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Now give a missed call to follow @SrBachchan
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan is undoubtedly India’s most enigmatic, charming, talented, informed and witty superstar. With a fan following ranging from the age groups of eight to 80 the superstar is the heartthrob of millions across the country. The Shahenshah of Social media is followed by more than 13 million people across social media platforms including 6.5 million on Twitter.
His Birthday is a date marked on many calendars across India as a day of celebration and this year is no different. As a special surprise for his fans this year as part of global integration with Twitter India and ZipDial, any mobile user in India can now follow the actor’s Twitter account @SrBachchan by simply dialling, or giving a missed call, at +91-22- 33010007.
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Now fans across India can get access to their big screen idol’s thoughts on several topics and get a peek into the latest happenings in his life. The collaboration in association with Fluence, will allow everyone across the country to follow and engage the superstar on Twitter via SMS. The service works for all mobile users in the country with any phone or any operator; moreover it’s free irrespective of whether they have a Twitter account or data-enabled phone.
Commenting on this service, CA Media India EVP investee operations Rishi Negi said: “The madness that is associated to Bachchan has no boundaries and to this date fans are mesmerised by a mere interaction with him. On 11 October every year millions throng outside his Mumbai residence to catch a glimpse and wish the brightest shining star of the Indian film industry a Happy Birthday. This year thanks to this technology fans across the nation who don’t access Twitter will be able to connect with their idol on his big day and read his thoughts and sentiments about his life and the world in general and on an on-going basis on their phone.”
Twitter India market director Rishi Jaitly said: “Twitter is live, conversational and public. Bachchan’s use of Twitter has for years exemplified the power of our platform’s ability to connect audiences directly with the people and organizations that interest them most. We are pleased to see ZipDial and Bachchan use the Twitter platform to extend his reach even further.”
ZipDial founder and CEO Valerie R Wagoner said: “By using ZipDial, Asia’s leading mobile marketing platform with the simple user experience of ‘missed calls’, Bachchan can now reach the hundreds of millions of fans in India and internationally who have phones but do not yet use Twitter. Bachchan’s fans can now interact with their iconic hero on Twitter through the simple ZipDial interface of dialing. Our team members at the company are among Bachchan’s fans, so we are particularly thrilled that his ZipDial number 02233010007 reflects his suave and heroic ‘007’ persona.”
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
