iWorld
Sprinklr insights reveal Barbie mania sweeps India
Mumbai: The release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, has taken India by storm both on the big screen and across online and social media platforms. Barbie saw a steady increase in online mentions in recent weeks leading up to its release, owing largely to the tremendous hype generated by its quirky marketing campaigns and vivid visual trailers. This excitement peaked over the release weekend, as excited fans logged on to gush about the movie and post pictures of their all-pink outfits for the occasion – making it one of the most talked-about cinematic events of the year online.
As Barbie continues to paint the online world pink, we have compiled a snapshot of the trends and data surrounding Barbie on social media platforms over its opening weekend. This data has been compiled using the social listening capabilities of Sprinklr Insights, aggregating mentions from India across selected news outlets, and social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit.
Sprinklr Insights allows businesses and organisations to monitor, track, and analyse social media conversations and mentions related to their brands, products, or topics of interest.
Most Popular Regions
Of the 200,000+ mentions that Barbie received online in India over the last few weeks, a majority came from the metro regions across the country. The pinktacular motion picture made the biggest splash in Mumbai with over 15.6k online & social media mentions, while Delhi and Bengaluru followed closely with 12.4k and 8.8k mentions respectively.
Most Popular Hashtags
Buoyed by the sea of conversations surrounding the release, Barbie made its way to the top of the trending charts while its release date twin, the Christopher Nolan biopic Oppenheimer, took the runner-up spot. The two films, which have been affectionately given the online moniker ‘Barbenheimer,’ dominated the India trending charts throughout the weeks leading up to their opening weekend. Actor Priyanka Chahar Choudhary’s recently released song ‘Baarish Aa Gayi Hai’ also boosted her into the top five, setting up the trending hashtags list in India to look as follows:
Most Popular Collaborations
Redefining the realm of marketing, the Barbie film has launched a number of high-profile collaborations to delight fans and let them channel their inner Barbie every day. A number of iconic brands have caught the Barbie fever, unveiling vividly designed collaborations in the style and aesthetic of the film – and the fans are loving it! From clothing and makeup to tabletop and console games, here is a full list of the most popular Barbie collaborations that have gotten fans buzzing online:
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.
