iWorld
Anil Ambani to exit telecom business; focus on real estate
MUMBAI: The 14th AGM of Reliance Communications, promoted by Anil Ambani, saw confirmed talks of Anil Ambani’s exit from the telecom business. He said that Reliance Communications will concentrate majorly on real estate in the future.
Founded 15 years ago on 27 December 2002, Reliance Communications was referred to as the vision of Dhirubhai Ambani, the father of Anil and Mukesh Ambani.
At the 14th annual general meeting, Anil said that the first priority for RCom, credited for democratising telecom services through cheaper offers in the early 2000s, was to resolve its debt worth over Rs 40,000 crore.
Pointing to the 133-acre Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC), the headquarters of Reliance Communications, on the outskirts of Navi Mumbai, Ambani said that there was a huge realty play opportunity that erstwhile corporate headquarters possesses.
He pegged the potential value creation from such sites at Rs 25,000 crores.
According to the reports, Ambani said, “We have decided that we will not proceed in this sector. And many other companies have taken a similar call. This is very much writing on the wall. As we have moved out of the mobile sector, we will monetise at an appropriate stage our enterprise business. Reliance Realty will be the engine of growth for the future of this company.”
Looking at the telecom sector, he said that there has been a “creative destruction” of the telecom sector that has resulted in creation of oligopoly, which is going towards a duopoly and maybe even a “monopoly in the future”. Banks are saddled with over Rs 7.7 lakh crore in debt and the financial troubles of operators have resulted in over 20 lakh job losses, he said.
Post discontinuation of the telecom business, Ambani said the residual business would be the enterprise, data centres, undersea cables and international voice calling verticals etc that are expected to serve some 35,000 businesses. He said half of the revenues from this line of activity will be from overseas. But Ambani said that his company was “committed” to exit even those verticals, to pay-off banks. A decision in this regard will be taken “at an appropriate time,” Ambani said.
iWorld
Zeel to invest up to Rs 116 crore in PhantomFX for AVGC push
Strategic deal targets VFX, animation and gaming to scale global IP play.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… and now a lot more action behind the scenes Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is doubling down on the magic that happens after the shoot, betting big on visual effects and animation to power its next growth chapter. The company has approved a strategic investment of up to Rs 116 crore in Phantom Digital Effects Ltd., marking a decisive push into the fast-growing Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) segment. The investment will be made through compulsorily convertible debentures in one or more tranches, subject to shareholder approvals.
The move signals a clear shift in Zeel’s playbook from just telling stories to engineering how they look, feel and travel across platforms. With PhantomFX’s global footprint spanning key markets such as the US and UK, the partnership is expected to significantly enhance ZEEL’s ability to create high-impact, visually rich content across OTT originals, animation, gaming and mythology-led formats.
At the heart of the collaboration lies a blend of storytelling muscle and technological precision. Zeel plans to tap into PhantomFX’s AI-integrated production workflows, proprietary pipelines and post-production expertise to improve efficiency and scale across projects. The two companies will also jointly develop original intellectual properties for OTT, gaming and licensing, expanding monetisation avenues beyond traditional formats.
The partnership is structured as non-exclusive, allowing PhantomFX to retain operational independence while continuing to serve its global clientele. For Zeel, however, the alliance offers a steady pipeline of creative and technical capabilities, enabling it to strengthen its omni-channel strategy and build globally relevant content assets.
PhantomFX brings with it an impressive pedigree. Its network includes award-winning studios such as Tippett Studio known for Academy Award-winning work on Jurassic Park and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and Milk Visual Effects, which has bagged both an Oscar and a BAFTA for Ex Machina.
The investment comes at a time when the AVGC space is rapidly expanding, driven by demand for immersive, effects-heavy storytelling and cross-platform content experiences. For Zeel, this isn’t just a deal, it’s a visual upgrade to its global ambitions, where pixels, pipelines and IP could define the next blockbuster moment.
