iWorld
‘Two people who are opposite come together in this beautiful story”: Rajeev Siddhartha
Mumbai: – Amazon miniTV – Amazon’s free video streaming service recently premiered its rom-com series, Badi Heroine Banti Hai which blends romance, drama, thrill, and mystery. The series follows the journey of Kajal whose life takes a turn when she moves from her small hometown to pursue her dreams. Entangled in a murder mystery, her love life takes a captivating turn within the glamorous world of the fashion industry.
Shedding light on the different shades of his character, Rajeev Siddhartha, who has portrayed the role of ‘Advait Singhania- the heartthrob CEO’ shared, “I’m portraying a character who owns a fashion house who has one brother, and his father recently passed away. He has had a sort of disciplined upbringing and did not receive much love while growing up which has made him the man he is today. He is very guarded and closed to any kind of emotion and affection from anyone. For him, it is just his work and business. The only time you see him emotionally invested is when it comes to his younger brother, he is very fond of him and has a soft spot for him. He is a strict businessman with unwavering dedication to his goals. In his office, a minor mistake could lead to immediate firing and everyone harbors a certain fear of him. He is very much cut and dry that way.”
Adding to this, he further stated how his love interest, Kajal changes the dynamics and helps transform his character. He expressed, “Eventually thanks to Kajal’s character, we can see a change in Advait’s character arc. Two people who are opposite come together in this beautiful story.”
Created by Gul Khan, Badi Heroine Banti Hai features Prerna Lisa, Rajeev Siddhartha, Nehal Chudasama, and Utkarsh Kohli in pivotal roles. The series is streaming exclusively on Amazon miniTV for free, available on Amazon’s shopping app, on Fire TV, and Play Store.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
