MAM
India Film Project announces its power-packed jury for the Season 9!
MUMBAI: India Film Project is already creating buzz in the fraternity since the announcement of its 9th edition. This year, the community of 6.5 million filmmakers and content creators will be coming together on 12th and 13th, October 2019 in Mumbai for Asia’s largest content creation festival. India Film Project (IFP) since its maiden year is recognized for bringing on board jury members with creative, impactful and cerebral expertise. Names like Shyam Benegal, Ketan Mehta, Sudhir Mishra, Sriram Raghavan, Madhur Bhandarkar, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Shoojit Sircar, Hansal Mehta, Vetri Maaran, Bejoy Nambiar, Vikramaditya Motwane, Guneet Monga and many more have been a part of IFP’s Jury in past eight seasons. This year too, IFP has got some renowned names from the industry and announced its much-anticipated jury, who will lead and guide the aspiring talents participating in the series of exciting and top the notch challenges.
Below is the list of challenges curated by IFP this year and jury who will be guiding the budding film-makers in their endeavor:
§ 50-hour filmmaking – The panelists for the famous flagship property 50-hour filmmaking, this year are Abhishek Chaubey, Anjali Menon, Pal Nalin, and Pradeep Sarkar. This adrenaline rush challenge summons the participants to create content from scratch including scripting, shooting, and post-production in a span of just 50 hours.
§ Short Scriptwriting Challenge – The judges for the next compelling event Short Scriptwriting Challenge, as the name says is an original script writing competition, are Apurva Asrani, Bhavani Iyer, and Saiwyn Quadras.
§ Storytelling and Poster- Designing – This year IFP has yet two more interesting challenges giving discrete platforms for the amazing art of – Storytelling and Poster- Designing. The Storytelling Challenge requires the participant to present their original spoken word poetry in the presence of the masters of the art Amandeep Kaur, Jidnya Sujata, and Yahya Bootwala. Last but not least, the Poster Challenge gives the young and imaginative minds a chance to rejuvenate the classics Film Posters giving them a revamp of their own based on the given theme. To judge this utter creative event IFP has wrapped Raj Khatri.
To start with the talent-hub list, Apurva Asrani, National award-winning filmmaker, of classics like Shahid, Satya, Aligarh and many more, expresses his collaboration with IFP by saying, “I have followed the growth of India Film Project since its inception. It has emerged as a platform for industry professionals to exchange ideas and also interact with bright and budding talent from the country. 'Short film' is a space of utmost imagination and being a film editor and screenwriter, I am looking forward to see how participants deal with the criticality of communicating an idea in fewer words, shots or scenes.”
Next panelist, the director of the extremely celebrated and critically applauded film 'Parineeta' Pradeep Sarkar shared a captivating quote on his association, “I am judging short films for the first time so looking forward to judge these bunch of young talents. Short films have become a craze now and the concepts are almost fantastic. One thing I strongly believe is in the usage of this platform. If you get the ‘Azadi’ to express yourself, you don’t have to go completely berserk and show things explicitly. So, my key criteria while judging is nice content-oriented films………..because CONTENT IS ALWAYS THE KING."
A screenwriter who makes biopics seem most relatable with his writing, Saiwyn Quadras, of Mary Kom & Neerja fame, says “IFP is an amazing platform for creators, writers and filmmakers and I am thrilled to be associated with the project this year and excited to help discover new writing talent because the industry is in desperate need of writers with a fresh new voice”
Anjali Menon, a renowned Malayalam film director and a national award winner, is all set to judge to come on board with IFP – “IFP is working to create a film viewing and making culture that goes beyond the superficial. I am impressed by the daily content they generate for discussion among film lovers thereby empowering them to become filmmakers. I look forward to some fantastic content being generated on this forum!”
Amandeep Singh, known for inspiring the youth with his stories and write ups, says, “Being associated with IFP is such an awesome thing, it feels like being the part of the change that is shaping the future. We need to together make this world a better place and to do that we must create more and more art of all kinds and IFP is working as a catalyst for that.”
The magician of words, ‘Shayad woh pyaar nahi’ poet Yahya Bootwala, comments – “IFP is a brilliant space for the audience to interact with their favourite content creators from the film industry and now even from various art forms. It gives them a chance to go beyond the film/script/video into the details of their work”
One of the youngest amongst the jury , a lover of art Jidnya Sujata, widely known for her poems and gigs, is all excited about IFP "Almost 2 years ago, I came to know about IFP through a friend and I really wanted to be a part of it somehow. But I never actually got a chance! And now I finally am!!!!!!!! Guess who's excited????? Das me!!"
Bhavani Iyer known for her amazing screenplay in classics like Black, Guzarrish and Lootera, said, “One of the biggest challenges for an aspiring filmmaker venturing into films is finding the right platform. India Film Project, over the years, has continued to provide this platform to writers, designers and storytellers to showcase their talent. These new talent bridge the gap between generations and give way to new thoughts. I am extremely honoured and looking forward to be associated with IFP as their jury for their Screenwriting challenge this year. Wishing all the participants all the very best.”
Abhishek Chaubey, the Ishqiya director, one of the gems of the industry who has been associated with films like Madkee, Omkara , Udta Punjab amongst others, said, “Very happy and excited to be a part of this year's 50 hour filmmaking challenge. Curious to see what the filmmakers have on offer. Credit to the India film project for organising this year on end, it's of great benefit to young filmmakers out there”
MAM
Lessons from global media markets on building enduring content franchises
Rose Audio Visuals COO and CFO Mitesh Patel.
MUMBAI: The global media landscape has undergone a fundamental shift. Success today is no longer defined by a single hit show. It is defined by the ability to build intellectual property (IP) that travels, evolves, and compounds over time.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this shift is central to how we think about content pitching and creation. We are no longer in the business of just making shows. We are in the business of building IP ecosystems.
From Hits to Franchises
Globally, the most successful content is designed to extend beyond its first outing. It travels across: Seasons, Platforms (TV → OTT → Digital), Formats (series → spin-offs) Shows like Stranger Things and Money Heist are not just successful series they are multi-layered franchises with global recall, fan engagement, and long-term monetisation. The key learning is simple: If content cannot scale beyond one season or one platform, it remains a project not a franchise.
Local Stories, Global Impact
One of the most powerful global trends is the rise of culturally rooted storytelling. Platforms today reward local authenticity combined with universal emotion. Stories that are deeply regional are no longer limited by geography they are amplified by it. Consider the global impact of Squid Game or India’s own Sacred Games. The takeaway is clear: The more authentic the story, the greater its potential to travel if the emotion resonates universally.
Monetisation Begins After the First Window
A critical global learning is that the true value of content is not realised at launch, it is realised over time.
Strong franchises unlock multiple revenue streams: Licensing, International remakes, Brand integrations, Digital extensions , Events and immersive experiences
Global players like The Walt Disney Company have mastered this approach, turning content into long-term ecosystems that extend far beyond the screen.
The first window is just the beginning. The real value lies in what follows.
At Rose Audio Visuals, we increasingly evaluate projects not just on commissioning value, but on their long-term franchise potential.
The Rise of Creator-Led Franchises
An important global shift is the emergence of creator-led IP ecosystems.
Creators today are not just content producers they are building full-scale franchises across platforms, formats, and businesses.
A powerful example is MrBeast. What started as YouTube videos has evolved into: Multiple content formats, Global audience scale , Brand extensions and businesses, High-impact experiential content This is a fundamentally different model digital-first, audience-owned, and infinitely scalable.
This model is still in its early stages in Indian but it represents a massive opportunity.
The next wave of Indian content franchises may not come from traditional studios alone but from creators who think like media companies.
Balancing Data with Creative Instinct
Streaming platforms today are deeply data-driven. Data helps Identify emerging genres, Predict audience behaviour , Inform commissioning decisions However, global experience shows that data alone does not create hits. Data informs scale, but storytelling creates impact.
Talent is the Foundation of Franchises
Enduring franchises are rarely accidental they are built through long-term creative partnerships. Globally, there is a clear focus on nurturing Actors, Writter, Show runner and director. Franchises are not built on scripts alone they are built on creators. This is an area where we continue to invest deeply building long-term relationships with talent rather than project-based collaborations.
Multi-Platform Thinking from Day One
Content consumption today is inherently multi-platform. A successful show must be designed not just for its primary platform, but for: Short-form extensions, Social media amplification, Digital-first engagement. Every show today needs a second life beyond its original format.
India: A Market at an Inflection Point
India today stands at a unique moment in its content journey.
We are seeing significant opportunity in Regional markets (Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and others) Emerging formats such as micro-dramas, Scalable, franchise-driven fiction IP
India does not lack stories. What we have historically lacked is structured franchise thinking something that is now beginning to evolve.
The Way Forward
The biggest lesson from global markets is this: The future belongs to companies that do not chase hits, but systematically build franchises. Because while hits may deliver immediate success, franchises create long-term value, recall, and compounding growth.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this belief shapes how we develop, greenlight, and scale content across platforms.
For content companies today, the question is no longer “Will this show work?” It is: “Can this become a franchise?”
A Personal Note
Having worked across content, business, and strategy, one thing has become increasingly clear to me, the most valuable companies in our industry will not be those that create the most content, but those that create content that endures.
Building a franchise requires patience, conviction, and a long-term lens something that the industry is only now beginning to fully embrace.As we continue this journey at Rose Audio Visuals, our focus remains simple: to move from volume-driven creation to value-driven storytelling. Because in the end, stories may start conversations but franchises build legacies.
