Hindi
My Name Is Khan releases amid Sena protests in Mumbai
MUMBAI: Going back on their decision of not showing My Name Is Khan (MNIK), some multiplex owners garnered courage and went ahead in exhibiting the film post noon.
It is learnt that ten multiplex owners in Mumbai decided to go ahead with the screening while the rest didn‘t. Among the single-screen theatres, most of them decided against showing the film fearing violence.
Fun Republic was the first multiplex chain to start screening the movie at noon. Among the multiplexes that followed were Inox, Fame Adlabs, Big Cinemas and Cinemax.
No sooner did the windows open, there was a mad rush for tickets and all the multiplexes showing the film sported ‘House Full‘ boards much before the show could commence.
But just before the first show could be shown at Fun Republic, over 40 Sena workers started pelting stones but were soon arrested and taken into custody.
Sporadic incidents were reported across the metropolis and some arrests have been made. Says theatre owners association president Ram Vidhani, “Some single-screen theatres volunteered to show the film with heavy police protection. However from the news I have been getting, violence has been reported from some pockets of the city. I am not able to say if any theatre has been affected.”
Talking about the possibility of the Shiv Sena (SS) threat fizzling out tomorrow, Vidhani avers, “Don‘t you know that the SS has called for a bandh on 13 February. Things might get worser and so might the prospects of the film at the box-office.”
Defying Sena‘s threat SRK‘s wife Gauri watched the movie in a theatre and said that her husband “is very happy” with the initial response after remaining “sad” yesterday as there was uncertainty over the release of the movie in Mumbai theatres. “Karan (Johar) is with him by his side, supporting him. We are very happy,” Gauri, a co-producer of the film, said.
SRK expressed gratitude towards his fans who thronged the theatres today. “I realise today…I am just a film hero…you all in the theatres are the real deal. god feel so loved & humbled. Hats off to all heroes,” he tweeted.
“As the film releases & reports pour in praising karan‘s work I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has gone to see the film. Only regret our own city Mumbai is still to see it in full flow. I just want to tell everyone that I feel more patriotic than ever before. I love India & Indians. I love Mumbai & Mumbaikers,” he added.
Meanwhile, The Film & Television Producers Guild of India (Guild) has voiced its anguish against the stoppage of the theatrical release of My Name is Khan by certain organisations.
In a press release, the Guild has opined that a film, once accorded the green signal by Censor Board, should be allowed an absolute and uninterrupted release, without the interference of any external authority.
Hindi
Hansa Entertainment launched to produce across OTT, TV and film
New venture from R K Swamy Hansa Group eyes multi-language stories for digital-first audiences.
MUMBAI: Hansa Entertainment has just stepped into the spotlight because when a legacy media house decides to script its next act, even the credits get excited. Hansa Entertainment Private Limited has been incorporated to develop and produce original programming across digital, television, OTT platforms and theatrical features. The company will create short-running series, long-running series and original films for OTT, alongside standout theatrical ventures. It will also launch a podcast platform called Hansa Spotlight and produce content for the fast-growing vertical drama format. Stories are initially planned in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada.
The venture is founded by Sruti Swamy and Siddharth Swamy, drawing on the rich legacy of Hansa Vision and the broader R K Swamy Hansa Group. Sruti brings creative expertise with a master’s in architecture, interiors and design from Milan and a postgraduate degree in business management from the Indian School of Business. Siddharth contributes a data-driven perspective, having studied data science at Imperial College London.
Sujatha Narayanan has been appointed CEO of Hansa Entertainment. With over two decades of experience in creative content curation and production across film and OTT, she is also a well-known film columnist and media entrepreneur.
R K Swamy Hansa Group executive chairman Srinivasan Swamy said, “The launch of Hansa Entertainment marks an exciting new chapter. The new entity is the brainchild of the next generation and will be independently managed by Sruti Swamy, who is the Director and the newly appointed CEO.”
Hansa Entertainment director Sruti Swamy added, “I am very optimistic about the future of Hansa Entertainment, given the content explosion and the opportunities offered by new technologies for production.”
Hansa Entertainment director Siddharth Swamy noted, “The idea is to grow a contemporary production house that creates compelling stories for today’s multi-platform audiences while drawing inspiration from the rich storytelling traditions that audiences have appreciated over the years.”
Hansa Entertainment CEO Sujatha Narayanan said, “Hansa Entertainment will evolve as a story-first, IP-driven entity. We have already put together a smart team of interesting and dynamic creators who will helm our vertical dramas, shows and films.”
In the ever-evolving world of Indian entertainment, where stories now travel faster than the scripts that birth them, Hansa Entertainment is stepping onto the stage with fresh ink and big ambitions proving that even the best legacies know when it’s time for a compelling sequel.
