iWorld
Navot Papushado on collaborating with Michelle Yeoh for Gunpowder Milkshake
Mumbai: Oscar winners are just built differently! Lionsgate Play is all set to stream Gunpowder Milkshake on 22 September. With a stellar star cast in tow, including two Oscar winners, the film sees Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett and Carla Gugino as highly trained assassins. When Sam is faced with the consequences of a high-risk job going wrong, she reunites with her mother to save an innocent eight-year-old’s life. Packed with action, thrill, and guns, Gunpowder Milkshake puts some of the best showrunners on the front lines. So get ready to cheer on this fierce group of slightly unethical ladies!
Talking about working with Michelle Yeoh, director Navot Papushoda said, “We really worked the actors hard, but they just wanted more. I remember the day Michelle came on set. Everyone was in awe of Michelle. A lot of the action scenes were inspired by her before we even knew she was going to do the film, so it was like we were getting a visit from the queen. You don’t cast Michelle Yeoh just to hold guns, although she does that too. We gave her chains and had her use her fists in fight scenes. She’s incredible, she jumps from a balcony after strangling someone with the chains, lands perfectly and flicks one of his teeth out of her hair. She trained with the stunt people who are her biggest fans. She brought so much experience and really enriched the movie in ways we did not anticipate.”
Gunpowder Milkshake to stream exclusively on Lionsgate Play from September 22nd.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
