iWorld
JioCinema launches Digital Film Festival starting 29 September!
Mumbai: JioCinema, a streaming destination is all set to launch a digital film festival, JioCinema Film Fest, starting 29 September. The festival is an incredible cinematic celebration that will bring together Kala, Kalakaar aur anokhi Kahaniyaan, through 20 remarkable films across 20 days. These captivating and award-winning stories will bring together a distinguished repertoire of artists such as Nawazuddin Siddique, Naseeruddin Shah, Ira Dubey, Supriya Pathak, Sheeba Chaddha, Amit Sadh, Satish Kaushik, Rajat Kapoor, and Adah Sharma amongst others.
A celebration of India’s rich storytelling, JioCinema Film Fest includes a robust line-up of films such as The Comedian that will throw light on an ageing comedic actor in the Indian film industry who has no laughter left in his life and Birha (The Journey Back Home), a winner at multiple international film festivals that describes the heart-wrenching story of a family that tears apart due to the unjustified ambitions of a young child. Other films in the line-up include Ghuspaith: Between Borders, which inspired by the life and tragic death of renowned Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui; Rat in the Kitchen, a Neo-Noir Thriller is a story of a man going through loneliness and witnessing surreal experiences while being home alone; Bebaak is a gripping film about a woman’s identity crisis as a Muslim woman in India, trying to make her place in a prejudice-ridden world. Set in an Indian town under curfew, The Daughter is a film about a young woman who sets out in search of a man who can help her carry out an act that will test her limits.
In addition to this, the film festival boasts of some exceptional stories that include Ring Mili Kya, Munna Ka Bachpan, Laar, Mein Mehmood, Gangster Ganga, Armaand, Maachis Ki Dibiya, Phone Call, Murakh (The Idiot), Before We Die, Dammy, The Last Envelope, Coming Out with the help of a Time Machine and Kofuku.
Witness the magic of films, starting 29 September streaming exclusively on JioCinema Film Fest.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
