iWorld
Prime Video announces March 13 premiere for Tamil original Local Times with trailer launch
Seven-episode Tamil comedy follows friends saving a fading local newspaper
MUMBAI: Prime Video has set 13 March as the global premiere date for its Tamil original comedy-drama Local Times, releasing a lively trailer that blends newsroom chaos with warmth and friendship.
The seven-episode series unfolds inside a struggling local weekly newspaper battling shrinking relevance in a fast-shifting digital news ecosystem. Developed by Anekdotes and produced by Fanboy Production, the show is directed by Naveen George Thomas and produced by Jithin Thorai.
The story centres on four friends: Veera, Azhagu, Valli and Muthu, who struggle to keep Namma Seidhi, a once-respected regional newspaper owned by Veera’s grandfather, alive. Short on funds but long on stubborn optimism, the group navigates newsroom mishaps, personal clashes and a determined rival intent on shutting them down.
The ensemble cast features Rishikanth, Abdool Lee, Maurish Dass, Adwitha Arumugam, R. Pandiarajan, Chinni Jayanth, Rini and Nandhitha Sreekumar in key roles.
“Local Times is a rooted and emotionally resonant story,” said Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok. While the series unfolds within a small newsroom, he said its themes of friendship and resilience travel well beyond geography.
Producer Jithin Thorai said the team set out to craft a simple, light-hearted story about ordinary people clinging to something they believe in. The local newspaper setting offers a familiar world, he added, but the heart of the series lies in the bond between the four protagonists.
The show is created by Abbhinav Kastura and Praveen Muthurangan alongside Satwik Gade, Thomas Manuel and Visvaksen P. The screenplay is written by Praveen Muthurangan.
Director Naveen George Thomas, making his directorial debut with the series, said the protagonists are flawed but deeply loyal to one another. The humour emerges from their desperation, he noted, while the emotional pull lies in their refusal to abandon each other.
Local Times will premiere in India and across 240 countries and territories, streaming in Tamil with English subtitles exclusively on Prime Video.
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.
