Walking into 2026, Vikram Malhotra knew it would be a busy year. The producer is days away from the release of his Anil Kapoor-starrer Subedaar, followed by Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Triptii Dimri’s comedy Maa Behen, and the Kapoor and Vijay Varma-led series Family Business. Putting together projects headlined by stars can be a fulfilling as well as demanding experience. The latter, especially now, when the rising entourage costs of many A-list actors have become a cause for concern for producers.

When asked whether actors should pay their entourage from their pockets, Malhotra was clear about his stance.

“Actors should participate directly or indirectly in a film’s economic benefit and risk. The participation includes everything — from fees, entourage, working hours to the emotional commitment towards a film. To me, demand for a large entourage or disproportionate fee is a message of intent,” he shared.

Many producers have claimed that stars nowadays make unreasonable demands. But Malhotra believes a maker always has the choice to not work with such artistes.

“No actor puts a gun to the producer’s head, forcing them to cast them. I’ve had the good fortune of working with newcomers to superstars, and we’ve had only the best, most reasonable people partners. If a part of the value chain is unreasonable in commercial or non-commercial terms, it’s a choice you exercise [to not work with them]. In my experience, talents that persist with unreasonable demands and behaviour don’t last long. Most of the time, these examples [of producers being burdened by high costs] are self-inflicted. The producers could say no, they didn’t.”

Mumbai: Bollywood's getting ready for a blockbuster year. Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, Sunny Deol, Ranbir Kapoor all have releases lined up, in what's going to be the most superstar-heavy lineup of films since before the pandemic. A broad range of big-budget Hindi titles are scheduled to hit theatres, complemented by a strong slate of regional movies and Hollywood offerings.

Down south, Rajnikanth, Vijay, Yash, Prabhas, and Kamal Haasan have movies coming up, apart from which Mammootty and Mohanlal will be seen together in a movie (Patriot) for the first time in 17 years.

Producers, distributors, and trade analysts are predicting a record haul, extending the buoyant momentum after a reassuring 2025. Net box office receipts may surge 25-30%, reaching Rs. 14,052 crore to Rs. 14,614 crore in 2026, from Rs. 11,242 crore last year, going by some of the more conservative estimates.

"2026 could be the year of highest box office collection for the Indian film industry," said Vikram Malhotra, founder and CEO, Abundantia Entertainment. "Beyond the conventional big-star films, 2026 will be about films which will connect deeply with audiences. I see sleeper hits become monsters at the box office. In addition, genre experiments will find takers."

A key reason for the industry optimism is the wide array of movies lined up this year. These include Ramayana, Love & War, Lahore 1947, King, Battle Of Galwan, Drishyam 3, Dhurandhar 2 and Border 2. Highly anticipated regional films include Jailer 2, Jana Nayagan, Toxic. Hollywood films such as The Odyssey, Dune: Part Three, Moana, Avengers: Doomsday, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are also expected to boost box office receipts.

"Even by conservative estimates, the Indian box office collection may grow at least in the range of 25-30% in 2026 compared to 2025 because of diverse offerings across Hindi, regional and Hollywood," said Girish Johar, film producer and industry expert.

The number of superstar releases is another reason for the optimism. "2026 is indeed a big year," said Navin Shah, joint MD, EMC Solutions Worldwide, a leading company in branded entertainment. "It is important to note that most superstars such as Ranbir Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Sunny Deol have either one or two releases in a single year. This is happening after a long time."

Trade analysts predict the share of Hindi films in net box office collection to climb to 45-50% this year, from a historical average of 35-40%. Premium ticket pricing will also drive growth.

"There is at least one notable film which is either VFX-driven spectacle or has a big superstar in every quarter of 2026," said Shaaminder Malik, film distributor and trade analyst. "This provides room for premium ticket pricing, especially for formats such as IMAX and 4DX, thereby boosting total box office collection."

Growing Gen Z attendance at movie theatres is also boosting industry confidence, said producers. "Apart from a fantastic lineup, a big positive for the industry is the theatre attendance of Gen Z audience, which increased by 25% in 2025. This trend is likely to continue in 2026," said Sunir Kheterpal, producer, Athena E&M.

The Indian film industry saw broader and diverse success across genres, themes and movie lengths in 2025, with audiences favouring strong storylines over star casts, industry executives told ET.

Net box-office collection of the Indian film industry grew to Rs. 10,453 crore in 2025, up by 12% from 2024, data gathered by ET from the website of box office research firm Sacnilk showed. For Hindi films, net box-office collection grew by 20% to Rs. 4,792.7 crore.

Experts said there was a palpable shift in the way audiences responded to films.

"Today's audience has a mind of its own. The control has shifted in the hands of audiences in terms of what, when and where they will watch content. They are clear about this," said Vikram Malhotra, founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment.

"These elements have reset and defied the norms in which Hindi films will be made. The success of Dhurandhar, which is the highest grosser of 2025 (net Rs. 668 crore), is a key example. It was written off much before its release. But audiences have lapped it up."

Producers said that audiences showed an inclination towards watching films in theatres and were not "particularly" focused on the "length" of films.

"There has been increasing traction for rooted stories speaking inclusively to the Indian heartland as well. And contrary to earlier belief of keeping a film's length to around two hours, 2025 has shown that the length of a film does not matter to the audience," said Sunir Kheterpal, producer, Athena E&M.

In 2025, 14 Hindi films, most of which were over two hours log, grossed more than Rs. 100 crore at the box office. In comparison, 2024 had 10 films which grossed more than Rs. 100 crore. The smash hits of 2025, such as Saiyaara, Mahavatar Narsimha, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Tere Ishk Mein, Chhaava and Dhurandhar, showed that audiences across geographies preferred "stories" over star cast and that a film's size has a little role to play in its success.

"2025 proved that scale alone doesn't guarantee success. Several big-ticket titles underperformed, while mid-budget, content-led films quietly delivered returns," said Suneil Wadhwa, co-founder and director, Karmic Films. "2025 wasn't about volume. It was about conviction, clarity of positioning and timing."

In addition to these aspects, consistent failure of solely business-focused franchise films, and increasing success of films across genres such as romance (Saiyaara), animation (Mahavatar Narsimha), anime (Demon Slayer) and mythology (Chhaava) are a few developments which showed that audiences are looking for value-for-money entertainment and not just a visit to theatres.

Lastly, 2025 also saw the standout performance of Hollywood films such as F1: The Movie, Avatar: Fire And Ash, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Jurassic World: Rebirth. Consequently, the net collection of Hollywood films in India grew by 42% from 2024 to Rs. 673.2 crore in 2025.

Mumbai: Aamir Khan Productions has partnered with YouTube to release Sitaare Zameen Par on a pay-per-view basis in a potentially significant move, said people familiar with the development.

This marks the first time in recent memory a Hindi film featuring a major star has not been licensed to a dominant subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform such as Netflix, Prime Video or JioHotstar, opting instead for a pay-per-view strategy via the world's largest video platform.

Industry sources say Aamir Khan is tapping into the pay-per-view window, which has been a phenomenon globally but remains underutilized in India. However, they noted that it's still unclear how long he will delay the SVOD release following the pay-per-view window.

Aamir Khan Productions and YouTube declined to comment.

The film is likely to move to YouTube early next month. While the industry typically follows an eight-week window for streaming on SVOD platforms, Khan recently said that all his films will follow a six-month theatrical run to protect box office revenues. The film was released on June 20 in theatres.

"It's a bold move by an A-list star, and all eyes will be on how much the film can earn from pay-per-view, as well as how long Aamir Khan plans to keep it there before releasing it on an SVOD platform," said Shariq Patel, former CEO of Zee Studios.

Film is expected to be priced at Rs. 99.

Netflix and Prime Video continue to dominate India's post-theatrical streaming market. According to Media Partners Asia, producers' streaming revenues have grown to 1.5 times their net theatrical share, making it a critical monetisation channel.

However, the FICCI-EY 2025 report shows that streaming rights revenue in India fell to Rs. 3,100 crore, down from Rs. 3,500 crore in 2023 and Rs. 3,300 crore in 2022, as platforms cut back on content spending in pursuit of profitability.

Still, not everyone sees this as a replicable model. Abundantia Entertainment CEO Vikram Malhotra noted that such an approach may work better for mid-budget films than big-budget ones, which often depend on upfront OTT deals for financial recovery. "Therefore, it's unlikely to serve as a viable financial model across the board, especially for films with higher break-even points. That said, it's an interesting and important experiment whose impact and sustainability will become clearer over time," he said.

Suniel Wadhwa, a veteran distributor, cofounder and director of Karmic Films, said: "Film distribution through YouTube may not be remunerative for all actors or producers. It is a long-gestation affair. It will work only for well-established or A-list actors who have a huge or unique following. Besides this, it will be a practical alternative only for producers who have capacity to wait and earn revenues in the long-term."

Sitaare Zameen Par is said to have been made on a budget of under Rs. 100 crore. As an in-house production, Khan has reportedly waived his fee, potentially making the model more viable. The film has collected Rs. 166.2 crore in India and Rs. 263.7 crore worldwide, according to box office tracker Sacnilk.

Malhotra added that while the pay-per-view model has been tried before, it hasn't gained traction, largely because audiences favour subscription platforms offering a wider content library.

Ajay Phutane, a veteran of film distribution and marketing, said digital distribution is becoming increasingly important as theatre footfalls decline post-pandemic.

"The fall in theatrical viewership is directly tied to the rise in digital subscribers," he said. "A Rs. 99 pay-per-view release on YouTube is a significant step, especially given its vast reach. With many single screens shut and limited theatres in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, YouTube offers a more economical and convenient alternative as viewers can watch at their own time, place, and pace."

What’s Hansal Mehta’s next after Gandhi, said to be his most ambitious work to date? Murmurs over the past few months suggested that in a departure from his penchant for real-life stories, the filmmaker was set to explore a business drama (New show on the cards, Feb 21). Now, mid-day has learnt that Mehta is ready to take the web series on floors in Sri Lanka this month. The Netflix offering, starring Anil Kapoor and Vijay Varma, tells the story of power, money, and morals through two business rivals whose ugly clash sends shockwaves in the financial world.

Last month, Mehta apparently headed to Sri Lanka for a recce for the big-budget drama that is produced by Vikram Malhotra.

A source reveals, “Hansal and Vikram are keeping everything under wraps. With Anil and Vijay playing high-flying business magnates, the series will be shot across Mumbai, Sri Lanka, Serbia, and Georgia. The series — written by Niren Bhatt, Ankur Pathak, and Nikhil Nair — is an incisive look at the cut-throat nature of today’s financial world, where money, manipulation, and greed are part of the game. Anil and Vijay’s characters, though ruthless in their individual pursuit of power and wealth, are shown to have contrasting ideologies and work ethics. That sets the stage for a showdown, and the story follows how they take on each other. If things go as planned, it will be shot in a straight schedule from June to September.”

Joining the male leads in the drama are Neha Dhupia and Raima Sen. “Hansal is bringing together an eclectic ensemble cast. Neha and Raima portray strong women who wield power in their own way and exert influence in the big boys’ club,” adds the source.

From Shahid (2012) to Aligarh (2015), from Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) to Scoop (2023), Mehta has created an enviable filmography based on true stories. However, the source says that this time, the creator-director has built a fictional world, one set in a field rarely seen on Indian screens. 

“While the West has had sterling business dramas, Indian OTT entertainment hasn’t quite explored the genre. Hansal and Vikram wanted to tap into the genre by weaving a tale of ambition and betrayal.” 

mid-day reached out to Malhotra and Mehta. Both remained unavailable for comment.

Even as Bollywood faced a tough 2024 - grappling with poor performance of movies - creative challenges and funding shortages continued to impact fresh content production.

"Even as the year ends, no fresh films are starting production," said a veteran producer. "Creatively, makers lack confidence in original scripts and are stuck rewriting or reviewing them. On the funding side, the financing pool has significantly shrunk, adding to the industry's challenges."

In 2024, concept-driven mid-sized Hindi films like Munjya, Stree 2 and Shaitaan exceeded trade expectations and became box office successes. In contrast, big-budget films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Maidaan and Fighter underperformed, struggling to attract audiences and falling short of trade circuit expectations.

In 2024, according to Sacnilk, a box office data research firm, the total gross collection of Hindi films fell by 25.1% to Rs. 4,535.89 crore when compared to 2023.

Studios, typically producing 30 films annually and a key funding source for fresh Hindi films, have adopted a cautious wait-and-watch approach due to the poor performance of films in recent years.

Vikram Malhotra, founder & CEO, Abundantia Entertainment said, "There is a growing absence of studios that can actively fund films. A few years ago, several studios were backing projects. But today, most, if not all of them, are either in full stop or in pause mode." He added that this is a cause for grave concern as without these strategic players, the industry cannot attain a sustainable scale.

A wave of consolidation among major studios, including the merger of Star-Disney and Viacom18, has reduced the number of studios financing films.

Global studios are also in wait-and-watch mode, prioritizing home markets that yield higher revenues and subscriber growth over the Indian market.

Film funding through satellite or television rights has become a major challenge. A producer said, "Broadcasters are not investing in films as viewership has declined. The slowdown in advertising, shrinking pay TV homes, and the growing popularity of streamers have forced channels to halve the prices they pay for films."

Banks' interest in financing films has significantly declined. Industry veteran Sanjay Bhandari noted, "In the past seven years, public sector banks financed fewer than 10 films annually, compared to 20-25 films each year between 2001 and 2010." He attributed this drop to poor Hindi film performance and outdated financing policies, with banks charging 10-12% interest rates on film loans.

The recourse to private financing, which largely includes individual financiers, is expensive for producers as these financiers charge two times the interest rates banks charge on film loans.

Amid these challenges, funding for fresh films now heavily relies on streaming and music rights. However, streamers, despite needing fresh content to retain subscribers, have become more selective. Their budgets for acquiring or commissioning films have dropped by 40% from pandemic levels, and the cost per film from producers has been slashed by 40-50%. As a result, streamers are backing only a limited number of fresh films.

Despite challenges, experts predict streaming platforms will remain a key source of film funding. The FICCI-EY 2024 report estimates a 20% growth in revenues from streaming rights sales, reaching Rs. 4,200 crore by 2026. Optimistic producers view the current financing crunch as temporary, expecting the landscape to improve within six months.

"Once Zee5 is back and the merged JioStar entity enters the ring, we will be back to a full-throttled democratic market with more options, more players and more uptakes," said Tanuj Garg, managing partner, Ellipsis Entertainment, a production house. "Currently, there is disproportionate pressure on active players such as Netflix and Amazon Prime from filmmakers to seek financing from the sale of streaming rights."

Suresh Triveni’s Jalsa, which released in March 2022, was appreciated by critics and audiences alike. The movie won the filmmaker praise for his direction and also the lead actors – Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah – for their performances. In April 2022, Suresh announced the launch of his creative studio and production house, Opening Image, in partnership with Vikram Malhotra-led Abundantia Entertainment, to make films and series.

After Tumhari Sulu (2017) and Jalsa, Suresh is now ready to entertain the audience with his next two directorial ventures. While one film is an action drama, the other one is a dramedy with an element of thrill that explores questions of identity in today’s world. Though details about both films are being kept under wraps, they will feature prominent A-list actors and roll within the next 12 months. Beyond Suresh’s directorial films, there is an exciting slate of content in development with young writers and creators.

Suresh Triveni, director and founder of Opening Image, says, “Our vision is to create disruptive stories and provide a platform that encourages young talent to tell their stories. We want to build a community that provides an ecosystem for storytellers to flourish. On my individual front, I am excited to be back in the director’s chair and along with my team offer fresh stories to audiences across the world. The partnership with Abundantia Entertainment and Vikram is growing from strength to strength, and we’re having a great time telling stories together where each one of us brings complimentary skills to the mix.”

Vikram Malhotra, founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, adds, “Suresh and Opening Image are truly building a forward-looking, audience-focused creative community and ecosystem like no other. It’s amazing to see the progress that they have made in such short time and heartening to see the platform that it is providing to upcoming writers and directors. On another note, I am super excited about the shape Suresh’s directorial films are taking. . . unique and entertaining.”

This year, the Hindi film industry has seen more shockers than surprises. Some highly anticipated – even heavily promoted – films saw a tepid response at the box office. On the other hand, south films like Vikram and Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 are sending cash registers ringing across India, while RRR is making waves globally. It’s also been an especially good year for the Kannada film industry, that gave hits like KGF - Chapter 2 and Kantara.

In Hindi film industry, while Gangubai Kathiawadi, The Kashmir Files, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Brahmastra and Drishyam 2 struck gold, there were also many disappointments.

Still, the industry insiders says that it has been a year of immense learning, and one that is winding up with a lot of hope and promise. In a panel discussion, filmmakers, exhibitors and trade experts discuss the ups and downs of 2022, the myths that need to be busted and how the chaos has given them clarity for the way ahead. Excerpts:

Kamal Gianchandani, CEO, PVR Pictures, agrees that the exhibition industry has been slow to recover since the pandemic. However, he adds, “I think, for the lack of a better word, there has been a lot of negativity in the media about people not going to the theatres in big numbers. It is maybe partly correct for some languages, but for the whole cinema exhibition business, when you compare 2022 with 2019 (pre-COVID times), the admissions are down only by 10-15%.”

Having said that, he says that the box office collections are where they were in 2019, since ticket prices have gone up by 14-15% or more. “One could argue that we have lost out on business from 2020 to 2022, therefore, the collections now should have been 10-15% more, but we, as exhibitors, are taking solace in the fact that people have gone back to the theaters in such large numbers despite the two year-break. It’s true that a good number of films in several languages – Hindi films most notably – have underperformed. But it’s also true that our business is of peaks and valleys and we have had similar phases in the past. We are drawing a lot of confidence and inspiration from the learnings of 2022, and I think 2023 will hopefully correct some of the anomalies that we have seen in Hindi cinema and some other languages,” says Kamal.

Director Abhishek Pathak, who delivered one of the biggest Bollywood hits of the year with Drishyam 2, which he also produced, excitedly adds, “I think Drishyam 2 broke the myth that only spectacle films are bringing back the audience. We didn’t rely on songs or heavy promotions. It is pure content that drove the audience to watch the film. The franchise also has a fan following that helped the film. Today, the audience knows what they want to watch. The myth that people won’t come to the theatres has been broken. People don’t want to sit at home and watch movies on OTT all day, they want to go out and watch films on the big screen.”

Director and producer Nikkhil Advani whose Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures has backed films like Batla House, Marjaavaan, Indoo Ki Jawani and the web series like Unpaused, is convinced that a certain section of people can’t control the narrative anymore,

“The big learning this year has been that the spin doctors have to pack up their business. They can’t spin anything. Pre-pandemic there was the notion that they could control the narrative by putting out reviews, ratings and influencers to talk about the film. You can’t rely on that anymore. The guy who has paid for the ticket is on a chat group where he will send a message to 300 other people and by evening, the word will be out. Why did people go to watch KGF 2, RRR, Kantara? It is because they felt they would get value for their money. The narrative has now become universal. I think 2023 is going to be a big year.”

Vikram Malhotra, CEO and founder, Abundantia Entertainment, who has backed films Ram Setu, Jalsa and Shakuntala Devi, is all charged up about the slate of films in the coming year and believes that the recent learnings have given him a lot of clarity for the way ahead. He says, “I am walking into 2023 with some mixed feelings, but a whole lot of clarity. Mixed feelings because we are coming out of a challenging year, especially for the Hindi film industry, but what we are positively happy about is that there’s an absolute demand and people are willing to come to the theatres in big numbers. An industry goes into a challenging situation and existential crisis when the demand dries up. What we are seeing with films like Drishyam 2 is that people are willing to come in and spend their time and money, provided they see value in it. The reason I am saying we have some clarity is because we know content is what is pulling people back to the theaters. We even know that the conventional markers of what would draw people to the theatres and result in success – whether it was star appeal, budgets, or genres – we have to throw all of that out of the window. For the last decade or so we have been dealing with truckloads of myths. Self-created myths and markers – like ‘this hero will work or won’t deliver’, ‘this genre will work’, et al. What we now know is that we cannot go back to the audience with sub-standard content or take them for granted.

Stressing how the second half of 2022 brought a lot more stability with it, Akshaye Rathi, Director, Saroj Screens, explains, “The first half of 2022 was shaky, but in the second half, we started seeing a degree of stabilization and consistency, in terms of footfalls. Earlier this year, we were seeing a lot of mid-segment films not making any impact at all. But films like Bhediya, which is still running, brought back the audience for the non-tent-pole films. There was a notion that only films like KGF - Chapter 2 and Brahmastra would work, so it was good to see Bhediya do well, and Drishyam 2 perform exceedingly well. Let’s face the fact that the two years of sitting at home and consuming online content changed the audience’s palate. Unfortunately, a lot of movies that were made before the pandemic had to bear the brunt of rejection from the audience. The failures and successes of all these films will make our industry and our entire value chain wiser. We are now moving towards consistency and we will end the year with a bang.”

Excited about the bouquet of films awaiting us on the other side of 2022, trade analyst Girish Johar says, “I am bullish about 2023. We have big titles coming our way, also from the Hindi film industry (which has taken a beating this year). The other languages have come up in a big way too. Today, the screen no longer matters, it’s the content that is the key here. Earlier we would say that the audience can see the trailer and decide, now we say that they can smell the product. One thing I see increasingly diminishing is the language barrier. Earlier, the audience who consumed Hindi movies knew of Rajinikanth, Mohanlal sir and a few big south stars. Today, so many of them are household names. It is a positive sign.”

Since the launch of its first season starring R Madhavan and Amit Sadh in 2018, the gripping drama-thriller, Breathe has captured the imagination of the audience and introduced them to a new style of thrilling storytelling. The franchise continued to garner praises with its second season in 2020, Breathe -  Into The Shadows, which also marked the digital debut of Abhishek Bachchan. And now, a month after its release, the third season continues to make waves.

Following the success of this franchise, the creators — Mayank Sharma and Abundantia Entertainment — have extended their association. Mayank is all set to make his directorial feature film debut with a thrilling action-drama. Scripting is currently underway and the yet-untitled film is expected to go on floors in the second half of 2023.

Vikram Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, says, “I have seen Mayank transform into a world-class creator and can’t wait for him to bring to life another unique, thrilling story, this time in the feature film format.”

On making his directorial feature film debut, Mayank says, “As I step into directing duties for my first film, I am delighted to extend my partnership with Abundantia Entertainment and Vikram as they truly believe in giving the best platform to their creators to deliver their vision. Once again, I hope to keep the audience on the edge of their seat.”

In its young journey, Abundantia Entertainment has achieved an impressive track record of producing audience-focused, impactful content that includes films like the recently released Ram Setu, Jalsa, Chhorii, Sherni and Shakuntala Devi, as well as films in its early years like Airlift, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Baby. Apart from the Breathe franchise, its original series slate boasts of the acclaimed Hush Hush (2022) and an exciting list of upcoming titles.

Its 2023 line-up features films like — the Hindi remake of the critically acclaimed blockbuster, Soorarai Pottru jointly produced with superstar Suriya’s production house; Anu Menon’s murder-mystery, Neeyat, with an ensemble cast led by Vidya Balan; Sukhee with Shilpa Shetty Kundra in the lead; the sequel to the successful horror film Chhorii as well as series The End, which will mark the streaming debut of Akshay Kumar and a multiseason crime drama, based on the bestselling Rita Ferreira books

Producer of some of the most entertaining and impactful films of recent times, such as Jalsa, Sherni, Shakuntala Devi, Chhorii, Toilet – Ek Prem Katha, Missing and Airlift, Abundantia Entertainment is now set to present a thrilling tale of true crime, which will be directed by Jai Mehta. The young filmmaker has been the co-director of the acclaimed and much-loved web show Scam 1992. Having earlier played an instrumental creative role in films like Omerta, Aligarh, Gangs of Wasseypur 1 & 2, Citylights and Simran, Jai is currently gearing up for the release of his much-anticipated original series Lootere.

Abundantia Entertainment and Jai have begun work on a thrilling and engaging story of true crime that is set against the backdrop of middle India and deals with the re-telling of the story of one of the most challenging crimes ever dealt with by the Indian investigative agencies.

Founder & CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, Vikram Malhotra, says, “Empowering and enabling unique storytelling voices, especially young and disruptive ones, is a core focus at Abundantia Entertainment. I have been a big admirer of Jai’s work, and I am super excited that he joins our family to bring to screen this unique and thrilling tale. We’ve always been keen to explore the true crime genre with an Indian sensibility and I am delighted that this is taking shape with Jai’s film.”

Jai shares, “As a storyteller, I’ve always been fascinated by the depths of the human mind and the extent of its deviousness. Also, being an avid consumer of content in the true crime genre, I’m drawn to this blend of thrill and emotional impact. This film is not just based on a true story but also has a set of riveting characters and twists and turns that are set to keep the audience on the edges of their seats all through. I’m equally excited to partner with Vikram and his team as I’ve seen them support and enable differentiated work and make their films connect strong and wide. ”

For producer Vikram Malhotra, Ram Setu is more than the sum of storytelling, budgets and visual effects. “It is about heart and vision,” he says. Abhishek Sharma’s directorial venture sees Akshay Kumar as archaeologist Dr Aryan Kulshrestha who races against time to prove the existence of the Ram Setu.

Given the subject, the makers knew that detailed research would be key to telling the story. Malhotra says, “[We] consulted Dr Pushkar Bhatnagar’s book, Dating The Era Of Lord Ram, which is considered an authority on astrological understanding related to the Ramayana. Abhishek and team engaged with experts in the fields of archaeology, sonar imaging, carbon dating, geology, and marine exploration. The research team also studied ancient and modern history maps, including those housed in the museum at Thanjavur that have shed light on how the Ram Setu was depicted and how its name was changed to Adam’s Bridge under the British [rule].”

While Sharma wielded the directorial baton for the action adventure, also starring Jacqueline Fernandez and Nushrratt Bharuccha, Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi was brought in as the creative producer. “Dr Dwivedi played an important part in bridging the areas of history and spirituality with his extensive research over decades,” says the producer.

Announced in November 2020, the project went on floors in March 2021. “The film was shot over almost 16 months, and then the elaborate process of perfecting the VFX took over.”

For the director, the film was born from a single concern: “Through their imaging, NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] showed that there is a bridge that exists. But no in-depth expedition has ever been commissioned underwater on Ram Setu,” he states.

Through the movie, Sharma wanted to explore the subject further. “Ram Setu, the film, is a convergence of science, history, geography and the Ramayana. In the film, we have shown — in a way that it appeals to the audience — how carbon dating is done on rocks and fossils under the sea.”

Authenticity was their top priority as they showed Kumar’s archaeologist character undertaking this ambitious task. “Akshay sir learnt everything patiently from the geologists and archaeologists who were with us at our filming locations. We’d consult them during the shoot. We first tried to use a real Exosuit [a specialised suit that enables archaeologists to stay underwater for long]. But since it is difficult to wear one and shoot, we had a replica made.”

Abhishek Sharma and Vikram Malhotra

Amazon Prime Video today announced the release date of its upcoming Amazon Original Movie Jalsa. The streaming service also unveiled the intense first look of the lead actors — Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah. The movie is directed by Suresh Triveni and is jointly produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar of T-Series, Vikram Malhotra and Shikhaa Sharma of Abundantia Entertainment and Suresh Triveni. The film will have a global premiere on the streaming service on March 18.

Manish Menghani, Head, Content Licensing, Amazon Prime Video, said, “When selecting stories, we look for authenticity and freshness. Stories that are nuanced and beyond conventional storytelling are finding viewership worldwide. In a fine blend of drama and thrill, Jalsa offers a truly differentiated story, made better by performances from a brilliant cast. The film marks another milestone in our long-running, successful collaboration with Abundantia Entertainment after titles like Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Chhorii and more. We are delighted to play home to another one of Vidya’s stellar performances, that audiences are sure to love.”

Vikram Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment said, “Impactful storytelling blended with engaging entertainment is at the core of what we do. Featuring two of the finest actors of our times, Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah, Suresh has woven Jalsa into a brilliant narrative of complex emotions, well-etched characters and a gripping pace. I am also excited to extend our successful partnership with Prime Video after Shakuntala Devi, Sherni and Chhorii and look forward to the global premiere of Jalsa across 240 countries and territories across the world.”

The film is touted to be an engaging and captivating tale of conflict, as shown through the life of a top-line journalist and her cook. The movie promises spellbinding performances and a nerve-wracking storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you intrigued.

One of India’s finest and most progressive content creators, Abundantia Entertainment led by Vikram Malhotra, has joined hands with actor-producer Vijay Babu’s prolific Malayalam production company, Friday Film House, to remake the latter’s critically-acclaimed and heart-warming Malayalam film #Home in Hindi.

The film is an emotional story of Oliver Twist, a technologically challenged father who attempts to reconnect with his children in today’s digital world. It evocatively captures the nuances of how social media affects relationships in our society. The film became an instant hit on its recent premiere on a streaming platform and boasts of a phenomenal rating online owing to high viewership.

The two companies had earlier come together to remake the cult Malayalam film Angamaly Diaries in Hindi, which is presently in pre-production. In a light-hearted and bittersweet narrative, #Home effectively portrays the ever-increasing influence that digital devices have on our lives, including an entire generation’s struggle with technology, modern relationships that are forged online and how we sometimes miss out on the real and extraordinary stories around us while we are focused online.

In its young journey, Abundantia Entertainment has notched up an impressive track record of producing audience-focused, impactful content that includes films like the recently released Vidya Balan-starrers Sherni and Shakuntala Devi, Airlift, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Chef and Noor, as well as original series like Breathe and Breathe: Into The Shadows. Apart from upcoming films like Suresh Triveni’s Jalsa, Abundantia Entertainment is also producing the Hindi remake of the critically-acclaimed Tamil film Soorarai Pottru with Suriya’s 2D Entertainment.

Friday Film House, which is amongst South India’s premier content companies, is known for backing innovative stories and fresh talent while producing films that are reflective of the society that we live in. Their diverse range of films such as Angamaly Diaries, Sufiyum Sujatayum, Thrissur Pooram, June and #Home echo this sentiment.

What does it take to bring three National Award-winning actors together on screen? Director Suresh Triveni has the answer — a compelling script. The filmmaker recently announced Jalsa, which sees Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah and Rohini Hattangadi share screen space. While the director kicked off the project on Thursday with the secondary cast, Balan will commence shooting on Monday.

“After the feel-good Tumhari Sulu [2017], Suresh has taken on an intense subject with Jalsa. It’s a hard-hitting drama that studies the different classes of society, and how one influences the other,” says a source. In his second outing with Balan after the delightful Tumhari Sulu, Triveni has rounded up an eclectic cast by roping in Hattangadi. “The senior actor has been active in Marathi showbiz, featuring in serials and movies. She was, however, missing from the Hindi film circuit and was last seen in Bejoy Nambiar’s David [2013]. Suresh was keen to cast her in Jalsa, and was thrilled when she came on board.”

Balan will film her scenes over the next few days, post which Shah and Hattangadi will join her. The trio have some powerful scenes together, which will be filmed by the month-end. The drama, backed by Vikram Malhotra, will be shot over a start-to-finish schedule across various locations in Mumbai.

Even as producer Vikram Malhotra doled out three films in the past 12 months, including the recent Sherni, he has had his focus constantly trained on his passion project, The End. Akshay Kumar’s maiden OTT project, which has to be shot in foreign locations, has not got off the ground due to the pandemic-induced travel restrictions. Though Europe has reopened its borders for fully vaccinated travellers, the producer says that lack of clarity on several counts has made him play the waiting game.

“We’ve been speaking to authorities and their local counterparts to understand the protocols [for international travel]. We don’t know whether vaccine certificates are acceptable for travel. Which vaccines are [deemed] acceptable is another area of discussion. We are awaiting official statements on the matter. We have utilised the lockdown period to finish writing The End and begin pre-production,” says Malhotra.

The creator-producer is determined not to let the roadblocks hamper his grand vision for the Amazon Prime Video series. “We have to keep two variables in mind — Akshay’s dates, and the status of international travel.”

With Chhori and portions of Ram Setu being shot amid the pandemic, he maintains that filming on home turf is no cakewalk either. “In trying to mitigate Covid risk, we have created safety protocols that sometimes come in the way of shoots. For instance, everyone on set wears a face shield. But on ground, it becomes challenging for the DoP [director of photography] to check if the framing is on point [due to the additional filter],” he notes.

For now, Malhotra can take heart in the love pouring in for Vidya Balan’s Sherni. The movie not only highlighted the man-animal conflict, but also offered a sharp commentary on patriarchy. “Conservation is not just the [responsibility] of those in authority; that’s the message Amit [Masurkar, director] and Aastha [Tiku, co-writer] have beautifully conveyed. The Forest Department let us engage with forest officers, guards and trackers.”

With shoots tentatively stalled till May 15, filmmakers will have an uphill task of making up for lost time when they resume work. But a tougher road ahead awaits big-budget productions that have been envisioned against the picturesque backdrops of foreign locations. As several countries barred flights from India in the wake of the deadly second wave and the possibility of international travel in the coming months remains bleak, producers have little option but to defer their projects.

A prime example is Akshay Kumar’s The End, an ambitious series that was to go on floors in the last quarter of 2021. Producer Vikram Malhotra says the team is taking it one day a time. “We are shortlisting countries at this stage. Various factors, including the conditions in the country we go to, will play a role in determining our destination. We also need [clarity] on travel restrictions and [the implementation of] vaccine passports. Our crew members belong to the 18-44 age bracket, and we need them to be vaccinated before starting work.”

If things had gone as per plan, Katrina Kaif would be showing her action prowess in front of the camera by mid-2021. But director Ali Abbas Zafar cannot kick off his actioner in the UAE until the entire team is inoculated. The timeline of several projects is linked to the nationwide vaccination drive. A unit hand, who was expected to head to Europe in August for a Disney+ Hotstar show, notes, “Given the vaccine shortage and the backlog it will create, it’s unlikely that those in the 18-44 bracket will complete both their doses before the year-end.” 

Director Anil Sharma, who pushed the filming of Apne 2 from April to August, may be second time unlucky. “If things aren’t under control by then, we will delay the London leg, but we won’t risk anybody’s life.” He adds that adhering to the quarantine rules means exceeding the crew’s stay by two weeks in the UK, which will be an added expense.

Akshay Kumar’s recent Coronavirus diagnosis sent Bollywood into a tizzy, as he is probably the busiest A-lister today, with multiple projects announced or being on floors. His latest film, Ram Setu had just kicked off its shooting, when the actor tested positive.

Immediately after that, a story started doing the rounds that 45 people have tested positive on the same film’s sets. The makers, however, deny it outright. Vikram Malhotra of Abundantia Entertainment, who is co-producing the film, says this is “absolutely inaccurate and a total misrepresentation of facts.”

He reveals that as part of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) laid down for the safety of everyone on a shoot, advance and frequent Covid-19 tests are carried out for all crew members. “In line with the same, and ahead of the shoot to be held on April 5 in Madh Island, around 190 people were tested on 3rd at an off-location testing camp in Versova, Mumbai from which a certain number were to be selected for the shoot. Out of these 190-odd people, 25 people tested positive and were removed from those who qualified to be part of the unit for shoot the next day. The expenses for this off-location testing and all such tests is borne entirely by the film’s production and is monitored by the production team.”

“The shoot lined up for April 5 had to be suspended. There is absolutely no connection or correlation between the two developments as the very shoot that is being quoted in the false story never took place,” Malhotra clarifies.

Further, crew members who were in proximity of Kumar have been tested. Nushrratt Bharuccha and Jacqueline Fernandez, his co-stars, too have followed the safety procedures.

In a landmark move for its India operations, Amazon Prime Video has announced its association with the upcoming Hindi movie Ram Setu as a co-producer alongside Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment and Lyca Productions. The movie brings a power-packed star cast led by superstar Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez and Nushrratt Bharuccha. Directed by Abhishek Sharma (Parmanu and Tere Bin Laden) and creatively produced by Chandraprakash Dwivedi (director of Pinjar and the upcoming film Prithviraj), the film is an action adventure drama that brings forward a story deeply rooted in Indian cultural and historical heritage. The movie promises to be a visual marvel. Following its theatrical release, the film will soon be available for Prime members in India and in more than 240 countries and territories.

Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video India, said, “We are delighted to announce Amazon Prime Video’s foray into the world of film production. Ram Setu is a movie that highlights a story from our rich Indian heritage. I am glad that with Amazon Prime Video, audiences across 240 countries and territories will be able to witness a story which is a symbol of our Indian culture.”

Akshay added, “The tale of this film is an incredible part of Indian heritage. It is something that has always intrigued me. To me, it embodies the most vital traits of our culture — determination, bravery, love, and above all, the value of our morals that create the social fabric of our India. I am looking forward to being part of this great story and taking it to our youth. And with the streaming service, we also have the chance to take this story, which represents the essence of Indian culture, to viewers across the world.”

Vikram Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, said, “In India, mythology, religion and history are deeply intertwined. Ram Setu is a story formed on facts, science and historical heritage and is anchored in the deep belief of Indians since centuries. We are thrilled to collaborate with Amazon Prime Video once again for the opportunity to share this amazing story with a global audience.”

Recently, Amazon Prime Video announced its Original Series Hush Hush (working title), led by an all women cast and crew. A coming-of-age series, it promises to be a drama that navigates through emotions of passion, deceit, power and survival in society.

Featuring a stellar star cast, the show will have Juhi Chawla and Ayesha Jhulka making their digital debut. Pushing female narratives to the fore, the series features some fine talent like Soha Ali Khan, Karishma Tanna, Shahana Goswami, and Kritika Kamra among others.

Propelling the movement of women telling their own stories forward, the all-women crew behind the camera, includes Shikhaa Sharma as executive producer and original story, Kopal Nathani as the episode director, and National Award-winning writer, Juhi Chaturvedi as dialogue-writer for the series, which is written by Ashish Mehta.

“It’s what directors like me have waited for,” says Tanuja Chandra, creative director and executive producer. “Both Amazon Prime Video and Abundantia Entertainment, have been bringing diverse and authentic women’s stories to audiences in India and abroad for a while now. I’m thrilled to join forces with them for Hush Hush to create something that I hope will be truly special,” she adds.

Produced by Vikram Malhotra’s Abundantia Entertainment, the series features an almost all-female crew, right from production designer, costume designer, supervising producer, co-producers, to art, production coordination and even the security team.