iWorld
VMate ropes Bhuvan Bam, Ashish Chanchlani for Holi campaign #VMateAsliHolibaaz
MUMBAI: Influencer marketing is the latest trend in promoting a brand. The marketing being cost-effective and less expensive, a video platform VMate has roped in YouTubers, Bhuvan Bam and Ashish Chanchlani, for a short campaign movie — #VMateAsliHolibaaz, produced by the company itself.
This is the first time that the two Youtubers, termed as rivals/competitors, will be seen together in one campaign film.
“The Youtubers’ only condition was that they wanted to be in their ‘own character and zone’ and wanted to remain themselves in the video,” said a VMate’s press statement.
Bhuvan Bam, who tops all lists of YouTubers in India, feels that VMate is a new platform that would be loved by all. Asked about the collaboration with VMate, he mentioned that his mother is also fond of the trending in short-video platforms.
Ashish Chanchlani, known for his slapstick comedy, added: “When VMate came to us, we both mutually agreed. We had just one condition that we will be ourselves. I am happy with the way things have shaped up.”
The YouTubers also dismissed all speculations of rivalry, referring to each other as the “closest friend in the community”.
It isn’t the first time that artists like Bhuvan Bam and Ashish Chanchlani have forayed into the world of short-video platforms. While the former has appeared on TikTok, the latter has earlier integrated some of VMate’s previous campaigns, such as New Year and #HappyValentinesDay challenge.
The emergence of short-video platforms has provided an unprecedented opportunity to several artists, who earlier thrived solely on the popularity of YouTube. For instance, popular YouTuber Awez Darbar, who choreographs songs featuring famous celebrities, has now become a prominent TikTok influencer.
iWorld
Sony LIV acquires worldwide digital rights for Marathi romance Toh Ti Ani Fuji
Film shot in Japan and India to stream exclusively on the platform from 10 April 2026.
MUMBAI: Love knows no language, but this Marathi romance is about to speak to audiences far beyond its roots and it’s doing so with a scenic detour through Japan. Sony Pictures Networks India has acquired the worldwide digital rights for the Marathi-language romance feature Toh Ti Ani Fuji (also known as Main, Woh Aur Fuji), with an exclusive direct-to-digital release on Sony Liv scheduled for 10 April 2026. Sony Pictures Networks India will retain exclusive worldwide theatrical and linear rights.
Filmed extensively in Japan and India, the film marks an unprecedented Marathi-language romance set on an international canvas. It explores how relationships evolve under the pressures of distance, time, and shifting emotional realities, using Japan not merely as a backdrop but as an emotional landscape that mirrors the characters’ inner journeys.
Written by Irawati Karnik and directed by Mohit Takalkar, the story follows a deeply passionate relationship that gradually turns toxic due to contrasting personalities, shifting priorities, and unfair emotional expectations. Seven years after their separation, the former couple unexpectedly reunite in Japan, reopening old wounds and unspoken desires while questioning whether love altered by time can ever find its way back.
Producer Shiladitya Bora said the partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India reflects the growing belief that “regional is the new mainstream.” He added that the film’s multi-language digital release on Sony LIV will help it connect with newer audiences across India and the world.
Director Mohit Takalkar described the film as an exploration of how love changes in today’s urban world, shaped by ambition, geography, and the pressure to evolve. “It began as a very personal exploration of relationships, and to see it reaching a wider audience feels deeply satisfying,” he noted.
Actors Lalit Prabhakar and Mrinmayee Godbole highlighted the film’s intimate yet universal take on love, separation, and rediscovery. Godbole particularly praised how filming in Japan added a global dimension while keeping the story deeply personal.
From a toxic romance that travels from India to Japan and back, Toh Ti Ani Fuji promises an emotionally layered story that feels both specific and universal. For Sony LIV viewers, this first-of-its-kind Marathi film offers a chance to experience love, loss, and second chances with a refreshing international flavour.
The film streams exclusively on Sony LIV from 10 April 2026.
