iWorld
Jio Platforms taps Morgan Stanley, Goldman for mega IPO push
MUMBAI: Jio Platforms Ltd. has picked Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to steer its long-awaited public listing, setting the stage for one of India’s biggest IPOs and a valuation estimated between $133 billion and $182 billion. The digital arm of Reliance Industries Ltd. is expected to file draft papers once India’s finance ministry clears a SEBI proposal allowing a 2.5 per cent public float for large IPOs, according to media reports.
The offering is likely to comprise an even split between fresh shares and stock sold by existing private equity investors, including KKR & Co, Silver Lake and Vista Partners. Strategic shareholders such as Google LLC and Meta Platforms Inc. are expected to retain their stakes of 7.75 per cent and 9.99 per cent, respectively. Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani first announced plans for the listing at the group’s annual meeting in September 2025.
Banker talks began in October for a potential first-half 2026 listing, with early proposals pegging Jio Platforms’ valuation as high as $170 billion: above Bharti Airtel Ltd.’s market capitalisation. Analysts estimate that a 2.5 per cent stake sale at around $180 billion could raise $4.5 billion, comfortably eclipsing Hyundai Motor India Ltd.’s $3.3 billion IPO in 2024.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
