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Coudert Brothers eyes Asian markets
MUMBAI: You can’t fault Coudert Brothers partner Edward S Labowitz for spending time in Asia these days.
Based in Los Angeles, he chairs the firm’s Entertainment Practice Group and thus has the responsibility of helping expand Coudert into the Asian market and servicing existing clients in the US who are foraying into Asia. Ed, as he likes to be called, is slated to speak at the Asia Television Forum and the Film Market which is being held in Singapore’s famed Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort in early December.
“I will also be trying to understand the Asian market,” he says. “We have offices in nine cities in Asia. And I am here to try and see and understand the market firsthand. There are many models in the film business – be it financing or ventures- which have been used and have worked in the US and Europe and I am here to talk about those.”
Labowitz points out that the Asian TV and film market is maturing in Asia both in terms of distributing Asian products across the continent and in the US and in terms of productions and co-productions between US and European companies and Asian ones.
His firm has recently represented a Hollywood director, Jack Scholder who directed a movie which was shot in Ramoji Rao’s Film City and financed by Usha Kiron movies. The movie has been produced by Morris Riskind and Victoria Pikles of Shorline Entertainment. “I represented Jack in a first of its kind deal wherein Director’s Guild of America guidelines were followed when he was directing in India,” says Ed.
He is also extremely excited by China’s potential. “I salivate over the kind of capacity China has for a huge film and television market. Both for US and Chinese product for the US market,” he says. “My next hot favourite is Korea which is producing films which have the chance to travel outside.”
In fact, a Korean producer CJ Entertainment has recently released a film The Way Home through Paramount in the US, a deal in which Coudert was involved in.
Ed says he would like to know more about India. “It is the second largest film base outside of the US. But I believe the restrictions on exports still make it a little difficult,” he reveals.
What about television? Does Labowitz see a market for cross overs for TV productions? “In the area of television formats, there is scope both in Asia and India,” he elaborates.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
