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Eros to buy stake in Anytime for Asia Pacific VoD distribution
MUMBAI: Eros International Plc, the company that owns, creates and globally distributes Bollywood content, is in the process of investing up to ?2.1 million (Rs 178 million) for a minority stake in Singapore-based Anytime Pte Ltd. As part of the deal, Eros-branded Bollywood video-on-demand (VoD) service showcasing its library of over 1300 titles will be launched in the 14 Asia Pacific countries where Anytime service has a license to operate. Anytime, one of Asia‘s leading supplier of VoD Hollywood entertainment, has shareholders which include CPE Holdings Inc. (Sony), Fox Media Services Inc, Intel Capital, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc, YTC Group (a Singapore based multinational conglomerate), the Macquarie Bank Group and Coote/Hayes Productions LLC (a U.S.-based TV and film production company). The agreement also provides for the formation of a joint venture that will be majority owned by Eros to distribute Hollywood movies on digital platforms throughout India. “The JV will provide fully programmed and customized premium Hollywood content services to local service providers as well as to consumers over the open internet,” Eros said in a statement. |
The deal, which will give Eros a seat on Anytime‘s board, is, however, subject to final due diligence and agreement of full terms. Said Eros International CMD Kishore Lulla, “Anytime’s Hollywood digital entertainment services, world-class technical programming and marketing expertise complement Eros’ strategic vision for expanding choice for consumers in India. Working with Anytime will help us further expand the reach of our extensive Bollywood film library.” Added Anytime president and CEO Craig Zimbulis, “We are excited about the tremendous value this partnership with Eros International will bring to our shareholders and consumers by expanding ANYTIME’s Hollywood on demand entertainment to a massive Indian market and taking Eros’ premium Bollywood content on VOD to the Asia Pacific region.” |
Anytime is the leading VoD channel over IPTV, broadband and digital cable networks in Asia and the Pacific. With four of Hollywood‘s major studios and Intel as its shareholders, Anytime has an extensive content of current and library titles available on demand. (1 British Pound = Rs 85) |
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
