Hollywood
Al Pacino honoured with BFI fellowship
MUMBAI: The Godfather star Al Pacino was honoured with the British Film Institute (BFI) Fellowship for his extraordinary achievement in films. The prestigious award was given to him by BFI chairman Greg Dyke and CEO Amanda Nevill.
The 74-year-old actor-director follows British industry legends including Sir Michael Caine and the late Richard Attenborough in being awarded BFI Fellowship, its highest accolade for outstanding contribution to film.
Pacino received the honour in front of a star-studded audience including Richard E Grant, Terry Gilliam and John Hurt at the Corinthia Hotel in London.
Pacino’s illustrious career includes the Godfather trilogy, Scarface and Dog Day Afternoon, while his latest appearances came in movies Manglehorn and The Humbling, which debuted last month in Venice. He also won an Oscar for best actor in 1993 for Scent Of A Woman.
He had also had success behind the camera with 1996’s Looking For Richard and Salome in 2013 among others.
Since its inception in 1983 the BFI Fellowship has been handed to 78 recipients, also including stars such as Dirk Bogarde, Alec Guinness, Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier.
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
