iWorld
ShortsTV forays into OTT space with Airtel Xstream
KOLKATA: ShortsTV has partnered with Airtel to launch its first video-on-demand service on Airtel Xstream that can be enjoyed on both the mobile app as well as television screens. ShortsTV is now available at a nominal subscription of Rs 99 per month and Rs 499 for a year.
ShortsTV through Airtel Xstream offers an expansive catalogue of quality short films that includes shorts which were nominated for and won at The Academy Awards, Cannes, BAFTA, and high-quality CGI animation from international independent and local Indian filmmakers. Equipped with a specially curated library of over 4,000+ titles from across the globe spanning genres such as comedies, musicals, documentaries, thrillers, dramas, and animation, the service is here to allure all the short film fans and offer a seamless binge-watching experience. The catalogue includes short films across English, foreign, and local Indian languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu.
ShortsTV chief executive Carter Pilcher said, “TV and mobile phones are both integral to the Indian viewing experience—a perfect combination for ShortsTV and our ground-breaking short movie entertainment. ShortsTV is present in over 60 million TV households in India already, and our partnership with Airtel Xstream will bring us to Airtel’s 340 million subscribers. From Oscar nominated movies to travel documentaries to exciting new films from India’s hottest new directors – ShortsTV is amazing entertainment.”
“Short films are slowly making their presence felt among mainstream cinema, thus adding momentum to the growth of shorts on the Indian movie map. At ShortsTV, we always believed in providing a global platform for filmmakers to showcase their work since the audience's affinity towards the short format is growing. Understanding the rise in content consumption on the small screen, our partnership with Airtel Xstream will not only help us extend our reach into the Indian heartland but also provide an opportunity for Indian filmmakers to expand in India and beyond,” ShortsTV Asia president Tarun Sawhney said.
ShortsTV’s catalogue of short films features critically acclaimed stars such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Emilia Clarke, Jude Law, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Naseeruddin Shah, Radhika Apte, and others. Some of the unique shorts available on the platform include internationally popular Oscar winner Skin, BAFTA nominee The Voorman Problem, Cannes Jury prize winner Swimsuit 46.
The top short films from best of India and Latin America like Natkhat starring Vidya Balan, Shameless starring Sayani Gupta, Safar starring Shweta Tripathi, Soundproof starring Soha Ali Khan, Trapped starring Abhishek Banerjee, The Lillies Seller will be showcased as part of Worldwide Film Festival from 24 to 27 February. In addition to an enviable selection of short films, the service also features various segments on local film festival coverage, film school vignettes, ‘making-of’ features, interviews with directors, actors, and other leaders in the industry.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
