iWorld
StreamFest is here for Indians to ‘Netflix & Chill’
KOLKATA: The much-hyped Netflix StreamFest is finally here. The global streaming giant is offering Indian users free access to its vast content portfolio during this weekend (5-6 December).
"At Netflix, we want to bring the most amazing stories from across the world to all fans of entertainment in India. It's why we're hosting StreamFest: an entire weekend (5 December 12.01am – 6 December 11.59pm) — of free Netflix," Netflix India vice president (content) Monika Shergill said in a blogpost.
Non-subscribers to Netflix can sign up with their name, email or phone number, and password and start streaming without any payment. However, those who sign up for StreamFest will get access to only one stream in standard definition. This has been done to ensure everyone who comes in gets the best experience.
"So, during StreamFest, if you see a message saying ‘StreamFest is at capacity’, don't worry. We'll let you know as soon as you can start streaming," Shergill noted.
Netflix has been promoting StreamFest aggressively through television and its social media platforms for over a month. It has released ad films featuring Anil Kapoor, Yami Gautam, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. A recent promotional video featuring prominent content creators including Tanmay Bhat, YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani, former FilterCopy actors Ahsaas Channa and Aisha Ahmed, and vlogger Kusha Kapila was released on social platforms.
“That’s right, it’s time to cancel your plans and settle in to watch Netflix. We don’t need any payment details – just your love and undivided attention,” the streaming service said on its website.
“We think that giving everyone in a country access to Netflix for free for a weekend could be a great idea to expose a bunch of new people to the amazing stories we have and hopefully get a bunch of them to sign up. We will try that in India and we will see how that goes,” Netflix COO and chief products officer Greg Peters said earlier in an earnings call.
Elara Capital VP research analyst (media) Karan Taurani said this is a good marketing strategy and a mode of substitution to the monthly free trial which Netflix used to offer earlier. According to him, Netflix has to get new subscribers at the end of the day through some kind of free trial. He added that two days is ample for users to sample a good amount of content. Taurani noted that the streaming giant has to keep rolling out such attractive promotion plans to increase its subscriber base.
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.
