Hollywood
Adoor Gopalakirshnan gets retrospective & first Masterclass at Osianama
NEW DELHI: The first-ever retrospective in Mumbai of the films of famed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan and his first-ever Masterclass will be held this month as part of Jashn Osianama.
The Gopalakrishnan retrospective will be from 14 – 18 September at the Liberty theatre in Mumbai with his Masterclass on 19 September.
The event includes a World Cinema Context of some of Gopalakrishnan’s favourite cinematic masterpieces so as to contextualise his cinema a bit more meaningfully.
Two important exhibitions (along with guided tours) from the Osian’s Archive Collection on the “South Indian Contribution to the Hindi Cinematic History” and “Glimpses of Genius: Kurosawa & Ray” accompany these events from 19 to 24 September.
The first Indian Cultural Renaissance Panel Discussion with Gopalakrishnan, Girish Kasaravalli, Dr. Kanak Rele, Gieve Patel, Sen Kapadia & Neville Tuli will take place on 18 September.
Gopalakrishnan’s films being screened include Mukhamukham, Kodiyettam, Kalamandalam Gopi, The Dance of the Enchantress, Ellipathayam, Kathapurshan, Vidheyan and Mathilukal.
In addition, there will be a screening of Pather Panchali by the master craftsman of cinema Satyajit Ray, and Bhoomiyil Chuvadurachu by Vipin Vijay.
Global cinema screenings include Rashomon by Akira Kursosawa, Tokyo Story by Yasujiro Ozu, Andrei Rublev by Andrei Tarkovsky, The 400 Blows by François Truffaut, and Pick Pocket by Robert Bresson.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
