iWorld
Hoopr’s Indie trio powers Hindi cinema debut with Saali Mohabbat
Hoopr, Saali Mohabbat, Tisca Chopra, Jio Studios, Stage5 Production, Zee5, Gaurav Dagaonkar, Abhimanyu Jha, Anirudh Bhola, Atul Kumar Verma, A R Rahman, Meghna Mittal.
MUMBAI: Hoopr has struck its first big note in Hindi cinema with Saali Mohabbat, a soulful original track built entirely by talent discovered on its music licensing platform. The song features in Tisca Chopra’s directorial debut of the same name, produced by Jio Studios and Stage5 Production, and streaming on Zee5 from 12 December.
In a rare moment for Hindi cinema, a film now carries the name of a track made by independent artists whose vocals, composition and lyrics all came through a digital creator network rather than a major label. The makers were reportedly so taken by the song that they rechristened the film after hearing it.
At the heart of the track is Hoopr co-founder and CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar teaming with lyricist Abhimanyu Jha. The duo, both IIM Ahmedabad alumni, shaped the song with vocalist Anirudh Bhola and composer Atul Kumar Verma. Their collaboration blends warm vocals, contemporary production and tight storytelling to heighten the film’s emotional arc.
Bhola brings recognisable Hindi cinema credentials from films like Sanam Re, Kites and Krrish 3, along with a fan base built on his popular “Tera Nasha” and A. R. Rahman tribute shows. Verma adds his versatility as a singer, composer and lyricist with work spread across Hindi cinema, OTT and indie releases. Jha, an IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad graduate, novelist and fintech founder, supplies the lyrical texture.
All three artists have been part of Hoopr’s 1,500-strong indie community for over three years.
Dagaonkar said the milestone signals a shift in how film music gets made. He noted that opportunities in Hindi cinema have traditionally gone to artists backed by major labels, but platforms like Hoopr are creating a more open pipeline for filmmakers searching for fresh voices. He added that the title change was a moment of validation that showed how deeply the song resonated with the team.
Co-founder Meghna Mittal called Saali Mohabbat a showcase of what the platform can do end to end, from scouting the right artists to shaping a soundtrack that fits a director’s brief while still bringing new ideas from across India’s indie scene.
With this debut, Hoopr has placed a new marker in the industry. The platform’s bet is clear: independent musicians, given the right stage, can slip into the heart of mainstream storytelling and stay there.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
