Business
Lights, camera, investment: From buying movies to co-owning it – Hollywood pushes into Indian cinema – The Times of India
Foreign studios are stepping up their game in India’s entertainment market as cinema revenues recover and streaming platforms grow. According to industry insiders, this marks Hollywood’s “second wave” in the country, with global players now moving beyond just distributing films to actively producing and co-owning Indian-language projects.Amazon MGM Studios has announced plans to release three to four Indian films in theatres each year from 2026, before they appear on Prime Video.
“While our core business is streaming, we believe in the theatrical window and the magic of theatres,” said Nikhil Madhok, head of originals at Prime Video India and Amazon MGM Studios. “Depending on the kind of film that we are producing, we take a joint call with our creators in terms of which project can go to theatres first,” he further told ET.Warner Bros. Pictures is teaming up with Bhanushali Studios and JOAT Films in a five film deal, to develop Indian adaptations of classic Warner titles. Under the agreement, Warner will provide intellectual property and global distribution support, while the Indian studios will lead creative and production decisions.Meanwhile, Universal Studios, part of Comcast, is reportedly planning an indoor theme park near Delhi. The studio has also held early discussions with Excel Entertainment, founded by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, about a potential partnership, though nothing has been finalised.“Global studios are renewing their focus on Indian cinema, moving from distribution to local production,” Nitin Menon, managing partner at NV Capital told ET. “Amazon MGM’s Superboys of Malegaon, Nishaanchi and Mirzapur mark a shift toward theatrical storytelling. Warner Bros.’ partnership, coinciding with Paramount’s potential acquisition, could unlock capital for deeper expansion. Universal may follow with co-productions as Hollywood recalibrates its India playbook. Theatres are back in focus, though Netflix remains committed to digital-only releases.”According to Ormax, India’s box office collections for 2025 have reached ₹9,409 crore as of September, up 18% from last year. The country also has 601 million OTT users, including 148 million paying subscribers.After pandemic lows, multiplex attendance and ticket sales are rising across languages. Streaming continues to grow, creating a twofold revenue model for films: theatrical runs plus digital licensing. For studios, local productions also allow them to create intellectual property that can generate music, merchandising, and streaming revenue globally.“Hollywood’s second wave in India is about reducing risk, not planting flags,” said Adi Tiwary, a Sydney-based producer. Tiwary further told ET, “The trend is to build with Indian partners, use library IP to de-risk, and let theatrical and streaming work in tandem. Hollywood has learned that India rewards local muscle and disciplined windowing.”Neeraj Vyas, CEO of Bhanushali Studios, added, “They’re re-entering cautiously, focusing on mid-budget, locally rooted films rather than big productions. With cost rationalisation underway in the US, it’s about testing the waters and understanding audience shifts.”10 years ago, Hollywood studios largely operated in India through distribution deals, buying completed films for high guarantees. However, today global players are co-developing stories and co-owning intellectual property, aiming to build franchises that can be marketed worldwide.“The foreign studio model has matured from buying content to co-owning it,” said Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder of Karmic Films.
Business
How To Apply For Insurance Claim After Accident? Where Does Licence Validity Come In? | Explained
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Even if your driving licence has expired, the law protects accident victims. Learn how insurance claims work and what the 30-day grace period covers
The rules for insurance claims following a road accident differ depending on whether it is a third-party claim or an own damage claim.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has clarified that a driving licence remains valid for 30 days after its expiry. If an accident occurs on the 30th and final day of this grace period, the insurance company is legally required to honour the claim.
According to The Tribune, the licence in the case under consideration expired on June 4, 2001. The 30-day grace period began on June 5, meaning the licence remained valid until July 4, 2001. The accident took place on July 4, 2001, at around 10:45 am, and as it fell within the grace period, the licence was deemed legally valid.
Insurance Claims In India: What The Law Says
The rules for insurance claims following a road accident differ depending on whether it is a third-party claim or an own damage claim.
Third-Party Insurance: Mandatory for All Vehicles
Under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, third-party insurance is compulsory for every vehicle in India. Third-party claims relate to:
- Injury or death of a third party
- Damage to third-party property
The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that even if the driver has no licence, an expired licence, a suspended licence or a licence of the wrong category, the insurance company must still compensate the victim or their family.
This obligation remains even if:
- The driver has no driving licence at all
- The licence has expired
- The licence is suspended
- The licence belongs to an incorrect vehicle category
- The driver only holds a learner’s licence
‘Pay and Recover’ Principle
The Supreme Court frequently applies the pay and recover principle:
- The insurer must first pay compensation to the victim.
- The insurer may then recover the amount from the vehicle owner.
In 2023, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the victim must not suffer because the driver lacked a valid licence.
Own Damage Claims: Strict Rules Apply
The rules for own damage claims are entirely different. Every motor insurance policy clearly states that the driver must have:
- A valid driving licence
- A proper licence for the vehicle category
If, at the time of the accident:
- The driver had no licence, or
- The licence had expired, or
- The licence was not appropriate for that vehicle,
the insurance company will reject the own damage claim entirely.
This position was upheld by the Supreme Court in Dharmendra Goyal vs Reliance General Insurance (2022) and reaffirmed in multiple judgements between 2023 and 2025.
The National Consumer Commission (NCDRC) issued similar rulings in dozens of cases.
Grace Period And Licence Validity
If an accident occurs within the 30-day grace period after the licence has expired, insurance policies provide full coverage, both for:
- Third-party claims, and
- Own damage claims
This rule is applicable nationwide.
When Is Renewal Necessary?
According to Section 15 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989:
30-Day Grace Period
- The licence remains fully valid for 30 days after expiry.
- There is no penalty if renewed within these 30 days.
Penalties After The Grace Period
- After 30 days: Rs 300 fine, increasing to Rs 1,000 per year.
- After 1 year: The applicant must take the driving test again.
- After 5 years: A complete restart is required, including a new learner’s licence.
Renewal Made Easier (2025 Guidelines)
The Ministry of Transport’s 2025 guidelines confirm:
- The 30-day grace period applies across India.
- Driving licences can be renewed instantly online via the Parivahan.gov.in portal.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 08, 2025, 14:12 IST
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The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is scheduled to meet today, with Pakistan expecting approval of approximately $1.2 billion, according to official sources.
The IMF’s board calendar for December 8–14 confirms that Pakistan’s case is on the agenda. The board is set to review the staff-level agreement recently reached with Islamabad.
Under the current loan programme, the board may approve the release of a $1 billion tranche. Additionally, Pakistan could receive the first $200 million installment from the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), which supports climate-related initiatives.
Final approval will be determined during the board’s deliberations.
Earlier reports indicated that Pakistan had agreed to a key IMF condition requiring a special audit of supplementary grants issued over the past ten years.
Pakistan has also accepted another IMF measure aimed at limiting the federal government’s discretionary authority in issuing supplementary grants.
The 10-day technical discussions between Pakistan and the IMF, which began on November 11, have concluded.
The talks focused on reforms in public finance management (PFM) and measures to improve transparency in the budget process.
According to sources, the digital Public Finance Management Assessment was reviewed, and oversight mechanisms for the digitized PFM master plan were discussed.
Mumbai: Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo Airlines, fell sharply in early trade on Monday, dropping 6.6 per cent to an intra-day low of Rs 5,015 on the BSE.
However, it recovered later as around 9:45 a.m., the shares were trading at Rs 5,159.50, down by Rs 211 or 3.93 per cent.
The sell-off came after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the deadline for IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to respond to a show-cause notice linked to the airline’s recent operational disruptions.
The aviation regulator had issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s accountable manager on Sunday, just a day after sending a similar notice to CEO Pieter Elbers.
The DGCA said that the airline’s massive wave of cancellations over the past week caused widespread inconvenience and distress to passengers across the country.
According to the regulator, the disruptions were largely triggered by IndiGo’s failure to plan properly for the rollout of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules.
These rules, which lay down the duty hours and mandatory rest periods for flight crew, came into effect recently and have created significant operational challenges for the airline.
In its notice, the DGCA pointed out that IndiGo’s “large-scale operation failures” suggest major lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.
The accountable manager has been given 24 hours to explain why enforcement action should not be taken. If the airline fails to respond within the extended deadline, the DGCA has said it will proceed based on the information available.
Even as the regulatory pressure increases, IndiGo said on Sunday that it has restored 95 per cent of its network and plans to operate around 1,500 flights.
The airline claimed that its operations are on track to stabilise by December 10, with improving on-time performance and fewer cancellations.
However, more than 220 flights had already been cancelled across major airports by the time of reporting, adding to the inconvenience faced by thousands of passengers.
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