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Tag: Anurag Kashyap

  • Tisca Chopra’s Saali Mohabbat finds a home on ZEE5

    Tisca Chopra’s Saali Mohabbat finds a home on ZEE5

    MUMBAI: Tisca Chopra is ready to step behind the camera with her directorial debut feature, Saali Mohabbat, a ZEE5 Original set to premiere later this year. Featuring Radhika Apte, Divyenndu Sharma, and Anurag Kashyap in lead roles, the film is produced by Jio Studios and Manish Malhotra’s Stage5 Production, marking the celebrated designer’s first venture into digital cinema.

    After an acclaimed run at film festivals including IFFI and the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, Saali Mohabbat is all set for its digital debut on ZEE5. Billed as a genre-bending ‘how-dunnit’, the story follows Smita (Radhika Apte), a small-town housewife whose seemingly ordinary life spirals into a dark maze of deceit, desire, and moral conflict. What begins as a domestic drama slowly unfolds into a chilling tale of love, betrayal, and blurred truths.

    Tisca Chopra, known for her powerful on-screen performances, brings a sharp and empathetic gaze to her first feature as director. “With Saali Mohabbat, I wanted to tell a story that’s intimate yet unsettling, one that explores the invisible tensions in relationships and the ways love can morph into something darker,” she said. “Directing this film has been both terrifying and liberating, and I’m deeply grateful to my collaborators for trusting my vision.”

    Producer Manish Malhotra described the project as a deeply personal one. “At Stage5, we back stories that are original in thought and strong in craft. Saali Mohabbat is layered and quietly powerful, exploring silence, choices, and consequence. Every frame reflects the team’s shared commitment to storytelling with purpose and soul,” he said.

    Jio Studios president Jyoti Deshpande added, “We are proud to support bold voices like Tisca’s and to collaborate with creative forces such as Manish Malhotra. Saali Mohabbat is a perfect blend of emotional depth and cinematic finesse, a story that will resonate deeply with audiences.”

    ZEE5 business head Hindi Kaveri Das said, “We’re thrilled to bring Saali Mohabbat to ZEE5 viewers. It’s not just a thriller, but a deeply human story that challenges conventions and keeps you hooked till the very end.”

    With its blend of psychological intrigue, striking performances, and Tisca Chopra’s assured direction, Saali Mohabbat promises to be one of this year’s most compelling digital premieres, a love story that cuts deep and lingers long after the credits roll.
     

  • Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha headline Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts’ new campaign

    Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha headline Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts’ new campaign

    MUMBAI: Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts is back in the spotlight with its newest campaign, ‘For the Select Ones’, starring the discerning duo Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha. Conceptualised by FCB NEO, the sleek new film champions craft, character, and the courage to chart one’s own course — echoing the brand’s core philosophy of celebrating purposeful storytelling and refined choices.

    In a market flooded with noise, ‘For the Select Ones’ whispers a quieter truth: that greatness lies not in following the crowd, but in choosing with intent. Both on-screen and off, Rajkummar and Patralekha exemplify that ideal, having carved careers defined by depth, not dazzle.

    The campaign pays homage to artists who’ve walked the talk — past collaborators on the Barrel Select Shorts platform include cinematic heavyweights like Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Tigmanshu Dhulia. Now, with this film, the brand doubles down on its commitment to creating an ecosystem for intelligent, bold narratives that refuse to pander.

    Speaking on the campaign, Pernod Ricard India CMO Kartik Mohindra said, “Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts has evolved into creating an ecosystem that brings world-class narratives to curious and discerning audiences, thus becoming the destination for short films in India. With our new thematic campaign, For the Select Ones, we continue this next chapter of our brand’s select storytelling journey by celebrating those who embody success through their distinct choices.”

    “This film is a quiet tribute to the art of choosing well. In a world overflowing with options, true identity is shaped by what we say no to as much as what we embrace. The process of creating this story with Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha was about capturing that subtle, internal journey, where each choice becomes a building block of a legacy. It aligns beautifully with the Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts ethos of celebrating individuals with a refined eye and fearless vision,” expressed FCB NEO CCO Mayuresh Dubhashi.

    Sharing his thoughts, Rao said: “Over the years, I’ve learned that true success lies in staying authentic and making choices that reflect who you are at your core. Whether it’s in the characters I play or the decisions I make in life, I’ve always aimed to strike a balance between substance and intention. For the Select Ones is a powerful reflection of that mindset— valuing integrity, thoughtfulness, and individuality. I’m proud to be part of Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts’ campaign that celebrates the strength of discerning choices.”

    Adding her perspective, Patralekha said: “Throughout my journey, I’ve always believed in carving my own path. I’ve long admired the short films from Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts for their depth, craft, and storytelling. Their narrative closely aligns with my belief in making choices that reflect true artistic vision. I’m honoured to collaborate with a brand that champions discernment and excellence.”

    Backed by a high-voltage amplification plan, the campaign is set to inspire a generation that values thoughtful ambition — a salute to those who refuse to settle.

     

  • NYIFF 2025 bound ‘Little Thomas’ teaser out now

    NYIFF 2025 bound ‘Little Thomas’ teaser out now

    MUMBAI: As anticipation builds around its world premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2025, Little Thomas, the upcoming heartwarming children’s film starring Rasika Dugal, Gulshan Devaiah and Hridansh Parekh launched its official teaser on Sunday.

    Little Thomas earned three nominations at NYIFF 2025 – including Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Debut Film, marking it a standout film in this year’s lineup.

    Slated to be the closing film at NYIFF (20-22 June), Little Thomas offers a tender, nostalgic tale set in 1990s Goa. The story follows seven-year-old Thomas, a young boy on a heartfelt mission to reunite his estranged parents to have a little brother. Backed by Anurag Kashyap, the film marks a refreshing turn in the filmmaker’s career, embracing themes of innocence, curiosity, and emotional resilience.

    Directed by Kaushal Oza, the film’s newly released teaser gives audiences a glimpse into the warm storytelling, vibrant visuals, and moving performances that await.

    The film is jointly produced by Luminoso Pictures, Civic Studios, Good Bad Films, and Flip Films.

  • “You Better Do A Good Job Because He’s Our Best Man” Indian Army’s advice to Vicky Kaushal ahead of Sam Bahadur

    “You Better Do A Good Job Because He’s Our Best Man” Indian Army’s advice to Vicky Kaushal ahead of Sam Bahadur

    Mumbai: Vicky Kaushal made his debut over eight years ago in the Neeraj Ghaywan directorial Masaan. Since then, he has established himself as one of the prominent actors in the country with notable performances across films including Raazi, Sanju, and Lust Stories, amongst others. In early stages of his career, Vicky won the National Award for Best Actor for his performance in Uri: The Surgical Strike. He will next be seen in the upcoming biographical war drama film Sam Bahadur which has been directed by Meghna Gulzar. Ahead of its release, Vicky appeared on the IMDb exclusive segment ‘Essential Guide to Vicky Kaushal’ where he spoke about his journey so far in Bollywood while sharing personal anecdotes of his upcoming film.

    Find out more below:

    Sharing his experience of shooting for Sam Bahadur, Kaushal mentioned, “Every time I would interact with the Indian Army, every time they would be like, ‘we are very happy you’re getting to play this role, but you better do a good job because he’s our best man and you’re playing our best man’. Most of the dialogues in the film, which sound like these filmy dialogues, are actually said by him, quote, unquote. And I’m just praying that when the film comes out, people feel the tribute that we wish to give to the man, to the legend.”

    Revealing the moment he knew he wanted to be an actor, Kaushal said, “During my engineering college days, we were taken to a multinational company. They showed us the work culture post completion of college. That day I knew what I didn’t want to do in life. So, I started asking myself what’s going to make me happy. That’s where I got the answer that once I finish graduation, I am going to become an actor.”

    Speaking of Masaan, the first film where he played a protagonist, Kaushal said, “I didn’t know that it was going to affect me so much. We shot in Banaras where there was magical magnetic energy, which just pulled me in. With this movie, I saw myself for the first time on the big screen at the Cannes Film Festival. One year prior to that, I was looking for opportunities, for a job, knocking doors.”

    Speaking of when he assisted Anurag Kashyap on Gangs of Wasseypur, Kaushal said,  “I consider it to be my film school  where I got the opportunity to assist Anurag Kashyap on Gangs of Wasseypur. It was a bunch of fantastic actors coming together to do this film. And it was also a film made with very limited resources. It did not have the vanity of a big-scale Bollywood film. I still carry those learnings with me, it still helps me when I’m performing.”

    Sharing his experience of working on Sanju, Kaushal said, “I got the opportunity to work with one of the best directors in the country, Rajkumar Hirani. Kamli was a beautiful character I got to play with some beautiful writing done for the film. I got to work with Ranbir. I had heard other actors say that it is a great feeling to be called by your character’s name. I got to experience that with Kamli. I got to live that moment with Sanju.”

    Speaking of the turning point of his career, Kaushal shared, “Uri: The Surgical Strike has to be my biggest turning point as an actor in terms of the success of the film, in terms of how well this film was received, celebrated. It was a tribute to the Indian army. For four months, there was a proper boot camp training which I had to undergo. I was trained by the Indian army. I got to win the National Award for this film, which is probably one of the happiest days of my life because it’s a huge honour.”

  • Anurag Kashyap and Gautham Vasudev Menon voice ‘Creative Killers’

    Anurag Kashyap and Gautham Vasudev Menon voice ‘Creative Killers’

    Mumbai: Warner Bros Discovery unveils the latest installment of “Mission Big Cat,” an enthralling anthology dedicated to the captivating world of majestic felines. In this edition, director Anurag Kashyap narrates the Hindi version, while director Gautham Vasudev Menon takes the reins for the Tamil rendition of “Creative Killers.” The show offers an intimate exploration of two of Africa’s most iconic predators, delving into their lethal strategies in the northern Botswana region of Savuti.

    Anurag Kashyap, reflecting on his role in voicing “Creative Killers” within the latest edition of Mission Big Cat anthology, expressed, “Collaborating with Warner Bros. Discovery for Mission Big Cat is a matter of immense pride for me. Tigers play a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem and their wellbeing should be the utmost priority of us as a society. I feel honoured to give my contribution towards this initiative of spreading awareness of the wild cats of the planet.”

    Set against the backdrop of the prime territory in northern Botswana, “Creative Killers” focuses on Africa’s apex predators, renowned for their impeccable hunting instincts. This extraordinary journey into the world of big cats’ premieres on 10 November 2023, on Animal Planet. Viewers can catch the “Mission Big Cat” anthology from Monday to Friday at 8:00 PM, with a repeat telecast at 4:00 PM.

    Warner Bros Discovery head of factual and lifestyle cluster, South Asia Sai Abishek said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with both Anurag Kashyap and Gautham Vasudev Menon for Mission Big Cat, a returning franchise that stands as one of Animal Planet’s most prominent programming lineups. ‘Creative Killers’ will introduce audiences to the intricate web of family dynamics, behavioural traits, and challenges faced by these magnificent Big Cats. The upcoming edition will provide unique insights into their species and the livelihoods of animals. Having prominent faces lend their voices for the Hindi and Tamil versions will further enhance the fun that will soon unfold upon audiences in varied languages. Through these informative series, we uphold our steadfast commitment to raising awareness and contributing to the conservation of wildlife and their natural habitats”

    Gautham Vasudev Menon said, “Collaborating with Warner Bros. Discovery for ‘Creative Killers’ has been an extraordinary experience. It’s not just about the incredible tigers and their hunting prowess; it’s about introducing this captivating world to the Tamil-speaking audience. I am confident that they will gain profound insights into the wonders of nature through this show.”

    With this collaboration, Anurag Kashyap and Gautham Vasudev Menon join a list of notable celebrities who have partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery for Mission Big Cat in the past, including Tapsee Panu, Anushka Sharma, and Vidyut Jamwal, and others.

    Catch Anurag Kashyap and Gautham Vasudev Menon on Creative Killers, 10 November onwards, Mondays to Fridays at 8:00 pm with a repeat telecast at 4:00 pm on Animal Planet.

     

  • Xiaomi India launches its new campaign #ScreenSahiTohSceneSahi with Anurag Kashyap and Vaani Kapoor

    Xiaomi India launches its new campaign #ScreenSahiTohSceneSahi with Anurag Kashyap and Vaani Kapoor

    Mumbai: Xiaomi announced the launch of its new campaign “# ScreenSahiTohSceneSahi” on Monday, highlighting the significance and impact of the Super Amoled display on the Redmi Note 11 series in a unique way.

    The campaign film has been created in collaboration with DDB Mudra with creatives by Sooraj R. Pillai and Aditi Rao Saxena.

    The campaign film, released across social media platforms, has been conceptualised by the ace director Anurag Kashyap and features renowned Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor. The campaign video showcases the immersive viewing experience delivered by the Redmi Note 11 Series Super Amoled display.

    Amidst today’s enhanced digital penetration and mobile-first economy, consumers demand an immersive viewing experience like never before. Therefore, Xiaomi India collaborated with storytelling maestro Anurag Kashyap for this video that highlights the fact that great content needs a Super Amoled viewing experience.

    With a two-pronged approach, the creative campaign builds on the message that for the stunning visuals that consumers consume on their smartphones, they deserve a premium viewing experience that can only be enjoyed on a Super Amoled screen because “#ScreenSahiTohSceneSahi.” Secondly, with this creative screenplay, Xiaomi India intends to let all content producers and creators know that ‘we got you’ by providing consumers with device offerings consisting of technologically innovative Super Amoled displays.

    Speaking about the campaign, a Xiaomi India spokesperson said, “Display technology has taken centre stage for smartphone users and continues to be one of the primary parameters in their purchase decisions. As India’s No. 1 smartphone and Smart TV brand, we take pride in the fact that we understand the user’s requirements. With the “#ScreenSahiTohSceneSahi” campaign, we want to educate our consumers on the benefits of superior display technology i.e. Super Amoled display featured in the Redmi Note 11 series. We are excited to partner with master storyteller Anurag Kashyap and Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor to narrate this with their new-age style of storytelling. We are optimistic that through this campaign we will be able to build a preference for a superior viewing experience with the Redmi Note 11 series.”

    Commenting on this campaign, DDB Mudra senior creative director Sooraj R Pillai said, “Content makers put their heart and soul into their craft. But the way content is consumed today has drastically changed. And that’s where we found an opportunity. The idea was to just call out a simple fact. That is, when someone watches any content on a bad screen, they are not just doing a disservice to their own viewing experience. It’s also a disservice to those who made them.”

  • FCAT abolished, filmmakers criticise government’s decision

    FCAT abolished, filmmakers criticise government’s decision

    NEW DELHI: It was on April 7 that the government decided to abolish the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) with immediate effect. The statutory body was formed in 1983 to hear appeals from filmmakers against the rulings by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). FCAT has played a crucial role in releasing several films which were initially banned from screening by the CBFC. 

    The Centre’s decision to do away with the FCAT has been met with widespread condemnation from filmmakers in the country, with industry stakeholders opining that such a move from the government could lead to creative restrictions, and may even delay film releases. 

    With the FCAT now dismantled, producers and directors unhappy with the censor board's verdict will have to approach the high court for remedy. 

    Soon after the abolition of FCAT, several prominent personalities including National Award-winning filmmakers Hansal Mehta and Vishal Bharadwaj, and actor Richa Chadha took to social media to pan the move. 

    "Do the high courts have a lot of time to address film certification grievances? How many film producers will have the means to approach the courts? The FCAT discontinuation feels arbitrary and is definitely restrictive. Why this unfortunate timing? Why take this decision at all?" tweeted Hansal Mehta. 

    Omkara director Vishal Bhardwaj censured the government's move to shut down the FCAT, calling it a “sad day for cinema.” 

     

     

    CBFC former chairperson and actor Sharmila Tagore also came out in support of filmmakers and made it clear that the decision to abolish FCAT could not only consume the time of the judiciary but also delay the release of films. 

    "I don’t know what the rationale is, what was the reason for doing this. I don’t want to comment on it at all. But FCAT was a body that was presided over by a judge and they had very eminent members. I felt since there was a legal body already present, why can’t that body look into these PILs and then later, the courts are always there. The problem with the court is everything takes a little longer. Producers can’t risk it. For them, even a week’s loss is huge," Tagore told Indian Express. 

    Several filmmakers had previously made use of FCAT to release their films on time. In 2017, Alankrita Shrivastava had approached FCAT after CBFC refused to certify Lipstick Under My Burkha. After watching the movie, FCAT asked to give an 'A' certificate to the movie with a few edits. In 2016, it was the intervention of FCAT that helped Anurag Kashyap to release his film Udta Punjab. 

  • Marking 10 years of Nivin Pauly, ZEE Keralam to telecast ‘Muthoon’, Sunday at 7 PM

    Marking 10 years of Nivin Pauly, ZEE Keralam to telecast ‘Muthoon’, Sunday at 7 PM

    NEW DELHI: Muthoon, the Elder One; the much-talked about movie in Malayalam premiered at the Toronto International film festival and is finally getting its much awaited World Television Premiere on ZEE Keralam this  July 26,7 PM.

     The movie is directed by national award-winning director and actress, Geethu Mohandas in which young star Nivin Pauly plays the male lead. The world television premiere of the show comes when Nivin enjoys his glorious 10 years in the Malayalam industry. The actor, through his social media handle, has personally requested his fans and TV viewers to not miss the TV premiere of his movie in ZEE Keralam.

    Muthoon has been widely acclaimed in theatres and among critics for its brilliant portrayal of a unique narrative. Nivin has also been praised for his role as Akbar, who has to quit his island life as a fisherman due to a tragic incident and is forced to become a Bhai in the underbellies of Mumbai. A younger brother of Akbar, Mulla comes in search of his brother to Mumbai from the remote islands of Lakshadweep. Whether Akbar finds out who Mulla actually is forms the crux of the story. 

    Muthoon also saw the ace Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap debuting as a co-writer in Malayalam. Most of the Mumbai dialects are penned by Kashyap who is also a producer in the movie. The movie has dialogues in Malayalam, Hindi and also in the local Lakshadweep dialect, Jesari. A wide ensemble cast includes Roshan Mathew, Shashank Arora, Shobhita Dhuipala, Melissa Raju Thomas and many others.

    ZEE Keralam has said that the film Muthoon is a much-awaited movie to come in the television after it had a marvellous run in the theatres. It also is a major Malayalam movie making a grand television premiere after the lockdown. 

    The movie comes on ZEE Keralam at a time when the actor Nivin Pauly is celebrating a decade in the industry. ZEE Keralam sees the telecast as both a dedication to the actor and a treat for the Malayalam audience who love and appreciate cinema with strong and in-depth content. Muthoon airs on ZEE Keralam this Sunday at 7 PM. 

  • Eros International profits up in first quarter

    Eros International profits up in first quarter

    BENGALURU: The Sunil Lulla-led Indian film and media company Eros International Media Limited (Eros) reported 25.3 per cent year on year (y-o-y) jump in profit after tax (PAT) for the quarter ended 30 June 2018 (Q1 2018, quarter, period under review) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter (Q1 2018). Eros reported PAT at Rs 59.95 as compared to PAT of Rs 47.86 crore in Q1 2018. On account of items that will be classified later as a profit or a loss, total comprehensive income more than doubled (up 1.31 times)y-o-y to Rs 100.91 crore in Q1 2019 from Rs 43.56 crore.Calculated simple EBIDTA for the period under review increased 48.6 per cent y-o-y to Rs 93.33 crore (42.8 per cent of operating revenue) from Rs 47.86 crores (24.2 per cent of operating revenue.)

    Eros operating revenue in Q1 2019 declined 16.1 per cent y-o-y to Rs 217.93 crore from Rs 259.62 crore. Total Income declined 18.2 per cent y-o-y to Rs 223.57 crore from Rs 273.36 crore.

    The company says in its earnings presentation that revenues during the quarter were driven by releases of Bhavesh Joshi(Hindi), Meri Nimmo (Digital release), Blackmail (Overseas), Haami (Bengali), Goodnight City (Bengali), Alinagarer

    Golokdhadha (Bengali) and others. Eros released a total of 14 films during the quarter, consisting of 1 medium budget and 13 low budget films  as compared to 5 films in Q1  2018, consisting of 1 High Budget, 1 Medium Budget and 3 Low Budget Films). TV and Others segment included satellite sales of catalogue films to Zee TV and others.

    Eros says that Theatrical Revenues contributed – 30.7 per cent, Overseas Revenues – 12.6 per cent and Television & Others – 56.7 per cent as a percentage of income from operations.

    Company speak

    Eros executive vice chairman and MD Lulla  said: “We have started the year on an excellent note on operational and strategic parameters. Our strategy of a content driven approach reflected in a robust green lighting process enabling us to de-risk our model. Our film content is deeply researched and evaluated for its revenue potential across platforms and markets by our business leaders, due to which we were able to again deliver margin enhancing performance in Q1 2019.

    The new JV kicking in with V. Vijayendra Prasad for Hindi and regional content and Reliance Eros Productions LLP for USD 150 million already in process is bound further boost our content strategy and reflect in our financial performance in the forthcoming quarters. The first quarter was marked by the successful releases of our films which contributed to the overall growth. Our strong slate across languages, active pre-sales and catalogue monetization of our films ‘ library further supported the performance during the quarter. Looking ahead, we have drawn a compelling line-up for the remainder of the year featuring high-potential movies such as Color Yellow Productions Happy Phir Bhaag Jayegi, Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyan, the IndiaChina co-productions, Panda by Kabir Khan, trilingual Haathi mere Saathi and multiple other films across languages.

    Lulla further added, “As always, we continue to be a pioneer in industry innovations in catering to the changing tastes and preferences of the audiences. In this quarter, we released Meri Nimmo straight-to-digital on the Eros Now platform. I am happy to share that the film received a tremendous response from the audience and we look forward to launching more such films and originals on the Eros Now platform during the course of this fiscal. Along with it the roll-out of fresh and strong original content, makes us confident that the pace of subscriber addition for Eros Now will further accelerate, going from 50 to 100 cities and almost doubling the subscriber base to 16 million by end of the Fiscal year.”

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by the company

    Total Expenditure (TE) during the period under review declined 32.8 per cent y-o-y to Rs 146.45 crore as compared to Rs 217.81 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

    Films rights costs including amortisation costs in Q1 2019 declined 29.6 per cent y-o-y to Rs 90.15 crore from Rs 128.12 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Employee Benefits Expense in Q1 2019 declined 14.5 per cent y-o-y to Rs 13.54 crore as compared to Rs 15.83 crore in Q1 2018. Other expenses (OE) in the Q1 2019 reduced 63.8 per cent y-o-y to Rs 19.15 crore as compared to Rs 52.84 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Finance costs in Q1 2019 increased 5 per cent y-o-y to in Q1 2019  Rs 19.5 crore from Rs 18.58 crore.

  • Owning IP not priority for Big Synergy

    Owning IP not priority for Big Synergy

    MUMBAI: Broadcasters today are experimenting with a new type of show ownership–that of allowing the creators to hold the intellectual property (IP) rights. Most recently, Swastik Productions decided to own 100 per cent of its magnum opus Porus, which airs on Sony Entertainment Television in India, setting a benchmark in the industry as it went around the world gathering new broadcasters in new countries.

    In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Big Synergy partner producer Namit Sharma, however, said that the concept of owning an IP was a very subjective conversation and not too relevant in present times. “A lot of people hype it to make themselves look good, so it makes you look like a kingpin when in actuality, the real monetary value of that IP could be nothing,” he said.

    “I feel that the whole conversation in the industry is overrated. We want to be careful about when we do it and how we do it. We are a production service company. If we wanted to own an IP, we would have started making films, raised Rs 800 crore and taken the risk,” he added.

    Digital players are furiously churning out new formats to attract the moving eyeballs of younger audiences. New formats, ideas, execution–you get it all. But TV isn’t far behind. TV today has innumerable reality shows to pick from and is not restricted to saas-bahu sagas, sitcoms and period dramas.

    Sharma, feels that the Hindi GEC genre will not be experimenting anymore but this will be the prerogative of the digital industry. “They [Hindi GECs] are going to try and stick to what they have, whereas now all the experiments will start happening in the over the top and regional. We have a lot of developments happening in both these spaces,” he said.

    Shedding light on his plans for digital space, he said that talks with industry daddies Amazon and Netflix are on. “As part of a two-year plan, we intend to focus on getting together with storytellers; they could be filmmakers, writers, book authors, film writers, and they could be people who may have never written anything.” Big Synergy will set the ball rolling in the regional market with South India.

    Big Synergy, a part of the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, had tied up with Phantom Films, led by Anurag Kashyap, to create entertainment content across television and digital media. Speaking about the partnership, he said that there wasn’t any phenomenal interdependence apart operational synergies between the two entities. Both production set-ups co-ordinate in interesting ways behind the scenes.

    Recently, Big Synergy produced a web series for Viu named Kaushiki that has garnered a lot of traction for the OTT platform. The production company is looking to produce five marquee web series, such as Bose: Dead/Alive, in the next one year along with its slate of regular shows for OTTs.  

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