Anne Hathaway steps into pop star territory with 'Mother Mary,' a David Lowery film releasing through A24 on Friday, marking a significant departure from her established musical theatre comfort zone. Hathaway credits Beyoncé with helping her unlock what she describes as 'swag' as a singer, a quality distinct from the theatrical vocal discipline she has previously demonstrated, including a notable cover of Queen's 'Somebody to Love.' The film required her to inhabit a full pop persona rather than adapt an existing stage archetype, a harder technical and psychological ask for a performer whose instincts run toward classical theatrical expression. For A24, the release represents another prestige adult drama with a high-profile lead, continuing the distributor's pattern of talent-driven films targeting awards-season attention. Whether Hathaway's pop credibility translates at the box office is the near-term variable to watch.
HDFC Bank's board has approved Rajiv Kumar, former Chief Election Commissioner and financial services secretary, as its Part-time Non-Executive Chairman from June 30, 2026. His chairmanship still requires RBI approval, but the move ends the bank's prolonged search for a permanent board leader.
Indian startups raised $1.1 billion across 16 deals in the week of June 21-26, 2026, up 2.5 times from the prior week, with CRED's $900 million Series H led by Meta accounting for most of the total. Square Yards became India's 131st unicorn after closing a $95 million round.
Jet fuel costs dropped sharply after a US-Iran interim peace deal, but airlines are expected to use the savings to rebuild margins rather than cut fares. Tight capacity, aircraft delivery delays, and weak budget carriers give major carriers unusual pricing power heading into the second half of 2026.
Meta is investing $900 million in CRED at a $4.5 billion valuation, the largest Indian startup round of 2026, as founder Kunal Shah moves to a global leadership role at WhatsApp. Miten Sampat takes over as interim CEO, and a major employee stock buyback is expected within weeks.
