iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar leverages the metaverse to promote new show ‘Rudra’
Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar has partnered with Hungama Digital’s Web 3.0 venture Hefty Entertainment to create digital avatars of the cast of its new show “Rudra – The Edge of Darkness.” The platform has created many firsts with this disruptive marketing strategy and innovation leveraging the metaverse.
The marketing team has installed a hologram of Ajay Devgn with an illusion of him looking at passersby in Mumbai’s Bandra Bandstand. Additionally, in partnership with Smaash the platform created a gaming and entertainment centre with the theme ‘todphod’ playing the iconic catchphrase used by the actor in the show. The gaming room was designed similar to the show’s set.
“A big part of building a deeper relationship with our consumers is to bring elements from reel life to real life and vice-versa,” said Disney+ Hotstar EVP and chief marketing officer Siddharth Shakdher. “With ‘Rudra-The Edge of Darkness,’ we did exactly that and deployed a unique experiential and immersive show marketing approach, bringing our consumers one step closer to the show, but importantly, also surfacing the show within emerging pop culture trends. With first-of-its-kind initiatives like Rudra Metaverse, gaming room, and hologram displays, we stepped up a notch higher to connect deeper with the audiences and fans.”
Directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, “Rudra – The Edge of Darkness” features actor Ajay Devgn in the role of a cop who delves into the psyche of highly intelligent criminal masterminds to capture them.
iWorld
OpenAI hits back at Elon Musk’s lawsuit ahead of trial
Company calls claims “baseless” and accuses Musk of trying to disrupt a rival.
MUMBAI: When the stakes are measured in billions and egos are involved, even Silicon Valley titans can turn a courtroom into a battlefield. OpenAI has issued a sharp public response to Elon Musk’s ongoing lawsuit, accusing the billionaire of filing the case to harass a competitor rather than address genuine concerns. In a strongly worded statement shared on its official X account, OpenAI described Musk’s allegations as “baseless” and suggested the lawsuit is an attempt to disrupt the company as the case heads toward trial later this month in Oakland, California.
The response comes after Musk’s legal team recently amended the complaint, proposing that any damages potentially exceeding $150 billion should go to OpenAI’s nonprofit entity rather than to Musk personally. OpenAI questioned the timing and motive behind this change, calling it a late-stage attempt to “pretend to change his tune” on the nonprofit structure.
The company further labelled the lawsuit a “harassment campaign”, arguing that Musk’s actions are driven by personal rivalry, ego, and a desire for greater control and financial upside.
At the heart of the dispute is Musk’s claim that OpenAI has abandoned its original nonprofit mission of developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. A co-founder who left in 2018, Musk is seeking governance changes, including the removal of CEO Sam Altman from the nonprofit board, and the return of certain financial gains linked to Altman and President Greg Brockman.
OpenAI has firmly rejected these allegations, maintaining that its current hybrid structure, a public-benefit corporation overseen by a nonprofit parent remains true to its long-term goals. The company has also previously accused Musk of anti-competitive behaviour aimed at weakening its leadership.
As the case prepares for a jury trial, this public exchange highlights the deepening rift between two of the most influential figures in the AI revolution and raises broader questions about governance, mission, and power in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence.
In the high-stakes game of AI, it seems the real drama isn’t just inside the models, it’s playing out in courtrooms too.
