iWorld
Hotstar to thrill viewers with ‘Shockers’
MUMBAI: If you are stuck at office or wondering what to do this weekend when it’s raining cats and dogs, fret not ‘cause Indiantelevision.com has got you covered with some exciting news to make your nights crazy. Director Faruk Kabir, who made his debut with Allah Ke Bandey (2010) has made a comeback into direction with web fiction show Shockers, which depicts six horror stories based on the life of six different individuals. “The web is an exciting space for me and is free of censorship and branding,” says Kabir.
Targeting 15-40 demography, the show is available for free on Hotstar to give the viewers an adrenaline rush. From a supernatural love story to a philanderer’s gory end, midnight food deliveries to selfies, these stories are not for the weak hearted.
It features six actors: Dia Mirza, Kalki Koechlin, Rajat Barmecha, Amit Sadh, Prateik Babbar and Amyra Dastur.
We have several players in the digital eco-system like Viacom18’s Voot, Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Liv, Star India’s Hotstar, Balaji Telefilm’s soon to roll-out digital platform Alt Digital Media, Netflix, etc producing original content. But Hotstar original is probably the only one to have taken a plunge into the horror genre.
“India is emerging as a digital consumer. Hotstar is a huge platform with 70+ mn users. Shockers couldn’t get a better platform than this. It did not interfere into anything and that is how a channel should ideally do. The producer and channel need a common match of belief in each other,” he further adds.
Kabir is of the opinion that so far the players have played it safe by exploring only two genres namely comedy and rom-coms. “The kind of horror we have seen in our TV industry is not what it has to be. There is potential to explore new concepts in this category. Indian film industry, too, has had a very low focus on this genre. So I took it as a challenge to serve the large audiences with my series,” voices the director.
All the six stories have been explored in the least convoluting manner and follow a simple writing style. Spanning between 10 to 15 minutes, each episode has been shot in different locations using different cameras within just 24 hours of prior planning. The storyline demanded each episode to filmed in different cameras, the directed explains. The captivating music has been given by Ishq Bector while the VFX is done by Doodleart Productions.
Talking about getting A-list actors on board for the web-series, Kabir strongly believes that the actors need to be fearless and should like to experiment. “The actors were kind to act and understood the reason behind coming together for Shockers. All of them were interested in doing this and we all had fun shooting this series,” he adds.
The director is already geared up for Shockers season 2 and In the Closet, which will hit on the taboos that exist in our society. He is also working on Stalkers showing true to life incidents. Kabir hasn’t locked in the distribution platform for it yet.
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.
