iWorld
Sony Liv’s 13th cracks open India’s exam-prep grind with MT Sir’s story
MUMBAI: The toughest test isn’t always on paper, sometimes it’s the year between. Sony Liv is set to premiere its long-awaited original series 13th on 1st October 2025, pulling viewers into the high-pressure universe of India’s competitive exam-prep culture.
The title itself is a nod to the “drop year” after Class 12, when thousands of students dedicate an extra 12 months solely to cracking the IIT-JEE entrance exam. For many, that 13th year becomes a make-or-break moment filled with sleepless nights, financial strain, and the constant balancing act between ambition and anxiety.
At the heart of the story stands mentor Mohit Tyagi (MT Sir), a real-life educator whose teaching revolution has reached over 20 lakh students across India. With his Youtube channel followed by more than 2.2 million learners, Tyagi has built an open-access classroom that rivals the mega coaching hubs of Kota but without the lakhs in fees. Over two decades, his consistency and discipline-driven methods have produced Top-100 ranks year after year, proving that resilience and rigour trump hype.
What makes Tyagi’s story remarkable is his rejection of crore-level salary offers in favour of free, quality education. His vision has reshaped the meaning of mentorship in India, cutting across economic and social divides. Instead of becoming a coaching magnate, he created a movement where students are treated as individuals with dreams, not just roll numbers on a register.
13th stars Gagan Dev Riar as the mentor, portraying a role steeped in both realism and inspiration. The series doesn’t sugarcoat the grind, it delves into the loneliness of hostel rooms, the sacrifices families make, and the crushing weight of repeated attempts. It also shines a light on the resilience of students who fight through failure, financial strain, and fear, armed with little more than hope and persistence.
Speaking about the premiere, Tyagi himself reflected on the deeper message: “Teaching has always been about much more than solving equations. It’s about resilience, discipline, and reminding students that they are more than their marks. 13th tells the untold story of lakhs of youth carrying gigantic pressure but also gigantic dreams.”
For Sony LIV, the series is more than just a drama, it’s a mirror to India’s youth, their aspirations, and the cracks in a system where education can feel like war. By weaving Tyagi’s mission into a scripted narrative, the platform hopes to start conversations in living rooms across the country between parents, students, and society at large.
With hashtags #My13thStory and #13thOnSonyLiv, the show is already sparking anticipation online. Come October, 13th promises to be more than binge-worthy content; it’s set to become a cultural talking point on what success really means when the journey is tougher than the exam.
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.
