iWorld
IPL 2025 blows the roof off as JioStar makes a smashing start to the season
MUMBAI: What do you get when you mix cricket, chaos, and cutting-edge tech? A weekend that made broadcasting history. As the 18 edition of the Tata IPL exploded onto screens across India, JioStar didn’t just steal the show—it rewrote the playbook. Fans were glued, data broke dance moves, and TVRs soared higher than a Virat Kohli six.
JioStar’s opening weekend went full throttle. Digital and TV viewership blew past all previous records, with a jaw-dropping 4,956 crore minutes of collective watch time. That’s right—India’s cricket-obsessed millions clocked in for what might be the most-watched IPL opening weekend ever. JioHotstar alone racked up 137 crore views, including 3.4 crore peak concurrency and 2,186 crore minutes of binge-worthy action. Someone give those data servers a pat on the back.
Television wasn’t left behind either. The Star Sports Network scored 25.3 crore viewers for the first three matches, according to BARC data. That’s a 22 per cent jump from last year, with average TVR shooting up 39 per cent like a Hardik Pandya bouncer.
JioStar CEO – sports Sanjog Gupta said the silent part out loud, “The record-breaking viewership across digital and TV platforms over the opening weekend of Tata IPL 2025 reaffirms the tournament’s unmatched popularity…” In short, they knew this beast would be big—and it didn’t disappoint.
JioStar CEO – digital Kiran Mani chimed in like a proud parent at a school play, “IPL 2025 is setting a new benchmark for how India engages with live sports and entertainment at an unmatched scale…” Basically, if it’s got a screen, JioStar wants to light it up with cricket.
And advertisers? They’re salivating. Over 30 marquee brands have pitched their tents in JioStar’s prime-time jungle, including Amazon Prime, Google Pay, SBI, Dream11, Phonepe, and Thums Up. Why? Because it’s where the eyeballs—and the wallets—are. Digital ads now come with targeting sharper than a Jasprit Bumrah yorker, personalised formats, and juicy insights.
But wait, there’s more. The new season isn’t just big—it’s loud, flashy, and personal. With 25+ feeds in 12 languages and over 170 experts adding spice, JioStar’s coverage is part circus, part cinema. Fans aren’t just watching—they’re chatting, predicting, partying virtually, and basically turning passive viewing into a digital cricket mosh pit.
JioHotstar’s ‘MaxView’ feature stretches visuals edge-to-edge like an extra-cheese pizza, while the quirky ‘Hangout’ feed brings gen z creators and stand-up comics to the commentary box. And for the younger lot, ‘Motu Patlu Presents Super Funday’ dishes out family-friendly fun, because apparently even cartoons can’t resist the IPL fever.
In a hat-tip to tech-savvy fans, JioStar added a second-screen engagement gimmick: miss a big moment on telly? Just scan a QR code and boom—you’re watching the highlight before the next ball is bowled. Who needs a remote when your phone’s doing all the heavy lifting?
Fresh off its successful run with the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, JioStar is already claiming IPL 2025 will be the “biggest ever”. Infinite possibilities? Sure. But for now, let’s just say they’ve smashed it out of the park.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
