Film Production
Weekend Unwind with Sumit Productions founder Sumit Sahni
Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, it is time to unwind with the latest Q&A edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind—a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of business executives through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.
In this week’s session, we have Sumit Productions founder Sumit Sahni
Without further ado, here it goes…
Your mantra for life
Embrace each day with a heart full of gratitude and a mind open to possibilities. Remember that challenges are opportunities in disguise, and every setback is a setup for a comeback. Strive for progress, and treat yourself and others with kindness and compassion.
A book you are currently reading or plan to read
Not a reader
Your fitness mantra
Eat healthy. Stay active
Your comfort food
Dal roti
A quote or philosophy that keeps you going when the chips are down
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs. This philosophy encourages me to find passion in my endeavours, as genuine enthusiasm and commitment are essential for achieving excellence and fulfilment.
Your guilty pleasure
Having Hookah
The last time you tried something new
Created a wedding song
A life lesson you learned the hard way
Being where I am today wasn’t easy for me. I became a self-made person very early due to a lack of resources I had to start earning. I did small jobs, did not complete my education, and learned through my way of life to be here.
What gets you excited about life?
Travel makes me excited
What’s on top of your bucket list?
I want to capture all the countries of the world through my lens.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Do everything with passion. Love your work. Be compassionate with people
One thing you would most like to change about the world
If I could change one thing about the world, it would be to foster global empathy and understanding. Many of the world’s problems, from conflicts to social injustices, stem from a lack of empathy and understanding among people of different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. By promoting a culture of empathy, we could bridge divides and address issues such as discrimination, inequality, and violence. Encouraging individuals to see the world from others’ viewpoints would lead to more compassionate and inclusive societies, where cooperation and mutual respect are the norms. This shift in mindset could pave the way for more effective solutions to global challenges, fostering a world where everyone feels valued and connected.
An activity that keeps you motivated and charged during tough times
Meeting people of all age groups. And learn from their experiences motivates me during tough times.
What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
Spending time with my child lifts my spirits when I am down.
Your go-to stress buster
Spending time with my wife and friends. Going out on outings.
Film Production
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs under new chief executive
The entertainment giant’s freshly installed boss inherits a restructuring already in motion, with marketing and corporate roles bearing the brunt
CALIFORNIA: Walt Disney is preparing to slash up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported, as the entertainment giant’s freshly installed chief executive moves swiftly to trim fat and tighten the ship.
The cuts, less than 1 per cent of Disney’s global workforce of 231,000, will fall hardest on marketing and corporate roles. The planning, notably, began before D’Amaro formally took the top job in March, suggesting the new boss inherited a restructuring already in motion rather than one of his own making.
Driving the push is Asad Ayaz, Disney’s newly appointed chief marketing officer, who in January assumed command of a unified, company-wide marketing operation spanning film, television and streaming. His consolidation drive has been given a suitably cinematic internal name: Project Imagine.
The move is modest by Disney’s recent standards. Between 2023 and 2025, under former chief executive Bob Iger, the company eliminated roughly 8,000 positions across several brutal rounds of cuts, saving $7.5 billion, comfortably exceeding its own targets. As recently as June 2025, several hundred more jobs were axed across Disney Entertainment, hitting film and television marketing, publicity, casting, development and corporate finance.
Disney’s structural headaches are well-documented: shrinking streaming margins, a weakened box office, and fierce competition from Amazon and YouTube gnawing at its flanks. The company is merging its Disney+ and Hulu teams into a single app, has brought in consultants from Bain & Co to guide its broader cost strategy, and is betting heavily on digital growth.
The wider entertainment industry offers little comfort. Sony Pictures, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have all taken the knife to their workforces in recent years, and further cuts loom if Paramount’s acquisition of Warner goes through.
For D’Amaro, the message is clear: there will be no honeymoon period. The magic kingdom still has some cost-cutting spells left to cast.
