Are music labels about to dictate the terms of Indian cinema? What began as strategic investments—Saregama's ₹325 crore stake in Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions and Universal Music's acquisition of 30.8% in Excel Entertainment—has sparked questions about consolidation, control, and the future of India's entertainment ecosystem. In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Anirban Chowdhury speaks with ET’s film journalist Rajesh N Naidu and Nirmika Singh, founder of MOX Asia, former Editor, Rolling Stone India to decode the financial mechanics behind these deals.The discussion explores whether this signals industry consolidation or smart cost control, how music labels are securing IP at cheaper rates while expanding global reach, and what differentiated strategies—Universal's premium content scaling versus Saregama's long-haul domestic focus—reveal about competitive dynamics.
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