Author: Neel Achary

Garima Jain Brings a Story of Dignity and Resilience to Life in Hungama OTT’s Hasratein 3

Hungama OTT, one of India’s leading digital entertainment platforms, returns with the much anticipated third season of its acclaimed anthology Hasratein 3, continuing its bold exploration of women, desire, and quiet rebellion. With the first two episodes premiering on 22nd January 2026, Season 3 brings six powerful stories of women navigating hidden longings, strained relationships, and the courage to reclaim their sense of self.

Episode two, Beauty Parlour, set in the narrow lanes of Lucknow, introduces Salma, played by Garima Jain, a resilient beautician balancing low wages, two children, and an emotionally absent husband. Behind her quiet resilience lies years of compromise, financial control, and stolen dreams. When Salma discovers her husband’s betrayal, her world cracks open, forcing her to confront harsh truths about love, marriage, and self-worth. With the quiet support of Suleiman, portrayed by Kunal Verma, who recognises her strength without taking advantage of it, Salma chooses dignity, independence, and the courage to start anew.

Speaking about her role, Garima shares, 

“This is a women empowerment story that shows that dreams can be achieved at any age and after any situation. Salma’s journey is about choosing herself and becoming successful despite everything she has been through. I have seen many real-life stories like this, and I truly want to portray strong characters that leave a meaningful message.”

She adds, 

“Working with Kunal was a wonderful experience. His approach to the character made the scenes feel honest and grounded, and it pushed me to give my best every day on set.”

Hasratein Season 3 promises yet another compelling chapter of quiet courage, rebellion, and self-discovery, with the first two episodes premiering on 22nd January, followed by new episodes on 27th January and 4th February, streaming on Hungama OTT and partner platforms.

The OG Gang Reunites as Amazon MX Player’s Campus Diaries Season 2 Starts Filming

MUMBAI, India, Jan 23: Amazon MX Player’s beloved youth series Campus Diaries has officially begun filming for its second season. Following its success with young audiences for its honest, slice-of-life depiction of college friendships and the journey of growing up, the show returns with the same warmth, humour, and emotional authenticity that defined Season 1. The season is produced by Prem Mistry and Abhishek Yadav (Yellow Montage) and directed by Abhishek Yadav.

Season 2 reunites the fan-favourite ensemble cast, including Harsh Beniwal as Sudheer, Ritvik Sahore as Abhilash, Srishti Ganguly Rindani as Sushmita, Saloni Gaur as Priyanka, Abhinav Sharma as Raghav, and Salonie Patel as Sanya. Known for its relatable storytelling, Campus Diaries continues to explore the nuances of friendships, emotions, and everyday campus life that have resonated with young viewers.

The new season will stream for free on Amazon MX Player, accessible through the MX Player app, Amazon Shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, Smart TVs, and Airtel Xstream.

Johnnie Walker Elevates Lollapalooza India 2026 with Craft, Flavour and Culture

Johnnie Walker Redefines the Festival Experience at Lollapalooza India 2026 with World-Class Craft, Flavour and Cultural Energy

Mumbai, Jan 23: Johnnie Walker Blonde Non-Alcoholic Lemonade is set to redefine the festival experience at Lollapalooza India 2026 through an extraordinary showcase of innovation, craftsmanship and culture. As one of India’s most anticipated cultural events, Lollapalooza offers an electric atmosphere that serves as the ultimate stage for Johnnie Walker’s premium mixology and its progressive ‘Keep Walking’ spirit. This year, Johnnie Walker has also come on board as the official partner for the Platinum Lounge – the festival’s most exclusive space for music lovers who seek elevated experiences.

At the heart of the Platinum Lounge experience, premium design, hospitality and creativity converge. The fully air-conditioned lounge offers unparalleled comfort and fanpit access across stages, combining the thrill of live music with sophisticated hospitality. A bespoke Whisky Experiments menu, led by Arnold Hou, Head Mixologist, Dali & Gala, Bengaluru, celebrating creativity and craftsmanship with serves inspired by distinct flavour directions – Spice, Coffee, Smoke and Sweet, each designed for a high-energy, all-day setting. We also have another unique experiential space on- ground -The Blonde Social Club. Festival-goers can personalize merchandise, play a game of pickleball and unwind while enjoying signature serves like the Blonde Bloom – a refreshing coffee-based cocktail and the Kokum Highball, an ode to Mumbai’s coastal zest. Exclusive slushies and flavor-led mixes will be available, promising a unique tasting journey for every guest. Completing the world-class experience, a premium bar experience is also being curated within the exclusive Red Stud Club, in collaboration with Bar Paradox, blending festival energy with refined craftsmanship.

Speaking on the association this year, Varun Koorichh, Vice President Marketing, Portfolio Head, Premium and Luxury, Diageo India said:

 “At Lollapalooza, the ‘Keep Walking’ spirit finds its most vibrant stage, allowing us to weave Johnnie Walker Blonde Non-Alcoholic lemonade’s craftsmanship into India’s most iconic musical moments. Our vision this year was to create a world-class experience that celebrates the craft, flavor, and progressive energy of the brand, while continuing to push boundaries across experience, innovation, and cultural relevance. From the artisanal serves at the Platinum Lounge to the interactive Blonde Social Club, every element is designed to feel both premium and participatory – an authentic reflection of how we continue to ‘Keep Walking’ at the forefront of culture.”

Extending its footprint beyond the festival grounds, Johnnie Walker Blonde Non-Alcoholic Lemonade partners with Uber, Zepto, MyGate, and Indē wild to create a holistic, lifestyle-led experience. This collaboration touches every moment of the consumer journey – from the first mile to the after-party.

With its world-class cocktails, visionary design and seamless brand storytelling, Johnnie Walker continues to push boundaries at Lollapalooza India 2026 – where every sip, serve and space is crafted to inspire progress and celebrate the spirit of Keep Walking.

EuroKids Celebrates Saraswati Puja across 300 Centres, Nurturing a Joyful Love for Learning in Early Childhood

Mumbai, Jan 23: EuroKids, India’s leading preschool chain, celebrated Saraswati Puja across 300 centres nationwide engaging 15000 students, marking the occasion with joyful activities designed to introduce young learners to India’s rich cultural heritage while fostering curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning.

Recognised as a festival that honours knowledge and wisdom, Saraswati Puja was celebrated at EuroKids as a cultural and educational experience. The celebrations were carefully curated to suit early learners, focusing on exploration, expression, and meaningful engagement with ideas that support holistic development.

The celebrations began with a simple Saraswati Puja, observed across centres to introduce children to the cultural significance of learning and knowledge. This was followed by thoughtfully planned learning-led activities. Children participated in storytelling, music and movement, art and craft, creative play, and interactive conversations that encouraged imagination, expression, and curiosity. These experiences helped children associate learning with joy, exploration, and confidence.

The celebrations also saw active participation from teachers and parents, creating a warm, inclusive environment that highlighted the importance of cultural awareness in a child’s formative years. By engaging families, EuroKids ensured that children experienced the occasion as a shared, joyful journey rooted in both tradition and modern pedagogy.

This approach reflects EuroKids’ strong alignment with its child-centric learning philosophy and the vision of NEP 2020, which emphasises holistic development, cultural rootedness, and experiential learning in the early years. Through such celebrations, EuroKids continues to integrate Indian traditions into everyday learning in ways that are meaningful, inclusive, and age appropriate.

Commenting on the occasion, KVS Seshasai, CEO, Pre-K Division, EuroKids (Lighthouse Learning), said,

 “Basant Panchami is a meaningful reminder that learning should begin early and with joy. At EuroKids, we believe the early years shape a child’s curiosity and love for learning. Celebrations like these allow us to connect cultural significance with early education in a way that helps parents understand why the right start matters so deeply.”

EuroKids’ brand ethos is rooted in creating safe, nurturing, and stimulating environments where children feel seen, heard, and valued. Powered by its Heureka Curriculum, based on Harvard’s Project Zero and aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the brand places curiosity at the heart of learning, encouraging children to explore, question, and discover, while continuing to emphasise holistic development through learning by play, emotional security, social skills, language development, independence, and school readiness.

With a legacy of nurturing over seven lakh children across 1,700+ preschools in more than 500 cities, EuroKids continues to lead the way in early childhood education. The brand remains steadfast in its mission to champion what truly matters in the early years, building not just sharper minds, but kinder hearts and resilient individuals who are prepared for school and for life.

Moj launches Micro drama Challenge: Unique accelerator programme unlocking access to a INR 20 Cr annual budget

New Delhi, Jan 23: Moj, India’s leading homegrown short video platform from ShareChat, today announced the launch of the Micro Drama Challenge, a first-of-its-kind accelerator programme designed to support and strengthen the micro drama ecosystem in India. The company has initially set aside over a ₹20 crore annual budget, to scout and groom upcoming studios in India’s rapidly growing short-form entertainment ecosystem.

This initiative opens doors to discover, finance and groom the next wave of storytellers building vertical micro drama series for India’s fastest-growing short-video audience, to showcase their talent and content capabilities. By fostering collaboration between content creators, filmmakers, production houses, and storytellers, Moj’s initiative aims to supercharge the micro-drama landscape, delivering fresh stories that resonate with millions of users nationwide and open up fresher revenue streams in the industry.

The application process open till January 26th, 2026, will enable Moj to shortlist 10 applicants by January 31st, 2026, and equip them with a grant of ₹10 lakhs each to craft engaging micro-dramas tailored for short-form vertical viewing. While the initiative provides complete creative freedom, these will need to adhere to basic guidelines of the format that entail it being at least an hour long, with each episode being 1-2 minutes long. Moj will also support these studios with deep consumer insights from state of the art recommendation systems allowing creators to craft their stories for maximum consumer engagement.

Thereafter, till March 31st, these participants dive into a high-stakes monthly challenge, showcasing their storytelling prowess through the genre of choice – ranging from action-packed narratives, emotional dramas, and culturally rooted tales. As these micro dramas get uploaded on Moj, it would face the real audience test with its 60 million strong micro drama viewer base.

In the end of the competition that enables creators to promote their series across mediums for driving viewership, the first placed team will secure a winning prize of ₹25 lakhs, followed by ₹15 lakhs for the second placed team, and ₹5 lakhs for the third team, not just enabling them to scale operations and produce even more compelling series’, but also be considered for future Moj Originals. 

Manohar Singh Charan, Co-Founder & CFO, ShareChat & Moj, said,

“This recurring monthly accelerator program acts as a launchpad, building a robust ecosystem that enables discovery of new storytellers. We are committed to building an enabler ladder where independent studios and creators can thrive alongside industry giants. It not only accelerates talent development but also ensures a steady influx of diverse, culturally rooted stories from all parts of India, bringing out something of interest and relevance for everyone. Our state-of-the-art recommendation systems will sit on top of this treasure trove and enable discovery of the right audience for each of these stories. We are moving to a world where every user should be able to access a deep supply of content tailored to their own unique taste. With ShareChat and Moj uniquely positioned to democratize access to micro-drama content to its users, this initiative reflects our resolve towards enabling a cohesive ecosystem that fosters innovation and growth across the board.”

The initiative is in line with the company’s vision of innovation in India’s booming short-video space. Through this, studios gain professional resources, access to a larger pool of revenue, mentorship, and exposure, while users benefit from an ever-expanding library of binge-worthy micro-dramas.