iWorld
OTTplay goes full Thalaivar as 12 December becomes Rajinikanth Day
MUMBAI: When the calendar hits 12/12 and millions instinctively look skyward, it can mean only one thing, it’s Thalaivar time. OTTplay has now made that instinct official, declaring 12 December as “Rajinikanth Day” every year, beginning with a blockbuster tribute to mark the Superstar’s 75th birthday.
The celebrations kicked off with a striking full-page homage in Hindustan Times, headlined “12/12 Happy Rajinikanth Day”, a bold salute to a phenomenon who has ruled single screens, satellites and streaming alike for five decades. The creative captures the unmatched aura of a man whose impact transcends borders, languages and generations; a star who inspired whistles in cinema halls, swagger in the streets and courage in countless hearts.
But the print tribute is only the opening act. OTTplay India’s leading OTT aggregation platform that curates content from 30 plus streaming services under a single subscription has rolled out a full-scale digital and social campaign urging fans to binge their way through Rajinikanth’s legendary career. From Baashha to Muthu, Kabali to Petta, viewers can rediscover his milestones across partner platforms including SunNXT, JioHotstar and Z5.
Speaking on the initiative, OTTplay CEO Avinash Mudaliar said, “Rajinikanth is not just a superstar. He is a feeling, a memory and a part of growing up for millions. This tribute is our way of saying thank you to the man who still unites families and generations like no one else. Through OTTplay, we want every fan from those who watched him on grainy prints to today’s streaming natives to relive his journey.”
With this campaign, OTTplay blends nostalgia, fandom and discovery into one seamless celebration ensuring that on 12 December and beyond, the legend of Rajinikanth continues not just to be remembered, but re-experienced.
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.
