Hindi
Baar Baar Dekho…Akhir Kyon?
MUMBAI: Baar Baar Dekho, the debut directorial venture of Nitya Mehra, is a love story that spans over three decades. The makers seem to have found the basic idea from the Hollywood film, Groundhog Day (1995). Here, the idea has been used for a couple about to marry.
Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif are born in England around the same time and their parents also decide to move back to India almost at the same time. Katrina and Sidharth meet at school and become close pals at eight. Love blossoms as they grow.
Sidharth is a gifted mathematician while Katrina’s calling is modern art. Their love is boundless and both families are agreeable. It is time to get them to commit to each other and an engagement ceremony takes place. Sidharth is however not sure he wants to get married at that point in time. His first love is mathematics and he wants to prove himself as a math genius all over the world. At the time he was committing to Katrina, his research paper to Cambridge has been appreciated and he is invited to join the faculty.
While Sidharth is a middleclass man who believes in making it big on his own, his would-be father-in-law, Ram Kapoor, gifts him a car and a plush flat. This puts him off further. He has an argument with Katrina to the extent that he offends her. To escape things happening around him, he hits the bottle.
His future travel with wife Katrina is what most of this film is about. Sidharth’s life revolves round his job with little or no time for the family. His mind is so taken up by research, he is unable to connect well with his children when he meets them after gaps. Katrina expresses her displeasure with what is happening to her family life. And, to Sidharth’s discomfort, Kapoor moves in with the family to provide support to Katrina.
Sidharth’s time with his family is like a long lost relative coming back after ages. On one occasion, he is called when his mother dies. There, he realizes that his divorced wife Katrina has remarried!
Baar Baar Dekho is a kind of long-winding sermon to men and women planning marriage, and life thereafter. There is just about everything that is going wrong with the film. It starts with the scripting which jumps from one point to another failing to keep the audience informed.
Sidharth’s ‘amnesia’ is least convincing. The film is beyond the director’s control soon after it takes off. The futuristic approach with communication, be it cell phone or computer, serves no purpose; even the makeup of the aged phase of the actors looks amateur.
The film has some good songs playing in the background but don’t register as one is trying to figure out the events in the story. The popular number, Kala chashma…., is left for the end titles by which time the viewer has lost the will to stay back. Editing is sorely missing. The only thing that works for the film is the visuals. It is a beautifully shot film.
Baar Baar Dekho is a grossly disappointing film.
Producers: Karan Johar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar
Director: Nitya Mehra
Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Katrina Kaif, Sarika, Ram Kapoor
Hindi
New labour codes reshape rules for India’s media & entertainment sector
EY masterclass highlights unified framework, wage redefinition and expanded coverage.
MUMBAI: The new labour codes just rewrote the rulebook for India’s media and entertainment industry because when four old laws become four big codes, even the fine print needs a director’s cut. At the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Industry Report launch, EY partners Nirali Goradia and Lakshmi Ranganathan delivered a detailed masterclass on how the labour codes implemented in November 2025 are fundamentally changing the sector. The four consolidated codes Code on Wages, Code on Social Security, Industrial Relations Code, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code have replaced a fragmented set of central and state regulations that existed for decades.
The speakers explained that the new framework brings consistency across all types of establishments and workers. Previously, cine-workers, journalists and other media professionals were governed by separate, narrow laws. Now, definitions have been broadened: “audio-visual worker” now covers everyone involved in film, television, OTT, broadcasting and digital content creation, while “working journalist” extends to digital news platforms.
Key changes include:
- A uniform definition of wages, with at least 50% of total remuneration needing to qualify as wages for calculations like provident fund and gratuity.
- Expanded social security coverage for gig workers, platform workers and project-based freelancers.
- Unified working conditions, safety norms and leave entitlements.
- Simplified compliance through digital filings and a more principle-based approach.
Nirali Goradia emphasised that the codes aim to bring gig workers, freelancers and project-based talent under the social security net, though the exact contribution mechanism for platform workers is still being finalised. She noted that the intent is clear: no worker should be left out of basic protections such as provident fund, ESI, gratuity and safety standards simply because of the nature of their engagement.
Lakshmi Ranganathan highlighted that establishments in the sector must now carefully map their workforce—permanent employees, fixed-term contracts, freelancers and gig workers because different categories attract different obligations. She pointed out that gratuity vesting for journalists remains at three years, but the broader wage definition will impact calculations across the board. Organisations that previously computed contributions on basic salary (often 35-40%) will now need to move to at least 50% of total wages, potentially increasing costs by around 10% on a recurring basis. This change applies retrospectively for gratuity valuation as well, creating immediate balance-sheet implications for many companies.
The panel also discussed how the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code has expanded the definition of “manufacturing process” to include digital printing and related activities. This brings more workers under safety and working-condition norms that were previously limited. Additionally, the codes introduce a clearer framework for fixed-term employment contracts, offering organisations flexibility while ensuring such workers receive benefits similar to permanent employees, including gratuity after one year.
One area still evolving is the treatment of platform and gig workers. The Social Security Code recognises this new category, but the exact funding mechanism and contribution structure are awaited. Industry experts expect a dedicated fund where platforms and employers will contribute, from which benefits can be extended to gig workers. Until the schemes are notified, organisations are advised to review their existing contractor and freelancer agreements to assess potential future obligations.
Both partners stressed the need for proactive steps. Companies should:
- Reclassify their workforce based on the new definitions of “employee” and “worker”.
- Review compensation structures to align with the 50 per cent wage threshold.
- Update contracts, especially for project-based and gig engagements.
- Reassess gratuity liabilities and payroll processes.
- Ensure compliance with expanded safety and working-condition requirements.
The speakers noted that while the codes bring much-needed unification and broader coverage, they also demand careful interpretation. The shift from highly prescriptive rules to a more principle-based regime means organisations must build internal frameworks to apply the codes consistently. This is particularly relevant for the media and entertainment sector, where project-based work, freelancers, short-term contracts and gig-style engagements are common.
In an industry that thrives on creativity and agility, the new labour codes are forcing a rewrite of the fine print. What was once a patchwork of rules is now a unified playbook and for media houses, the real plot twist will be how quickly they adapt to keep talent happy, costs manageable and stories flowing. The next few months, as states finalise their rules and schemes are notified, will be critical in determining exactly how this new framework reshapes hiring, compensation and workforce management across the sector.
