iWorld
Voot Select reveals its sixth original – Crackdown
KOLKATA: Voot Select is all set to reveal their latest Original – Crackdown. Home to critically acclaimed shows like Asur, Raikar Case, The Gone Game, Voot Select will now have ace Bollywood director Apoorva Lakhia making his directorial web debut with this action-packed espionage thriller. Crackdown boasts of a fantastic ensemble cast including Saqib Saleem, Iqbal Khan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Waluscha De Sousa, Rajesh Tailang, and Ankur Bhatia amongst others. The eight-part series goes live on Voot Select on 23 September 2020.
A slick, high-octane thriller, Crackdown, revolves around a covert operations wing that tries to crack through multiple smaller decoys, to uncover a larger conspiracy that threatens national security. In the process, they find an able ally in a girl whose identity remains a mystery. As seen in the trailer, B-town was buzzing with excitement as the first look of the show that was announced by none other than Superstar and the ‘Shehenshah’ of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan. Brimming with high octane action sequences, powerful visuals, and a spectacular cast, Crackdown boasts of the grandeur and scale that Apoorva Lakhia’s directorial web debut one would expect will offer.
Voot Select, Viacom18 youth, music, and english entertainment head Ferzad Palia said, “Voot Select has in a very short span of time, become synonymous with great quality Originals and curated content. Now we are all set and extremely excited to launch our sixth Original – Crackdown. Apoorva is known to make the most stylish and slick thrillers and has created magic with what he has done in the show Crackdown. It’s an edge of the seat thriller with lots of action which is sure to be nothing short of a big Bollywood blockbuster experience brought to the OTT world.”
Apoorva Lakhia said, "I have always loved making action thrillers. It gives me an adrenaline rush just being a part of those sequences and locations. Needless to say, when I read the script written by Chintan Gandhi and Suresh Nair, I was extremely excited. The storyline is great, its action-packed, with great locations and a stellar cast and it is going to stream on one of the biggest digital platforms in the country, Voot Select. What more can one need? Although this is my directorial debut for an OTT platform, the treatment of Crackdown is exactly like a Bollywood blockbuster and I am sure the audience is going to love it as much as we enjoyed making it.”
Gunshots, chase sequences, blasts, and the constant hand combat, Crackdown is packed with all the right elements that should put it on the top of your binge-watch list.
iWorld
Airtel bets big on digital lending with Rs 20,000 Cr NBFC push
Telecom giant aims to transform India’s credit scene with a high-scale NBFC plan
NEW DELHI: Bharati Airtel is taking a bold step into the financial world. The telecom giant has announced plans to supercharge its Non-Banking Financial Company, Airtel Money Limited, with a whopping Rs 20,000 crore over the coming years.
Airtel will fund 70 per cent of the capital, with the remaining 30 per cent coming from the promoter group via Bharti Enterprises Limited. The move is designed to narrow India’s credit gap and bring simple, secure digital lending to more consumers.
The company is not starting from scratch. Its existing digital lending platform has already disbursed over Rs 9,000 crore, backed by smart underwriting, disciplined portfolio management, and real-time risk monitoring. With 500 plus data scientists and robust analytics, Airtel claims it has built one of the country’s most trusted lending service provider models.
Bharti Airtel executive vice chairman Gopal Vittal said, “Our success over the past two years shows how technology, data, and customer trust can create impact at a national scale. With this NBFC expansion, we aim to build a future-ready digital lending business that stands for trust, innovation, and inclusion.”
Airtel Money received its NBFC licence from the Reserve Bank of India on 13 February 2026. The expansion taps into India’s fast-growing financial sector, where formal credit accounts for just 53 per cent of GDP, highlighting huge room for growth.
The NBFC’s operations will integrate seamlessly with Airtel’s existing lending platform, keeping processes clear for customers while delivering a smooth experience. By leveraging its vast telecom customer base, Airtel aims to set a new benchmark in digital financial services and make lending accessible, simple, and reliable.
The Reserve Bank of India has noted that while Airtel Money has a valid registration certificate, it does not guarantee the company’s financial soundness or the repayment of liabilities.
