iWorld
Prime Video streams Maddock’s Thamma worldwide after box-office run
MUMBAI: Prime Video has released Maddock Films’ supernatural horror-comedy Thamma for exclusive global streaming, following a successful theatrical run. The film began streaming on December 16 across India and more than 200 countries and territories.
Produced by Dinesh Vijan under the Maddock Films banner and by Amar Kaushik, and directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Thamma stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, with Paresh Rawal and Faisal Malik in pivotal roles. The film also features special appearances by Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Banerjee, Nora Fatehi and Malaika Arora.
Set in a mythical world, Thamma expands the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, linking its narrative to franchises such as Stree, Munjya and Bhediya. Blending folklore with humour, romance and horror, the film follows a battle between humanity’s last hope and a dark supernatural force threatening the world.
Prime Video India director and head of content licensing Manish Menghani, said the film underlines the platform’s commitment to distinctive Indian storytelling with global appeal. Dinesh Vijan said the worldwide streaming premiere marks a key step in taking the Maddock universe to wider audiences.
The digital release positions Thamma as the latest chapter in one of Hindi cinema’s most commercially successful genre experiments, as horror-comedy continues to travel well beyond the box office.
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.
