iWorld
Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent OTT races up the download charts
MUMBAI: Some people know him for popularising chess to the masses, Others know him as one of the most popular comedians in India but Samay Raina is now also an entertainment-preneur – making a business out of his entertainment.
Six months ago, Samay created a show on YouTube called India’s Got Latent. The show allows people to showcase their talent or skill in front of a panel of judges curated by Samay Raina. Not another talent show? Hasn’t viewer fatigue set in?
But, wait, India’s Got Latent is not just another talent show. For one, it’s totally irreverent as far as its contestants, judges and special guests are concerned. Then it’s ticketed and the live audience pays Rs 2,000 to just get in. Other talent shows decide the winner based on who gets the highest score. But not on Samay’s India’s Got Latent. Contestants/participants score themselves individually before they strut their stuff on stage. Then it’s the turn of the judges. If the contestant’s scores matches with the score given by the jury he or she is the winner. and goes home with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, which is given by the sponsor of the episode.
The show combines humour (it’s very north Indian and we’d say GenZ, full of free flowing cuss words and double entendres) with a talent showcase giving an opportunity to common-as-garden individuals to present their talents.
This unique show became viral like no other IP on YouTube, and it has been attracting subscribers like flies to a honeypot. The number has reached 6.7 million subscribers at the time of writing.Each episode is doing an average of 25 million with the recent ones clocking 30 plus million views.
So strong is the pull, that Samay has dared to make bonus episodes available on membership (a monthly subscription to its YouTube channel). Estimates are that he has close to 500,000 paid subscribers coughing up Rs 60 each a month which gets him about Rs 2 crore a month, deducting YouTube fees.
India’s got Latent has become so popular not only on YouTube free and membership that it has encouraged Samay Raina to create a streaming app. Yes, a streaming app, and he announced on his Instagram handle that it’s there for downloading.
He also said he’s got more – many more IPs in production – a poetry show and a rap competition which will be available on a monthly subscription of Rs 59. There will be some other services available including tickets to his shows in the app. At the time of writing, India’s Got Latent had reached amongst the top 50 downloaded apps in the country on the Google Playstore and at No 1 on the Appstore. That too within a day of its introduction on the two stores.
Not just that. Samay has a north American tour Samay Raina Unfiltered planned between February and March first week with 10 shows each planned for Canada and the US. Tickets for these are already on sale online and they are selling out fast.
Clearly, this is one social media sensation who is taking advantage of the right samay (time) and cashing it in.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
