iWorld
SonyLiv expands Suvonkar Banerjee’s role to lead Hindi originals
Executive will steer Hindi content pipeline alongside Studio Next role
MUMBAI: Streaming platform SonyLiv has expanded the mandate of Suvonkar Banerjee, appointing him to head Hindi originals while he continues in his role as creative director at Studio Next.
The move aims to strengthen SonyLiv’s Hindi originals slate. Banerjee will now oversee the development and creative direction of the platform’s Hindi content pipeline while continuing to guide Studio Next’s broader creative vision.
Banerjee joined Studio Next after a stint at Disney plus Hotstar, where he served as editor. His expanded responsibilities come amid a wider leadership restructuring at Sony Pictures Networks India, as the broadcaster sharpens its focus on digital growth.
Over the past year, SPNI has seen a series of organisational changes following the appointment of Gaurav Banerjee. These shifts have included portfolio realignments, consolidation of roles across business verticals and, in some cases, workforce rationalisation as the company recalibrates its operating structure.
The latest appointment signals a continued push to centralise creative decision-making within SonyLiv’s digital ecosystem, as the platform looks to build a more cohesive and competitive Hindi originals strategy.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
