iWorld
Viu partners Morris Street to launch Hollywood Squares India adaptation
MUMBAI: Viu has collaborated with Morris Street Advisors to bring successful global format Hollywood Squares to India. Morris Street Advisors has acquired the format rights to Hollywood Squares from CBS Studios International for India. This collaboration will present the Indian version, titled Tollywood Squares, of the multiple Emmy-award-winning and internationally successful CBS show format for the Telugu audience. Viu has joined hands with Star Maa and GroupM’s Motion Content Group to deliver the content cross-platform as the show will be available on a digital platform and a television channel simultaneously.
The 26-episode weekend show, created in Telugu, is set to go live on 27 January 2018 on the Viu app website and Star Maa simultaneously. One episode will release every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30pm. Hosted by television personality Navdeep Pallapolu, the series will be based on Tic-Tac-Toe, a universally popular game and will showcase nine new celebrities and two new contestants in each episode. Hollywood Squares is the first major game show format from CBS to be produced in India.
Elaborating on the show and partnership, Viu India country head Vishal Maheshwari said, “We are thrilled to bring the most sought-after celebrity game show of Hollywood Squares regionalised for our Telugu audience. Our insights gave us the belief that a format like this, which is iconic in its own right globally, would be a timely new addition to our bouquet of differentiated content. We are happy to partner with StarMaa and Motion Content group to bring this internationally recognised show format for our audiences. The content can be viewed on the digital platform and main screen television.”
Morris Street Advisors CEO Rohit Tiwari said, “This is a milestone moment for Morris Street Advisors. As an entertainment content provider, we are now placing more focus on producing popular programming that captivates Indian viewers. We are super excited to team up with CBS Studios International and our Indian partners to produce the show in India.”
The launch of Tollywood Squares is aligned to Star Maa’s promise of delivering compelling content that appeals to the masses by breaking conventional boundaries of language. This show is in line with Viu’s continued focus on original regional content since launching in 2016.
Commenting on this occasion Star Maa business head Alok Jain said, “We are pleased to now bring Hollywood Squares in India for the Telugu people. I am confident that this show will take our viewers across all age groups back to the memory lanes and the concept of this show will transform the TV viewers’ experience. We are extremely pleased to partner with Viu and together this show will entertain our viewers.”
“Hollywood Squares has had success in many countries around the world, and we’re convinced it will appeal to viewers in India,” CBS Studios International VP (international sales and production) Roxanne Lettman Pompa said.
Also Read:
Regional OTT content more than just catch-up TV
Viu brings best of korean shows to india
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
