News Broadcasting
‘Lord of the Rings’ producer Barrie Osborne to float visual effects JV company in Chennai
MUMBAI: Noted Hollywood filmmakers Barrie Osborne and Michael Peyser have ambitious plans in India. Along with Indian VFX producer Madhu Sudhanan, they are going to partner with a local visual effects studio to float a company, Vayu Digital.
The company plans to pump in $20 million to create a visual effects facility in Chennai. “We are in negotiations with a domestic visual effects studio to become a joint venture partner. The company aims to go operational by May-June,” Madhu Sudhanan said.
Vayu Digital will have an outsourcing business model, tapping Hollywood clients for carrying out the visual effects work in India. The facility initially will house 50 artists with a mix of western and local talent. It aims to ramp up the capacity to 250-300 seaters over two years.
“We will create an international pipeline to attract outsourcing work from Hollywood. Vayu would serve as second in line to the VFX majors. We are not going to compete but create a complementary facility to the Hollywood visual effects major studios with cost-effective solutions,” said Madhu Sudhanan.
Said Peyser,”To begin with, we are going to provide our services in VFX, mobile repurposing and animation to some of the best film makers worldwide. Long term, we also plan to produce our own content at Vayu.”
By outsourcing visual effects from India, Hollywood studios save 30-40 per cent of their costs. “Hollywood requires communications, deliverables and quality. The biggest problem in India is the limited talent pool that we have as all of us are digging into the same well,” said Madhu Sudhanan.
Osborne, producer of Lord of the Rings, is planning to co-produce films in India which will be targeted at the international market. Peyser, producer of Speed 2, is also eyeing at outsourcing visual effects work from India.
Madhu Sudhanan has produced domestic movie visual effects for more than 60 motion pictures and three Hollywood films. Currently he is heading the FrameFlow facility in Chennai.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
