iWorld
Sunjoy Waddhwa on the making of ‘Your Honor’
MUMBAI: Sony LIV’s latest drama-thriller, Your Honor produced for Applause Entertainment by Sphereorigins, is all set to release. In a special interaction with indiantelevision.com, Sphereorigins founder Sunjoy Waddhwa shed light on the making of the series.
The original Israeli series was created by Ron Ninio and Shlomo Mashiach and distributed by Yes Studios. The Indian adaptation is helmed by Shool fame, E Niwas.
The series is headlined in India by popular Bollywood actor Jimmy Sheirgill. The makers decided to cast Sheirgill because they wanted a face who can look more relatable to the audiences, who looks like a family man and not just a judge.
The series was shot in 2019. It took 65 days to shoot the entire series, but seven months went into research, followed by four to five recce of the location. While in reality most of the mafias were based out of North India and Mumbai, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are usually shown as the crime capital. Hence, Waddhwa decided to take a different route and chose the backdrop of Ludhiana, Amritsar, Chandigarh and Mumbai believing it will give a different tone, texture and colour to the series. Around 60 to 70 per cent of the series was shot in Punjab. More than 125 people were involved in creating this drama thriller.
Waddhwa says, “A lot of effort went into the pre-production and designing the look and character of actors, giving authentic touch in terms of language and costume. The director, writer, production designer, they all worked collectively to give the show a more rustic feel.”
In the series, Bishan Khosla (Jimmy Sheirgill), is a reputed judge whose teenage son Abeer (Pulkit Makol) is involved in a hit and run case. The victim of the accident is the son of a gangster. So, a lot of time went into the legalities. Waddhwa sought help from advocates and legal advisers to understand the details.
He mentions, “My takeaway from this has been that the importance of having the script in hand and working properly as per the script and doing good research makes life easier.”
As the shooting took place in the months of December and January, it was extremely cold. Apart from that, technicians and technical crew and fight master contributed to make it a scaled up version of television. As it is not a VFX-heavy series, the makers relied more on shoot material.
“The entire shot taking and story thought process is very different as compared to a normal series. It is more like an extended film rather than a series. Most importantly, there was no set of rules, that it has to be made like an OTT show,” he further adds.
When asked about dealing with comparison to the US adaption, Waddhwa quips, “For a Hindi-speaking audience it is a completely different show. Because this is in the dynamics of our situation. What value you add to the adaptation makes all the difference.”
The original rights of the series belong to Applause Entertainment. Waddhwa also hints at making the sequel of the series after gauging audiences’ response.
iWorld
Prime Video bets big on India with global originals, films and franchise expansion
Execs highlight scale, travelability and new IP bets as India anchors global strategy
MUMBAI: At Prime Video Presents 2026, the message was clear and confident. India is not just part of the plan, it is central to it.
In a lively fireside chat hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, Kelly Day, vice president of prime video and amazon mgm studios international, Nicole Clemens, vice president of international originals, and Gaurav Gandhi, vice president for Apac and Anz, laid out an ambitious roadmap. Think bigger stories, wider reach and a sharper focus on building franchises that travel.
Kelly Day, a regular visitor to India, set the tone early. Calling the country “one of the most important markets globally”, she pointed to the sheer scale and diversity of audiences as a driving force behind Prime Video’s growth. Indian Originals, she said, are not just local hits but global engines powering subscriptions and engagement.
That global appeal is already visible. According to Clemens, around 25 percent of viewership for Indian content now comes from outside the country. Shows rooted deeply in local culture are finding fans worldwide, proving that specificity, when paired with universal themes, travels well. From gritty dramas to sharp thrillers, Indian storytelling is increasingly crossing borders with ease.
Clemens, who joined recently to lead international originals, was particularly upbeat about India’s creative range. She highlighted a growing slate of over 100 shows in development and production, with more than 60 percent returning for multiple seasons. For her, the formula is simple. Authentic stories, told well, resonate everywhere.
Adding to the buzz, she teased new and returning titles, alongside a fresh superhero universe, the Kalyug Warriors. It signals a push into new genres while doubling down on familiar fan favourites.
If content is king, distribution is the clever courtier. Day outlined Prime Video’s layered business model in India, which blends subscription, rentals, add on channels and ad supported viewing through Amazon MX Player. The idea is straightforward. Give viewers choice, whether they want premium, free or pay per view.
India, she noted, has also become a testing ground for innovation. Tiered pricing, mobile only plans and language diversity have all been sharpened here before being exported to other markets. In many ways, the India playbook is now influencing global strategy.
For Gaurav Gandhi, the next chapter is about scale with intent. He outlined four priorities. Making Prime Video more accessible, pushing Indian content globally, building stronger franchises and supercharging the films business.
On films, the platform is moving beyond licensing into co productions and now theatrical releases in partnership with amazon mgm studios. These films will eventually stream on Prime Video, creating a full circle from cinema halls to living rooms across 240 countries.
Franchise building remains another key pillar. With hits like The Family Man, Mirzapur and Panchayat already enjoying multi season success, the focus is now on creating the next wave of enduring IP. Newer titles are already lining up for second seasons, signalling a steady pipeline.
What stood out through the conversation was a shared belief. Streaming in India is still in its early innings, and the runway is long. With a mix of local flavour and global ambition, Prime Video is betting that stories from India will not just stay at home, but travel far and wide.
Or as the executives seemed to suggest, the world is watching and India has plenty more to show.
