent. Announced in October 2020, HiPi Star Hunt is currently calling for entries from enthusiasts across India; the winners of the talent hunt will get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be casted in crucial roles in two of ZEE5’s upcoming big-ticket originals – Jamai 2.0 S2 and Sunflower.
The anthem ‘Sabko Break Milega’ by 7Bantai’Z is in their signature multilingual rap style, with a catchy tune, and lyrics by Yoku Big in Hindi, Mr Scam in Tamil and BonzNRibz in Marathi. 7Bantai’Z, a multi-hyphenate hip-hop collective born and based out of Dharavi, Mumbai, is a young talented group of rappers, beat-boxers, graffiti artists, and actors, who have made it big despite their humble backgrounds. HiPi Star Hunt aims to similarly extend an opportunity to India’s indigenous talent pool with limited opportunities, helping them realize their tinsel town aspirations.
ZEE5 India AVOD SVP and head Manish Kalra said, “7Bantai’Z is a group of young, multi-lingual artists with incredible potential and they have made it big despite the challenges thrown at them. Our collaboration with them to announce this upbeat, evocative soundtrack is aligned with our objective of giving a level playing field to India’s indigenous talent pool. ZEE is the oldest network of this country and our deep understanding of content and showbiz, in general, makes HiPi Star Hunt a golden opportunity for anybody harboring tinsel town dreams. As our anthem says, ‘Sabko Break Milega’, because now you don’t need to have ‘connections’ to find your way into the entertainment industry, your talent is the only thing you need in your armor to be the next face India cheers for.”
HiPi Star Hunt offers India’s youngsters an incredible opportunity to not only showcase their talent but also leverage the expertise of a panel of industry experts who have been handpicked by ZEE5 to mentor them on their journey to fame. HiPi Star Hunt redefines how content is created, and allows creators to express themselves in their own language providing them with a sizeable and interested audience who are connoisseurs of quality talent.
iWorld
Akhil Gupta retires as Bharti Enterprises vice chairman after three decades
The man who outsourced Airtel’s network and built Indus Towers leaves behind a telecom industry transformed
NEW DELHI: He was not the most visible face of Bharti. He was, by most accounts, the most consequential one. Akhil Gupta, known within the group simply as AKG, has retired as vice chairman of Bharti Enterprises with effect from March 31st, 2026, closing a chapter that stretched across more than three decades and reshaped Indian telecoms in ways still felt today.
Gupta was there at the beginning, part of the core leadership team that steered Bharti Airtel from a scrappy domestic operator into one of the world’s largest telecom and digital services companies. But it is two decisions in particular that cement his legacy. The first was persuading the industry that a telecom company need not own its own network. His outsourcing partnerships with IBM and Ericsson, considered eccentric at the time, stripped out capital costs and sharpened Airtel’s competitive edge. The model was subsequently copied across the global industry. The second was the creation of Indus Towers, now one of the largest tower companies in the world.
Both initiatives were studied as case material at Harvard Business School, where Gupta himself had studied. A chartered accountant by training and a dealmaker by instinct, he accumulated industry accolades across his career without ever particularly courting the limelight.
Bharti Enterprises, announcing the retirement on LinkedIn, credited Gupta with building the foundation of the group’s success and driving innovation, partnerships and long-term value creation.
The tributes are deserved. Gupta did not just help build Airtel. In many respects, he helped invent the playbook that modern telecoms runs on.
