iWorld
Sony LIV partners with Mukta Arts to showcase Whistling Woods International’s short films
MUMBAI: Whistling Woods International (WWI), one of the world’s leading film, communication and media arts school announced a partnership with Sony LIV, Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) premium digital video entertainment platform via Mukta Arts’ digital venture, Connect.1. Underlining the brand’s commitment to enhance the users’ entertainment-viewing experience, Sony LIV’s association with WWI and its digital venture Connect.1, will entail showcase and promotion of short films produced by students of the institute. These films will cater audiences across all age groups and will be featured under the section, “Mini Talkies”, on Sony LIV.
Curated by Sony LIV, the short films will be of varied genres ranging from drama, thriller, action to romance and comedy, including several award winning films which have been screened at national and international film festivals. This partnership marks a new beginning for the WWI students to create outstanding and engaging content, inspiring the extended community in the media and entertainment fraternity, adding to Sony LIV’s existing diverse and growing library.
Uday Sodhi, EVP and Head – Digital Business, Sony LIV, said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Mukta Arts, which will further enhance our extensive content library and allow our users to sample the latest content developed by the upcoming talents trained at Whistling Woods International. This association opens up avenues to collaborate with Connect.1 – the digital division of Mukta Arts, to create engaging and entertaining content for our users and establish Sony LIV as the premier digital destination for top-quality entertainment.”
Subhash Ghai, Founder & Chairman, Whistling Woods International; Chairman, Mukta Arts Limited, added, “Firstly, I would like to congratulate Mukta Arts and Sony LIV for the association which will open a range of opportunities for both the brands. Over the time, Sony LIV has established itself as the go-to destination for today’s mobile-first consumer. This association will showcase the works of the students of Whistling Woods International, helping us amplify the reach and recognition of our talented students.”
Headquartered in Mumbai, Mukta Arts, is an Indian film production company known for its association with several blockbuster movie hits such as Taal, Pardes and Ram Lakhan amongst others. These successful hits from the production house of Mr. Subash Ghai have pre-defined directorial credibility for Mukta Arts in the history of Indian Cinema.
Do watch the short films here:
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
