Producer claims Netflix security failure cost Him $105 million 

Ali Fazal is at a point in his career where the choices he makes carry a different kind of weight, and he is no longer making them for the reasons he once did. In a candid conversation with Elle India, the actor opened up about the creative philosophy guiding his work now, a deliberate shift away from commercial instincts and toward projects that leave a genuine mark. He described what worries him most as a performer with characteristic directness. “Mostly the feeling that you’ve made less of a difference in people’s lives,” he said. It is the kind of answer that says everything about how far his priorities have moved from where they began. Fazal said he now gravitates toward roles that have “less relevance and more resonance”, a distinction that defines much of his current thinking about both his Bollywood and Hollywood career. He wants the work to reflect the ambition and humanity that define him as a person, not simply as an actor building a brand. His upcoming film Raakh, a crime thriller in which he plays a police officer investigating a case rooted in real historical events from 1970s Delhi, served as the central example in his conversation. “Sometimes you’re part of things that work, and that’s wonderful because we all need appreciation to move forward,” he said. “But once in a while, there are projects that actually begin conversations. They come at a time when society perhaps needs them or needs reminding that, sadly, not much has changed fifty years later. That’s what Raakh has done. It has humbled me.” He was equally candid about how his decision-making process has changed. “Earlier, I’d jump into whatever came my way because I had to. Today, I can afford patience.” That patience is now applied most rigorously to the screenplay itself, which he described as the first and most important filter. “The punctuation in a screenplay tells you whether it’s going to be good or bad,” he said, adding with a self-aware joke: “I’m not some A-list star who’s staying away from genres because they’ll spoil my image. I’ve probably stayed away from bad scripts more than genres.” His early career also featured in the conversation. He credited Always Kabhi Kabhi, a film that performed modestly at the box office, with teaching him the grammar of cinema. The film introduced him to Shah Rukh Khan, who produced it, and whom Fazal described as “one of the best artists we have.” On Mirzapur: The Film, which brings the streaming universe to theatres, Fazal called it “a giant experiment,” and on his character Guddu Pandit, he said what has stayed with him is not the violence but the innocence beneath it. Away from acting, he and his wife Richa Chadha are building Pushing Buttons Studios, their independent production company aimed at supporting original storytelling. Asked to describe his journey in a single word, Fazal chose “relentless.” It is the right word for a career that is now defined not by the roles he has taken but by the ones he has chosen to wait for.

Luxury jewellery is becoming one of the strongest-performing categories in the global fashion industry as demand for traditional products such as handbags and shoes continues to slow. Industry analysts say major luxury houses are increasingly investing in jewellery, viewing it as the sector with the greatest growth potential amid changing consumer preferences. The shift has benefited both established jewellery brands and smaller luxury labels. Companies that were once known primarily for fashion and leather goods are now placing greater emphasis on expanding their jewellery collections to attract consumers looking for timeless, investment-worthy pieces. Among the biggest beneficiaries are luxury groups Richemont and LVMH, which own some of the world’s leading jewellery brands. However, smaller brands have also recorded strong growth, encouraging fashion-focused companies to strengthen their presence in the category. According to the report, the industry’s positive performance has renewed interest in jewellery across the luxury sector. French luxury group Kering, which owns jewellery brands Pomellato and Boucheron, reported particularly strong results earlier this year. The company announced in April that sales from its new jewellery division increased 22% on a comparable basis during the first quarter, outperforming all of its other business segments. The figures highlighted jewellery’s growing importance as a revenue driver. Luxury brand Hermès has also experienced rapid growth in jewellery. Analysts at investment firm Vontobel estimate that the company’s jewellery business has achieved a compound annual growth rate of nearly 30% since 2019, although they note that the division still represents a relatively small part of Hermès’ overall business. Industry experts believe this trend reflects broader changes in consumer behaviour. Luxury analyst Madjo said, “Even at soft luxury players like Hermes, Prada, Gucci, everybody’s putting a bit more emphasis on jewellery because that’s where the growth is coming from right now. So you want to be exposed to that.” At the same time, traditional luxury categories such as handbags and shoes are facing increasing pressure. Hermès, whose reputation has long been built around its highly exclusive Birkin bags, recently saw its shares fall about 10% after reporting weaker-than-expected first-quarter growth. The results prompted questions about whether the company’s scarcity-based business model can continue delivering the same level of success. Claudia D’Arpizio, senior partner at consultancy Bain & Company, said changing consumer tastes are reshaping the luxury market. “Bags and shoes are facing meaningful headwinds, as both have experienced significant softening in consumer desirability, particularly among younger audiences,” she said. She added that these categories have traditionally generated strong revenues and profit margins, but post-pandemic market conditions have made them far more challenging. According to D’Arpizio, luxury brands must now develop new strategies to remain competitive, with jewellery increasingly emerging as one of the industry’s most promising growth opportunities.

Veteran writer and director Hafeez Tahir, the creator of the iconic Pakistani fantasy television series Ainak Wala Jin, has strongly criticised the makers of the recently released AI-generated film adaptation, alleging that his original work was used without his permission. The AI-based adaptation was released in cinemas earlier this month, prompting Tahir to share a video on Instagram in which he expressed his disappointment and urged the public to spread awareness about what he described as the unauthorised use of his creation. In the caption accompanying the video, he referred to the matter as “daylight robbery.” Speaking directly to viewers, Tahir asserted that Ainak Wala Jin was entirely his original creation. “Today I am very angry because my life’s work, Ainak Wala Jin, is being taken and its name is being used in an AI-generated film that has been released in theatres. I’d like to tell you all that this is my idea, my concept, my creation,” he said. The veteran filmmaker further explained his role in developing the beloved television series. “I am the concept writer. I created the name, I directed it and made a quality serial,” Tahir stated. He added that he later sold the rights to a private television channel, which, according to him, continues to benefit from the show’s popularity by attracting millions of views through YouTube uploads. Tahir also alleged that neither the filmmaker nor the cinema releasing the AI adaptation sought his approval before using the title and concept. “Neither the filmmaker nor the cinema that released the film sought my permission,” he claimed. The creator further criticised the heavy reliance on artificial intelligence in the adaptation, arguing that it stripped away the originality and emotional appeal of the classic television series. “To take a series and base it on AI is to ruin an iconic idea. They’ve changed the appearance of the characters and destroyed them,” he said. Expressing particular disappointment over the portrayal of one of the show’s most recognisable characters, Tahir added, “My main character, Nastoor Jin, looks like a dacoit here. They have changed the original characters, their voices and replaced them with AI-generated music. In this way, they have ruined such a beautiful idea.” Concluding his statement, Tahir suggested he may pursue legal action over the matter. “Now tell me, should we stay quiet or move forward and take legal action?” he asked. The video drew significant attention online, with many fans supporting Tahir and expressing concern over the use of artificial intelligence to recreate a cherished Pakistani television classic without the creator’s involvement. Several users criticised the filmmakers for relying on AI, while others said the controversy was upsetting because Ainak Wala Jin remains an important part of their childhood memories. One fan described the series as a defining part of growing up, while another said the situation was “so upsetting.” Originally broadcast in 1993, Ainak Wala Jin became one of Pakistan’s most popular children’s fantasy dramas. Running for 152 episodes, the series followed Nastoor Jin, portrayed by Shahzad Qaiser, a genie who travels to the human world in search of a cure for his weak eyesight. The show remains one of the country’s most memorable television productions decades after its original release.