Hollywood
‘Kajarya’ makes it to Montreal World Film Festival
MUMBAI: Independent film ‘Kajarya’, has been selected for the prestigious Montreal Film Festival 2014.
Directed by Madhureeta Anand, the film will be showcased in the ‘Focus on World Cinema’ section at the Montreal World Film Festival 2014, 21 August – 1 September.
An assured second feature from the director, the film is an original voice about female foeticide in India. It is a story of a rookie journalist in Delhi who exposes a woman, believed to embody Goddess Kali, who ritually kills female newborns in a village nearby. The story questions notions of women’s emancipation and feminism as it weaves through an interplay of drama and events and explores how India continues to live in many centuries at the same time.
‘Kajarya’ stars Meenu Hooda, Ridhima Sud and Kuldeep Ruhil. The film had its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival. It has found critical appreciation internationally since and has been selected by the Forbes India magazine as the #1 in the Top 5 Films to See in 2014.
The movie is produced by Starfire Movies and co-produced by Ekaa Films and Overdose Joint.
Starfire’s next co-production is ‘Ludo’, with Idyabooster and Overdose Joint. ‘Ludo’ is a fantasy-thriller horror film by the maverick directors duo Q and Nikon, and is currently in post production.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
