iWorld
Comcast’s new offer trumps Fox’s $32.5bn to acquire Sky
MUMBAI: The conflicting parties in bidding war to acquire Sky are leaving no stones unturned. Following the $32.5 billion offer from Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, US cable giant Comcast also increased its offer valuing Sky at $34 billion. European pay TV group Sky with 20 million subscribers is a lucrative option for both the firms to extend their business in a Netflix-Amazon era.
On Wednesday, Fox increased its offer price to buy 61 per cent of Sky putting pressure on Comcast Corporation. It raised the offer to £24.5 billion ($32.5 billion) topping an earlier offer from Comcast.
Financial Times reported, Sky’s independent committee said Fox’s new bid “represents a substantial increase in value relative to the Comcast offer.” Along with that, it would “unanimously recommend” the offer to Sky shareholders.
The regulatory approval for Fox’s deal may come this week while Comcast already received approval from the British government. Fox has been waiting long for the approval to buy the 61 per cent of Sky it does not own already. To resolve the concerns that Fox may create a monopoly in the market, Fox agreed to sell the Sky News operation to Disney once the deal is complete. However, now even if the approval comes Fox needs to raise its offer.
However, the deal is part of a wider battle between Comcast and Disney for control of prized entertainment assets owned by Fox. The tug-of-war includes movie studios, cable channels, National Geographic and a 30 pee cent stake in video website Hulu, as well as Star India.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
