iWorld
YouTube FanFest returns to India with global & local stars
MUMBAI: YouTube and Branded Limited with Pepsi, in association with HP have brought back the YouTube FanFest to Mumbai, which is an exclusive live show bringing together established and emerging YouTube stars from India and around the world with fans.
YouTube FanFest, which debuted in India last February, provides fans with the unique opportunity to meet their favorite internet heroes in person.
This year, YouTube FanFest is set to take center stage on 20 March at the NSCI Indoor Stadium in Mumbai. Over 6,000 fans will get face-to-face with some of YouTube’s biggest stars, local internet sensations and up-and-coming talent performing live on stage.
This year’s show features a dynamic mix of music, comedy, dance, fashion and even cooking, all together on one stage. The line-up for the YouTube FanFest Mumbai encore features 24 widely popular YouTubers, including Superwoman, Bethany Mota, Jus Reign, TVF ONE, Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath and East India Comedy.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen popular Indian creators emerge on YouTube and excite people around the world. We’re bringing YouTube FanFest back to Mumbai for a second showing to celebrate this new generation of YouTube stars with some of YouTube’s most passionate fans in Asia,” said YouTube Asia-Pacific director of content and operations Gautam Anand.
“This FanFest in Mumbai is going to be the largest FanFest ever. More stars, more fun and more screaming fans in one of YouTube’s largest Asian markets,” said YouTube FanFest producers and branded CEO Jasper Donat.
According to PepsiCo India VP – marketing Vipul Prakash youngsters today are creatively inspired, not scared of new experiences and eager to live life in the now. He further stated that consumers and brands across the world are stepping it up to make great things happen through collaborative innovation and a sense of disruption that’s soon becoming a norm.
“For us, the YouTube FanFest exemplifies all of this and stands for original creativity and the young consumer taking control. These values perfectly embody the Pepsi consumer. We are extremely excited to partner with the YouTube FanFest this year, and in true Live It Abhi style, we look forward to cheering the creative, inventive and spirited young consumer,” added Prakash.
HP India head of marketing, printing and personal systems Lloyd Mathias believed that India has one of the youngest populations in the world and through the FanFest, HP is able to connect with the new generation who are bending the rules as they go creating and enjoying content.
“Keeping millennia’s’ needs in mind, HP has a range of stylish, yet productive notebooks, tablets and hybrid devices that will enable them to bring their creativity to life and go that extra mile,” Mathias said.
To make this day more memorable, fans will have chance to get up close and personal with the stars through promotions run by the YouTubers themselves. Jus Reign, Kurt Hugo Schneider, and Sam Tsui will join several other global and local music sensations for the performances in Mumbai.
“I’m pumped to finally be coming out to Mumbai to see many good looking faces that are way more good looking than mine, see you all on the 20th. ALL OF YOU…” said Reign.
“We are really looking forward to this Fanfest. We’ve never been to India and we are totally excited to be coming to Mumbai to meet fans and to collaborate with other artists,” said Schneider and Tsui.
“Biswa and I are extremely excited to host the second-ever FanFest in Mumbai, to see fans who like our work, and to meet other creators from around the world who we are fans of! We’re counting down the days!” said Kanan Gill.
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.
