Hindi
Indian Film Company keeps slate busy for 2009-10
MUMBAI: Readying an investment of Rs 1.61 billion ($32.12 million), the Raghav Bahl-driven Indian Film Company (IFC) is lining up a busy 2009-10 schedule.
Apart from the Bollywood crop, IFC’s pipeline includes remake of the Hollywood film “Italian Job” from Paramount Studios. Having acquired the rights, the film is currently in its scripting stage.
IFC has acquired the rights for Shortkut – The Con Is On and Luck that are expected to hit the theatres this July and September.
The AIM-listed company is also co-producing Loot, Striker, King Kaun, Kaun Bola, Life Partner, Road Movie, Paanch Pandav, It‘s A Wonderful Afterlife, Banda Yeh Bindass Hai and Tamil Unlimited.
Director by Neeraj Vohra, Shortkut – The Con is On will release in July and casts Akshaye Khanna, Arshad Warsi and Amrita Rao. Directed by Soham Shah, Luck, meanwhile, is scheduled for an August release and casts Sanjay Dutt, Imran Khan and Danny Denzongpa.
Life Partner will release in September this year. Both Kaun Bola and Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai will open in theatres in November.
Loot and Striker are scheduled for a March 2010 release. Also in the pipeline are 7 Days in Paris, a romantic comedy directed by Sanjay Ghadvi that casts Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif as lead protagonists. The film is expected to release in April 2010.
It‘s A Wonderful Afterlife, a co-production with director Gurinder Chadha, casts Shabana Azmi, Sendhil Ramamurthy (of Heroes fame) Shaheen Khan (Bend It Like Beckham) and British-Indian theatre actress Goldie Notay. The film is expected to hit the theatres in April 2010.
The other productions are Game, Ishq Unplugged, Fruit ‘N‘ Nut and Bombay Velvet.
Additionally, there are untitled projects with directors such as David Dhawan, Anees Bazmee, Sabal S Shekhawat, Shoham Shah, Amrit Sagar and Priyadarshan.
“We will continue to focus on distribution and exploitation of quality content that entertains audiences and gives commercial returns,” IFC director and Network18 founder-promoter Raghav Bahl said. “The group has focused more on mounting its own productions in order to generate higher margins and profitability. The Group has recruited talented directors with established track records, who are working on projects in various stages of production including scripting, casting, shooting and post production.”
Hindi
New labour codes reshape rules for India’s media & entertainment sector
EY masterclass highlights unified framework, wage redefinition and expanded coverage.
MUMBAI: The new labour codes just rewrote the rulebook for India’s media and entertainment industry because when four old laws become four big codes, even the fine print needs a director’s cut. At the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Industry Report launch, EY partners Nirali Goradia and Lakshmi Ranganathan delivered a detailed masterclass on how the labour codes implemented in November 2025 are fundamentally changing the sector. The four consolidated codes Code on Wages, Code on Social Security, Industrial Relations Code, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code have replaced a fragmented set of central and state regulations that existed for decades.
The speakers explained that the new framework brings consistency across all types of establishments and workers. Previously, cine-workers, journalists and other media professionals were governed by separate, narrow laws. Now, definitions have been broadened: “audio-visual worker” now covers everyone involved in film, television, OTT, broadcasting and digital content creation, while “working journalist” extends to digital news platforms.
Key changes include:
- A uniform definition of wages, with at least 50% of total remuneration needing to qualify as wages for calculations like provident fund and gratuity.
- Expanded social security coverage for gig workers, platform workers and project-based freelancers.
- Unified working conditions, safety norms and leave entitlements.
- Simplified compliance through digital filings and a more principle-based approach.
Nirali Goradia emphasised that the codes aim to bring gig workers, freelancers and project-based talent under the social security net, though the exact contribution mechanism for platform workers is still being finalised. She noted that the intent is clear: no worker should be left out of basic protections such as provident fund, ESI, gratuity and safety standards simply because of the nature of their engagement.
Lakshmi Ranganathan highlighted that establishments in the sector must now carefully map their workforce—permanent employees, fixed-term contracts, freelancers and gig workers because different categories attract different obligations. She pointed out that gratuity vesting for journalists remains at three years, but the broader wage definition will impact calculations across the board. Organisations that previously computed contributions on basic salary (often 35-40%) will now need to move to at least 50% of total wages, potentially increasing costs by around 10% on a recurring basis. This change applies retrospectively for gratuity valuation as well, creating immediate balance-sheet implications for many companies.
The panel also discussed how the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code has expanded the definition of “manufacturing process” to include digital printing and related activities. This brings more workers under safety and working-condition norms that were previously limited. Additionally, the codes introduce a clearer framework for fixed-term employment contracts, offering organisations flexibility while ensuring such workers receive benefits similar to permanent employees, including gratuity after one year.
One area still evolving is the treatment of platform and gig workers. The Social Security Code recognises this new category, but the exact funding mechanism and contribution structure are awaited. Industry experts expect a dedicated fund where platforms and employers will contribute, from which benefits can be extended to gig workers. Until the schemes are notified, organisations are advised to review their existing contractor and freelancer agreements to assess potential future obligations.
Both partners stressed the need for proactive steps. Companies should:
- Reclassify their workforce based on the new definitions of “employee” and “worker”.
- Review compensation structures to align with the 50 per cent wage threshold.
- Update contracts, especially for project-based and gig engagements.
- Reassess gratuity liabilities and payroll processes.
- Ensure compliance with expanded safety and working-condition requirements.
The speakers noted that while the codes bring much-needed unification and broader coverage, they also demand careful interpretation. The shift from highly prescriptive rules to a more principle-based regime means organisations must build internal frameworks to apply the codes consistently. This is particularly relevant for the media and entertainment sector, where project-based work, freelancers, short-term contracts and gig-style engagements are common.
In an industry that thrives on creativity and agility, the new labour codes are forcing a rewrite of the fine print. What was once a patchwork of rules is now a unified playbook and for media houses, the real plot twist will be how quickly they adapt to keep talent happy, costs manageable and stories flowing. The next few months, as states finalise their rules and schemes are notified, will be critical in determining exactly how this new framework reshapes hiring, compensation and workforce management across the sector.
