International
Bertelsmann denies 10,000 jobs under threat
MUMBAI: Bertelsmann, which controls European TV giant RTL Group, has shown a €94 million ($134 million) net loss in the first quarter of this year. The company‘s debt climbed to €6.7 billion ($9.5 billion).
The company has dismissed as “pure speculation” media reports that it plans to cut some 10,000 jobs this year but confirmed some redundancies are likely as the German media giant adjusts to the global economic crisis.
CEO, Hartmut Ostrowski has said the company will have to chop “hundreds of millions of Euros” from its debit column this year in what he has termed “the largest cost cutting program in (Bertelsmann‘s) history.”
So far Bertelsmann has been careful not to say where the cuts will come. CFO Thomas Rabe has started a top-to-bottom analysis of every department in the transnational conglomerate. Results are expected by late summer. Bertelsmann says job cuts are not its “top priority” but has not yet ruled anything out.
Bertelsmann employs around 100,000 people worldwide.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
