Hindi
Lionsgate blocks Icahn, seals debt
MUMBAI: Lionsgate has refinanced $66.6 million of its debt in a private deal, at the last-hour, to shoo away billionaire investor Carl Icahn‘s take over attempts. Icahn had made an initial offer to purchase the debt at around 75 cents per dollar, an offer that was due to expire last Monday afternoon. Lionsgate signed deals with two bondholders and exchanged $66.6m of existing debt for new debt. The new debt pushes back the put date to 2015 from 2012. The put date is when bondholders can force Lionsgate to buy back its debt.
“We had an opportunity to do a private transaction on terms that were attractive for the bondholders and for the company,” said Lionsgate vice-chairman Michael Burns in a statement. “Bondholders get a better trading instrument and lower strike price while Lionsgate gets a three-year extension on the first put date.”
In a filing to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last Monday, Lionsgate disclosed the deal. It also said that the debtholders have agreed not to sell any of their 2024 notes to Icahn via the “existing tender offer,” which limits support for Icahn among Lionsgate‘s shareholders.
Earlier, in February, Lionsgate reported a loss of $93.4 million in the third quarter.
Hindi
Marico founder Harsh Mariwala’s book Harsh Realities set for film adaptation
Almighty Motion Picture taps Karan Vyas to script Marico story
MUMBAI: Almighty Motion Picture is turning its lens on India Inc., with plans to adapt Harsh Realities: The Making of Marico into a screen project. The story charts the rise of Harsh Mariwala, the chairman and founder of Marico, and is currently in early development, according to a report by Variety.
Writer Karan Vyas, known for his work on Scam 1992, Scoop and Made in India – A Titan Story, is attached to pen the screenplay. The project continues the studio’s growing interest in real-life Indian narratives that blend business with human drama.
At the heart of the story lies a defining moment in 1987, when Mariwala chose to step away from the family-run Bombay Oil Industries and strike out on his own. What followed was not just the creation of a company, but the reinvention of a legacy. Marico would go on to become a global FMCG player, with brands like Parachute, Saffola, Set Wet and Livon becoming household names, reaching nearly one in three Indians.
The source material, co-authored by Mariwala and renowned business strategist Ram Charan, offers more than a boardroom chronicle. It captures the grit behind the growth, the risks behind the rewards and the leadership lessons forged along the way.
The adaptation aims to move beyond balance sheets and brand milestones, focusing instead on the person behind the enterprise. Expect a narrative that leans into the emotional stakes of entrepreneurship, where decisions are as personal as they are professional.
Today, Marico draws about a quarter of its revenue from international markets across Asia and Africa, reflecting its steady transformation from a domestic player into a multinational force. Yet, if the makers have their way, the screen version will remind audiences that every global success story begins with a leap of faith.
With development set to begin soon, this is one business story that may just trade spreadsheets for storytelling, and profit margins for moments that linger
