iWorld
From novels to personal screen – these book adaptations on Hotstar Premium are a must watch
MUMBAI: While some people find joy in turning pages and letting imagination take over, others simply prefer enjoying the celluloid version of the same story. As the constants debate of ‘which is better’ continues, here’s a look at some TV shows based on books that you can enjoy right away on Hotstar Premium.
SHOWS:
Killing Eve
Based on a series of novellas by British author Luke Jennings entitled Codename Villanelle, the globally acclaimed spy-thriller series ‘Killing Eve’ is the story Eve and Villanelle who are bound by a mutual obsession that is as fascinating as it is psychotic. Featuring Sandra Oh and Jodie Corner as the leads, other cast members include Fiona Shaw, David Haig, Kim Bodnia, Darren Boyd and Sean Delaney.
Big Little Lies
Based on author Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name, Big Little Lies tells the tale of three mothers whose seemingly perfect lives unravel to the point of murder. Featuring a renowned star cast – Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley and Zoë Kravitz in pivotal roles, the second season of the show dropped last month with Meryl Streep and Poorna Jagannathan joining the cast.
Sharp Objects
With a total of eight Emmy award nominations, the psychological thriller mini-series is based on author Gillian Flynn's debut novel ‘Sharp Objects’. After treating her mental illness, crime reporter Camille Preaker returns to her hometown to solve the murder of two young girls. The show features Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson in lead roles.
Game of Thrones
A show that needs no introduction, Game of Thrones is based on the hugely popular book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. Game of Thrones depicts nine noble families wage war against each other to gain control over the mythical land of Westeros. Meanwhile, a force is rising after millenniums and threatens the existence of living men.
The Loudest Voice
Based on a book by Gabriel Sherman, ‘The Loudest Voice’ is a seven-part limited series that brings forth events around the life of Roger Ailes, the former CEO of Fox News. Focusing primarily on the past decade, the series touches on defining moments in Ailes' life, including his experiences with world leaders that gave birth to his political career; and the sexual harassment accusations and settlements that brought his reign to an end.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
