Alex Gibney’s new documentary Musk examines the rise of billionaire Elon Musk

A new biographical documentary directed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker has thrust billionaire Elon Musk back into the cinematic and political spotlight, examining his ascent to immense wealth and global power alongside parallel corporate confrontations in international markets such as South Asia. The documentary, titled Musk and produced by Jigsaw Productions, offers a critical look at the tech mogul's business ventures, political alignments, and personal history according to an Indiewire review. Simultaneously, regulatory friction has intensified overseas as SpaceX attempts to deploy its Starlink satellite internet service, leading to high-profile public disputes between the entrepreneur and telecommunications figures reported by Finance and TechCrunch.

The four-hour documentary directed by Alex Gibney explores how Musk leveraged platforms like X to engage in political arenas and navigate modern media landscapes. Reviewers note that the film incorporates a computer-generated likeness of Musk compiled from public archives, alongside commentary from various figures connected to his personal and professional life. These include former social media influencer Ashley St. Clair, his father Errol Musk, and his first wife Justine Musk per Indiewire's reporting. The project traces the broader economic and environmental fallout linked to his companies, examining everything from self-driving vehicle technologies to data center operations.

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While the cinematic chronicle details his expanding footprint in Western politics, operational hurdles have simultaneously stalled Starlink's commercial rollout in major international territories. SpaceX has spent years attempting to introduce the satellite broadband service to a massive subscriber base in India noted Finance. Tensions flared when Musk posted messages on X accusing unnamed oligarchs of maintaining a monopolistic chokehold to block the service according to TechCrunch. Musk subsequently directed his criticism toward Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani, writing on the platform to question his influence as detailed by Finance.

India's Ministry of Communications pushed back against the accusations, issuing a statement defending the nation's regulatory framework as fair and non-discriminatory reported Finance and TechCrunch. The ministry clarified that Starlink and other licensed operators remain at broadly similar regulatory stages while completing mandatory security assessments prior to seeking spectrum allocation. Despite securing partnerships with major regional telecom operators and establishing local gateway infrastructure, commercial services have yet to launch in the country.

According to Indiewire, the multi-hour documentary chronicles how Musk leveraged his takeover of X to enter the political sphere and shape public discourse. The film addresses his controversial appearance hosting Saturday Night Live in May 2021, where he claimed he was putting people on Mars. It also explores his relationship with Donald Trump, unpacking the dismantling of USAID and the broader economic fallout of his administrative interventions. Gibney's project incorporates interviews with figures such as blogger Cory Doctorow and ex-wife Talulah Riley, while investigating Tesla vehicle safety, data harvesting concerns, and methane-emitting Tennessee data centers powering Grok.

The international regulatory landscape presents its own set of hurdles for SpaceX. Starlink has spent more than five years attempting to enter the Indian market, which boasts more than a billion internet subscribers. Tensions escalated when Musk posted on X on Wednesday accusing unnamed oligarchs of maintaining a monopolistic chokehold and calling the delay a crime against the people of India. Hours later, India's Ministry of Communications issued a rebuttal stating that its regulatory framework is fair and non-discriminatory. The ministry clarified that Starlink and two other licensed operators are undergoing mandatory security assessments before they can seek spectrum allocation.

On Thursday, Musk escalated his critique further by questioning the influence of Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani on X, asking whether Ambani serves as the real boss of India. These developments followed an appearance by Starlink's vice president of business operations, Lauren Dreyer, at the India Mobile Congress telecom industry conference in New Delhi. Dreyer reiterated the company's commitment to achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of universal connectivity, noting that Starlink has established more than twenty gateway sites and hundreds of ground antennas across the country.

Historical friction between SpaceX and Indian authorities dates back to earlier attempts at market entry. SpaceX first tried launching Starlink in India in early 2021, but was forced to issue equipment refunds in early 2022 after the government objected to preorders being booked prior to obtaining proper licenses. Furthermore, debates over spectrum allocation previously created friction between Starlink and major local telecom operators like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. While Starlink advocated for administrative spectrum assignment, Reliance Jio argued for an auction approach. India ultimately chose administrative allocation, though Jio and Airtel are simultaneously pursuing their own satellite broadband services while agreeing to distribute Starlink locally. Meanwhile, SpaceX appointed former Payoneer executive Prabhakar Jayakumar to lead its local operations in December and recently launched Starlink Mobile in neighboring Bangladesh.

As Musk continues to circulate in theaters and streaming environments, and as regulatory assessments proceed in South Asia, industry observers await official decisions regarding Starlink's spectrum allocation and eventual commercial service launch dates in India.