iWorld
Global South stories take spotlight as IN10 and Beacon join forces
MUMBAI: Content knows no borders and neither do these storytellers. In a bold cinematic handshake that spans continents, Movieverse Studios, IN10 Media Network’s content arm has inked a global alliance with UAE-based Beacon Media to turbocharge stories from the Global South for a global audience of over three billion. The goal? A borderless entertainment ecosystem powered by co-creation and cultural exchange from India to Latin America, Africa to the Middle East.
“Our vision is global storytelling without fences,” said Movieverse Studios CEO Vivek Krishnani who promised a slate that embraces Malayalam feature films, micro-series for Instagram Reels and Tiktok, and even adaptations of Deepak Chopra’s bestselling fiction. “The Global South is bursting with stories that deserve a global stage and we’re building that bridge.”
This isn’t just lip service. Among the first projects are a Malayalam-language feature and a wave of digital-first series aimed at next-gen viewers, alongside a premium slate of films and web shows under active development. With this, IN10 is aiming not just for reach but resonance.
Beacon Media, helmed by chairman Manoj Narender Madnani, dubbed the alliance “1+1=11 in action,”a nod to how collaboration between legacy platforms and new-age players can create outsized impact. “This isn’t about competing,” he said. “It’s about multiplying reach and cultural capital.”
The collaboration leverages deepening cultural and investment ties between India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE countries fast becoming central to the global entertainment and tech conversation. It also ropes in big industry names: Beacon’s Arabic production arm works with Fadi Ismail, the former MBC Group drama director, while acclaimed writer Manini Priyan has been appointed head of content for Beacon’s original programming.
“This is about future-proof storytelling,” said IN10 Media Network MD Aditya Pittie. “We’re blending Hollywood-grade scale with deeply rooted Indian storytelling. This is not just an alliance, it’s a movement.”
With content categories ranging from short-form social storytelling to high-budget features, and formats ready to travel across languages and regions, the IN10-Beacon alliance is poised to become a game-changer in reshaping the global entertainment map from the Global South to screens worldwide.
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iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
