iWorld
Buddha in a Traffic Jam premieres on Spuul
MUMBAI: Spuul brings Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’ to its catalogue of films. This movie will be available across devices like web, mobile (iOS, Android), Amazon Fire TV, Android TV & Apple TV along with Airplay on iOS, and Chromecast on Android. The film is available to all of Spuul’s premium subscribers across the world.
Buddha in a Traffic Jam is one of the most controversial films of the year, released just a month back in May, with protests against the movie in many parts of India for alleged propaganda. The film depicts various themes ranging from corruption in the country to campus politics, moral policing, crony socialism and the fight against injustice. It stars Arunoday Singh, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi and Mahie Gill.
Speaking on this development Spuul Global CEO Subin Subaiah said, “We’re happy to bring a film like ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’ to our viewers. Our platform has always strived to provide shelf space to bold filmmakers to reach their audiences. This is just a step further in bringing fresh content to our 12 million viewers.
Commenting on this association, Vivek Agnihotri, Director, Buddha in A Traffic Jam, said, “Spuul is one of the oldest video streaming services today, and we’re happy to be associated with them for the internet premiere of Buddha In A Traffic Jam. It is a story that needed to be told, and we hope this association with Spuul helps us spread the word far and wide.”
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
