Hollywood
World IP Day celebration in Delhi and Mumbai
MUMBAI: A range of stakeholders from the local screen community united to stage a number of events in celebration of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. This year’s theme campaigns celebrate the brilliance, ingenuity and courage of women who are driving change in the world and shaping our common future.
The events were supported by the Motion Picture Distributors Association – India, (MPDA), the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) – IP division, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the American Center, New Delhi.
Special Screening of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri hosted by the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai
On April 26, 2018, the celebrations kicked off with an exclusive screening of Fox Star Studios’ latest film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, hosted by the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai in association with MPDA, for over one hundred special invitees from the local screen community and Government officials. The event featured a welcome from U.S. Consul General Edgard Kagan and remarks by Christine Haight Farley, U.S. based IPR lawyer and Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios.
U.S. Consul General Edgard Kagan, said,” We aren’t here today to talk just about the great movies being made in both India and the United States, but also to recognize and honor the intellectual property rights framework that allows cinematic creativity to thrive. IPR protections allow creative talents in almost all industries to reap the rewards of their labor and also spurs and incentivizes innovation. The creative, hardworking women and men who imagine and make this fantastic content deserve the support of strong intellectual property protections.”
Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios said, “To a large extent, the new level of creativity and innovation in films and film content in India is linked to women taking risks as writers, directors, actors and producers and thereby bringing a welcome change in the landscape of Indian films over the last few years.”
Uday Singh, Managing Director, MPDA said, “India is at the forefront of creativity and economic growth. Women leaders and entrepreneurs are an integral part of this growth story. Their contribution continues to power ingenuity in various sectors including ours, across the world.”
World IP Day Film Festival at the American Center, New Delhi
Between April 27-28, MPDA in association with the American Center, New Delhi, Disney India and Fox Star Studios will host screenings of Black Panther, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water. On April 27, the winners of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – US Embassy Anti-Piracy Film competition will be announced before the movie screening. The main objective of the competition is to promote the value of Intellectual Property Rights in North India. The jury for the competition comprised senior officials from the government and local industry, including MPDA, India.
“India and the United States both have diverse and incredibly vibrant film industries,” said Stewart Davis, North India Program Director at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, “And we are proud to work together with CII, MPDA-India and our partners across India to promote intellectual property rights. The creative workers in both countries deserve these protections and consumers must understand the very real negative implications of piracy on the cinema we all love.”
“CII has been actively engaged in various IPR awareness, training and enforcement programmes in partnership with Government and local industry stakeholders. We are happy with the positive outcome of the anti-piracy filmmaking competition and are committed to strengthen efforts towards building a vibrant IP ecosystem,” said Anjan Das, Executive Director, CII.
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.
