iWorld
Amazon MX Player unveils 150-show slate for 2026
Free streamer doubles down on originals, reality and microdramas as it courts 250m monthly viewers
MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player is going big in 2026. India’s free streaming service, which claims more than 250m monthly viewers, has unveiled its largest content slate yet—over 150 new and returning titles spanning drama, action, thrillers, reality and its mobile-first microdrama format.
Leading the scripted lineup is Made In India: The Titan Story, a sweeping ambition-and-legacy drama starring Naseeruddin Shah and Jim Sarbh. Also headlining the slate is Sankalp, a socio-political thriller exploring power and leadership, featuring Nana Patekar, Sanjay Kapoor, Neeraj Kabi and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.
The platform is stacking the deck with a mix of genres. Ab Hoga Hisaab, a justice-and-retribution thriller, stars Shaheer Sheikh, Mouni Roy and Sanjay Kapoor. Administrative drama The Bureaucrat features Amol Parashar, while action entertainer Kaptaan stars Saqib Saleem. The survival thriller Vimal Khanna features Sunny Hindhuja, cop drama Waiting Hai stars Divyenndu Sharma and Bhuvan Arora, and crime drama Clean Up Crew brings together Ravi Kishan, Amey Wagh and Vishal Jethwa.
The slate builds on the momentum of recent originals including courtroom drama Amar Vishwas, starring Rajeev Khandelwal, Aamir Ali, Ravi Behl and Barkha Bisht, and the romantic thriller Psycho Saiyaan featuring Tejasswi Prakash and Ravi Kishan, both of which drew strong audience engagement.
Reality programming remains a key pillar. Competition series Rise & Fall returns for a second season, while the fitness reality show Battleground also comes back for Season 2 with Shikhar Dhawan reprising his role as lead mentor. The platform recently wrapped Bharat Ke Super Founders, fronted by Suniel Shetty, which saw winning startups receive funding worth Rs100 crore ($10.8m).
Franchise favourites are also making a comeback. Crime saga Raktanchal returns for Season 3, alongside youth-focused titles Campus Beats Season 6, Campus Diaries Season 2, Heartbeats Season 2 and Who’s Your Gynac Season 2.
Karan Bedi, head of Amazon MX Player, said the platform is riding strong momentum as viewers gravitate towards free, premium streaming. “With our growing premium content slate and scale, we are uniquely positioned to drive the shift from linear television to streaming for millions of viewers across India.”
Amogh Dusad, head of content, said the focus is on building “a diverse and inclusive content ecosystem that reflects the many voices, cultures and experiences of audiences across the country.”
Beyond long-form shows, the platform is doubling down on MX Fatafat, its mobile-first microdrama vertical designed for short, snackable storytelling. It is also expanding MX Vdesi, its library of localised international content from Korea, China and Turkey, alongside a curated anime slate available in Japanese and Hindi.
Girish Prabhu, head of Amazon Ads India, framed the strategy in commercial terms. With a reach of 250m users, he said, brands can connect with audiences through content “powered by shopping and streaming signals” that generate measurable outcomes.
All titles will stream free on Amazon MX Player across mobile devices, connected TVs, the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, Jio TV and Airtel Xtreme.
The message is clear: as India’s streaming wars intensify, Amazon MX Player is betting big on scale, speed and free access—flooding the zone with content and inviting millions of viewers to press play.
iWorld
Bajaj Dhuniverse crowns ‘Voice of the Nation’ on 31 March
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to judge finale in Mumbai as over 60,000 aspirants compete.
MUMBAI: Bajaj Dhuniverse just hit the high note because when 60,000 voices chase a dream, even the judges need earplugs and a standing ovation. Bajaj Finserv will conclude its digital-first music talent platform Bajaj Dhuniverse with a grand finale on 31 March in Mumbai. The event, hosted in the presence of legendary composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, will crown the ‘Voice of the Nation’ after a six-month nationwide search that drew over 60,000 auditions from metros to deep rural areas.
The platform enabled aspiring singers and musicians to submit audio and video entries without the barriers of physical auditions. A rigorous, multi-layered evaluation process shortlisted the top 100 contestants, who received mentorship from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy through a digital episodic format. From this pool, 10 finalists and one wild-card entrant were selected to perform live at the finale.
The winner will receive the opportunity to co-create the Bajaj Anthem as Season 1’s ‘Voice of Bajaj’, record an independent album with Zee Music Company, and collaborate with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy on a Spotify release.
Bajaj Finserv president of digital platforms Manav Mianwal said, “We owe it to the nation and our people to invest in creating platforms that harness potential and create new role models. The response we have received in Year 1 gives us the tailwinds and the courage to make this even bigger and better in Year 2.”
Shankar Mahadevan said, “What stood out to me about Bajaj Dhuniverse was the intent to find and elevate musical talent from all corners of India. The digital-first approach has made participation genuinely inclusive.”
Ehsaan Noorani added, “The range, depth and commitment we witnessed during evaluations were extraordinary.”
Loy Mendonsa noted, “India has always had immense musical talent. Bajaj Dhuniverse created a platform where musicians could step forward and be discovered.”
The campaign was amplified through on-air storytelling and on-ground activations in partnership with Radio Mirchi. The finale will be streamed nationwide, offering music lovers across the country a chance to witness the crowning moment.
In a country where musical dreams often stay hidden in small towns and villages, Bajaj Dhuniverse didn’t just open the stage, it built one that reaches every corner, proving that the next big voice may not come from the spotlight, but from the silence between the notes.
