iWorld
Pocket FM raises the audio ‘Baahu-volume’ with new 250-episode epic
MUMBAI: If you thought the Baahubali universe had revealed all its secrets, Pocket FM is here to turn the volume back up. The audio entertainment platform has teamed up with Arka Mediaworks, the creative home of S.S. Rajamouli’s cinematic phenomenon, to bring an all-new original Baahubali story alive this time through sound, imagination and a mammoth 250-episode audio saga.
Announced on the 10th anniversary of the blockbuster franchise, the series marks the first time Maahishmathi will be rebuilt entirely for the ears. Set within the same sweeping universe but following a brand-new narrative arc, the epic will release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, offering loyal fans and first-time listeners a fresh gateway into India’s most iconic fantasy world.
Pocket FM promises a production that mirrors cinematic scale complete with atmospheric music, painstaking sound design and richly textured performances. The idea is not just to hear Baahubali’s world, but feel its armour clashes, palace intrigue, distant war drums and emotional heft.
“Baahubali is a cultural milestone, and bringing that universe into audio is both a privilege and a creative challenge,” said Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak. He added that the platform’s belief that “imagination is the most powerful screen” shapes this collaboration, designed to give listeners a visceral connection to Maahishmathi.
For Arka Mediaworks, the project extends a world they’ve been nurturing for a decade. “Growing the Baahubali universe has always been intentional,” noted Arka Mediaworks co-founder Shobu Yarlagadda. “The audio series comes from the same place as the films rooted, engaging storytelling. I hope listeners enjoy this new chapter.”
The partnership also marks a strategic leap in Pocket FM’s IP-led expansion. After successes like Shaktimaan Returns, the platform is now positioning itself as the home for India’s biggest fantasy franchises reimagined for audio-first storytelling.
With this collaboration, Baahubali doesn’t just retur, it evolves, setting the tone for how India’s most loved legends can be retold, rediscovered and re-experienced in entirely new ways. The kingdom of Maahishmathi may no longer be on screen, but in the theatre of the mind, it’s about to roar again.
iWorld
Snapchat parent Snap cuts 16 per cent of workforce in AI-driven restructuring
The Snapchat parent is axing around 1,000 jobs and closing 300 open roles to save $500m, as artificial intelligence makes smaller teams the new normal
CALIFORNIA: Snap is snapping. The Snapchat parent has confirmed plans to cut around 1,000 employees, roughly 16 per cent of its full-time workforce, as it bets that artificial intelligence can do what headcount once required. Shares jumped more than 10 per cent in premarket trading on the news, a brisk vote of confidence from a market that has watched the stock shed about 31 per cent this year.
The restructuring, which also closes more than 300 open roles, follows pressure from activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which holds an economic interest of about 2.5 per cent in the company and has been loudly pushing Snap to tighten its portfolio and lift performance. The firm got what it asked for, and then some.
Chief executive Evan Spiegel told employees the cuts would reduce annualised expenses by more than $500m by the second half of the year. The company expects to incur charges of between $95m and $130m related to the layoffs, mostly severance, with the bulk landing in the second quarter. Staff in Snap’s North America team were asked to work from home on the day of the announcement.
The financial backdrop is not without bright spots. Snap expects first-quarter revenue to rise around 12 per cent to approximately $1.53 billion, broadly in line with analyst estimates. Adjusted core profit for the January to March quarter is forecast at about $233m, comfortably ahead of Wall Street’s expectation of $186.8m.
The harder question surrounds Specs, Snap’s augmented reality smart glasses subsidiary, which Irenic has urged the company to spin off or shut down entirely. The unit has absorbed more than $3.5 billion in investment and burns through approximately $500m in cash annually. Snap is pressing ahead regardless, with a consumer product expected later this year, even as Meta leads the market in the segment.
Spiegel is betting that leaner teams, smarter machines and a consumer AR play can restore Snap’s credibility with investors who have run out of patience. The redundancy notices have gone out. The harder restructuring, the one that requires a hit product rather than a headcount reduction, is still very much pending.
