iWorld
Roposo founder launches CloseAPP to aid Covid relief
KOLKATA: Roposo founder Mayank Bhangadia has announced the launch of CloseAPP – a hyperlocal social app to help people across the country as they combat the devastating second wave of Covid-19. The new app will help people to connect with each other virtually and get medical help in real-time. The launch comes at a time when people are increasingly turning to social media to meet their medical emergencies.
CloseAPP users can seek help by posting their requirements on the app and learn about the availability of Plasma, Oxygen, ICU Beds, Vaccines, and Ventilators around their location. Bhangadia created this app with former colleague Harsha Chhabra, who led product development at Roposo and also founded GoParento. The team was supported by many Covid volunteers in the initiative.
“During my Covid crisis, I realised that current social networks aren’t as efficient in connecting help seekers with volunteers within one’s neighbourhood, nearby societies, or geo-location. Some posts get viral, but many times the useful resources get exhausted by the time they reach the masses. So, we felt there was a need to create an open, decentralised platform to help people connect hyper-locally with one another and get immediate help,” explained the Roposo founder, who is also building an active community of volunteers and alongside building a robust Technology Team.
India set another grim record on Wednesday, after losing as many as 4,529 lives during the last 24 hours. Over 2.67 lakh news cases were recorded across the country, according to the government.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
