iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar announces their upcoming series ‘The Freelancer’
Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar brings to audiences another riveting thriller series, ‘The Freelancer’. The series is based on the book – A Ticket to Syria by Shirish Thorat, creator and showrunner Neeraj Pandey, directed by Bhav Dhulia, and produced by Friday Storytellers and is helmed by popular actor Mohit Raina and the veteran actor Anupam Kher. Captured in a hostile environment in the midst of deception and betrayals, how will Aliya escape?
Alongside Mohit Raina, the series also features veteran actors Anupam Kher talented actors Sushant Singh, Kashmira Pardeshi, John Kokken, Gauri Balaji and Navneet Malik amongst others
Disney+ Hotstar & HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star head – content Gaurav Banerjee said, “Disney+ Hotstar has had incredible collaborations with Neeraj Pandey! Our audiences have loved all the seasons of Special Ops and now Neeraj is back with yet another thrilling and sensitive story, ‘The Freelancer’. This show has powerhouse performances and some incredibly talented performers! We hope our viewers enjoy The Freelancer.”
Creator and showrunner, Neeraj Pandey said, “The Freelancer is a high scale thriller series that unfolds an extraordinary rescue operation of a young girl held against her will in a war-torn Syria. It’s based on Shirish Thorat’s book ‘A Ticket To Syria’, which narrates the true story of Aliya. The series is driven by a powerhouse ensemble cast with Mohit Raina essaying the role of the Freelancer, Anupam Kher as the analyst Dr. Khan, Kashmira Pardesi as Aliya and other actors portraying unique characters. The series has been shot across multiple locations internationally and recreates a world that’s largely unexplored and unseen. Bhav Dhulia and the entire Friday Storytellers team has worked immensely hard putting this together, and I hope the audiences love it.”
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
