iWorld
Trust issues? Prime Video’s The Traitors makes betrayal the main game
MUMBAI: Backstabbers, assemble Prime Video’s The Traitors wants your trust, then twists it. The gloves are off and the masks are on in The Traitors, Prime Video’s new psychological reality thriller where lies, suspicion, and manipulation rule the game. Set in a castle-like estate and packed with 20 familiar faces think Karan Kundrra, Uorfi Javed, Raftaar, and Maheep Kapoor the show turns deception into sport and betrayal into strategy.
Adapted from the Emmy and BAFTA-winning global format by IDTV, and produced in India by BBC Studios for Prime Video, The Traitors isn’t just drama, it’s emotional demolition. Friendships are collateral, family bonds are bait, and trust? That’s your biggest weakness.
Each week, contestants face daring tasks and emotional landmines. But it’s the infamous Circle of Shaq that leaves viewers clutching imaginary pearls. Here, alliances are shattered, accusations fly faster than clues, and even the most loyal hearts are accused of treachery. In the first few episodes alone, Maheep openly calls out Players, Apoorva takes no prisoners, and the air is thick with suspicion.
Celebrities like Anshula Kapoor, Ashish Vidyarthi, Jasmine Bhasin, Sudhanshu Pandey, Lakshmi Manchu, Janvi Gaur, and more find themselves second-guessing every smile and decoding every handshake. With reputations on the line, each move is a gamble and in The Traitors, someone’s always bluffing.
The series blends brutal gameplay with emotional vulnerability, an unpredictable mix of Survivor-style endurance and Bigg Boss-style showdowns, but with an added layer of psychological warfare.
The Traitors premiered its first three episodes on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping every Thursday at 8 pm.
So if you’ve ever wondered how far someone might go to win when lying is the rule, not the exception log in, watch your back, and remember: Rise and shine… it’s Dhokha Time.
iWorld
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square makes $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group
Ackman pitches NYSE relisting plan as UMG board weighs unsolicited offer
The hedge fund has proposed a business combination that values UMG at €30.40 per share, representing a hefty 78 per cent premium to its current trading price. The offer includes €9.4 billion in cash alongside stock in a newly formed entity, with shareholders set to receive €5.05 per share in cash and 0.77 shares in the new company for each UMG share they hold.
Under the proposal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd and re-emerge as a Nevada-based entity listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move is designed to boost investor visibility and potentially secure inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500.
Pershing Square Capital Management ceo Bill Ackman argued that while UMG’s operational performance remains strong, its market valuation has lagged due to external factors. “UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business,” Ackman said, pointing to concerns ranging from shareholder overhang to delayed US listing plans.
Ackman also flagged what he sees as untapped potential in UMG’s balance sheet and a lack of clear capital allocation strategy. He added that the market has not fully recognised the value of UMG’s €2.7 billion stake in Spotify, alongside gaps in investor communication.
The proposed transaction would also result in the cancellation of around 17 per cent of UMG’s outstanding shares, while maintaining its investment-grade balance sheet. Pershing Square has said it will fully backstop the equity financing, with debt commitments secured at signing. The deal is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
UMG, however, has struck a measured tone. The company confirmed that its board has received the non-binding proposal and will review it with advisers. It reiterated confidence in its current strategy and leadership under Lucian Grainge, signalling no immediate shift in stance.
The proposal comes at a time when global music companies are navigating evolving investor expectations, streaming economics and capital allocation pressures. For Pershing Square, the bet is clear: sharpen the financial story, relist in the US, and let the music play louder in the markets.
Whether UMG’s board is ready to change the tune remains to be seen, but the spotlight on its valuation just got a lot brighter.
