News Broadcasting
Court silent on Star Movies’ ‘Independence Day’ screening
NEW DELHI: A Mysore court has reserved its judgement on a copyright infringement suit against Independence Day and whether the 20th Century Fox movie can be re-screened on Star Movies, as scheduled throughout this month.
Though the hearing on an injunction filed by plaintiff, NRI Film Production Associates Pvt. Ltd., took place last week, since the court made no observation, Star Movies did air the movie on 8 November. The next broadcast of Independence Day on Star Movies is slated for 12, 17 and 25 November.
Contacted by indiantelevision.com, NRI Film Productions MD Veda Nayak said, The principal district judge of the Mysore district court, G V Hegde, reserved orders on the application for injunction. A court directive is expected this week, he added.
Star India, a Rupert Murdoch company as 20th Century Fox, refused to comment on the issue, saying it has not heard formally on the matter.The plaintiff had argued that Star Movies should be restrained from airing Independence Day at a time when the orders on the main suit are about to be delivered by the court.
Whats the whole case all about? In a case filed in a Mysore court, Nayak has alleged that 20th Century Fox Film Corporation (News Corp’s movies arm) infringed on the copyright of a script written by him, called Extra Terrestrial Mission, by producing and releasing the film Independence Day in 1996.
After coming to know about the fact that Star planned to broadcast Independence Day through November on Star Movies, Nayak sought the court’s help in restraining Star from airing the film.
It’s an alleged case of copyright infringement. The principal district judge at Mysore has admitted an application from the plaintiff (Nayak’s) company to grant an ad interim mandatory injunction during further pendency of the suit, restraining the defendant (20th Century Fox Film Corporation, USA) in re-releasing the film Independence Day on Star or any other TV network or theatrical re-release in India or any other part of the world under the international provisions of the Copyright Act: Section 40 and the International Copyright Order under that section.
The plaintiff has brought to the notice of the court that the defendants, according to information available on the Internet, have already made over $ 800 million from the film throughout the world thus far, whereas the production cost of the film was only $ 75 million. Nayak has argued that the defendants could not have made such huge profits but for the important dramatic events and incidents they had copied in the film Independence Day from Extra Terrestrial Mission, written by Nayak and registered by him too in the US when residing there. The copyright infringement suit has been keenly contested between the parties since November 1998 in US courts too.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
