iWorld
Prime Video’s Prime Day streamfest goes global, from Panchayat to Priyanka
MUMBAI: Prime Video clearly had its popcorn moment. For its Prime Day 2025 bonanza (July 12–14), the streamer rolled out 17 titles across Indian and global languages—and the world hit play hard.
From the narrow lanes of Nagpur to Netflix’s home turf, Amazon’s homegrown content made noise everywhere. Viewers across 4,400+ Indian towns and cities and in 224 countries and territories lapped up titles like Panchayat season 4, the edgy reality drama The Traitors, and Priyanka Chopra-Idris Elba-John Cena action flick Heads of State.
Panchayat’s fourth outing hit record numbers, marking the biggest launch in the franchise’s history. Audiences from 180+ countries tuned in during its launch week, with viewership spread across 95 per cent of India’s pin codes. The show even bagged a spot in the Top 10 trending list in 42 countries on day one.
The unscripted nail-biter The Traitors held fans hostage in 88 per cent of pin codes across India. So naturally, Prime has greenlit season 2. Panchayat season 5 is already in the works and slated for a 2026 premiere.
But it wasn’t all about desi delights. Prime Video’s international Prime Day slate—featuring Korean romances like Good Boy and Head Over Heels, and Japanese anime like City and the Animation—struck gold too. American heavy-hitters like Dexter: Resurrections, Ballard, and Deep Cover kept screens sizzling.
“Through our spectacular content line-up, we delivered one of the most engaging experiences for our customers this Prime Day,” said Prime Video, India director & head of SVOD business, Shilangi Mukherji. “While our content resonated deeply and strongly across India, the exceptional response from global audiences to our Indian titles demonstrates the growing influence of Indian entertainment on the world stage. As we continue to take Indian stories global, we’re equally dedicated to bringing premium international content to our Indian audiences, ensuring a truly borderless entertainment experience.”
It’s not just what you stream, it’s how. With subtitles and dubs in Indian languages, Prime Video’s “global meets local” mantra is clearly paying off. From Uppu Kappurambu to Heads of State, it was a full house at the world’s biggest virtual cinema.
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.
