iWorld
Amazon miniTV releases trailer of its upcoming intense sports drama ‘Slum Golf’
Mumbai: Amazon miniTV – Amazon’s free video streaming service today released the trailer of its upcoming sports drama, ‘Slum Golf’, that follows an aspirational journey stemming from the inner lanes of Mumbai and eventually realizing one’s goals. The streaming service today unveiled an inspiring trailer of the series, which gives a sneak peek into the life of a young strong-willed boy, Pawan who lives in Mumbai slums and aspires to be a professional golfer. With a powerful narrative about determination and zeal to fight for one’s passion, the series features Sharad Kelkar, Mayur More, and Arjan Singh Aujlain in titular roles. Slum Golf is all set to lift our spirits and fuel optimism along with triumphant thinking on 22nd November on Amazon miniTV for free.
The trailer highlights the diverse and extreme ends of life in Mumbai, which has individuals from multiple walks of life. Slum Golf brings forth the story of a boy who, despite challenges and obstacles in life, pursues his dreams to make it big in the field of professional golf. It is a journey of perseverance and drive that elicits many emotions and enlivens the audience. The trailer digs deeper into Pawan’s life, revealing his personal hardships, the pressure of earning for his family, social status, and proving his self-worth. With the help of his coach and friends, he sets out on a mission to uncover his identity as a pro-golfer, engraving the remarkable story of passion and grit.
Mayur More, talking about the series and his character expressed, “Slum Golf sheds light on the hardships of people who aspire to achieve big but are bound by the chains of society, status and finances. Through the character of Pawan, I will not only portray his journey but also write a story that will inspire and motivate many. I’m looking forward to following his journey from the streets of slums to the tee box of the golf course. It was an amazing experience and I hope that the viewers will also love and cheer for Pawan as they see him pursue his passion.”
Portraying the role of Coach Rane in the series, Sharad Kelkar shared, “It was a delight to be a part of such an amazing project. Coach Rane’s character is a watershed moment in Pawan’s life, and he provides the support and guidance that everyone requires at some point in their lives. Slum Golf is a narrative about believing in oneself, and staying focused on one’s purpose despite obstacles and hardships. This unique and uplifting story will undoubtedly touch viewers’ hearts, leaving them encouraged and confident.”
Created by Temple Bells Films and directed by Sujay Dahake, Slum Golf will be available exclusively for streaming on Amazon miniTV starting from 22nd November 2023. You can download the Amazon miniTV on Playstore or watch it within the Amazon Shopping App or Fire TV.
iWorld
Snapchat parent Snap cuts 16 per cent of workforce in AI-driven restructuring
The Snapchat parent is axing around 1,000 jobs and closing 300 open roles to save $500m, as artificial intelligence makes smaller teams the new normal
CALIFORNIA: Snap is snapping. The Snapchat parent has confirmed plans to cut around 1,000 employees, roughly 16 per cent of its full-time workforce, as it bets that artificial intelligence can do what headcount once required. Shares jumped more than 10 per cent in premarket trading on the news, a brisk vote of confidence from a market that has watched the stock shed about 31 per cent this year.
The restructuring, which also closes more than 300 open roles, follows pressure from activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which holds an economic interest of about 2.5 per cent in the company and has been loudly pushing Snap to tighten its portfolio and lift performance. The firm got what it asked for, and then some.
Chief executive Evan Spiegel told employees the cuts would reduce annualised expenses by more than $500m by the second half of the year. The company expects to incur charges of between $95m and $130m related to the layoffs, mostly severance, with the bulk landing in the second quarter. Staff in Snap’s North America team were asked to work from home on the day of the announcement.
The financial backdrop is not without bright spots. Snap expects first-quarter revenue to rise around 12 per cent to approximately $1.53 billion, broadly in line with analyst estimates. Adjusted core profit for the January to March quarter is forecast at about $233m, comfortably ahead of Wall Street’s expectation of $186.8m.
The harder question surrounds Specs, Snap’s augmented reality smart glasses subsidiary, which Irenic has urged the company to spin off or shut down entirely. The unit has absorbed more than $3.5 billion in investment and burns through approximately $500m in cash annually. Snap is pressing ahead regardless, with a consumer product expected later this year, even as Meta leads the market in the segment.
Spiegel is betting that leaner teams, smarter machines and a consumer AR play can restore Snap’s credibility with investors who have run out of patience. The redundancy notices have gone out. The harder restructuring, the one that requires a hit product rather than a headcount reduction, is still very much pending.
