iWorld
Netflix extends multilingual content viewing to TVs
MUMBAI: Netflix has at long last unleashed its full linguistic arsenal on television screens worldwide, allowing subscribers to frolic through its catalogue in whichever of its 30-plus languages tickles their fancy. The streaming behemoth, which had previously restricted this multilingual delight to mobile devices and web browsers, has finally capitulated from 2 April to the thousands of monthly pleas from linguistically frustrated viewers.
The timing could hardly be more apt. Nearly a third of all viewing on the platform now involves non-English content—a figure that explains why Korean survival drama Squid Game had British grandmothers attempting to pronounce Ojingeo Geim and why Spanish heist caper Berlin has viewers worldwide practicing their ¡Vamos! with varying degrees of success.
“This much-anticipated feature carries over the experience members already enjoy on mobile devices and web browsers,” Netflix announced.
The streaming giant has also cottoned on to another delicious trend: subscribers have been using the service as a language-learning tool. With customisable subtitle options and a “Browse by Language” feature, Netflix has become an accidental competitor to Duolingo—albeit one with considerably more drama, bloodshed and royal intrigue.
For the truly adventurous linguistic daredevils—those peculiar souls who might fancy watching Mexican telenovelas with Korean dubbing and English subtitles—Netflix has now made such exotic combinations possible on the biggest screen in the house.
Global sensations like France’s Lupin, Mexico’s Who Killed Sara?, Norway’s Troll and Germany’s Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front have demonstrated that language barriers in entertainment are crumbling fast. What’s driving this babel of content consumption? Perhaps viewers are finally discovering what continental Europeans have known for decades: that Hollywood doesn’t have a monopoly on compelling storytelling.
As streaming wars intensify and competitors scramble for global market share, Netflix’s linguistic flexibility may prove its secret weapon. After all, in the battle for worldwide domination, speaking the local lingo is more than half the battle—it’s the whole war.
Broadband
Excitel Broadband names Varun Pasricha as chief executive officer
Former COO steps up to lead broadband firm’s next growth chapter
MUMBAI: Excitel Broadband has elevated its chief operating officer, Varun Pasricha, to the role of chief executive officer, handing the reins to a leader who has already spent nearly eight years shaping the company’s rise.
Pasricha joined Excitel in August 2018 and has since been instrumental in building what he describes as “the most loved broadband brand in the country”. Now, as chief executive officer, he is expected to steer the internet service provider through its next phase of expansion in an increasingly competitive home broadband market.
Before his tenure at Excitel, Pasricha held senior leadership roles at Zomato, where he led sales transformation and served as business head for partner growth across India and the UAE. He oversaw the shift in the company’s advertising model from fixed ad slots to performance driven engagement, migrating more than 7,000 paying clients globally while delivering a 20 per cent upsell on the portfolio.
Earlier, at G4S India, he was senior vice president for strategic business, managing a profit and loss portfolio exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. Over two years, he grew the business by around 50 per cent while improving margins through contract renegotiations and cross selling. He also worked closely with the leadership team as vice president for strategic projects, focusing on corporate strategy, restructuring, and new business launches, including entry into last mile logistics.
His career spans strategy and operations across sectors. At Max Healthcare, he was senior manager for business strategy, working on planning and joint venture rollouts in tier II cities. He co-founded Edventure Online, an education advisory venture aimed at helping students make informed career choices. At Indus Towers, he served as senior business manager in the central strategy team, helping convert the energy vertical from a cost centre into a profit engine.
Pasricha began his career at McKinsey & Company as an analyst, building the consulting toolkit that would underpin his later operating roles.
With a résumé that blends boardroom strategy and frontline execution, Pasricha’s appointment signals continuity with ambition. For Excitel, the message is clear: the company is betting on a leader who already knows where the cables run and where the next connections must be made.
