iWorld
Marvel’s Runaways to telecast same day as US on Hooq
MUMBAI: Hooq announced a new exclusive Marvel offering- the first three episodes of Marvel’s Runaways will debut on 21 Nov with brand new episodes coming every week to Hooq, same day as the US telecast.
Hooq chief content officer Jennifer Batty said, “We’re very excited, Runaways ticks all the boxes that we are looking for in a comic book Entertainment series! Everyone thinks their parents are evil when they are a teenager BUT what happens when you find out they really are evil!?! With showrunners like Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, producers of The O.C. and Gossip Girl, also available on Hooq, we can expect the series to break away from some of the conventions and tropes that muddle teenage dramas. The 1st 3 episodes of Runaways drop on Hooq within 12 hrs of the US on Nov 22nd, and a brand-new episode will follow each week, same day as the U.S. and fully localized for our viewers.”
The series, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, follows the story of six teenagers who unite against a common enemy: their parents, who reveal themselves to be super-villains in a sinister group called the Church of Gibborim. Running away from their respective homes, the teenagers decide to work together to right the wrongs of their parents, and set on a journey to discover the secret of their origins in a fun and original spin on the superhero narrative. Helping them in this struggle are larger-than-life characters such as Gert, a superheroine with a telepathic connection to a genetically engineered dinosaur known as Old Lace.
Runaways stars Rhenzy Feliz (Teen Wolf), Lyrica Okano (The Affair), Virginia Gardner (Project Almanac), Ariela Barer (Yo Gabba Gabba!), Gregg Sulkin (Sixty Six, Wizards of Waverly Place) and Allegra Acosta (100 Things To Do Before High School).
Runaways comes at the back of an exclusive landmark deal between Hooq and The Walt Disney Company that gives Hooq exclusive rights to three of Marvel’s series: Marvel’s Inhumans, Marvel’s Runaways and Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger.
iWorld
Govt pushes live events sector to Rs 196 billion by 2028
LEDC roadmap targets 15–20 million jobs and global hub status by 2030
MUMBAI: India’s live events story is getting louder and this time, it’s policy turning up the volume. The fourth meeting of the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC), chaired by Chanchal Kumar, was held on 30 April 2026 at Vigyan Bhavan, bringing together representatives from nine Central Ministries, six States and 12 industry stakeholders to chart the sector’s next phase of growth. The numbers already tell a compelling story. India’s organised live events industry was valued at Rs 145 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at 10 per cent to Rs 196 billion by 2028 making it one of the fastest-expanding segments within the media and entertainment ecosystem.
Set up in July 2025 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the LEDC is tasked with turning that momentum into a structured growth engine. Its long-term ambition is ambitious, position India as a global live events hub by 2030 while generating an additional 15–20 million jobs.
At the meeting, officials emphasised the sector’s multiplier effect spanning tourism, employment and allied industries while underlining the need for coordinated execution. A key update was the rollout of a single-window clearance system for live event permissions via the India Cine Hub portal, aimed at simplifying approvals and improving transparency.
States have been urged to adopt the system, alongside implementing the “Model Executive Order for Streamlining Licensing and Permissions for Live Events in India, 2026” by 31 May 2026. The framework seeks to standardise what has long been a fragmented and time-consuming regulatory process.
Beyond permissions, the discussion also turned to infrastructure and talent. A draft concept for greenfield venue development was tabled, alongside plans to build a skilled workforce. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication, in collaboration with industry bodies MESC and EEMA, is set to introduce certificate courses tailored to the live events sector.
Chanchal Kumar stressed that alignment across stakeholders is already in place, with the next challenge being execution at scale. The government, he noted, remains committed to creating a facilitative and transparent ecosystem for organisers.
For an industry once seen as fragmented and event-driven, the message is clear, India’s live events business is no longer just about the show, it’s about building an entire stage for growth.
