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Tag: Viraj Ghelani

  • Gujarati blockbuster Jhamkudi haunts Hindi screens on ShemarooMe

    Gujarati blockbuster Jhamkudi haunts Hindi screens on ShemarooMe

    MUMBAI: Witching hour just struck again, this time in Hindi. After smashing box office records in Gujarati cinema, supernatural horror-comedy Jhamkudi is now ready to spook and tickle audiences across India with its Hindi world digital premiere on ShemarooMe from 18 September 2025.

    The film, which stars National award-winner Manasi Parekh and viral comic sensation Viraj Ghelani, has already carved a cult following. Set in the cursed village of Raniwada, it weaves together folklore, frights and funny bones, with a vengeful witch unleashing chaos during Navratri. But unlike your average haunted tale, Jhamkudi balances scares with laugh-out-loud moments, and even a rap-style title track sung by Parekh herself.

    Shot inside the 500-year-old Gondal Palace, where whispers of real ghost stories floated through the crew, the film oozes atmosphere and authenticity. directed by Umang Vyas, it boasts a stellar ensemble including Ojas Rawal, Sanjay Goradia, Jayesh More and Bhavini Jani.

    Reflecting on the film’s Hindi debut, Parekh said, “We wanted to explore horror-comedy in Gujarati cinema, and the audience response has been overwhelming. Bringing Jhamkudi to a wider audience in Hindi feels like the natural next step: it’s fun, spooky and full of madness.”

    Ghelani, who dubbed his own Hindi lines, added, “This film marked my debut and will always be close to my heart. Reliving the character in Hindi was such a joy, and I hope viewers everywhere connect with the humour and thrills.”

    With its mix of scares, satire and superstition, Jhamkudi is now spreading Gujarati cinema’s magic beyond borders. For ShemarooMe, it’s another step in making regional blockbusters mainstream, giving India’s diverse stories the stage, and the scares, they deserve.

  • Pocket Aces thrives at Cannes Film Festival

    Pocket Aces thrives at Cannes Film Festival

    Mumbai: Pocket Aces, acquired by Saregama India Ltd., has solidified its status as India’s foremost digital entertainment and production company with an impressive showing at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Following their successful debut in 2022 in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Pocket Aces has made significant strides at the prestigious event even this year.

    The festival provided an unparalleled opportunity for Pocket Aces to network and collaborate with leading content houses worldwide. The producers behind IPs like Little Things, What The Folks, Operation MBBS, Adulting, Ghar Waapsi, etc., were at Cannes to build and expand IPs with global producers for a larger audience. Leveraging its substantial production capabilities, the company is now in advanced discussions with multiple international partners to create content tailored for the global market.

    Highlighting their presence at Cannes, Pocket Aces secured exclusive screenings for their three diverse and talented stars: actors- Ayush Mehra and Viraj Ghelani, and artist-cum-aspiring actor Karishma Gangwal (RJ Karishma). This accomplishment underscores the company’s dedication to the core values of art and cinema, further establishing Pocket Aces as a global content leader ready to make its mark on the international stage.

    Viraj Ghelani, set to make his regional debut with the film Jhamkudi, received an exclusive invite from Warner Bros to attend the world premiere of Chris Hemsworth’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. He also attended screenings of Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga, Emma Stone’s Kinds of Kindness, and Radhika Apte’s Midnight Sister.

    Ayush Mehra, known for his roles in Kacchey Limbu and popular OTT shows like Minus One and Call My Agent – Bollywood, attended the festival to experience the works of Indian and international filmmakers. He watched Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Kinds of Kindness, and Indian director Payal Kapadia’s award-winning film All We Imagine As Light.

    On the other hand, with the aspiration of becoming an actor after successfully transitioning from an RJ to portraying several characters in her sketches online, Karishma Gangwal (RJ Karishma) attended the screening of Kinds of Kindness and Horizon; An American Saga showcasing her love for cinema and art.

    On successfully aligning international and Indian film screenings for their talents, Clout Pocket Aces & Head of Strategy  Vinay Pillai said, “This experience at Cannes exemplifies our dedication to nurturing talent and supporting the art of cinema. Today, content creators, artists, and actors alike infuse the festival with dynamic, innovative energy, significantly broadening its reach and appeal. They bridge the gap between traditional media and the rapidly evolving digital landscape thanks to the digital age thereby fostering inclusive and diverse representation. Their real-time, unique coverage captivates global audiences, enhancing the festival’s visibility and relevance in our digital age. This year, with our first official selection for the Palme d’Or in 30 years with All We Imagine as Light, truly marked India’s moment at the festival. As for Pocket Aces, our presence goes beyond the glitz of the red carpet, reinforcing our vision to be at the forefront of cinematic excellence.”

    Pocket Aces co-founder and CEO, Aditi Shrivastava said, “At Pocket Aces, we believe in the power of storytelling in all its forms. Our multiple journeys to the Cannes Film Festival whether limited to just the company in its first year and now as a studio as well as a management company, is not just about brand collaborations but about celebrating and contributing to the richness of Indian and global cinema. We aspire to do bigger things in the global market and there couldn’t have been a better place to start. ”

  • Brut India’s ‘Brut Indian Squad’ set to shine at 77th Festival De Cannes

    Brut India’s ‘Brut Indian Squad’ set to shine at 77th Festival De Cannes

    Mumbai: Brut India unveils ‘Brut Indian Squad’, a ground-breaking initiative for Indian content creators, offering them the highly coveted stage of entertainment on the global platform  Festival de Cannes. This pioneering campaign by Brut India underscores the unequivocal rise of the Creator Economy and its undeniable ascendancy, by tapping into the diverse cultures and voices that define our nation. The Brut Indian Squad includes a rich tapestry of talents such as  Ayush Mehra, Namita Thapar,  Viraj Ghelani,  RJ Karishma, Ankush Bahuguna, Sanjyot Keer, Raj Shamani, Vishnu Kaushal, Sharan Hegde, Aastha Shah, Nancy Tyagi, who will represent India at the upcoming Festival de Cannes.

    Additionally global pop sensation King from India will also be making his Festival De Cannes Debut this year.

    As the official partner of Festival de Cannes Brut India, year-on-year has been at the forefront of showcasing the country’s best and most popular creators, successfully spotlighting the growing creator’s economy. This year ‘Brut Indian Squad’ has been curated to create a diverse stream of storytelling with our creators with unique stories and life journeys.

    Commenting on the announcement, Brut India VP & editor-in-chief Mehak Kasbekar said, “Brut India is proud to bridge the gap between the film and digital industries by providing Indian influencers a prestigious international platform to create an unprecedented impact and unlocking vast opportunities. It gives us immense pleasure to bring a kaleidoscope of India’s diversity to Cannes with these talented creators with unique regional backgrounds on the international stage.”

  • “The Great Escape” by 1% Club ignites financial literacy movement

    “The Great Escape” by 1% Club ignites financial literacy movement

    Mumbai: Tired of feeling like memes are the only relatable things that understand the woes of your work life? Feeling like no one truly understands the constant battle between living life and working hard for money? Well, what if I told you that someone not only heard your complaints but also came up with a solution—a fun one?  The answer lies in the latest ad campaign from 1% Club! Written and conceptualized by Bare Bones Collective, the campaign features digital stars Finance with Sharan and Viraj Ghelani.

     

     

    The brand film depicts the country’s working population. People are often stuck in jobs they dislike because financial obligations like EMIs and lifestyle expenses dictate their choices and, in a way, let money control them. They find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle, working for money that ultimately fails to liberate them, instead entangling them further due to their lack of financial knowledge. The only way out is to understand how money works. 1% Club’s “The Great Escape” sees Sharan and Viraj in a familiar corporate office filled with unfamiliar comic twists. The duo play harrowed colleagues who unlock the secret of an exclusive club. What is this club’? How do we get in? The campaign leaves us with many such interesting questions!

    Co-founded by Sharan Hedge and Raghav Gupta, the ‘1% Club’ is an exclusive community that empowers people with The Money School- schools forgot to teach us about money so the 1% Club created the money school with the help of India’s top finfluencers to teach about early retirement planning, tax saving strategies, credit card hacks, stock market investment and everything else money. They also provide proprietary tools and conduct networking events to offer a one-of-a-kind membership experience.

    The campaign is live on 1% Club’s social media platforms, which include Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

    Talking about the campaign, Bare Bones Collective co-founder and chief creative officer Girish Narayanndass said, “1% Club is a fantastic platform that is all about helping you achieve financial freedom. To communicate this, we tapped into a larger insight, i.e. working for money all your life can make you feel trapped. Our goal was to make the campaign as unique as the product itself. Sharan and Viraj have really clicked with their comic timing, and their rapport on screen is quite fun to watch”.

    1% Club co-founder Sharan Hegde said, “The 1% club has so far spent all its marketing budget on performance marketing, and it felt like it’s finally time, after two years, to create an extremely professional communication with the world. Everybody perceives us as a course company . This is our way of making a statement that we are here to stay. We are here to build a brand. We are here to not just teach finance but also to launch financial services. The film beautifully captures the essence of the current working-class population. It is our way of representing that the 1% club is a solution to that problem, as almost 50,000 members of our community would attest to that statement that it has been a welcoming change in being confident about their financial planning and in their understanding of money. I hope the brand film reaches as many people as possible and becomes a light bulb movement for millions of people working across the country that life doesn’t have to be a cycle of struggle.”

    1% Club co-founder Raghav Gupta, “The 1% Club is building a revolution in India through Financial freedom, every Indian deserves to get this freedom, this brand film is hitting the nerve needed to further deliver our message.”

  • Khaby Lame and Dream11 come together for a fun video

    Khaby Lame and Dream11 come together for a fun video

    Mumbai: International social media sensation Khaby Lame joined hands with fantasy sports platform Dream11, marking his first-ever association with an Indian brand. The Senegalese-born Tik Toker created a short video skit with Indian content-creator, Viraj Ghelani, wherein his trademark style, Lame called upon people to accomplish day-to-day tasks in a straightforward manner and instead, use their brains to play on Dream11.  

    The homegrown Indian brand has been one of the top IPL sponsors since 2019, and for the 2021 edition, it launched multi-media campaigns under #Dream11PeDimaagLagaNa and #TeamHaiTohMazaaHai.

    In the video, Ghelani is seen sitting with a friend who is eating french fries with toothpicks. Ghelani isn’t amused and calls Lame to simplify this. In his signature style, Lame picks up a fry with his fingers and eats it to express how not to unnecessarily complicate a task.

    Wearing a Dream11 jersey, Lame then points to a placard that says ‘Dimaag Lagana Hai Toh Dream11 Pe Laga Na’ echoing the brand’s message to instead use one’s intellectual might for picking a team on Dream11.

     

     

    The 21-year-old Tik Toker became an internet sensation with his relatable content of pointing at obvious solutions instead of using hacks. Lame is the second most followed TikToker in the world, with over 110 million followers.