iWorld
News9 Plus launches new OTT series ‘Duologue with Barun Das’
Mumbai: The first season of four mini-episodes for TV9 Network’s latest OTT series, Duologue with Barun Das, has been released.
TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das introduces an exchange of ideas not prompted by headline management, but rather to evolve emancipated influencer conversations on the Network’s newly launched OTT video magazine, News9 Plus.
The show made its debut with “Liger” actor Vijay Devrakonda. Das and Devrakonda discuss not only the Telugu boom in Bollywood but the lives and times of both as they exchange hitherto unknown experiences and perspectives.
Next in line on Duologue with Barun Das, Das engages with the UK’s former prime minister David Cameron, who made history by becoming the country’s youngest leader in two centuries, forging unrivalled ties with India. Cameron speaks about India’s role in the emerging global order.
Speaking on the philosophy of Duologue, Das said, “Duologue is a cerebral conversation with a legend or a legend in the making. That’s the profile the show will feature. As the title suggests, it is a two-way interaction where we pose questions to each other as we exchange ideas in a free-flowing manner.”
He added, “For me to take up this role, the driving force is the need to aggregate great ideas for India’s path to development. I also believe there is room for creating long-lasting and meaningful conversations in a content environment currently dominated by sensationalism.”
“Barun Das is neither a conventional business leader nor a professional anchor. As a CEO, he has always outperformed the industry. Little known in the public domain is his unique and uncanny ability to slice through conflicting narratives with great ease while stitching loose threads to build meaningful conversations with intelligent minds,” said News9 Plus editor Sandeep Unnithan.
After watching the show, The Linus Adventures founder and chief evangelist Sunil Lulla said, “Tantalising and intriguing. Duologue opens new voices and new perspectives.”
“I loved the episode. Barun is so natural. I feel this kind of content can reach a whole new demography… not just rule India but reach the world,” added Chopra Foundation CEO & Seva.Love founder Poonacha Machaiah.
The show is streaming now on the News9 Plus app, available across the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, as well as on the web.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
