iWorld
India’s Deepstory wants to cure scrolling whiplash with sideways swiping
MUMBAI: Mumbai’s Deepstory has declared war on digital chaos. The short-video platform, which officially launched this month, reckons it has cracked what others missed: people don’t hate short videos, they hate the emotional ping-pong that comes with them.
The fix? Swipe left to stay on topic. Swipe up for something new. Simple enough, yet radical in execution. Where rivals hurl users from cooking clips to political rants in seconds, Deepstory lets them dwell. Each leftward swipe surfaces more creators discussing the same subject from fresh angles. No follower counts. No algorithm-chasing. Just relevance.
“Short-video apps today create emotional whiplash,” says Raj Aryan Das, founder and chief executive. “Deepstory fixes that. A left swipe shows you different creators on the same topic, so you can stay with what interests you instead of being dragged around by randomness.”
The concept germinated in 2021 as a proof of concept for investors. Company registration and research followed in 2022. The beta app launched in November 2024 and grabbed early traction until April 2025, when retention collapsed. The culprit: a weak recommendation engine that couldn’t find proper follow-up videos. Rather than tinker, Das and his team scrapped the system entirely, rebuilt it using vector intelligence and external trend signals, and accepted a temporary user exodus. The new engine now maps videos into dense topic spaces using metadata, sound, narrative cues and visual objects.
Early metrics suggest the gamble worked. Nearly 19.7 per cent of homescreen actions are left swipes—proof, the team argues, that users crave depth over distraction. View-through rates sit at 17.8 per cent. Music edits, film breakdowns, motivational clips and Formula One content are thriving.
For creators, the model offers something rare: equal billing. Every left swipe is an open slot any relevant creator can claim, regardless of audience size. Emerging voices appear alongside established names whenever their content fits. Deepstory is building a monetisation model with low fees, direct brand partnerships and a forthcoming “Motion Image” format that animates still photographs.
The business case leans on intent. Each left swipe signals real-time interest, letting brands place stories where attention is already focused. Contextual advertising delivers 30 to 40 per cent higher click-through rates than scattergun placements, according to industry data. The contextual ad market is expected to surge over the next five years as users demand relevance and privacy.
Co-founder and managing director Satyabrata Das, a four-decade media veteran who has shaped ETV, ZEE5, Zee Digital and Laqshya Media Group, sees timing on their side. “People do not dislike short videos. They dislike the chaos around them. Deepstory brings structure and mental space. For brands, it becomes easier to tell stories when the user’s mind is already on the topic.”
The platform’s sideways-storytelling approach predates similar experiments now appearing elsewhere. Meta and other platforms are testing linked-post formats where creators manually attach follow-up videos. Deepstory’s difference? A left swipe doesn’t lock viewers into one creator’s queue. It opens the topic to everyone.
Whether the world wants calmer scrolling remains to be seen. But Deepstory is betting that intentionality beats whiplash—and that India can export the cure.
iWorld
Prime Video and Hrithik Roshan reunite for quirky heist comedy Mess
HRX Films expands pact with quirky heist comedy set for production
MUMBAI: Prime Video is doubling down on its partnership with Hrithik Roshan, announcing a new comedy film Mess that promises chaos, chuckles and a clever twist on the classic heist.
Produced by Hrithik Roshan and Eshaan Roshan under HRX Films, a division of FilmKraft Productions, the film is being made in association with Soda Films Lab. Directed by Rajesh A Krishnan, Mess marks the second collaboration between the streaming platform and HRX Films after the upcoming thriller Storm.
At the heart of Mess lies an unusual premise. A group of robbers break into the home of a man with OCD, only to find themselves outmatched in a night-long standoff that flips the script on who is really in control. It is a set-up that blends tension with humour, turning a break-in into a breakdown of expectations.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok said, “A good story should surprise and entertain, and Mess does both with ease. It brings together a unique premise, memorable characters and a tone that keeps you laughing throughout.”
He added that the collaboration with HRX Films continues to grow stronger, with the new film reflecting a shared appetite for bold and original storytelling.
Hrithik Roshan said, “After Storm, Mess feels like a natural next step in our journey with Prime Video. The film captures the kind of unconventional storytelling we want to champion, with Rajesh bringing a distinctive voice to the narrative.”
Director Rajesh A Krishnan said, “The world of Mess is a mix of comedy and chaos, unusual enough to keep audiences on edge while still delivering humour. It has been a deeply collaborative and creatively fulfilling experience.”
The original screenplay comes from Paul Soter, with adaptation and dialogues by Kapil Sawant, adding another layer of craft to the film’s offbeat narrative.
As production gears up, Mess looks ready to live up to its name, serving up a delightful tangle of mayhem, mischief and movie magic for audiences in India and beyond.
