iWorld
Netflix: Kashyap, Motwane to direct parallel ‘Sacred Games’, targeting 5-6 originals in a year
MUMBAI: Renowned filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap have been commissioned to work on two parallel stories in Netflix’s maiden India-set original series ‘Sacred Games’ based on Vikram Chandra’s best-selling novel.
The series, to be produced in partnership with Phantom Films, will be available to Netflix’ over 100 million subscribers in over 190 countries. Netflix plans to gradually increase Indian originals following its recent announcements of three projects. Netflix said it was targeting “at least five to six Indian originals a year.” Netflix’s other planned Indian originals are — Again and Selection Day.
Competitor Amazon Prime announced 18 homegrown originals when the service launched in December, which are at various stages of production. It already premiered its first original — “Inside Edge.”
About ‘Sacred Games,’ a Netflix executive said: “This is an ambitious storytelling. We have two directors following two different decades of what’s happening in the Mumbai crime underworld.”
At Jio MAMI, Netflix VP – international original series Erik Barmack said that the series, shot on real locations in Mumbai, will delve into the city’s intricate web of organised crime, politics, corruption, and espionage.
At the festival, a few images from the series were unveiled featuring actors Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddique. The show sees Khan playing the role of cop Sartaj Singh, while Siddiqui portrays gangster Ganesh Gaitonde. Barmack said that the storytelling format was quite amazing and hoped the show made a mark globally.
Vikramaditya and Anurag will follow two characters. One is on the Gaitonde storyline, the other on Sartaj. They, of course, collide (eventually).
If one thought of the conventional storytelling and where TV was 15 years ago, the idea that you could do these things in different time periods with anti-hero and complex characters was quite amazing, he said.
Netflix would, Barmack said, like to see more Indian talent working on its US productions, as The Lunchbox’ Ritesh Batra lead its original film “Our Souls at Night.” Netflix also plans to introduce Indian actors in its US productions, such as Sense8 featured Tina Desai in a major role.
Gaming
Roblox appoints Sunil Rao as India managing director to drive growth
Former AWS leader to lead creator ecosystem, partnerships and local strategy
MUMBAI: Roblox has appointed Sunil Rao as managing director for India, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
Rao, who will join in May, will serve as the senior-most representative for Roblox in India, leading local strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations. His mandate includes strengthening the platform’s presence, supporting the creator ecosystem and aligning India’s market needs with global priorities.
A key focus area will be nurturing India’s growing community of developers and creators, enabling local studios to leverage Roblox’s tools for scaling and monetisation. Globally, the platform’s creator community earned over $1.5 billion in 2025, underlining the economic potential of user-generated content ecosystems.
“Roblox is at the forefront of enabling a new generation of creators and games. India’s scale, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy present a massive opportunity,” said Rao. “I’m excited to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that empowers developers and creators across the country. Ensuring child safety and aligning closely with India’s regulatory framework will be among my top priorities.”
Welcoming the appointment, Roblox vice president international Zhen Fang said India represents a high-potential market for the company. “Sunil brings deep expertise in building operations across diverse markets, and his passion for community-centric platforms makes him the ideal leader to drive our next chapter of growth in the country.”
Rao brings over two decades of experience across technology platforms, venture capital and developer ecosystems. He was previously part of the leadership team at Amazon Web Services, where he led strategy and corporate business development across Asia-Pacific and Japan. He also served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, working closely with startups and founders.
Earlier in his career, Rao played a key role in building developer ecosystems at Symbian, Nokia and Google, contributing to the growth of major mobile and internet platforms.
With India’s large youth population and rapidly evolving digital landscape, Roblox’s latest leadership move signals a sharper focus on long-term growth, local relevance and creator-led innovation in the market.
