iWorld
Mrinal Kulkarni joins Planet Marathi’s board of founders
Mumbai: Film and television actor-director Mrinal Kulkarni has joined Planet Marathi OTT as part of its board of founders.
“Kulkarni is aligned with Planet Marathi OTT’s vision as she comes with a mission to take Marathi web and OTT content to new heights,” said the statement.
Kulkarni has decades of experience in both Hindi and Marathi entertainment and is known for numerous roles in hits like Avantika, “Yellow”, “Farzand”, “Ye Re Ye Re Paisa” to name a few. She has written films like “Rama Madhav”, “Prem Mhanje Prem Mhanje”, “Prem Asta”, and “Ti and Ti”. She is most fondly recalled as Indian TV’s famous character ‘Sonpari’.
Kulkarni was recently seen on screen in “The Kashmir Files”. She has worked across genres and content formats and is one of the most talented professionals in the Indian entertainment industry.
“It gives me great pleasure to assume this honourable position. I understand the great responsibility which comes with this role,” said Mrinal Kulkarni. “Web content is a great space to showcase the potential and power since it is a global platform with few barriers. I applaud the Planet Marathi OTT team for setting high benchmarks, not settling for less and creating new avenues for the Marathi web space. With my new role, I am glad I will be able to share my ideas and experience to take forward the platform’s efforts. It brings me great pleasure to say, we are poised for the next level in the OTT space.”
“We are excited to have an industry veteran and expert like Mrinal Kulkarni onboard,” said Planet Marathi OTT producer and founder Akshay Bardapurkar. “With Mrinal joining us, we have upped the level of great expertise we have in our team. Mrinal embodies a sharp sense of business, innovation and craft, which is much needed in the OTT space. Her experience and vision will add to our mission of taking Marathi content to the world. She staunchly believes in the potential of Marathi content and it is an honour to have a powerhouse like her as a part of the Planet Marathi family.”
Kulkarni begins her role starting from June along with other board of founders at Planet Marathi OTT.
Singapore-based Vistas Media Capital is an investor in Planet Marathi OTT.
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.
