iWorld
Panorama Studios partners with One Digital Entertainment to launch ‘Bar Code’ web-series
MUMBAI: Panorama Studios is launching its first web-series titled Bar Code in partnership with One Digital Entertainment. The series will have 10 episodes and will be shot in real nightclubs in Mumbai.
Speaking on the new tie-up, Panorama Studios producer and MD Abhishek Pathak said ”With the current web-series space being heavily cluttered and with most of them being imitations of one another, we at Panorama Studios were on the lookout for something clutter-breaking and something that would stand out, and in Bar Code we found the right script which deals with the fascinating world of Bombay’s nightclubs, making it very exciting for us to to be launching it as the first web-series out of the variety of other web-content being developed at our studio.”
“Bar Code looks closely at what goes on behind the scenes in one of the most glamorous businesses in the world. The plot has an interesting hook, the characters, humor and the drama are very relatable while the whole look and feel will be very upscale and chic. The treatment of the music will have an interesting mix of EDM, Bollywood and Deep House, which should connect with youth segment across the country”, added writer-director Vignesh Shetty.
The casting process is underway and renowned actors are being considered to play the male and female leads. Production will begin in mid-June 2016.
Commenting on the association, One Digital Entertainment COO and co-founder Gurpreet Singh said, “Panorama Studios have delivered amazing stories in the form of bollywood movies so far and now with their entry into web shows, am pretty sure they will set new benchmarks in the industry. We are very delighted to partner with them and are looking forward to engage both the consumers and brands with such an innovative concept.”
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
