When Champions Choose Champions: Randeep Hooda Joins STAGE as Brand Ambassador to Ring in 2026
India's Fastest-Growing Hyperlocal OTT Platform Partners with the Actor Who Never Forgot Where He Came From
5 Dariya News
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 08-Jan-2026
While most of India was nursing New Year hangovers, STAGE was busy rewriting the rules of regional entertainment. Today, the hyperlocal OTT platform—serving 7.5 million subscribers across Haryana, Rajasthan, and Bhojpuri-speaking regions—announced a strategic partnership with acclaimed actor Randeep Hooda as its brand ambassador, effective immediately.
The collaboration, formalized in November 2025 and shot in Mumbai on November 27, marks a defining moment for India's regional OTT ecosystem. This is more than a celebrity endorsement. It's a cultural revolution: STAGE is making mother tongue entertainment mainstream, proving that cinema in one's dialect can be premium, entertaining, and world-class—without any sleaziness or compromise.
"We're building a movement where speaking Haryanvi, Rajasthani, or Bhojpuri is as aspirational as speaking English," says Vinay Singhal, Co-Founder and CEO of STAGE. "With Randeep—someone who's conquered global cinema while proudly wearing his Haryanvi identity—we're showing the world that 2026 is the year hyperlocal entertainment becomes the gold standard. This is excellence in your language. This is entertainment that gets you."
The Numbers Tell a Success Story: STAGE is Already a Powerhouse
Founded in 2019 from a small office in Indore and now headquartered in Noida, STAGE has quietly become a juggernaut. The platform boasts over 1,000 hours of premium content spanning films, web series, and India's first original micro-dramas in Haryanvi, Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri. At its peak in 2025, STAGE acquired over 20,000 new users daily—a velocity that signals unstoppable momentum.
Here's the exciting part: By reach, STAGE commands a larger audience than certain global streaming giants in North India. The regional revolution is already here. It's just been waiting for its moment in the spotlight.
Why Randeep? Because Excellence Recognizes Excellence
Randeep Hooda is a National Award-winning actor with a résumé that spans Highway, Sarbjit, Extraction, and the critically acclaimed series CAT. He's worked with the best in the world.
And he chose STAGE—the platform that's building a playbook where dialect cinema is premium, mainstream, and internationally competitive. "I've built my career proving you can take your authentic self to the global stage," says Randeep Hooda. "STAGE is doing exactly that for regional entertainment.
They're celebrating our languages with world-class production values and storytelling that competes with anyone, anywhere. When I watch STAGE, I see my Haryana—my language, my people, my stories—elevated to their rightful place. That's the future I want to be part of."
The one-year partnership will see Randeep front a comprehensive campaign across digital, social, television, and out-of-home platforms. He'll also champion STAGE's groundbreaking TV app—launched in 2025 at no extra cost to subscribers—which he personally led the announcement for.
Because STAGE understands that for millions of Indians, the TV is the family's entertainment command center, and they deserve premium experiences on every screen.
What's Coming: Content That Makes You Proud to Press Play
STAGE's 2026 slate is extraordinary. The platform is rolling out marquee IPs including:
Jaan Legi Sonam (Bhojpuri)
Videshi Bahu (Haryanvi)
Kayantar (Rajasthani)
Meanwhile, fan favorites like Punarjanam, Mahapunarjanam, and Mokhan Vahini continue to dominate watchlists—proof that when you give audiences quality stories in their language, they become evangelists.
But STAGE's real breakthrough? Micro-dramas. These are 2-minute episodic narratives that deliver the emotional depth of a full-length series in snackable format. And here's what makes STAGE a pioneer: they're the only platform in India producing original micro-dramas in Haryanvi, Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri.
"Bharat's audience is evolving at lightning speed," notes Harsh Mani Tripathi, Co-Founder of STAGE. "They're choosing high-quality storytelling. They're embracing innovations like our 'My List' feature and offline downloads—two of our most celebrated product features. They're proving that when you give them excellence in their language, they'll choose it over everything else. That's the power of authentic connection."
Two Champions, One Mission: Neeraj Chopra and Randeep Hooda Unite
Eagle-eyed observers will note that STAGE already has a champion: Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. Now they have two.
Here's the philosophy: Anyone who wears their cultural identity with pride is a STAGE champion. Neeraj represents sporting excellence rooted in Haryanvi values. Randeep represents cinematic mastery anchored in cultural authenticity. Together, they embody STAGE's vision: a platform where regional means premium, not compromise.
"Having two champions of their respective domains supporting us is incredibly humbling," Singhal adds. "Sports and cinema. Global excellence and local pride. That's exactly the story we're telling: you can be world-class AND deeply rooted. That's STAGE."
And the revolution is expanding. The platform is introducing market-specific brand ambassadors in 2026 to create even deeper connections with each regional audience. Think of Randeep and Neeraj as the faces of the parent brand STAGE—and prepare to see hyperlocal heroes emerge across every market.
The Bigger Picture: Regional Entertainment's Golden Era Has Arrived
Here's the opportunity everyone missed: 200 million people speak Haryanvi, Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri. That's not a niche. That's bigger than most countries.
STAGE saw what others overlooked: a massive, underserved audience hungry for premium entertainment that speaks their language—literally and culturally.
With a content library accessible across mobile, tablet, desktop, and television, STAGE has built India's most sophisticated hyperlocal OTT infrastructure. Users can curate their "My List," download content for offline viewing (game-changing in a country where connectivity varies), and access everything for less than a cup of chai per day.
The platform's growth trajectory is inspiring. Started by four founders with conviction and vision in a small Indore office, STAGE now operates from Noida, serves 7.5 million subscribers, and is preparing to expand into two more major language markets. All while pioneering product innovations that set new standards: Micro-dramas. TV integration. Hyper-personalization.
"We're building an entertainment platform that truly understands you," says Singhal. "Not a regional platform trying to compete with the mainstream. We ARE mainstream. We're just speaking your language while we dominate."
About STAGE
STAGE is India's leading hyperlocal OTT platform, delivering premium entertainment in Haryanvi, Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri to over 7.5 million subscribers. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, STAGE offers 1,000+ hours of original content across films, web series, and India's first micro-dramas in regional languages.
The platform is accessible via mobile, tablet, desktop, and television at no additional cost, with celebrated product innovations including offline downloads, personalized recommendations, and curated watchlists.
With brand ambassadors including Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and acclaimed actor Randeep Hooda, STAGE is proving that hyperlocal entertainment is the future of Indian OTT—premium, authentic, and built for the 200 million+ audiences who've been waiting for someone to finally get them.
STAGE is currently raising its Series C round to fuel aggressive expansion into Marathi and Gujarati markets in Q1 FY 2026-27, with plans to make every major Indian language a premium entertainment destination.