Hindi
Reliance partners Imagine to fund scribe lab for films
MUMBAI: Indian billionaire Anil Ambani is looking at writing new scripts in the global movie world. Reliance Big Entertainment, the company that he owns, has entered into a partnership with Ron Howard‘s production company Imagine Entertainment to set up a “writers lab” that will employ 10 screenwriters for a year.
Reliance will fund an undisclosed amount for the programme, which will be run by Imagine co-chairman Karen Kehela Sherwood. Reliance will have the rights to co-finance any project Imagine sets up at Universal Pictures or at other studios. Imagine has an existing first-look deal with Universal Pictures.
As per the deal, Reliance and Universal have the first rights with the lab to purchase completed screenplays.
For any script that is selected, the team of 10 will get additional fee and the main writer will be given the lion‘s share.
The lab will consist of 10 experienced scribes who will be paid to work exclusively as creative consultants, evaluating one another‘s story pitches and also penning original screenplays.
Scribes set to take part in the lab are Margaret Nagle, Michael Fitzpatrick, Lee Patterson, Glen Lakin, Michael Perry, Stacey Harman, Jason Mantzoukas, Scott Aukerman and Daniel Casey. The 10th writer has not yet been named.
Says Howard, “This is an approach to screenplay development that I have believed in and wanted to experiment with for years. The creative energy and support system the lab should stimulate is something I am incredibly eager to be a part of.”
Sherwood will oversee both the film development department of Imagine and also assign projects for the writers group.
It may be recalled that Imagine and Reliance struck a first-look film development pact in November 2009 as part of Reliance‘s aggressive push into Hollywood. Shortly after that pact was signed, Howard brought up the idea of a lab to Reliance executives.
The project came together through Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, who leads the media and entertainment business for Reliance ADA group. “When Ron and Brian brought this unique concept to Reliance, we immediately recognised its tremendous value and potential,” Jhunjhunwala said in a statement.
Hollywood production companies are impacted by the recession as studios are cutting down on their costs. This is forcing production companies to look at reducing budgets for development of projects. The market is opening up for new capital from other geographies, an opportunity which Ambani has grabbed.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
