iWorld
Hotstar rolls out Malayalam content with Mohan Lal as brand ambassador
MUMBAI: Indian premium streaming platform, Hotstar reached out to its Malayalam speaking users and fans, accompanied by its new brand ambassador, the superstar of Malayalam cinema yesterday. Hotstar offers more than 4000 hours of Malayalam content including a large collection of the latest and classic Malayalam movies, and popular TV shows.
The launch will be followed by a six-week multi-media campaign featuring iconic Mohan Lal across TV, print, outdoor and digital. Hotstar plans to connect with its strong regional language audiences in the major regional markets of South India.
Speaking at the event, Mohan Lal said, “I feel proud that Kerala not only has the highest literacy rate, but also boasts of a large number of digitally savvy youth. But what is especially gratifying is that these big audiences are watching and enjoying the most popular and loved Malayalam movies and television series on Hotstar. I am really glad to be associated with a brand as vibrant and pioneering as Hotstar, which is changing the way people get entertained. For a creative person like me, it is very satisfying that our works are finding a legitimate way to reach the ever growing audiences on the digital platform and that fans are connecting with the best of Malayalam entertainment on an exciting new, platform like Hotstar. A marketing campaign of this scale targeted at a state is perhaps a first for any digital brand in the country. I wish Hotstar all the best.”
Star India MD South K. Madhavan said, “It is a pleasure to be here with Hotstar today and I am grateful to Mohan Lal the Superstar and a befitting brand ambassador for Hotstar in Kerala. With the changing landscapes of the entertainment industry and digitalization of content and consumption, Hotstar, India’s biggest digital content platform, is consolidating its presence in the Southern markets by providing a superior digital service to both the fans and the eco-system of Malayalam movies and television, along with brands in general.”
Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan said, “Over the last 15 months, Hotstar has established itself as the primary screen for young India. We are the only platform that showcases and curates the best of Malayam movies and TV shows, all for free to users. We are keen to showcase this extraordinary offering to one of the most extraordinary states in the country. We are grateful that as brand ambassador, Mohan Lal will be helping us showcase our platform to Malayalis across the world in the days to come.”
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
