iWorld
Voot Select set to stream ‘Apharan 2’ on 18 March
Mumbai: OTT service platform Voot Select is set to stream the second season of “Apharan 2” on 18 March.
Produced by Ekta R Kapoor and Jio Studios, the show features a stellar cast Arunoday Singh, Nidhi Singh, Snehil Dixit Mehra, Saanand Verma and Sukhmani Sadana and spans across 11 episodes. The show is directed by Santosh Singh, and it is written by Siddharth Sengupta, Umesh Padalkar, Anahata Menon.
“Apharan is a cult series that was a runaway success,” said Viacom18 Digital Ventures head SVOD and international business Ferzad Palia. “We couldn’t be happier than to bring the second edition exclusively to Voot Select members and play home to this popular franchise. Apharan Season 2 marks the start of a heavy line up of top-quality Originals with probably the most robust slate that India will witness in 2022.”
A special screening was held for the launch of the show attended by industry honchos on Wednesday. The star-studded affair was attended by Ekta R Kapoor along with the entire cast of the show.
“This is my first collaboration with Jio Studios and Voot Select and I am thrilled to associate with them for an unconventional show like Apharan,” said Kapoor. “After the overwhelming response received from the audience for the first season, it only made sense for us to take them by surprise with Season 2 by steering away from the mainstream action-thriller genre. With never-seen-before plot twists, the sequel is sure to make many jaws drop. Be ready – Kyunki Sabka Katega Dobara!”
Set against the backdrop of India and Serbia, “Apharan 2” follows the story of a cop Rudra who sets out on a journey to kidnap an intelligent criminal Bikram Bahadur Shah who wants to eliminate India from the world map. The trailer of the show on YouTube crossed 35 million views over 12 days, according to the streaming platform.
“The Apharan 2 trailer has risen viewers’ curiosity for the sequel, but the wait is not too long now,” said actor Arunoday Singh. “Playing the character of Rudra Srivastava has been an unforgettable experience for me. The entire cast has kept every minute detail in mind while getting into the skin of our respective characters. We embodied their physical as well as emotional traits. All I can say is that it will leave you at the edge of your seat. Hoping that you guys like it.”
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iWorld
Snap hits $1B revenue as subscriptions cross 25 million
Snap’s paid products boom with Snapchat plus, Lens plus and creator subscriptions
CALIFORNIA: Snapchat’s subscription push is paying off handsomely, with the platform’s direct revenue business now cruising past a $1 billion annualised run rate. At the heart of this milestone is a loyal global subscription community that has just topped 25 million Snapchatters.
Since its launch in late 2022, Snapchat plus has grown rapidly to become one of the fastest-growing consumer subscriptions worldwide. What began as an early-access perk for the platform’s most engaged users has scaled into a robust revenue engine alongside Snap’s ad business.
Snapchat plus thrives because it taps into something deeply human. With more than 946 million monthly active users, Snapchat is fast approaching the one-billion mark. Its subscription service offers personal touches that matter in everyday chats. From pinning a best friend to customising chat wallpapers or adding a Bitmoji Pet, these simple features bring warmth, context and joy to conversations.
But Snap isn’t stopping there. The company has expanded its direct revenue offerings with paid versions of Lens plus, Snapchat Platinum, and Memories Storage Plans. Lens plus gives subscribers advanced AI and AR creative tools, including exclusive generative AI Lenses and unlimited use of the Imagine Lens for instant image creation. Snapchat Platinum delivers an ad-light experience focused on friends and creators, while Memories Storage Plans give heavy users the option to upgrade storage and keep thousands of their most cherished Snaps safe.
Snapchat is also opening doors for creators. Its new creator subscriptions let fans pay directly for exclusive content, priority engagement, and ad-free Stories, giving influencers fresh ways to connect with their audience.
Snap credits its 25 million subscribers for helping shape the future of the platform. Their creativity, feedback, and enthusiasm not only inspire new features but also fuel Snap’s growing direct revenue business.
With these moves, Snap is proving that personalisation, self-expression, and friendship aren’t just buzzwords, they’re the secret sauce behind its subscription success.
