Hollywood
London Indian Film Festival to screen Marathi film ‘Hemalkasa’
NEW DELHI: Jeffrey Brown’s film Sold and Samruddhi Porey Marathi film Hemalkasa will be the opening and closing films, respectively, of the 2014 London Indian Film Festival.
In the festival to be held from 10 to 17 July, Sold will mark the European premiere while Hemalkasa will mark its world premiere.
Featuring Nana Patekar, Sonali Kulkarni and Mohan Agashe, Hemalkasa is a biopic that follows the selfless journey of Dr Prakash Baba Amte and his wife Dr Mandakini Amte who dedicated their lives to a project for the development of tribal people of Maharashtra.
Praveen Morchhale’s Barefoot to Goa, Amit V Masurkar’s Sulemani Keeda, Shilpa Ranade’s animation film Goopi Gawaiiya Bagha Bajaiiya, Anup Singh’s Qissa, Kaushik Ganguly’s Apur Panchali and KR Manoj’s Virgin Talkies are some of the well-known films that will be screened at the festival.
Million Dollar Arm by Craig Gillespie which will have its British premiere is the Centrepiece, while Hank aur Asha by James E. Duf and Sulemani Keeda (Writers) by Amit V Masurkar are other films among the 18 features to be screened.
The Kannada Ulidavaru Kandante by Rakshit Shetty, Bangladeshi director Munsur Ali’s Shongram and Pakistani film Anima State by Hammad Khan are also being screened among others.
In addition, there will be a Satyajit Ray Foundation’s Short Film Competition.
There will be master class by the renowned Santosh Sivan and a screen talk by Farhan Akhtar.
Hollywood
Paramount seeks FCC nod for foreign-backed $110 billion WBD deal
Gulf funds back merger as foreign stake nears 50 per cent, control stays with Ellison
NEW YORK: Paramount Global has approached the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for foreign investments tied to its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking another key step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
According to regulatory filings made public this week, the investment backing the deal includes major Gulf sovereign funds such as the Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and L’imad Holding Company. Together, foreign investors are expected to hold just under 50 per cent of Paramount’s equity once the transaction is complete.
Despite the sizeable international backing, Paramount has made it clear that voting control will remain with the family of chief executive David Ellison, ensuring the company stays firmly under US control as required by broadcasting rules.
A company spokesperson described the FCC filing as routine for transactions involving foreign capital and stressed that it does not impact the closing of the deal. Under US law, any significant foreign ownership in broadcast licence holders must undergo regulatory review.
The merger itself has already cleared a major hurdle, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approving the deal on 23 April. The transaction values the company at $31 per share, a 147 per cent premium to its earlier trading price, reflecting strong strategic intent behind the tie-up.
If completed, the combined entity will bring together a vast portfolio including Warner Bros. film studios, HBO Max, and networks such as CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel. The deal is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
However, scrutiny is intensifying. The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas seeking details on the merger’s potential impact on cinema competition, streaming services and content licensing. Reviews are also anticipated in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
There is also a financial safety net built into the agreement. If regulators ultimately block the deal, Paramount would face a $7 billion break-up fee. Additionally, the company has taken on $2.8 billion in obligations previously owed by Warner Bros. Discovery to Netflix following an earlier terminated arrangement.
Paramount maintains that easing foreign ownership barriers will unlock fresh capital and strengthen its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape. For now, the spotlight remains on regulators, whose decision will determine whether this global media consolidation moves from script to screen.
