iWorld
The Night Manager emerges as the most watched series ever
Mumbai: Bigger, Better, Bolder- The Night Manager (Part one and two) emerges as the most watched series ever across all Hotstar Specials on Disney+ Hotstar. The biggest showdown of the year between two high-powered characters of the series – ‘The notorious arms dealer Shelly Rungta and an accidental spy Shaan Sengupta’ created an impact nationwide.
A Hindi-language adaptation of John le Carré’s novel “The Night Manager” produced by The Ink Factory and Banijay Asia, the series is created and directed by Sandeep Modi and second director Priyanka Ghose. The series is wrapped in lavish drama, picturesque sights and features eclectic talent including Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, Saswata Chatterjee and Ravi Behl.
Disney+ Hotstar & HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star head – content Gaurav Banerjee said, “We are thrilled with the performance of The Night Manager; it is now the most successful show of the year on Disney+ Hotstar. Powerful performances, immense drama, and stunning production values have made the show a fan favourite. Fans were eagerly waiting for the second part of the show and we are glad that it met their expectations.”
Banijay Asia founder & CEO Deepak Dhar said, “We are elated to see the kind of response The Night Manager is receiving, worldwide – from audiences as well as the fraternity. It is a testament to the hard work put in by the writers, directors, cinematographers and all the creative and technical teams across the show and of course at Banijay Asia, Ink Factory and Disney+ Hotstar. Our only intention was to give this show our all to unleash its true potential. The year started with a bang with The Night Manager part 1, and the love only continued with part 2. It’s been great collaborating with Disney+ Hotstar on this one. It’s been one of my favorite journeys.”
Creator and director, Sandeep Modi added, “The Night Manager is a fruit of our love and labour of over three years. I am grateful to witness the fandom and appreciation it has received amongst the audiences and the industry. The entire crew and cast has worked extremely hard to fulfil the vision I have had for the show and I am immensely proud and elated that it is the most watched series ever for Disney+ Hotstar in such a short span.”
Anil Kapoor aka Shelly Rungta said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the character of Shelly Rungta and what he brings to the table with his aura and power. We have been receiving immense appreciation from our industry friends, family and fans. Kudos to the entire team for the success of the series.”
Aditya Roy Kapur aka Shaan Sengupta said, “The Night Manager has emerged as the most-watched series on the platform and it is a big moment of happiness for all of us. The team has worked extremely hard and to see that the efforts have paid off, feels incredible. Shaan Sengupta is one character that will always be close to my heart.”
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
