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IPRS announces emergency relief package for its members
MUMBAI: The creative community has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. Creators whose earnings arise from individual projects have been left reeling from this unprecedented crisis which has now been compounded by an equally unprecedented lockdown aimed at keeping all Indian citizens indoors and safe. The lockdown has a significant human cost in terms of lost earnings and the consequent inability of many creative community members to sustain themselves and their families during the next three weeks.
The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS) is mindful of the stark concerns faced by its author and music composer members and as a responsible copyright society mandated by the government of India is determined to do its bit to help its members across the country.
Accordingly, IPRS has declared an Emergency Relief Package to support its members, who are facing significant financial pressure during the Corona pandemic. The money will be paid to around 3150 author and music composer members across various geographies, to meet their basic needs for the next three weeks as we battle the virus.
IPRS chairman Javed Akhtar said, “It is our duty to support the call made by our prime minister Narendra Modi for society to support each other through this 21-day lockdown period. IPRS is what it is because of all its members. In these challenging and trying times, IPRS as a custodian of its creator members stands shoulder to shoulder with all its members. This payment by IPRS is our contribution for the time being to help our creator members tide over this period of the 21-day lockdown to be able to purchase basic necessities”.
IPRS CEO Rakesh Nigam said, “It is in times like these that bodies like IPRS can provide much-needed help and succour to its members. I am glad that we can contribute in this fashion to our members. I want to convey our Chairman Javed Saab’s message to all our members, that IPRS is there for them in this time of crisis.”
IPRS will be reaching out to its members to facilitate disbursement of the relief amounts on an immediate basis.
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Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
