John Fithian, founding partner at The Fithian Group LLC and global distribution partner for Ramayana, publicly predicted the two-part Indian epic will become the first Indian film to achieve global theatrical blockbuster status. His remarks followed a series of private presentations held during CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas, where producer Namit Malhotra screened unreleased footage using what Fithian described as never-before-used technologies and special effects. Major theatrical exhibition companies from the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and Australia attended the closed-door sessions. The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG, an eight-time Oscar-winning visual effects company, and Yash's Monster Mind Creations. According to Fithian, those conversations with leading Western cinema operators were focused on how best to market, distribute, and exhibit the film across their respective territories. Part 1 is scheduled for an IMAX worldwide release on Diwali 2026, with Part 2 following on Diwali 2027. The engagement from top global exhibitors signals that the film is being positioned as a genuine crossover theatrical event rather than a diaspora-focused release.
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.
