Connect with us

Buzz

HeyHey! raises 1.5 million USD while strengthening its foothold as a leading celebrity video platform in India

The Singapore-based start-up aims to revolutionize the category of personalized celebrity videos through creativity, tech and a large & diverse talent pool. The platform currently exists in India and Japan and has global ambitions
MUMBAI, India, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — With massive global ambitions up its sleeve, celebrity engagement start-up HeyHey! has recently raised 1.5 million USD from notable investors including Electric Capital, Vector Media, Yoshimoto Kogyo. The company’s platform has recently launched in India to provide fans with an opportunity to request personalized videos from celebrities across multiple creative fields, thereby bridging the gap between awe-filled, starstruck Indians and their favourite stars.
Having launched in key international markets like the USA and Japan, HeyHey!’s foray into India brings with it an appreciation of the celeb-fan relationship nuances that may differ from one market to another. Their robust roster consists of 1,200 artists globally, including famous names such as Anisha Dixit, Elnaaz Norouzi, Kaneez Surka, Evelyn Sharma, Sharman Joshi, Sarfaraz Khan, K. Gowtham, alongside regional stars like Angel Thomas, Monal Gajar, Deeksha Joshi, Ojas Rawal and more. Through their international alliances they also have access to leading Hollywood celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Mariah Carey and more.
While one can book a HeyHey! for any occasion, users on the platform are already experimenting in fun and unusual ways. Want to ask your colleague to trim their hair? Ask for your hoodie back from your ex? Or ask your long-time crush to the prom? Through HeyHey!, users have started requesting celebrities to ask these ‘difficult’ questions and more in a short, shareable video. Not only that but, users are also booking celeb videos to invite their loved ones to celebrate festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi together, apart from the usual wishes for birthdays, anniversaries or weddings.
HeyHey! celebrity videos make the perfect gifting solution to add a spark of excitement to important celebrations. Unlike conventional gifting options, customers can easily share the video nuggets to their social media handles with their family and extended social circle. With its  expansion to India, HeyHey! aims to be a medium through which regional celebrities can interact with a wider Indian audience, especially during the upcoming festive seasons like Navratri and Diwali.
Commenting on the launch, Caleb Franklin – Founder & CEO – HeyHey! , said, “The Internet is reimagining how fans can interact with their favourite celebrities. At HeyHey!, we are all about spreading joy, and we love seeing our users have life-changing experiences on the platform. After a successful launch in Japan earlier this year, we aim to place homegrown Indian celebrities on the world map while bringing an international roster to the Indian audience. In fact, we have already had requests for video messages fromRajinikanth from fans in Japan, and our dynamic team’s next mission is to make this cross-cultural exchange of artists with their fans a reality soon.”
Yu Sunada – Head of Japan – HeyHey!, added, “Since accessing talents is a crucial aspect of any online celebrity video platform, our team helmed by Caleb and having a vast history in empowering talents makes HeyHey! best-placed to build and nurture a strong connection between fans and their dream celebrities in India.”
Before founding HeyHey!, Caleb has had experience representing several prominent global artists from India in the writing, direction, books and production circuits. He has also spent a decade working at the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where he spearheaded many international initiatives that included launching CAA’s presence in India and worked with household names such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Amish Tripathi.
HeyHey!’s rising growth into the celebrity commerce space not just provides fans and brands access to a wide range of YouTubers, content creators, actors, singers and writers, but also offers a revenue generation stream for celebrities. The tech-based celebrity tool sees significant transactions from Tier-II cities such as Patna, Indore and Lucknow apart from Tier-I cities like Mumbai and Pune. Considerable users have also approached from international markets such as the USA, UAE and Indonesia alongside India.
Until a decade ago, the only way for an audience to know their favourite personalities personally was through televised or print interviews. The celebrity-fan engagement space in India is now seeing enormous growth potential due to the rise of social media, where online celeb interactions are becoming more intimate. Expanding to India, HeyHey! takes this a notch higher by facilitating a direct connection between fans from small towns and cities with their favourite influencers, television and regional movie stars.
About HeyHey!
HeyHey! is an online marketplace where fans can discover and book personalised video shoutouts from their favourite celebrities to congratulate them or their loved ones while empowering leading celebrities and media houses to develop personalized memorable experiences for their fans.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Buzz

11 SPJIMR faculty featured in Ivey Publishing’s 2026 global Bestsellers and Classics cases’ lists

SPJIMR cases ranked among the most widely used teaching materials worldwide, reinforcing the institute’s growing influence in case-based management educationMUMBAI, India, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Eleven (11) faculty members from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) are featured in Ivey Publishing’s Bestsellers 2025–2026 list and Ivey Classics 2016–2026 list, which recognise the most widely used teaching cases globally across disciplines.
These cases earned their place in classrooms because they provoke questions. The ones that endure are those that capture real dilemmas, invite multiple perspectives, and encourage learners to wrestle with uncertainty. This recognition of SPJIMR’s 11 faculty members reflect the value of creating learning experiences that challenge assumptions, spark debate, and help students think more deeply about complex managerial decisions.Ivey Publishing, the case-publishing arm of Ivey Business School at Western University, Canada, compiles its annual Bestsellers and Classics lists based on classroom adoption data drawn from business schools globally. Cases are ranked by frequency of use within each discipline, making the lists a direct measure of pedagogical impact and educator trust.With eight ranked positions across six disciplines in the Bestsellers list—Communications, Economics & Public Policy, Entrepreneurship, Management Science, Marketing, and Strategy—the recognition reflects SPJIMR’s sustained contribution to case-based management education in classrooms around the world and the growing relevance of India-rooted business insights.SPJIMR cases in the Bestsellers 2025–2026 listDisciplineCase titleSPJIMR facultyCommunications (#1)             Is That an Order?Prof. Vineeta Dwivedi and Prof. Tulsi JayakumarEconomics & Public Policy (#2) Inflationary Targeting in India: Replace, Rejig, or Reaffirm Targeting?       Prof. Tulsi JayakumarEconomics & Public Policy (#3)Is Japan’s Monetary Policy a Rational Expectations Saga?Prof. Preeta George and Prof. Monika GuptaEntrepreneurship (#6) Savemom: The Smart Wearable Solution for Maternal Health Care Prof. Renuka Kamath (with co-author Shrinath V.; PGDM 2007 alum)Management Science (#3)Jay Bharat Spices Pvt. Ltd.: A Spicy Quandary           Prof. Amol S. Dhaigude (with co-authors Shravan M. Parsam and Sidhartha Padhi)Management Science (#8)     JSW Steel Ltd.: A Logistics Dilemma         Prof. Amol S. Dhaigude and Prof. Debmallya ChatterjeeMarketing (#1)            Snaqary Snacks: Building a Start-Up Brand Prof. Ashita Aggarwal (with co-author Suraj Commuri)Strategy (#5)   Parag Milk Foods: Driving Growth through Brand-Building in India’s Dairy Industry           Prof. Ashita Aggarwal and Prof. Rajiv AgarwalThe Classics 2016–2026 list recognises the 25 most-used cases of the past decade across a wide range of disciplines and topics, from general management, strategy and leadership to marketing and finance. It includes five SPJIMR faculty membersSPJIMR cases in the Classics 2016–2026 listDiscipline Case title SPJIMR facultyGeneral Management, International Business (#7)Building a Backdoor to the iPhone: An Ethical Dilemma Prof. Tulsi Jayakumar and Prof. Surya TahoraAccounting, Entrepreneurship, International Business (#15)Anandam Manufacturing Company: Analysis of Financial StatementsProf. Vinay Goyal (with co-author S.K. Mitra)Entrepreneurship, International Business, Marketing (#22)Evoe Spring Spa: A Positioning Dilemma Prof. Ashita Aggarwal and Prof. Renuka Kamath (with co-author Sunil Rao)This year, Prof. Aggarwal and Prof. Kamath’s case on Evoe Spring Spa is among the four cases that have joined the Ivey Classics list for the first time.Commenting on the recognition, Prof. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR, said, “Great teaching cases immerse learners in the complexity of decision-making. The global adoption of our cases reflects SPJIMR’s commitment to creating scholarship that is rigorous, relevant, and rooted in real-world challenges. We are particularly proud that many of these cases emerge from Indian contexts yet resonate with educators and students globally. This recognition reinforces our belief that management education is most powerful when it equips learners to navigate ambiguity with judgement, purpose, and responsibility.”The 2026 recognition is the latest in an unbroken run of Ivey distinctions for SPJIMR faculty. It reflects a commitment to developing cases that are grounded in real business contexts and structured to generate insight that transfers across markets and industries. SPJIMR cases have covered topics as varied as macroeconomic policy, supply chain logistics, brand strategy, and maternal health technology, reflecting the breadth of the faculty’s research interests and their conviction that the classroom is itself a site of serious intellectual inquiry.For more news and updates, visit our Newsroom.About SPJIMRBharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. It is recognised in the Financial Times MiM rankings as the #35 business school globally and among the Top 3 in India, ranked by Business Today as one of the country’s top five business schools, and rated by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the top five schools worldwide for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially-conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR aims to influence managerial practice and promote the value-based growth of its students, alumni, organisations and its leaders, and society. SPJIMR holds the international ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA.Visit SPJIMR.org for more information.Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1896222/5639305/SPJIMR_Logo_1.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/11-spjimr-faculty-featured-in-ivey-publishings-2026-global-bestsellers-and-classics-cases-lists-302807379.html

Continue Reading

Buzz

Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh Signs MoU with Film Society of India to Establish ‘Film Gurukul Studio’ to Nurture Future-ready Filmmakers

Chandigarh University UP Collaborates with Film Society of India to Cultivate Future-ready Media Professionals through Expert Mentorship & Experiential LearningLUCKNOW, India, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — To provide experiential learning to its students in media and filmmaking, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Film Society of India (FSI). As part of the collaboration, a Film Gurukul Studio would be established at the varsity campus to provide students with industry-oriented training, internship opportunities and hands-on exposure to filmmaking, workshops, masterclasses, exposure to live industry projects and guest lectures by FSI’s network of filmmakers, media professionals and cultural practitioners.

The MoU was signed between Chandigarh University’s School of Media Studies and Film Society of India (FSI) recently in the presence of Dr. TP Singh, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh, and Dr. Durgesh Pathak, President, Film Society of India, among other senior officials of Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh.As part of the collaboration, CU Uttar Pradesh and FSI would jointly organize film festivals, media conclaves, screenings and cultural events that enrich the campus creative ecosystem. The agreement would also encourage collaborative research, publications and creative media projects of academic and cultural significance, nurturing an environment of entrepreneurship and innovation in media, entertainment and the creative arts sector. The MoU is also expected to open new opportunities for students interested in exploring careers in media, cinema, content creation and other creative domains.In a joint statement released by CU UP and FSI, officials mentioned that as part of the collaboration, students will have access to a range of short-term courses and specialized training programmes covering various aspects of filmmaking and media production. The programmes will combine theoretical knowledge with practical learning to help students develop a deeper understanding of storytelling, cinematography, editing, sound design, production processes and other critical aspects of the creative industries. The proposed Film Gurukul Studio is expected to serve as a dynamic learning space where students can engage in practical projects, receive mentorship from industry professionals and gain exposure to contemporary filmmaking practices.Jai Inder Singh Sandhu, Managing Director, Chandigarh University, said, “At Chandigarh University, we lay emphasis on providing experiential learning to our students by exposing them to live industry projects. The MoU signed between CU and FSI will go a long way in polishing the budding talent of Chandigarh University and transform them into future-ready professionals in media, art and entertainment industries. The programmes are intended to combine theoretical knowledge with practical training, enabling learners to gain deeper insights into the functioning of the creative and entertainment industries. Our students will no longer just read about cinema in textbooks; they will create it.”About Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow)Envisioned to foster a culture of sustainability and empower future global leaders, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, immerses 21st-century learners in a personalised and experiential learning experience, integrating an AI-powered academic model and a multidimensional, futuristic perspective on education. Our Uttar Pradesh campus carries forward the venerable legacy of more than a decade of Chandigarh University, Punjab, which has established itself as India’s No. 1 Private University and a torchbearer of groundbreaking pedagogy and research-driven innovation. The AI-augmented new campus offers a broad spectrum of industry-driven futuristic academic programs encompassing data-driven insights, virtual reality experiences, real-world simulations, corporate mentorship, international perspective, interdisciplinary research, cultivation of entrepreneurial spirit, and professional competencies.Website address: https://www.culko.in/Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2998171/Chandigarh_Univ_UP_MoU_FSI.jpg 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/chandigarh-university-uttar-pradesh-signs-mou-with-film-society-of-india-to-establish-film-gurukul-studio-to-nurture-future-ready-filmmakers-302806401.html

Continue Reading

Buzz

Reliance Digital Launches ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day Campaign Celebrating the Many Expressions of Fatherhood

MUMBAI, India, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reliance Digital has launched ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day campaign to celebrate the many expressions of fatherhood. Built around a simple cultural observation, while “Maa ki Mamta” has long been a part of India’s collective vocabulary, there has never been a word that captures the distinct ways fathers express love, the campaign introduces ‘Baaptaa’ as a tribute to the many shades of fatherhood.

Conceptualised as an original music-led campaign, Baaptaa celebrates fathers not as idealised figures, but as they are experienced in everyday life, protective, dependable, emotional, quirky, practical, occasionally embarrassing, and always present. Through a relatable narrative, the campaign acknowledges the countless ways fathers care for their families, often through actions rather than words.Watch Video: https://youtu.be/9XyUsJB33Ds?si=PM67vhxrzth1JEkz At the heart of the campaign is an original music video told from a father’s perspective, capturing the different roles he plays across life’s moments and milestones. The film brings to life the humour, warmth and unspoken affection that characterise father-child relationships, while giving a name to a form of love that many recognise but few have articulated.The campaign stems from a simple insight: while motherhood has often found expression through familiar phrases and popular references, the unique language of fatherhood has remained largely undefined. Baaptaa seeks to fill that gap by creating a term that reflects the everyday gestures, practical wisdom and quiet sacrifices that fathers make.Father’s Day communication often leans into familiar emotional territory, but Reliance Digital’s campaign celebrates fathers in a way that feels more culturally authentic and relatable. The idea for ‘Baaptaa’ came from a simple observation — mother’s love has been immortalised in a number of heartfelt, emotional songs, there needed to be an anthem dedicated to dad’s love. And thus was born Baaptaa – a love language that is often awkward, practical, protective, humorous and deeply felt, even if rarely verbalised. It’s a celebration of fatherhood in all its wonderfully imperfect forms immortalized by a song that you won’t be able to stop humming.Shop for the widest range of electronics at Reliance Digital and thank your father for his Baaptaa.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/reliance-digital-launches-baaptaa-a-fathers-day-campaign-celebrating-the-many-expressions-of-fatherhood-302805505.html

Continue Reading

Trending