Movies
India opens Waves Bazaar pavilion at Busan film market
BUSAN: India unveiled the Waves Bazaar – Bharat Pavilion at the Asian Contents & Film Market, held alongside the Busan International Film Festival, to pitch its fast-growing media and entertainment sector to global buyers and partners.
Set up by the ministry of information and broadcasting with the Indian embassy in Seoul, the pavilion will run until 23 September, promoting co-productions and partnerships across film, television, gaming and emerging creative technologies.
The launch drew industry figures including Kang Sungkyu of the Busan Film Commission, Agnieszka Moody of the British Film Institute and Ferdinando Gueli of the Italian Trade Agency. Indian filmmakers Arfi Lamba, Pradip Kurbah and Tannishtha Chatterjee joined officials Prithul Kumar, joint secretary at the ministry, and Nishi Kant Singh, chargé d’affaires at the embassy.
Speakers highlighted India’s rising weight in the global content economy and the pavilion’s role as a bridge for collaboration. The space hosts screenings, B2B meetings and showcases in animation, VFX, gaming and immersive storytelling, underscoring New Delhi’s ambition to position India as a global content hub.
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
