Hollywood
Asha Bhosle receives Lifetime Achievement at DIFF
MUMBAI: At the gala opening ceremony of the prestigious Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) held at the famous Madinat Theatre in Madinat Jumeirah Hotel Dubai, Asha Bhosle received the lifetime achievement award for her outstanding contribution to music through hands of HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoom.
Bhosle has been earlier honoured as the ‘most recorded artist in music history’ by the Guinness Book of World Records, and also awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2000) and the Padma Vibhushan (2008) from the Indian government.
Adding another award to her list of accolades, Bhosle said, “I am delighted to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award from Dubai International Film Festival in Dubai – a place with long historic ties to my country.”
In her acceptance speech, Bhosle, who also made her acting debut at the age of 80 in the 2013 film ‘Mai’, further added, “People while accepting awards thank their family, friends, pets, etc but I wish to here only thank my audience and my stars without which I would have never come so far in life.”
On the popular demand by the audience, she crooned impromptu few lines of her popular “dil chiz kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye” and the evergreen classic “O mere sona re sona re sona” bringing the 3000 strong crowd at the Madinat Theatre in Jumeirah to standing ovation.
DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma said, “Asha Bhosle is a stalwart of the Indian music industry and we are proud to honour her with this DIFF Lifetime Achievement Award. Her work has touched almost every corner of the world such a legend we heartily applause in DIFF.”
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
