Film Production
Applause Entertainment and Andolan Films embark on a collaboration for two blockbuster projects
Mumbai: Applause Entertainment, India’s content studio, has announced the collaboration with Andolan Films, spearheaded by Vikramaditya Motwane, to embark on an exciting journey of storytelling. This collaboration marks a significant milestone as two powerhouses in the entertainment industry come together to announce two ambitious projects, breathing new life into the art of storytelling.
The first, titled “Indi(r)a’s Emergency,” is a captivating three-part docu-series that will immerse audiences into one of the starkest chapters in India’s post-independence history—The Emergency. With the compelling narration of Swanand Kirkire, this contemporary historical exploration employs a combination of archival footage and animation, bringing to life events that shook a nation.
The second series is an adaptation of the book “Black Warrant – Confessions of a Tihar Jailer” authored by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury. Offering a glimpse into the mystery and enigma surrounding Tihar, India’s largest and most infamous prison and the inmates incarcerated there, this gritty drama is told through the eyes of a young jailer.
Applause Entertainment managing director Sameer Nair said, “At Applause Entertainment, our vision has always been to disrupt storytelling and create compelling narratives that captivate audiences. Joining hands with the brilliant Vikramaditya Motwane and Andolan Films allows us to push boundaries and embark on a journey of retelling contemporary Indian history for modern audiences.”
Motwane said, “I am thrilled to partner with Applause Entertainment for these two ambitious projects. Both ‘Black Warrant’ and ‘Indi(r) a’s Emergency’ delve into significant chapters of Indian history, presenting unique narratives. Collaborating with a team that shares the same passion for storytelling and pushing creative boundaries is an incredible opportunity.”
Film Production
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs under new chief executive
The entertainment giant’s freshly installed boss inherits a restructuring already in motion, with marketing and corporate roles bearing the brunt
CALIFORNIA: Walt Disney is preparing to slash up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported, as the entertainment giant’s freshly installed chief executive moves swiftly to trim fat and tighten the ship.
The cuts, less than 1 per cent of Disney’s global workforce of 231,000, will fall hardest on marketing and corporate roles. The planning, notably, began before D’Amaro formally took the top job in March, suggesting the new boss inherited a restructuring already in motion rather than one of his own making.
Driving the push is Asad Ayaz, Disney’s newly appointed chief marketing officer, who in January assumed command of a unified, company-wide marketing operation spanning film, television and streaming. His consolidation drive has been given a suitably cinematic internal name: Project Imagine.
The move is modest by Disney’s recent standards. Between 2023 and 2025, under former chief executive Bob Iger, the company eliminated roughly 8,000 positions across several brutal rounds of cuts, saving $7.5 billion, comfortably exceeding its own targets. As recently as June 2025, several hundred more jobs were axed across Disney Entertainment, hitting film and television marketing, publicity, casting, development and corporate finance.
Disney’s structural headaches are well-documented: shrinking streaming margins, a weakened box office, and fierce competition from Amazon and YouTube gnawing at its flanks. The company is merging its Disney+ and Hulu teams into a single app, has brought in consultants from Bain & Co to guide its broader cost strategy, and is betting heavily on digital growth.
The wider entertainment industry offers little comfort. Sony Pictures, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have all taken the knife to their workforces in recent years, and further cuts loom if Paramount’s acquisition of Warner goes through.
For D’Amaro, the message is clear: there will be no honeymoon period. The magic kingdom still has some cost-cutting spells left to cast.
