Special Ops has long held its place as one of India’s most gripping and popular espionage franchises. So when Special Ops 2.0 was announced, it set off a wave of excitement among fans and chatter across the internet. With fans waiting eagerly, JioHotstar made sure the return of Himmat Singh was nothing short of spectacular — bigger in scale, sharper in story, and more powerful in impact.
This season takes the Special Ops franchise into uncharted territory, exploring the dark and dangerous world of cyber warfare where espionage isn’t just about spies and shootouts anymore, but about data, deception, and digital traps. In today’s always-connected world, the threats have become more personal and invisible. It’s no longer just about national security; it’s about your phone being hacked, your identity being stolen, or your bank account being wiped out in seconds. Kay Kay Menon returns as the unflinching RAW officer Himmat Singh, but this time, he’s up against a new kind of enemy, one that hides behind screens, uses AI to manipulate reality, and strikes without warning.
Leaning into this theme, the campaign didn’t just promote the show, it sparked important conversations about the digital dangers we all face every day. Through immersive storytelling and relatable insights, it created awareness about how everyday people, not just intelligence officers, can fall victim to phishing scams, deepfakes, online fraud, and data breaches. It served as a wake-up call, reminding viewers that cyber threats are real, growing, and often just one careless click away. By grounding a high-stakes thriller in real-world risks, the campaign made Special Ops 2.0 not just entertaining but urgently relevant.What followed was a high-impact 360-degree campaign that left no stone unturned — from brand partnerships and tech-led experiences to engaging narratives around potential data breaches and digital red flags. The campaign tapped into multiple touchpoints, including social media, content creators, and real-time consumer engagement, making the threat of cybercrime feel closer, more urgent, and deeply relatable. By grounding a high-stakes thriller in real-world risks, the campaign made Special Ops 2.0 not just entertaining but a sharp reflection of the world we live in today.
A First-of-Its-Kind: AI-Powered Personalisation at City Scale
Among the most impactful elements of this 360-degree rollout was a first-of-its-kind AI-powered innovation that delivered hyper-personalised, pincode-targeted trailers, where viewers heard Himmat Singh mention their own locality before the story even began.
This large-scale localisation push across key metros used automation and AI to create customised trailer versions based on where each user lived, turning a standard trailer launch into a more personal and relevant viewing experience.
The initiative reached over 10 million users, building a deeper emotional connection and making the theme of cyber warfare feel immediate and relatable, while also sparking organic conversations across social media and digital communities.
Purpose-Driven Brand Integrations That Echoed the Storyline
With a powerful blend of sponsorships and partnerships, Special Ops 2 on JioHotstar launched with strong brand momentum across key categories — from automotive, technology, finance, and FMCG to QSR, luxury, personal care, and building materials.
The sponsor lineup included Hyundai, Jaquar & Co, Directors Elaichi, Asian Paints, UTI Mutual Fund, Envy, Philips, Lux Industries, Domino’s, JK Cement, Oppo, Swiggy, Toothsi, and Sony Bravia — a testament to the show’s mass appeal and cross-category relevance.
To drive home the urgency of cyber threats, the campaign partnered with platforms that are part of India’s everyday digital life. Each collaboration spotlighted a specific risk, turning the show’s central theme into a broader public conversation around digital safety.
- WhatsApp (Meta-powered PSA): Kay Kay Menon appeared in a video promoting secure digital payment practices, educating users about scams and frauds during UPI transactions.
- Link to the brand film: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMXlCaYsQlY/
- Truecaller Integration: Creative assets on the app highlighted threats like impersonation and spoofed calls, mirroring the show’s focus on cybercrime.
- Link to the brand film: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMKyycCK6GV/
- Paytm Collaboration: This partnership focused on safe UPI usage through in-app messages, PR and social amplification, and contextual cues at transaction points.
- Link to the brand film: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMcs7_kMafE/?igsh=aGl5MXJpdWhnNXZo
By leveraging Himmat Singh’s strong recall, these partnerships made the message more relatable and relevant. More than promotion, they served a purpose using entertainment to educate users about real digital dangers.
Experiential Moments That Brought the Threat Closer to Home
The campaign created real-world experiences that immersed audiences in the universe of Special Ops 2.0, making the digital threat feel immediate and personal.
One of the standout moments was the press conference, styled like an intelligence debriefing rather than a traditional media event. The cast arrived with high security, the venue was designed to feel like a classified briefing room, and key visuals from the show were woven into the setup. The experience amplified the narrative of urgency and digital danger while also serving as the official launchpad for the campaign’s key messages around cyber threats.
In a powerful display of crossover between fiction and national identity, the cast of Special Ops 2.0 attended the Change of Guard ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, saluting the real-world defenders of the nation. Another activation brought them face to face with the country’s cybercrime task force at the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, underscoring the urgency and truth behind the show’s narrative. The initiatives resulted in over 850 earned media stories across quality media and platforms.
- Rashtrapati Bhavan Visit: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMFIUKszHhv/
Together, these on-ground experiences helped the campaign blur the lines between fiction and reality and brought audiences deeper into the world of Special Ops 2.0.
Turning Social Media into a Learning Playground
On social media, the campaign moved beyond traditional content drops to immersive and interactive storytelling that mirrored the show’s core themes. Fuelling speculation and excitement online, a supposed “leak” of JioHotstar’s upcoming show lineup (complete with episode previews) quickly went viral after fans shared a circulated document link. But what seemed like a careless slip by the platform turned out to be a cleverly disguised PSA. Clicking on any of the preview links redirected users to an unlisted video featuring Kay Kay Menon and Vinay Pathak in an intense sequence that ended with a direct message warning viewers about the dangers of phishing links and the risks of accessing unverified content. The social media stunt reached more than 22.4M audience and secured an engagement of more than 1.4M across social media platforms. The YT PSA video from the “leaked” document ended up receiving more than 86K views.
This approach turned a simple click into an unexpected, cinematic moment of learning, a bold blend of entertainment and cyber-awareness. In another activation titled Threat Alert, a cryptic clue posted by Tahir Raj Bhasin challenged fans to decode a message. Those who cracked the code received a personalised video from the actor, blurring the lines between fiction and reality, and drawing fans deeper into the Special Ops universe. Shared through Instagram DMs the video saw an opening rate of engagement by 73.4%. The posts reached over 23.3M people and saw more than 280K interact with it.
This social chatter was further built through a UGC activation – YEH HIMMAT KA KAAM HAI – turning Himmat into a cultural movement. It kicked off with a powerful poetic monologue by Kay Kay Menon, culminating in the line “Yeh Himmat Ka Kaam Hai.” This became a rallying cry across social platforms, inspiring audiences and creators to share their own stories of courage. What began as a brand line quickly evolved into a movement, amassing over 3 million views and 13,000+ organic engagements, and turning Himmat into a cultural icon.
Each social media beat was designed as “experience-as-education” – engaging digital natives through curiosity, surprise, and smart storytelling that made the show’s themes of cyber threats and digital espionage feel real and relatable.
Disrupting Primetime: A Television-Led Launch Strategy
To dominate attention across screens, Special Ops 2 rolled out a disruptive television campaign engineered to capture audiences during the most-viewed slots. A 3-day megablast flooded Hindi movie channels with top and tail ads placed in every break, alongside high-impact squeeze-ups integrated seamlessly within content — delivering unmissable visibility that reached over 36 million viewers during the weekend.
Simultaneously, a first-of-its-kind editorial takeover on leading Hindi news channels turned primetime into a narrative-led build-up to the series. Titled ‘Special Ops’, the segments featured real-life Indian defence missions, hosted by top anchors and subtly connected to the show’s theme with smartly embedded cues. This blend of content and context delivered a powerful, immersive storytelling experience that blurred the line between fiction and real-world valour – capturing the attention of over 35 million viewers across five days.
At a time when Indian audiences are navigating digital anxiety and the constant threat of online scams, Special Ops 2.0 grounded its entire communication strategy in real-world relevance. From cyber awareness and civic vigilance to national pride, the campaign blurred the lines between storytelling and social responsibility.
