iWorld
Hungama Play premieres ‘Spotless’ a short film based on acid attack survivor
MUMBAI: Hungama Play, a video on demand platform owned Hungama Digital Media, premieres a short film called Spotless that traces the struggles and indomitable spirit of an acid attack survivor.
The short film will feature activist-turned-actor Shweta Rohira and playback singer Sonu Nigam in lead roles. It’s written and directed by Saurabh M Pandey and produced by Naven Kumar Sharma.
Hungama Digital Media chief operating officer Siddhartha Roy said, “Spotless delivers a compelling message, making it extremely relevant for the world we live in. The film highlights a critical issue and makes the audience aware of the gravity of the situation.”
He said, “We have continually worked towards building a diverse library that includes a variety of stories, narratives, languages and genres, and are honoured to premiere a film on a subject as pressing as acid attacks. Spotless will prove to be a thought-provoking experience for our viewers.”
The story revolves around the emotional and psychological struggle of an acid attack survivor, Aditi (Shweta Rohira) and her husband Varun (Sonu Nigam). It attempts to sensitise the audience about a horrific crime that, for a long time, went unchecked in society.
The lead protagonist Shweta Rohira while sharing her experience of an acid attack victim said, “Spotless was an extremely moving experience since the narrative is filled with elements of emotional stress, psychological hurdles and acceptance.”
She added that violence against women has been increasing at an alarming rate. As citizens of this country, it is our duty to be vocal about such issues and work together to arrive at solutions.
A role that is as challenging as Rohira’s, Sonu Nigam reciting his experience said, “Spotless is close to my heart because of its message and the characters. Both, Aditi and Varun, are strong individuals trying to come to terms with reality.”
“Varun is an intense yet kind, caring individual, who continues to support his wife through thick and thin. I’m extremely proud of Spotless and look forward to seeing the audiences’ reaction,” he added.
Meanwhile, Spotless writer and director Saurabh M Pandey said,“The short film is an inspiring journey of a couple dealing with the aftermath of a tragic event in their lives. The short film aims to raise awareness of the trauma faced by acid attack survivors.”
He added, “While Sonu Nigam has delivered a spine-tingling performance bagging the Best Actor award, Shweta has received admiration for distinguished and an outstanding portrayal of a survivor.”
The short film will also be available to stream through Hungama Play on Vodafone Play, Idea Movies&TV, Airtel Xstream App, Amazon Fire TVStick, Tata Sky Binge, SHAREit, and Android TVs.
Spotless will join Hungama Play’s vast content library that includes over 5000 films in English, Hindi and regional languages, more than 1500 short films, 7500+ hours of kids’ content, TV shows, originals and over 150,000 short-format videos in various genres like music, film gossip, humour etc.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
