iWorld
Lose the hate, lose the fear, lose the shame with Voot’s ‘Untag’
MUMBAI: After the success of its web series It’s Not That Simple starring Swara Bhaskar, Viacom18’s OTT platform Voot has announced another 6-episodic original series. Titled Untag, the series starts today.
The series is presented by Moto Z, and the association with the series goes far beyond just sponsorship as the brand is deeply embedded into the show.
It delves into the lives of regular people with seemingly harmless tags…their dreams, their inhibitions and most importantly their struggles. It gives the audience a fresh and light perspective of six characters, each dealing with their imposed tags, trying to become much more than what the world has labelled them as.
“At Voot, we focus on creating differentiated, yet relatable content that resonates with today’s digital generation. We are glad to announce the launch of our latest Voot Original ‘Untag’ – a story of people living with tags and how it’s important to go beyond such tags that prevent you from becoming the best version of who you are. We are delighted to partner with Moto Z for this series especially because Moto Z’s proposition of ‘Different is Better’ is also the key message that ‘Untag’ wants leave its viewers with,” said Voot head of content Monika Shergill.
The series has a power packed star cast featuring Meiyang Chang (Nischay), VJ Andy (Cyrus) Dipannita Sharma (Anahita), Shiv Pandit (Prithvi), Anjali Anand (Shikha) and Naveen Polishetty (Sumeet).
“We are quite thrilled with this association with ‘Untag’ on Voot. Like the Moto Z with Moto Mods enable you to break away from mundane smartphone usage and make it different by allowing you to transform it in a snap. Similarly, ‘Untag’ is a journey of 6 individuals who are trying to break away from the tags they have received from the society. The show looks really cool and different just like the Moto Z and Moto Mods. And we hope the viewers resonate with the key message of the show – different is better,” Motorola Mobility and Lenovo Mobile Business Group marketing head Rachna Lather.
Untag celebrates friendship, relationships, love and the uniqueness of each of these journeys. It is astory about losing the tags, the labels, the fear and most importantly the shame! It showcases the philosophy of you’re different, you’re better than the tag you’re given.
The series is scripted by Zaheer Shaikh and is directed by Ashima Chibber.
http://www.voot.com/shows/untag
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
