Applications
Maya Digital Studios to launch In-Studio Training on 11 August
MUMBAI: Maya Digital Studios, the studio that pioneered the art and technology of animation and visual effects in India in the 1990s, has started yet another ‘industry first‘ initiative where young animation, VFX & 3D stereoscopy professionals will undergo advanced training based on a Studio Ready Training Modules with employment at Maya‘s studio facilities in Mumbai and Goa. The, initiative by Maya called ‘Maya In Studio Training‘ (MIST), will be formally launched on 11 August in Mumbai.
Elaborating about MIST, Maya co-founder and director Deepa Sahi said, “Our focus at Maya has always been on artists and I‘m proud to say that even after so many years Maya is the dream place to be for any animation and visual effects artist- as the saying goes- “Your work is as good as the person behind the machine”.
We are therefore committed to nurturing the men and women ‘behind‘ the machine! Hence we are now starting with the facility for a dedicated in studio training facility within the studio to create studio ready artists, who have the right blend of creativity & production skills.”
Earlier, Maya had launched an academic training institute and created over 50000 animation and visual effects professionals in the Indian industry. At that time, the industry was new in India training was critical, which is when Maya decided to launch the training facility to create an animation and visual effects ecosystem in the country.
Elaborately, talking about MIST, Maya chairman & managing director Ketan Mehta stated, “As the training industry evolved for Animation & Visual Effects the focus shifted from creating artists to mass production. Thus, there was no focus on teaching them the studio skills and production processes to create consummate Techno-Artists in this field.
With Maya In Studio Training, MIST we are all set to fill in this gap that exists between Animation & Visual Effects training and the studio environment, between ‘knowing‘ and ‘doing‘. Freshers will work with studio veterans and learn while working on live projects at MIST.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
