Showing posts with label Hanuman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hanuman. Show all posts
Universe expands; Sunny Deol top choice for Hanuman-centric musical film
9:43 AM
Sources inform, Sunny Deol to headline next chapter of ‘Ramayana’ — a high-octane Hanuman-centric musical
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 14, 2025)
The new lease of life post ‘Gadar 2’ (2023) he got has Sunny Deol looking at his career differently. He is now picking projects that surprise him and his loyal audience. While the actor is set to play Hanuman in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’, sources now inform that Namit Malhotra (producer and CEO Double Negative) is fast-tracking a Hanuman-centric musical film, with Deol as the top choice to headline it.
The project, described internally as a “mythological-pop opera with thunderous action”, is rumoured to be the second major entry in the Ramayan Universe (R-Verse). “The moment they saw the initial writing of Hanuman’s sequences in ‘Ramayana’, the team knew he needed his own stage. And Sunny paaji’s name kept coming up because who else could play it better than him, as he is also part of the original,” shares a source close to the development.
Insiders inform that the makers plan to blend legend, music, high-octane set pieces, aerial combat, flaming-torch choreography, and a 12-minute song described as a battle hymn. They add that the makers plan to have “Avengers-styled interconnected storylines with recurring characters and crossovers. Hanuman is their Hulk — unstoppable, beloved, and built for spectacle.”
If things fall into place, the musical may roll into production by late next year.
Sunny Deol’s line-up
- ‘Border 2’ — set to come on January 2026
- ‘Gabru’ — scheduled for March 13, 2026
- ‘Ramayana – Part I & Part II’ — Sunny is rumoured to play Hanuman
- ‘Lahore, 1947’ — The period drama directed by Rajkumar Santoshi
- ‘Soorya’ — The Hindi remake of ‘Joseph’ (2018)
- ‘Baap’ — Nostalgic action ensemble film with veteran stars
- ‘Jaat 2’ — Sequel to ‘Jaat’
- ‘Coal King’ — Film in discussion with director Anil Sharma
Hanuman director Prasanth Varma denies Tollywood producers’ claims of failing to deliver films
9:28 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (November 4, 2025)
A couple of days after news emerged that a few Tollywood producers, including Hanuman (2024) production house M/S Primeshow Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., had complained to the Telugu Film Chamber that Prasanth Varma allegedly took advances and failed to deliver films, the director broke his silence.
Taking to X, Prasanth denied all allegations: “I categorically state that the allegations made against me are all false, baseless, and retaliatory.”
The 36-year-old pointed out that once a matter is in the industry forum, all parties are expected not to dispute it in the media. “Any attempt to publish internal pleadings, emails, agreements, or financial details at this stage amounts to interference with the proceedings and is clearly intended to prejudice public opinion,” he wrote. Prasanth also urged the media to refrain from publishing any further news until the Film Chamber announces the outcome.
The controversy dates back to October 11, when, in a letter addressed to the Telugu Film Producers Council, producer K Niranjan Reddy alleged that Prasanth did not honour his commitments despite having taken advances from him. The complaint states that while shooting for Hanuman in 2021, Prasanth had agreed with the producer to further collaborate on Adhira, Mahakali, Jai Hanuman, and Brahma Rakshas as part of the PVCU with him.
Akshaye Khanna to debut in Telugu with Prasanth Varma’s Mahakali
8:44 AM
Neeshita Nyayapati (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 7, 2025)
Actor Akshaye Khanna will soon debut in Telugu. He will play a pivotal role in the first female superhero film in the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU), Mahakali.
Though the source, close to the film’s unit, is mum on whether his character is an antagonist or a positive one, they tell HT that, “All we can reveal is that his role will add intrigue and depth to the growing PVCU universe. His role will span across multiple films in the franchise and will prove to be an exciting addition. We’re hoping Mahakali is received as well as HanuMan (2024) was.”
The source also tells us that the film is yet to go on floors, as Prasanth, who conceptualised the film, and director Puja Aparna Kolluru are working on finalising the cast and other details.
“Prasanth is particular about who he wants to cast as the lead because this will be his first female superhero, and it requires a certain charm while challenging beauty standards. Hopefully, all details will be ironed out soon, and the film will officially be rolled out,” says the source.
PVCU was kicked off last year with Teja Sajja’s superhero film HanuMan, based on Lord Hanuman’s lore. A sequel to it, Jai Hanuman with actor Rishab Shetty, is in the works. Mahakali is the third superhero film in the franchise, based on Goddess Kali.
Prasanth spoke to HT about the film, last year in October after the film’s announcement, and had said, “Casting a big star to play Mahakali is no longer challenging, but that’s not the point. When the film is being made to challenge beauty standards, I want to ensure we do our bit not to propagate it, too.”
Karthi and I might collaborate later, will have to wait-Prasanth Varma
9:07 AM
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 28, 2024)
For some time now, buzz has been strong about a possible collaboration between filmmaker Prasanth Varma and Tamil star Karthi. However, fans may need to be patient, as this director-actor duo is not set to join forces just yet.
In an exclusive conversation with us, Varma confirms pitching a script to the Ponniyin Selvan actor, but also says that their busy schedules would make an immediate collaboration unlikely. Varma shares, “Karthi and I have met and discussed something, but nothing will happen immediately. I have two to three films in the pipeline and he, too, has a couple of projects. We might collaborate later.”
So, does he have a character in mind for Karthi? “We have already pitched a story to him and he has liked it. But he needs to wrap up his current commitments. We will figure out the dates then and see how things unfold,” says Varma.
On a separate note, after pulling off a hit, the Teja Sajja-starrer Hanuman, the filmmaker has announced its sequel, titled Jai Hanuman. “The film’s pre-production work has been underway for the last few months. I am just waiting to put it all together, and the announcement will be made next month,” he says.
Bollywood actors to be part of Hanuman universe-Prasanth Varma
10:10 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 11, 2024)
The box-office performance of his Telugu superhero film Hanuman came as a surprise to many. Now, Prasanth Varma says he wants to expand the film’s universe by getting a few Bollywood actors on board besides Telugu actors. Having announced two films from the franchise already — Jai Hanuman and Adhira, the director recently announced one more film from the Hanuman universe — Simba — starring Moksh Nandamuri.
“I have met a few actors and exchanged ideas with them, but it will take time. Some actors from Bollywood will surely be a part of the Hanuman universe,” he says.
The director also confirms that Jai Hanuman, which was slated for a January 2025 release, has been pushed. “Had Hanuman made only Rs. 100 crore, we would have been finishing Jai Hanuman by now. But since the film earned way more than that (Rs. 350 crore worldwide), our responsibility has also increased,” says Varma.
Sharing an update on the film’s status, the director adds, “We are doing a lot of prep and have worked a lot on the script. We are making sure that whatever you’d expect Hanuman ji to do, we have that in the film. It has come out well, and the casting is almost done. For Hanuman, we shot the film first and the VFX were added later. But now, we are prepping for that beforehand, so the post-production shouldn’t take much time.”
Varma continues: “The shoot hasn’t started yet. Adhira will come before Jai Hanuman, and we are working on two other films. We are aiming to release two films every year.”
Prasanth Varma to re-release Hanuman in 3D
4:16 PM
Director Prasanth Varma talks about Japan turning out to be a lucrative market for South films and how “going local” might work at the BO
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 21, 2024)
Prasanth Varma’s Telugu film Hanuman became one of the biggest hits of 2024 and now it is heading for a release in Japan this October. In addition, the makers are planning a re-release of the Teja Sajja-starrer in India too. Talking to us, the director reveals, “The international versions of Hanu-Man will be released in 3D, and we are planning to re-release the film in 3D in select screens in India around the same time as the Japanese release as well.”
Discussing how Japan is turning out to be a lucrative market for South films following the success of RRR (2022) and Kalki 2898AD in Japan, he says, “The South Indian sensibilities are very similar to Japanese and Korean sensibilities, and if your film has potential, the Japanese audience will embrace it.”
Explaining why the Japanese market has more demand for South films compared to Hindi, he opines, “Over time, Hindi films have had a heavy influence of the West, and started imitating it, whereas it’s comparably quite less in the South.”
Varma adds that they aren’t dubbing the film instead will release the original audio with Japanese subtitles. “Apparently these days, people are accustomed to watching films in their original language with subtitles. They don’t want to watch the dubbed versions,” he shares.
Hanu-Man emerged a massive box office success in a year that has been quite challenging for Hindi films. Reflecting on it, Varma says, “People today are going to theatres only if the film is good. Ticket pricing plays a major role now as earlier, going to the cinemas didn’t use to be that expensive. One of the main reasons for Hanu-Man working is because we kept the ticket prices very low. The number of people who saw Hanu-Man is actually higher than many big budgeted films and that’s why we got the collection we did — even at low ticket prices. The audience didn’t feel that they’d have to spend a fortune to see it.”
According to Varma, what might work at the box office is “going local”. He suggests, “Don’t try to make films like Hollywood, try telling your own stories. If you look at films like Kantara (2022), even the global audience is embracing them because that’s a story they don’t know. But if you are making a spy film, Hollywood has already made better ones. I would suggest finding stories that are not there elsewhere. Make films with stories that your grandma told you because that works.”
My post wasn’t targeted at Ranveer Singh-Prasanth Varma
8:11 AM
Mugdha Kapoor (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 10, 2024)
Amid speculation that Hanuman director Prasanth Varma took a veiled dig at actor Ranveer Singh via a cryptic post on his X account, stating “One day you realise every rejection was a blessing in disguise”, the director tells us that the post was “not targeted at anyone”. Varma and Singh were slated to work together on a film called Rakshas some time ago, but it fell through due to creative differences.
Clearing the air, Varma says, “It (what he wrote on X) was a generic feeling I had in the morning and I thought of posting it. I was thinking about the overall journey I’ve had. Had people not rejected me in my initial years, I wouldn’t have ended up making Hanuman. I was feeling grateful because had I done any of the films that I had previously pitched to other actors, Hanuman would have never happened.”
Shedding light on why he and Singh couldn’t work together, the 35-year-old notes, “There were different points of view with regards to the film. I really respect him for the actor he is. And I believe that even he respects my work.”
Ask if there’s any bad blood between the two, since Singh pulled out of a project that was officially announced, and Varma says they share a cordial bond: “We still talk to each other. It (the movie) just couldn’t happen, but our relationship has stayed.”
Ranveer Singh interested to star in Hanuman director Prasanth Varma's next?
8:17 AM
A source from the filmmaker’s team has exclusively revealed to us that the actor is “interested” in working with Varma on his next project
Neeshita Nyayapati (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 29, 2024)
Actor Ranveer Singh seems to be in the busiest phase of his career. After Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again and Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3 in the pipeline, the actor is all set to collaborate with HanuMan director Prasanth Varma for his next.
A source from Varma’s team exclusively told us that Singh is “interested” in working with the filmmaker but is yet to sign on the dotted line. “Yes, it’s true that Prasanth approached Ranveer for a film in his cinematic universe. It will be his next project after Hanuman. Ranveer is interested and it is almost confirmed but nothing has been finalized yet. An official announcement will be made once it is finalized,” the insider revealed.
Hanuman, which marks the beginning of the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU), was released earlier this year. Shortly after, Varma announced the second instalment — Jai Hanuman — on the occasion of the Pran Prathistha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Varma had taken to X to share the news. “With gratitude for the immense love and support showered upon #HanuMan from audiences across the globe, I stand at the threshold of a new journey by making a promise to myself! #JaiHanuman Pre-Production Begins on the auspicious day of Ram Mandir Pran Prathistha,” he wrote. Whether Singh will be part of Jai Hanuman is not yet confirmed.
Set in the fictional village of Anjanadri, HanuMan featured actors Teja Sajja, Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Vinay Rai in the lead roles. The film earned over Rs. 100 crore at the worldwide box office.
After the film, my connection with Lord Hanuman ji strengthened-Teja Sajja
8:55 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 23, 2024)
The breakout box-office success of his 2023 film Hanuman has led to his life becoming intrinsically linked with the god, feels actor Teja Sajja. The film follows a man getting powers akin to those of Hanuman.
On Hanuman Jayanti today, Sajja says he’s inundated with offers for many events for the occasion. “I have been invited to many places in Hyderabad for huge celebrations. I might visit one of them,” he tells us.
While working on the film, the actor says he could sense the deity’s blessings. “Over the two-year journey, our work was only 30-40%. The rest was all Lord Hanuman’s doing. Everything we did turned out to be the best for our project — even the biggest mistakes turned out in our favour,” shares the 29-year-old.
Growing up, his devotion towards Hanuman wasn’t as strong as it is today, he shares, “It wasn’t like I would do pooja, or go to mandir. I was not a staunch believer, I wouldn’t make such plans. But after the film, my connection with Lord Hanuman ji strengthened.”
What’s one quality that he wishes to imbibe from the deity? “Humility — when you know you are the most powerful person, but act like you are not. I wish to become as humble as Lord Hanuman,” the actor wraps up.
After a record 2023, box-office kitty may decline this year
8:44 AM
Gross collections to fall 15% based on data from first three months of this year: Ormax Media
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; April 20, 2024)
Gross movie box office collections for 2024 in India are projected to drop 15% to Rs. 10,360 crore on the basis of data from the first three months of the year, following a record high in 2023, research firm Ormax Media said in its latest box-office report. The Indian box-office collection reached an all-time high of Rs. 12,226 crore in 2023, registering a 15% growth over 2022. The previous box office record was Rs. 10,948 crore in 2019.
Hindi films had a 36% share of the box-office collection, followed by Telugu and Malayalam films with 23% and 16% shares, respectively. Both Hollywood and Tamil films had a 9% share of the box-office collection. The cumulative box-office collection registered 7% year-on-year growth to touch Rs. 2,590 crore in Q1 2024, despite a lacklustre performance in February. Seven films earned more than Rs. 100 crore at the box-office during the quarter.
"March has proven to be a healthy month for the domestic box-office with collections totalling Rs. 971 crore. The diverse lineup of films across languages includes Shaitaan, leading the pack with Rs. 173 crore," said Sanket Kulkarni, head of business development (theatrical) at Ormax Media.
He added Malayalam cinema continues its remarkable streak with Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life joining the ranks of successful films, bringing the total collections for Malayalam cinema to Rs. 405 crore, constituting 71% of the entire Malayalam box office in 2023.
"The net box-office collections have dropped by 20% to Rs. 900 crore in Q1 2024 compared to the same quarter last year. The second quarter is also looking unimpressive, with no major releases planned for May. With setbacks in two back-to-back quarters, we have large recoveries to make in the last two quarters of 2024," says film business expert Girish Johar.
In Q1, Fighter (Hindi) and Hanuman (Telugu) had the highest box office collections of Rs. 243 crore and Rs. 241 crore, respectively. Both Manjummel Boys (Malayalam) and Shaitaan (Hindi) had collections of Rs. 173 crore
Guntur Kaaram (Tamil), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Hollywood), and Aadujeevitham-The Goat Life (Malayalam) collected Rs. 142 crore, Rs. 129 crore, and Rs. 102 crore, respectively. During the quarter, March saw the highest monthly box-office collections of Rs. 971 crore on the back of strong performances by Shaitaan, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and Aadujeevitham.
In January, the box-office collections stood at Rs. 934 crore, with Fighter, Hanuman, and Guntur Kaaram dominating the list. February saw a modest box-office collection of Rs. 685 crore with just two films, Manjummel Boys and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, attaining receipts of over Rs. 100 crore.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 824
7:38 PM
2024'S FIRST QUARTER ENDS ON A HAPPY NOTE
The first three months of 2024 are over and overall, it has been satisfactory though it could have been better. 2023's first quarter saw a Hindi film crossing the Rs. 500 crore mark for the first time with Pathaan. Most of the other films in the first three months last year didn't do well. Yet, the blockbuster numbers of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer spread cheer in the industry.
2024's first quarter, meanwhile, saw just one film barely crossing the Rs. 200 crore mark - Fighter. It was expected to do more than Rs. 300 crores, looking at the word of mouth. The way it dropped on the weekdays in the first week, it seemed like it might not even reach Rs. 175 crores in its lifetime. Thankfully, it held well in the subsequent weeks.
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, meanwhile, was a surprise hit. The reviews were mixed. However, the audience took to the film and it ended up collecting more than Rs. 80 crores. Article 370 will also end up with collections in the same range.
Shaitaan, on the other hand, was a rare horror film starring A-listers. It had a superb opening and maintained very well. It is expected to end its run with collections amounting to Rs. 145-150 crores.
Crew, which was released last Friday, had an impressive opening and if all goes well, it will have a lifetime in the range of Rs. 75 and 90 crores.
Another success, albeit a small one, was Laapataa Ladies. Thanks to outstanding word of mouth and the association of Aamir Khan, it slowly attracted a section of the audience. It'll end with Rs. 15 crore collections, which was unthinkable in its first week.
A dubbed version and Hollywood flicks also saw some success. Hanuman was released with low expectations and went on to collect Rs. 50 crores in Hindi. Kung Fu Panda 4 will accumulate nearly Rs. 35 crores or even more. Last week's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire can cross the Rs. 100 crore mark.
And like any other quarter, there were some disappointments as well. Merry Christmas, Main Atal Hoon, Crakk, Dange, Bastar, Yodha and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar failed at the box office. Madgaon Express got positive reports but has majorly worked only in Maharashtra.
All eyes are now on the second quarter, especially the two big Eid releases - Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan. Since these films will release on Wednesday, April 10, this Friday will see the release of small films. Dukaan is the biggest of them all but doesn't stand a chance due to negligible hype.
The film that has some chance is the Hollywood horror flick, The First Omen. It is a prequel to the 1976 classic, The Omen. Hollywood horror films often surprise though they are released without noise. If The First Omen turns out to be a great entertainer, it will retain shows even after the release of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan.
The first three months of 2024 are over and overall, it has been satisfactory though it could have been better. 2023's first quarter saw a Hindi film crossing the Rs. 500 crore mark for the first time with Pathaan. Most of the other films in the first three months last year didn't do well. Yet, the blockbuster numbers of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer spread cheer in the industry.
2024's first quarter, meanwhile, saw just one film barely crossing the Rs. 200 crore mark - Fighter. It was expected to do more than Rs. 300 crores, looking at the word of mouth. The way it dropped on the weekdays in the first week, it seemed like it might not even reach Rs. 175 crores in its lifetime. Thankfully, it held well in the subsequent weeks.
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, meanwhile, was a surprise hit. The reviews were mixed. However, the audience took to the film and it ended up collecting more than Rs. 80 crores. Article 370 will also end up with collections in the same range.
Shaitaan, on the other hand, was a rare horror film starring A-listers. It had a superb opening and maintained very well. It is expected to end its run with collections amounting to Rs. 145-150 crores.
Crew, which was released last Friday, had an impressive opening and if all goes well, it will have a lifetime in the range of Rs. 75 and 90 crores.
Another success, albeit a small one, was Laapataa Ladies. Thanks to outstanding word of mouth and the association of Aamir Khan, it slowly attracted a section of the audience. It'll end with Rs. 15 crore collections, which was unthinkable in its first week.
A dubbed version and Hollywood flicks also saw some success. Hanuman was released with low expectations and went on to collect Rs. 50 crores in Hindi. Kung Fu Panda 4 will accumulate nearly Rs. 35 crores or even more. Last week's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire can cross the Rs. 100 crore mark.
And like any other quarter, there were some disappointments as well. Merry Christmas, Main Atal Hoon, Crakk, Dange, Bastar, Yodha and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar failed at the box office. Madgaon Express got positive reports but has majorly worked only in Maharashtra.
All eyes are now on the second quarter, especially the two big Eid releases - Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan. Since these films will release on Wednesday, April 10, this Friday will see the release of small films. Dukaan is the biggest of them all but doesn't stand a chance due to negligible hype.
The film that has some chance is the Hollywood horror flick, The First Omen. It is a prequel to the 1976 classic, The Omen. Hollywood horror films often surprise though they are released without noise. If The First Omen turns out to be a great entertainer, it will retain shows even after the release of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan.
Kill Joy: Licensing issues disrupt digital content consumption
8:23 AM
From songs that stop playing to shows that refuse to stream, licensing issues are disrupting content consumption in social media and streaming platforms
Shephali Bhatt (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; March 31, 2024)
Paromita Deb Areng is frustrated with the content consumption experience on digital platforms. Recently, someone told her that the sound in one of her Instagram Reels was not working. Areng, a beauty products consultant from Pune, had used a trending audio clip from Instagram’s music library to enhance her video’s reach.
“Instagram offered to replace the now unavailable song on the app, but the new audio failed to update as well,” says the 43-year-old. Muting audio ended up silencing her voice in the video, thus impeding its reach. Areng says this problem isn’t unique; many creators are avoiding library audio for this reason.
Her frustration extends to streaming services. Unable to find older Korean dramas on Netflix, she subscribed to another streaming service, Viki, only to find those shows “unavailable in our region”. She was surprised to encounter geo-restrictions especially since the Korean government declared India the biggest market for Korean content last year.
Areng has since come to understand that these issues are due to complications in licensing agreements with content producers that grant platforms the right to publish content they do not own. However, that awareness doesn’t necessarily ease her exasperation.
"You feel short-changed because you are willing to pay to consume content legitimately and yet are being forced to look for alternatives that often expose your system to security risks.” She makes a valid argument. At least 46% users of virtual private network (VPN) globally opt for it to access streaming services, and 26% do it specifically to access region-locked entertainment, as per a report from Forbes Advisor published in August 2023.
Eight years ago, when global streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video arrived in India, they promised access to a vast and continuously expanding content library. The “digital video-on-demand” branding created an unrealistic expectation that the content would be universally and permanently available. Over the years, snippets from popular international shows circulating on social media have only fuelled the craving for diverse content.
Ironically, this very desire has now shattered the illusion of seamless access as licensing-led curbs increasingly constrain users trying to watch anything and everything in the cloud. Similarly, music’s pivotal role in social media content has inadvertently exposed people to the vagaries of licensing disputes in the music industry, which end up restricting the use of songs on platforms like Spotify and Instagram.
OTT BORDERS
As a result, a growing number of users are expressing disgruntlement with their consumption experience. “It’s annoying that I can’t do a Prime Video Watch Party with my friends in India even when I’m in the country, just because I have a US-registered Prime account,” says Anmol M, a 27-year-old software engineer based in San Francisco.
In the US, he watches Koffee With Karan on Hulu because Hotstar isn’t available there. However, the show airs on Hulu a day later, he says, by which time his friends back home have already seen and made memes out of it. A decade ago, when Anmol moved overseas, there wasn’t a lot of content from India that he followed. “Very little existed in the first place,” he says. But now, he experiences FOMO for Indian content.
Some Indians abroad, like Soumya Wadhwa, compile a list of shows to watch during visits back to India due to this fear of missing out. “I like how western content is concentrated on certain platforms in India,” says the 32-year-old finance professional from Vancouver.
“Shows like Friends and Schitt’s Creek (a Canadian show) are available on Netflix India but not on Netflix Canada,” she adds. During her last trip to India, she found Hindi-dubbed K-dramas on Netflix. She prefers the quality of Hindi dubbing over English, but Netflix Canada doesn’t have a Hindi audio option.
India doesn’t necessarily have easy access to every popular western title. Ask film critic Sucharita Tyagi, who moved from India to the US last year. When discussing a movie, show, or even an audiobook, she says, “I have to first ensure that it is available in India.” For instance, Oscar-nominated May December never hit Netflix India, despite its many trailers announcing Netflix as the film’s digital home in North America.
“I always check with my India team which Hulu titles are streaming on Hotstar,” says Tyagi. She recently discovered that the audiobook for Killers Of the Flower Moon—which inspired the 2023 Martin Scorsese movie—is strangely available in French, German and Italian on Audible India, but not in English.
Stranger still is the case of Mysteries And Feluda. It’s a locally produced animated series based on the tales of Feluda—a fictional detective conceived by writer-director Satyajit Ray– that is available on Prime Video but not accessible to Indian viewers.
In an email response, a Prime Video spokesperson tells ET, “We make our locally licensed Indian films available in 240+ countries and territories. While there could be some exceptions where certain rights/territories could be carved out by the licensors in case of licensed content, it’s our constant endeavour to provide customers across locales, great content in their preferred languages.”
Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar declined to comment while ET’s emailed queries to Jio Cinema and Viki did not elicit a response.
IT’S BUSINESS
Why do platforms operate like this, you ask? The short answer: It’s nothing personal, just business. “Around 80% of content rights, excluding those of major studios and their projects, are handled by sales agents,” says G K Tirunavukarasu, CEO of ProducerBazaar, a content IP rights exchange marketplace.
“Producers distribute their movies through these brokers, who then allocate different licences to several players in different territories for varying prices. It’s more beneficial for them to sell individual rights rather than in bulk.”
Dealing with content in both domestic and international markets involves at least 40 IP rights, including gaming rights, dialect rights, sequel rights, among others. “If the producer isn’t clued in to who is acquiring which rights where, it can lead to chaos [read: legal notices and lawsuits] due to the legalities of adhering to each contract,” adds Tirunavukarasu.
Entertainment lawyer Priyanka Khimani highlights how new services often are either clueless or feign ignorance about content licensing costs. She cites homegrown short video platforms from the post-TikTok ban era, some of whom neglected music licensing payments until labels took legal action.
In 2023, Spotify paid $9 billion to music labels and publishers in licensing fees, according to its annual report, “Loud&Clear”. Khimani, who specializes in media rights, says much of the behind-the-scenes efforts contributing to this figure often escape the general audience.
“Disputes between artists, labels and third parties cause delays in closing deals, which could potentially result in takedowns and song unavailability on platforms like Spotify and Instagram. Failure to arrive at a deal can result in catalogues being taken down from a platform, like it happened with Universal Music Group that has removed almost its entire catalogue from TikTok recently,” she adds.
An instance of content licensing issue that can escape the viewer is the use of third-party music in films and OTT shows. For instance, in Season 3 of an ALTT show, Dil Hi Toh Hai (2020), several Sony Music tracks that were featured prominently in some episodes initially, seem to have been replaced with instrumental music, even though the characters are still lip-syncing to songs like “Hawayein’’ and “Say Shava Shava”. This could have happened due to a gap in coverage of rights or changes to ownership of the music. Emails to ALTT, formerly ALT Balaji, and Sony Music did not elicit a response till press time.
Negotiations for music licensing occur across platforms and labels in various territories, with no standardized rates, relying solely on relationships and track record. “It’s truly the Wild West,” says Khimani.
Instagram has now started flagging audio affected by licensing changes. In an email, a Meta spokesperson tells ET, “We have deals across the music community in more than 150 countries.... However, our partnerships are always subject to change and our library of licensed music may shift as a result.”
Movies are shifting platforms, too. Streaming rights for new movies are typically for three-five years. So, crime thriller Andhadhun (2018) shifted from Netflix to Prime Video recently.
The 2016 Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal, which was on Netflix India initially, can now only be rented on Prime Video and Apple TV (or bought on the latter).
The latest content-licensing contracts are now allocating different language/ dubbed versions to different platforms. Hanuman, the Telugu blockbuster from January and one of the highest grossing movies of the year so far, has been released in Hindi on Jio Cinema while the original Telugu version has gone to ZEE5. By April 5, its Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam dubbed versions will be on Disney+Hotstar.
K Niranjan Reddy, producer of the film, says, “Each platform offers various subscription tiers in India and globally, potentially expanding our audience. It’s promising; we will see how the strategy unfolds. It’s a valuable learning experience for me.” Last week, Reddy closed a contract for the film’s Japanese dub with English subtitles through a local vendor in Japan, he tells ET from the US.
This constant movement of content across platforms renders Google searches for locating content unreliable and time-consuming, says Basreena Basheer, a product manager at a B2B media & security firm in Bengaluru. However, she defends platforms’ decisions to not disclose reasons for content unavailability: “Many avoid mentioning geo-restrictions to discourage VPN use, given the abundance of online guides on circumventing geo-blocking.” Reasons for unavailability typically tend to be vague to avoid direct mention of any regulatory role (if applicable) in geo-restriction, she adds.
Streaming platforms are increasingly focusing on expanding their original content library to avoid licensing hassles. However, licensed content remains vital for growth; 45% of Netflix watch-time in H1 2023 was dedicated to licensed content, per the company’s engagement report. Some players are trying to find ways to improve communication around licensing woes.
Viki has an option to petition to get a show in your region. Netflix has introduced the ‘Leaving Soon’ tag for short-lived titles. “Perhaps, an ‘Available from’ tag to provide a tentative timeframe for accessing content could help. I’d be thrilled if there are categories like ‘Available after general elections’, for instance,” says Basheer, only half-jokingly.
Trade experts discuss about cross-pollination between Bollywood and southern industries
10:48 AM
Is it a fad or is it here to stay? Experts and actors weigh on the cross-pollination between Bollywood and southern industries
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 18, 2024)
It’s the Indian film industry”, has been the rallying cry of the cross-pollination movement taking place across film industries in India. After the Telugu film RRR (2022) saw cameos from actors Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt, actors Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor fronted two of 2023’s biggest films: Atlee’s Jawan and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal.
The shift is turning stratospheric in 2024, with actor Prithviraj Sukumaran playing the baddie in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, actors Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan joining hands for actor Prabhas’ Kalki 2988 AD, actor Varun Dhawan’s collaboration with filmmaker Atlee for Baby John and actor Emraan Hashmi featuring in the Adivi Sesh-starrer Goodachari 2.
Actor Tiger Shroff says, “It really opens up the market, and we get a large audience with such collaborations. I would love to work with (actors) Allu Arjun, Ram Charan and Jr NTR, all of whom I am a huge fan of.”
Recently, Hanuman, starring Teja Sajja, a virtually unknown name in the north, went on to collect more than Rs. 50 crore in the region despite next to zero promotions. “There have been a couple of (Hindi) offers after Hanuman, which was also like a Hindi film. I am happy to do films for the national audience, if the subject is relevant,” he says.
Trade expert Atul Mohan, however, feels that cross-pollination has come and gone earlier, too. “In the ’70s and ’80s, actors such as Jeetendra and Sridevi would work in so many southern-language films, and the same amount in Hindi, too. Directors and producers would work here. And then it slowed down.”
However, exhibitor Akshaye Rathi doesn’t see this as just a trend. “This did happen a lot in the past — and it’s coming back now. And it will stay forever. Just look at (actors) Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR teaming up for War 2. When this happens, two massive markets get harnessed together,” he says.
INSIDERS TALK
It’s a matter of when that one film comes and collaboration across industries all starts again. If films like these don’t work as much, we might stop seeing the fascination with pan-India films.
- Atul Mohan, Trade Expert
Before Baahubali, people (in the north) would watch southern-language films on a TV channel and say ‘Achchi thi film’. Today, OTT has opened up things more.
- Shruti Haasan, Actor
Just look at Hrithik Roshan teaming up with Jr NTR for War 2. When this happens, two massive markets are harnessed at the same time.
- Akshaye Rathi, exhibitor
I refused 70-75 projects over 2.5 years to work on Hanuman-Teja Sajja
4:03 PM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 4, 2024)
The recent superhero film Hanuman took everyone by surprise with its long legs at the box office. Made on a budget of Rs. 40 crore, it managed to rake in over Rs. 200 crore, along with praise for its use of VFX. And Teja Sajja, who plays the lead, says a lot of sacrifice went into achieving this.
In the two-and-a-half years that it took for the film to be completed, Sajja didn’t take up other projects. “There were many opportunities I rejected; about 70-75 that came my way in this journey. At least 15 would have been considerably decent projects. But, I was always committed to Hanuman,” he shares.
Moreover, the budget constraint was a constant battle to tackle: “Once we started shooting, it was a very strenuous process for the action sequences. There are no head replacement shots, like [there are] in big budget films. Every stunt in the film was performed by me, even the underwater sequences. We didn’t have the budget, so I learnt scuba diving. We figured other ways to do crane shots.”
But, all that effort paid off and how. “After the first few premieres in Hyderabad itself, I saw an overwhelming response and didn’t even look at the box-office after that. Ultimately, numbers translate into the number of people who watched the film, so I am more happy about that,” he ends.
Here’s why Prasanth Varma is skeptical about big budgets after Hanuman
8:54 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 30, 2024)
Mounted on a budget of Rs. 40 crore, Prasanth Varma’s superhero film Hanuman has minted Rs. 250 crore at the global box office. At a time when films with enormous budgets fall flat both in VFX and collections, the Telugu movie has surprised one and all.
“I knew it will be liked by the audience when we watched it before the release. But the box-office numbers are something we never expected or aimed at. This will help me make one more film,” he says.
The National Film Award-winning filmmaker also directed the first-ever Telugu zombie horror film, Zombie Reddy (2021). Initially set to become a software engineer, he found his calling after directing a music video. “That video did well, so my friend said, ‘Let’s do more’. That led to me making the short film A Silent Melody,” says Varma.
Having made the most of a relatively small budget with Hanuman, does Varma see himself deliver even more spectacular stuff with a bigger purse? “After this film, people will not come to me with big budgets. They will say, ‘Itne kam mein bana diya hai toh zyaada kyun?’ [But] I will collaborate with people who believe in a big vision. I was down and out personally and professionally when I wanted to make Zombie Reddy. My producer then came to me and said, ‘What do you want to make?’ and I told him. He just said, ‘Sounds fun, let’s do it’. I was blessed to have such people back me,” says Varma, who has already announced the sequel to Hanuman.
I have modelled the eyes of Hanuman ji on Chiranjeevi sir’s face-Prasanth Varma
8:17 AM
With his film breaching the Rs 150 crore mark, Hanu-Man director says employing technology helped him make his limited-budget film seem larger than life
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 22, 2024)
With its worldwide gross income breaching the Rs. 150 crore mark, Prasanth Varma’s mythological superhero film Hanuman (Telugu), starring Teja Sajja, Amritha Iyer and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, has proved to be a dark horse. The director, who mounted the production on a limited budget of R40 crores, vouches for the power of VFX when highlighting how technology enhanced it.
“We used VFX only when it was required to elevate the experience, because the focus was on evoking the right emotions. We planned the shoot such that the film appeared to be driven by VFX, even though that’s not the case,” says Varma, further addressing speculation on whether Chiranjeevi played a cameo as Hanuman in the movie.
“I couldn’t find the courage to ask Chiru sir to do so. Hence, I used VFX. I have modelled the eyes of Hanuman ji on Chiru sir’s face.”
Varma admits that he finds the reception to his film rather surreal. “Our initial opinion was that if we only recovered the money that was invested in the film, we’d have the chance to make one more film with that amount,” he laughs, and adds, “Now that the film has done well, we plan to make a Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe—one of our own desi superheroes; those deeply rooted in our culture.”
His next edition, he reveals, will be titled Jai Hanuman. “There will be interesting characters who will lead every story, including Indradev, and Parushuram ji. Each main character of Indian history and mythology [will be presented to] the current generation. In this universe, Hanuman is from Andhra Pradesh, and the other superheroes will be from places like Kerala, Meghalaya, and Kolkata. The idea is to bring different superheroes from different languages and places, and yet, it will be dubbed in Telugu.”
As many as 20 scripts, he shares, are currently being written for this endeavour. “As we want to showcase six superheroes in phase one, their stories are ready. They are part of a parallel universe called Akhanda Bharat. The stories for Jai Hanuman and two more films are ready. We can start three films at the same time, with three different directors and technicians. We want to give opportunity to new talent.”
Varma’s film managed to set the cash registers ringing, even though he claims he got less than a 10 per cent-share of seat allotment in theatres, given that the film clashed with Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Kaaram. “That was heart-breaking. But we were always confident about the film.”
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 813
11:12 AM
WILL MAIN ATAL HOON SUCCEED AT THE BOX OFFICE?
Last week’s big release Merry Christmas failed to entice the audience despite appreciation. It opened at Rs. 2 crores and it was expected to see a jump on Saturday and Sunday. While collections jumped to Rs. 3 crores on Saturday, on Sunday, the jump was minimal as it collected Rs. 3.25 crores. Then, there was an expected drop in the weekdays. The first week's collections are expected to be around Rs. 12-13 crores. This week, the competition is minimal and hence, the makers should hope that the film can cross the Rs. 20 crore mark for a respectable lifetime total.
Hanuman’s Hindi version arrived with very limited promotion and noise. But it emerged as a surprise. It also opened at Rs. 2 crores. The collections then saw a rise – Rs. 3.75 crores on Saturday and Rs. 5.75 crores on Sunday. The Monday and Tuesday collections were Rs. 3.75 crores and Rs. 2.50 crores respectively. In short, the weekday collections are more than that of Friday. This shows that the film has been accepted. It’ll get a huge number of shows in the second week. While the first week's collections are around Rs. 22 crores, the second week's earnings might be more. At this rate, Hanuman’s lifetime can be in the range of Rs. 50-60 crores or even higher.
Meanwhile, the new release this week is Main Atal Hoon. It stars Pankaj Tripathi in the role of the ex-Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Famous Marathi director Ravi Jadhav, who also made Sushmita Sen-starrer Taali, helms the biopic. The trailer of the film is intriguing and Pankaj seems to have done a great job. Though there’s a lot of awareness about the film, the excitement is minimal. The ticket sales until now have not been encouraging at all.
As a result, the opening might be around Rs. 1 crore or even less. But such films can go anywhere. If it gets political support like The Kashmir Files, then the collections can jump significantly. Moreover, it releases in the week when the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated. This can also benefit the film in some way. On the other hand, it’ll have just six days to score as the big release of the month, Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, will release next Thursday.
Last week’s big release Merry Christmas failed to entice the audience despite appreciation. It opened at Rs. 2 crores and it was expected to see a jump on Saturday and Sunday. While collections jumped to Rs. 3 crores on Saturday, on Sunday, the jump was minimal as it collected Rs. 3.25 crores. Then, there was an expected drop in the weekdays. The first week's collections are expected to be around Rs. 12-13 crores. This week, the competition is minimal and hence, the makers should hope that the film can cross the Rs. 20 crore mark for a respectable lifetime total.
Hanuman’s Hindi version arrived with very limited promotion and noise. But it emerged as a surprise. It also opened at Rs. 2 crores. The collections then saw a rise – Rs. 3.75 crores on Saturday and Rs. 5.75 crores on Sunday. The Monday and Tuesday collections were Rs. 3.75 crores and Rs. 2.50 crores respectively. In short, the weekday collections are more than that of Friday. This shows that the film has been accepted. It’ll get a huge number of shows in the second week. While the first week's collections are around Rs. 22 crores, the second week's earnings might be more. At this rate, Hanuman’s lifetime can be in the range of Rs. 50-60 crores or even higher.
Meanwhile, the new release this week is Main Atal Hoon. It stars Pankaj Tripathi in the role of the ex-Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Famous Marathi director Ravi Jadhav, who also made Sushmita Sen-starrer Taali, helms the biopic. The trailer of the film is intriguing and Pankaj seems to have done a great job. Though there’s a lot of awareness about the film, the excitement is minimal. The ticket sales until now have not been encouraging at all.
As a result, the opening might be around Rs. 1 crore or even less. But such films can go anywhere. If it gets political support like The Kashmir Files, then the collections can jump significantly. Moreover, it releases in the week when the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated. This can also benefit the film in some way. On the other hand, it’ll have just six days to score as the big release of the month, Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, will release next Thursday.
(Crisp) Movie Review: HANUMAN by FENIL SETA
10:58 PM
Hanuman is a fairly entertaining flick, on the lines of Karthikeya 2, as it blends mythology with a modern-day tale of good vs bad. The film takes a while to build up but once it does, it makes for a nice, massy experience. Certain scenes are clap and whistle worthy. At the same time, the goings-on is a bit clichéd and give a been-there-done-that feeling. The ending doesn't make you go ‘Wow’, as intended. Teja Sajja delivers an entertaining performance and ably plays the part of the main lead. Amritha Aiyer looks lovely and does fine. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar is rocking as the hero’s sister. Vinay Rai is a bit over the top as the villain. Vennela Kishore (Siri) leaves a mark. Getup Srinu (Kasi) hams but raises laughs too. Raj Deepak Shetty (Gajapati) is okay. All in all, Hanuman is a decent timepass entertainer.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
For Hanuman, I used to do close to 25 takes for each shot while hanging from ropes-Teja Sajja
10:35 AM
Hanu-Man’s leading man Teja says he had to do 25 takes of each action sequence to get the perfect shot that would then be enhanced by AI
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 12, 2024)
For director Prasanth Varma, Hanu-Man is a passion project. He found the perfect collaborator in Teja Sajja, who plays a modern-day superhero infused with the power of Hanuman. Fronting the ambitious project was a matter of pride for the Telugu actor, but on the ground level, it was a tough shoot. Despite extensive VFX to aid the storytelling, Sajja says pulling off the action sequences was taxing.
“It was a physically demanding film. We shot the movie for about 120 days, out of which 70 days were about filming action scenes. I suffered many injuries. Prasanth is someone who won’t compromise on [his shots]. I used to do close to 25 takes for each shot while hanging from ropes because the timing of the camera, movement of the rope and landing positions [had to be perfect],” says the actor.
With Hanu-Man, the director has married Artificial Intelligence (AI) apps with storytelling. Last June, mid-day had reported how Varma and his AI prompt engineers utilized Midjourney to design the film’s posters (How AI gives birth to a new team of prompt engineers in Indian cinema, June 11).
Impressed by the results, Varma assembled a team that could harness the power of AI technology to create the superhero movie. The director shares, “The work of the AI team is not restricted to storytelling. In fact, for Hanu-Man, we created one character entirely on AI and then used 3D modelling to complete the final look.”
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 812
10:38 AM
WILL MERRY CHRISTMAS BE 2024’S FIRST HIT?
The first major film of 2024, Merry Christmas, is all set to release tomorrow. It stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead and is directed by Sriram Raghavan. The filmmaker has gone on a high with the success of Andhadhun. That film was a sleeper hit, collecting Rs. 73.37 crores. Hence, there are hopes from Merry Christmas that it can also surprise.
Merry Christmas is a bi-lingual film and also has a Tamil version. Interestingly, the supporting actors in both versions are different and the Tamil version is also slightly different than the Hindi one. The trailer is intriguing and thankfully, doesn’t give much about the film’s plot or its suspense. At the same time, the excitement for the film is limited. The songs haven’t worked. A few weeks earlier, it seemed like Merry Christmas would open at Rs. 4-5 crores.
Now, it seems like the thriller will have an opening of Rs. 2.50-3 crores. This shouldn’t be a problem because Andhadhun also opened at Rs. 2.45 crores and then collections jumped to Rs. 5 crores on Saturday as the positive word spread. Its Monday earnings were more than that of Friday. Merry Christmas can also similarly see a jump and can sustain even after Fighter’s release. However, if the film gets thumbs down, it’ll struggle.
The other major release is Hanuman, a Telugu film which has been dubbed in Hindi. The teaser was released several months back and caught attention. But the film hasn’t been able to make any noise in Hindi. It has got a wide release but the ticket sales are hardly there. It seems like it'll be another South dubbed film that will bite the dust.
The first major film of 2024, Merry Christmas, is all set to release tomorrow. It stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead and is directed by Sriram Raghavan. The filmmaker has gone on a high with the success of Andhadhun. That film was a sleeper hit, collecting Rs. 73.37 crores. Hence, there are hopes from Merry Christmas that it can also surprise.
Merry Christmas is a bi-lingual film and also has a Tamil version. Interestingly, the supporting actors in both versions are different and the Tamil version is also slightly different than the Hindi one. The trailer is intriguing and thankfully, doesn’t give much about the film’s plot or its suspense. At the same time, the excitement for the film is limited. The songs haven’t worked. A few weeks earlier, it seemed like Merry Christmas would open at Rs. 4-5 crores.
Now, it seems like the thriller will have an opening of Rs. 2.50-3 crores. This shouldn’t be a problem because Andhadhun also opened at Rs. 2.45 crores and then collections jumped to Rs. 5 crores on Saturday as the positive word spread. Its Monday earnings were more than that of Friday. Merry Christmas can also similarly see a jump and can sustain even after Fighter’s release. However, if the film gets thumbs down, it’ll struggle.
The other major release is Hanuman, a Telugu film which has been dubbed in Hindi. The teaser was released several months back and caught attention. But the film hasn’t been able to make any noise in Hindi. It has got a wide release but the ticket sales are hardly there. It seems like it'll be another South dubbed film that will bite the dust.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)