iWorld
Google, Tiger Telly unveil IPL-set micro-drama A Perfect Match
Six-part series blends romance and search tech amid cricket frenzy
MUMBAI: Google has extended its collaboration with Tiger Telly to launch A Perfect Match, a six-part micro-drama rolling out through the ongoing Indian Premier League season.
The campaign unfolded with a breadcrumb trail of intrigue, starting from a cryptic manuscript tease by Zoya Akhtar, followed by behind-the-scenes glimpses featuring Ishaan Khatter and Sara Arjun. The first chapter dropped over the weekend, introducing Kabir and Navya, whose first date takes an unexpected turn with a timely assist from Google Search.
Ishaan Khatter said, “Delighted to have been a part of this project with Tiger Telly and Google. I have long admired Zoya and Reema and the stories they’ve consistently empowered. Working with Sara was a total joy and we had a blast shooting for the films.”
Set against India’s enduring love affair with cricket, the series blends a light romantic narrative with everyday technology use. Five more episodes will roll out during the IPL season, building a story that is equal parts flirtation and functionality.
Written by Zoya Akhtar and directed by Arjun Varain Singh, the project continues the creative partnership within Tiger Baby. Singh, who previously directed Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan, returns to helm a story that leans into intimacy and relatability while quietly showcasing Google’s search capabilities.
The performances by Khatter and Arjun anchor the narrative in authenticity, making the tech integration feel less like a feature and more like a natural part of modern relationships.
Speaking about the collaboration, Tiger Telly writer & executive producer Zoya Akhtar said, “At Tiger Telly, we have always chased stories that live in the quiet, real moments, and A Perfect Match does exactly that. Two people, the excitement of the IPL, and Ishaan and Sara bringing something so genuine to it that it surprises you. It’s been great to collaborate with Google again as their allies in brand storytelling.”
Director Arjun Varain Singh added, “Delighted to have been a part of this project with Tiger Telly and Google. I have long admired Zoya and Reema and the stories they’ve consistently empowered. Working with Sara was a total joy and we had a blast shooting for the films.”
Positioned as an end-to-end creative studio, Tiger Telly continues to expand its footprint across branded storytelling, from commercials to long-form content, working with brands including Google, Vivo and Nykaa.
With A Perfect Match, the collaboration strikes a neat balance between romance and relevance, proving that even in the middle of cricket mania, there is room for a little love story powered by search.
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.
