Movies
Regional film makers make forays into contemporary themes
MUMBAI: Cast and crew of Indian Panorama Films of three languages interacted with the media at the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Director of Marathi Film, Astu, Sumitra Bhave informed that her film is about what’s happening to and around us now. “May be an old man who has lost his memory understands this. It is a story about an old man suffering from dementia and is following an elephant and his daughter him. This is a story about a life-changing experience”, she said.
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The lead actor and co-producer of the film Dr. Mohan Agashe said that the issues in the film are very relevant. “It’s about a family coping with problems in today’s world, which we are likely to experience ourselves or among our relatives. On one hand because of medical advances and technological revolution, we may have very long span of life, wherein degenerative diseases crop up”, he added.
The Kannada film Bharath Stores director P. Sheshadri said that his film explores the socio-cultural implication of FDI in multi brand retail pushing out the small retailers.
Lead cast of Bengali Film Ajana Batas (Mystic Wind) Paoli Dam talked about her film in which she is playing the role of a copywriter in an advertisement firm, suffering from loneliness. She said, the fight of the girl against this solitude and depression has been depicted in a poetic manner as the film is based on Joy Goswami’s novel.
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
