iWorld
Zee5 partners with Meghbela Broadband to strengthen ISP distribution
MUMBAI: The Covid2019 pandemic has changed consumers’ viewing habits, with a lot of people migrating to the OTT space for at-home entertainment in the last few months. Zee5 has seen over 3X growth in its consumer base and it is now looking to expand beyond the traditional DTH and Cable TV. To this end, Zee5 has partnered up with Meghbela Broadband to ensure access to OTT entertainment even at the grassroots level.
Meghbela Broadband is a popular internet service provider in the eastern part of the country. Under this new alliance, customers on selected internet plans from Meghbela will get complimentary access to all of Zee5’s premium content, movies, and live channels. To get access to Zee5, Meghbela consumers need to login on Meghbela Android TV using an OTP generated on their mobile app.
Zee5 India senior vice president & head SVOD, Rahul Maroli said, “In a connected world, the role of ISPs is critical to connect the household to the world. The strategic alliance with Meghbela Broadband enables us to provide our bespoke entertainment experience to an even wider audience. With consumers now looking at digital platforms to fulfil their entertainment requirements, we wanted to ensure that consumers get a seamless experience with the best content to choose from. The alliance will leverage Meghbela’s reach and Zee5’s content and technology to deliver seamless entertainment to the whole India’s Eastern region.”
Tapabrata Mukherjee, director, Meghbela Broadband said, “We will surely break into the unchartered territory of the East by providing Meghbela Android TV Box bundled with Zee5 premium subscription backed with high speed internet up to 250mbps.”
With an array of carefully curated range of offerings Zee5 has become one of the leading entertainment platforms among Indian consumers. The alliance with Meghbela will allow a wider set of diverse consumers to discover a super digital entertainment experience with these bespoke offerings.
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.
