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Meet Brothers, Kailash Kher, Papa CJ And Others Ensured The Show Did Go On At EEMA’s First Ever #StayAtHomeConcert
MUMBAI: The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the live events and experiential marketing industry in an unprecedented way, foretelling a severe threat to the $ 1 trillion dollar global events industry.
On March 22, the events and entertainment industry came together under the umbrella of EEMA (Event and Entertainment Association of India) to present one of India’s biggest online concerts that the country has ever witnessed, and to pay tribute to those working on the frontline in the battle to contain Covid 19!
50 artists across the length and breadth of India came together on social media platforms to urge the nation to stay at home during an online #StayAtHomeConcert, over Facebook and Instagram to mark the Prime Minister’s call for a voluntary #Janatacurfew. Leading artists like Mohit Chauhan, Kailash Kher, Sukhbir, Meet Brothers, Amit Tandon, PapaCJ , Sonam Kalra, and many more performed during this 9 hour concert which began at 2 PM and concluded with an online version of Sunburn.
Sanjoy Roy, President-EEMA said, “The entertainment industry is going through one of the worst crises ever faced in recent times. With projected losses of over 10,000 crores, which will affect 80% of MSME’s and may result on 40% of job losses, we are reaching out to the Government to help this sector and will continue to work collectively in the fight against the spread of Covid 19.”
According to Vipul Pandhi, Vice President North – EEMA, “We believe that in these challenging times for the nation, if we can come together and do what we are best at and make citizens aware of their duty to each other and to society it will be our contribution to the government and the country.”
Celebrities that participated in the concert showed their enthusiasm, singer Mohit Chauhan commented, “It was amazing to perform online and help in the fight against coronavirus.”
Sonam Kalra showed her support saying, “It’s a wonderful initiative to bring light, joy and healing to people in this situation of darkness, uncertainty and isolation. It is also a great way of building a community through music and providing an opportunity to artists to continue to perform.”
EEMA Plans to organize a series of such online concerts in the coming days beginning Wednesday 25th March from 5pm onwards to help the nation stay indoors while ensuring social distancing and supporting India’s medical workers in their fight against Covid 19.
The association has requested the Government of India to provide relief to the events and entertainment sector by ensuring that all tax refunds due are made at the earliest.
– Central and State Governments should clear their outstanding payments from all contracts for the sector
– MSME’s should be provided credit on accessible terms including to loss making companies with work orders in place
– Moratorium of payback on loans and interest for a period of 9-12 months.
– Reduction of GST on entertainment and cultural events to 12%
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Paramount set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in $81 billion deal
Shareholders back merger, combined entity could reshape streaming and studios.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… consolidation, Hollywood’s latest blockbuster might be happening off-screen. Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have voted in favour of selling the company to Paramount in a deal valued at $81 billion rising to nearly $111 billion including debt setting the stage for one of the biggest shake-ups in modern media. The proposed merger, still subject to regulatory approvals, would bring together a vast portfolio spanning HBO Max, CNN, and franchises such as Harry Potter under the same umbrella as Paramount’s own heavyweights, including Top Gun and CBS.
At the heart of the deal is streaming scale. Executives have indicated plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single platform, potentially creating a stronger challenger to giants like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Current market data suggests HBO Max holds around 12 per cent of US on-demand subscriptions, compared to Paramount+’s 3 per cent, together still trailing Netflix’s 19 per cent and Disney’s combined 27 per cent via Disney+ and Hulu.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has signalled that while platforms may merge, HBO’s creative identity will remain intact, stating the brand should “stay HBO” even within a broader ecosystem.
Beyond streaming, the deal would redraw the map for film production. Combining two of Hollywood’s oldest studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the new entity aims to scale output to over 30 films annually, while maintaining a 45-day theatrical window. Warner Bros. currently commands around 21 per cent of the US box office, compared to Paramount’s 6 per cent, underscoring the strategic weight of the acquisition.
But scale comes with scrutiny. Critics warn that fewer players could mean reduced consumer choice, rising subscription costs, and potential job cuts as the combined company looks to streamline overlapping operations while managing billions in debt.
The news business, too, faces a reset. CNN would join forces at least structurally with Paramount-owned CBS, raising questions about editorial independence and positioning. The merger has already drawn political attention in the United States, particularly given perceived ties between the Ellison family and Donald Trump, though the company maintains that newsroom autonomy will be preserved.
If approved, the deal would mark another milestone in Hollywood’s consolidation wave shrinking the industry’s traditional “big six” studios to a “big four”, with Paramount joining Disney, Universal, and Sony at the top table.
In an industry built on storytelling, this merger may well become its most consequential plot twist yet.
