iWorld
Hoichoi aims to double its size and revneue
KOLKATA: From the beginning of its journey, the Bengali OTT platform Hoichoi has relied on a subscription-based model to run its business. While naysayers used to say Indian audience would not pay for content, the faith on people’s will to pay for good content has paid off the streaming service. With an impressive subscriber base of 13 million, it aims to double its size and revenue for the next few years as every year the addressable market will increase.
The platform has always talked about leveraging the diaspora audience. It appears to be a perfect strategy for it as 40 per cent of its revenue coming from international markets. Bangladesh has obviously a very big market for it but what is more interesting is it has seen many subscribers coming from Japan, Sweden, as Hoichoi co-founder Vishnu Mohta shared.
It is now experimenting with other business models like sachet pricing. The ‘Carrier Billing’ will make it easier to buy a weekly or monthly subscription by paying with mobile balance. While it will be launched soon in the Middle East and Bangladesh, Mohta said it would open up access to blue-collar workers. He also added that the platform is making some free content available soon.
According to Mohta, Hoichoi’s subscribers come from both urban and rural areas. However, he mentioned that the latter holds the next big opportunity for Hoichoi. A number of new users have come to the internet for the first time during this lockdown who are now consuming free content on platforms like YouTube. He is of the belief that they will convert to premium content at some point of time and the lockdown has made that process faster.
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Hoichoi entered the market in 2017 with very witty campaign #Hoyejak. As it has unveiled a stellar content line up on its third anniversary, it will again launch a campaign during Durga Puja. From October to March, the platform plans to launch at least three originals every month including one marquee content.
It is not only taking its content game one step ahead but investing in technology as well. The platform has also revealed today its new UI/UX design. Mohta said they have incorporated user feedback as well as an internal assessment as technology has updated rapidly in the last three years. They are also planning to launch a windows 10 application soon.
“We are still at a very nascent stage. We have not been able to scratch the surface of how many people we may get to pay. That market will grow organically. I think we will be able to encash that growth,” Mohta stated.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
