iWorld
Ranbir Kapoor now a creative collaborator
MUMBAI: Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor has now joined hands with Saavn (South Asia Audio Video Network), a US-based digital music company as its creative collaborator. The association was announced at the online music streaming press conference, which was attended by India’s top music industry executives and influencers.
The superstar, as part of the association will work with the Saavn team on consumer marketing ideation and production, business development and content.
Talking about the partnership Kapoor said, “I’ve been using Saavn for years now, so it’s exciting to be working with the team on a deeper level. I’ll be helping to guide the brand, influence programming, connect with the next generation of music listeners and ultimately help build the best music product in India and potentially the world.”
“I look forward to being involved in a more business-centric capacity in the near future,” he added.
The partnership has initially materialised in the form of a new commercial campaign featuring a 30 second television spot. Kapoor provided a significant amount of input on the creative for the campaign. The TV commercial was written by Vasan Bala, who is the screenwriter for Kapoor’s new film, Bombay Velvet, alongside Sneha Mehta and Teddy Stern of Saavn and has been produced by Golden Gaddi Films, the ad production house of Guneet Monga who is the producer of The Lunchbox.
Saavn released a sneak-peek of its alliance with Kapoor in its “Here’s to the Music” campaign that went live earlier this year.
Saavn executive chairman Paramdeep Singh said, “It felt right from the beginning. Our collaboration with Ranbir represents an evolution in the way technology companies and artists work together in India. And that bridge between art and digital is at the very heart of what we want to accomplish at Saavn.”
The digital music company, which claims a catalog of almost two million tracks from both Indian and US record labels, will be rolling out a suite of new consumer-facing products and partnerships over the next couple of months.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
