India’s homegrown tech scene is celebrating a surprise blockbuster moment. Arattai, the messaging platform developed by Zoho Corporation, has vaulted to the top of Apple’s iOS social networking charts after witnessing a 100× jump in sign-ups within three days — from roughly 3,000 daily registrations to about 3.5 lakh.
According to Moneycontrol, this surge has stunned even Zoho’s leadership, who admitted they were preparing for a big rollout only in November but were caught off guard by the app’s sudden virality (Moneycontrol).
Overnight rise to No. 1
The unexpected boom propelled Arattai to the No. 1 spot on iOS App Store’s social networking category, ahead of long-standing competitors like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. Mint reported that the surge coincided with endorsements from political leaders and influencers highlighting the app as a “Made in India, spyware-free” alternative (Mint).
Pressure on infrastructure
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu admitted the app’s backend systems were stretched thin by the user influx. As Hindustan Times noted, Vembu confirmed that Zoho engineers are “adding infrastructure on an emergency basis” to manage not only the current load but also another possible 100× spike (Hindustan Times).
Privacy and positioning
Arattai’s appeal lies in its privacy-centric promise. While features like end-to-end encryption for chats are still being fine-tuned, the app already offers encrypted calling and a strict “no monetisation of user data” stance. India Today reported that Vembu described Arattai as a bold experiment possible only because Zoho is not publicly listed and free from Wall Street pressures (India Today).
Features on par with rivals
Unlike many niche startups, Arattai comes loaded with the full suite of messaging features users expect — text and multimedia chats, voice and video calls, group conversations, stories, and even public channels. The Economic Times observed that this parity with global platforms could make it a genuine challenger in the messaging space (Economic Times).
Challenges ahead
However, scaling won’t be easy. Users have already flagged issues such as delays in OTP delivery, lags in syncing contacts, and app slowdowns. The Financial Express highlighted that Zoho engineers are racing against time to stabilise the app before the November feature rollout (Financial Express).
Messaging apps also face the network-effect challenge: once users are deeply embedded in WhatsApp or Telegram ecosystems, convincing them to switch becomes difficult. Still, the speed of Arattai’s current adoption suggests curiosity and national pride are working in its favour.
Industry response
Aravind Srinivas, CEO of AI startup Perplexity, praised Arattai’s viral growth, calling it a remarkable example of Indian tech’s potential to compete globally. His remarks, cited by Economic Times, added weight to the narrative of Arattai as not just another app but part of a larger movement for digital self-reliance (Economic Times).
What’s next
Zoho had originally planned to unveil major new features and marketing campaigns in November, but the early surge has forced the company to accelerate parts of its roadmap. As Navbharat Times noted, Arattai’s success also shines a spotlight on Sridhar Vembu himself, the rural Tamil Nadu-based entrepreneur who has built Zoho into one of India’s most influential tech firms without venture capital or stock market backing (Navbharat Times).
Conclusion
Arattai’s meteoric rise underscores both the appetite for secure, Indian-made alternatives and the challenges of scaling such platforms in real time. Whether this early momentum translates into lasting market share will depend on Zoho’s ability to stabilize infrastructure, deliver promised features, and retain trust.
For now, Arattai’s success has become a symbol of what Indian tech can achieve — a story of ambition, timing, and the sheer unpredictability of viral growth.
