iWorld
JioCinema Premium unveils trailer of ‘PILL’
Mumbai: Riteish Deshmukh starrer human drama series, PILL is all set for its premiere on JioCinema Premium on 12 July. Following the gripping motion poster, the platform has unveiled the trailer of the series, which endeavours to unravel the inner workings of the pharmaceutical industry, responsible for our everyday well-being. Produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies and created by Raj Kumar Gupta, PILL also stars actor Pavan Malhotra in a pivotal role.
PILL introduces you to Prakash Chauhan, played by Riteish Deshmukh, who digs through the deep-set rot in the Indian pharmaceutical world. The series showcases the process through which a pill reaches an individual, through diverse characters – from powerful pharma industrialists, corrupt doctors, to medical representatives, compromised drug regulators, politicians, journalists, and whistleblowers. Through the course of the show, tension unfolds as Prakash faces-off the manipulative CEO of Pharma company, portrayed by Pavan Malhotra and takes on an honest fight to find out the truth behind the powerful nexus that puts profits before patients. In this compelling clash of good vs. evil, Prakash’s quest to truth raises hope for the common man to be more aware and vigilant in a world where everyone is at the mercy of medicines and vaccines.
Talking about his debut series, Riteish Deshmukh said, “It’s exciting to venture into the world of digital streaming. When you’re entrusted with a compelling story like Pill, there’s a huge responsibility to do justice to it. It’s intriguing to learn about the complexities behind something as seemingly simple as a pill that impacts our daily lives and well-being. Being a part of this journey has been incredibly enlightening. Working alongside visionaries like Raj Kumar Gupta and Ronnie Screwvala, who have poured their hearts into this project, is a true honour. Prakash Chauhan is a character of both simplicity and strength, and I am confident that his fight against the corrupt pharma players will resonate with the audience.”
Ronnie Screwvala, also shared, “We’ve worked hard to bring an original and thought-provoking concept and story like PILL that explores untold landscapes and asks crucial questions. With PILL, we aim to entertain as well as increase awareness amongst people. Riteish brings his unparalleled acting prowess to the series, making his digital debut even more exciting. And as always, it is a pleasure working with Raj who has helmed this one with his thrilling expertise. Lastly the show’s release on JioCinema allows us the widest audience reach and together we look forward to bringing this powerful series to screens far and wide.”
Raj Kumar Gupta commented, “Celluloid has always been my medium of expression as I’ve made films across genres to bring different stories to my audiences. And now, I am looking forward to experimenting with the long format on OTT. A story like ‘Pill’ needed to be told through a longer format and I am glad to be collaborating with JioCinema to tell this story. It has been a great experience working with Riteish, Ronnie, and the entire team on this one. We all are looking forward to bringing this story to audiences.”
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
