Hindi
And after the giants, the ants come marching in
MUMBAI: 7 December is the new 9 November. All attention is now focused on two ‘small‘ but promising films that hit screens on 7 December. Sudhir Mishra‘s Khoya Khoya Chand and Sanjay Gupta‘s Dus Kahaaniyan. No parallels to be drawn here. Both have their distinct stamp as they belong to two different genres. The only thing that both have in common is the budget…which is almost the same. Both are reportedly made under Rs 150 million.
Both the films had decided to postpone their release as they did not want to lose out to the big budget films, OSO and Saawariya which were also slated for a November release. 
Khoya Khoya Chand is a film set in the fifties. A tumultuous love story starring Soha Ali Khan and Shiney Ahuja the film is about two young people in the film industry. Memories of Mishra‘s last super offering, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi yet linger. The expectations hence are high. Businesswise this film has a lot going for it. Good promos, a storyline that‘s set in the ‘50s and ‘60s and a good director.
Khoya Khoya Chand is being presented by Adlabs and is a Prakash Jha Production.
It is being said that this film is loosely based on the Guru Dutt classic, Kaagaz Ke Phool. Sudhir Mishra has vehemently denied this.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “People always look forward to good stories. And here we are getting ten in one film (Dus Kahaaniyan). There is a lot to look forward to where both these films are concerned. I would place my bet on both as both look good. The ‘50s was a golden era in films and hence I am eager to see Khoya Khoya Chand.”
The other film, Dus Kahaaniyan is being distributed by Eros and produced by Sanjay Gupta. The story as the name suggests is 10 stories woven into one film. The last time viewers saw 6 stories rolled into one was in Ram Gopal Varma‘s Darna Zaroori Hai. White Feather films (Sanjay Gupta) too has had a great box office hit in its last release, Shootout at Lokhandwala. Audience expectation from a Sanjay Gupta is also high. Known for his fast-paced and racy subjects one expects Dus Kahaaniyan to hit the bull‘s eye. Trade analysts are looking forward for this film for its novelty factor and its impressive star cast comprising of Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Amrita Singh and Nana Patekar.
Another draw for the film is the line-up of different directors. As each will bring his unique experience to the table audiences are curious to see how each sensibility will unfold.
The directors include Apoorva Lakhia, Hansal Mehta, Jasmeet Dhodi, Meghna Gulzar, Rohit Roy and Sanjay Gupta himself.
It‘s only a matter of two days before the ants come marching in. The crucial question is who will rake in more moolah?
Hindi
GUEST COLUMN: Why film libraries & IPs are the new engines of growth
Unlocking value through catalogue strength and IP synergy
MUMBAI:In a media landscape defined by fragmentation, platform proliferation, and ever-evolving audience behavior, the economics of filmmaking are undergoing a fundamental shift. No longer confined to box office performance, a film’s true value is now measured across an extended lifecycle that spans digital platforms, syndication networks, and global markets. As content consumption becomes increasingly non-linear and algorithm-driven, film libraries and intellectual properties (IPs) are emerging as strategic assets, capable of delivering sustained, long-term returns. For Mohan Gopinath, head – bollywood business at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., this transformation signals a decisive move from hit-driven models to portfolio-led value creation. In this piece, Gopinath explores how legacy content, when intelligently repurposed and distributed, can unlock recurring revenue streams, why the interplay between catalogue and original IP is critical, and how media companies can build resilient, future-ready entertainment businesses.
For all these years, we thought that a film is successful if it performs well in theatres. There are opening weekend numbers, box office milestones, and distribution footprints that gave a good picture of how the movie has done commercially and also tell us about its cultural impact. However, there are multiple platforms today, always-on content ecosystem, which has caused a shift. Today, the theatrical performance is not the culmination of a film’s journey but merely the beginning of a much longer and more dynamic lifecycle.
Film libraries today are emerging as high-value, constantly evolving assets that deliver sustained returns well beyond initial release cycles. This becomes a point of great advantage for legacy content owners with diverse catalogues, to shape long-term business outcomes.
According to FICCI-EY, the media and entertainment industry of India achieved a valuation of Rs 2.78 trillion in 2025 which is expected to reach Rs 3.3 trillion by 2028 through a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7 per cent and digital media will bring in more than Rs 1 trillion to become the biggest sector which generates about 36 per cent of overall market revenues.
This shift is the expansion of distribution endpoints. We know how satellite television was once the primary secondary window but today, it coexists with YouTube, OTT platforms, Connected TV, and FAST channels. Each of these platforms caters to distinct audience demographics and consumption behaviors, helping content owners to obtain more value from the same asset across multiple formats.
For instance, films that had great reruns, now find continuous engagement across digital platforms. On YouTube, classic Hindi cinema continues to attract significant viewership, reaching audiences across generations and geographies with remarkable consistency. At Shemaroo Entertainment, this is reflected in our film library shaped over decades as part of a long association with Indian entertainment. From classics such as Amar Akbar Anthony to much-loved entertainers like Jab We Met, Welcome, Dhamaal, Phir Hera Pheri, Dhol, Golmaal, and Bhagam Bhag, many of these titles continue finding new audiences while retaining their place in popular memory. Their enduring appeal reflects how culturally resonant stories can continue creating value over time. Similarly, FAST channels have created curated, always-on environments where catalogue content can continue to thrive through star-led and genre-based programming.
This multi-platform approach has very well transformed films into long-tail IP assets which are capable of generating recurring revenue across advertising, subscription, and syndication models.
The evolution of audience behavior is equally important. Nowadays, it’s more important to find what’s more relative than what’s recent as viewers are more influenced by mood, memories, and algorithmic suggestions than by release schedules. Even if a movie was released decades ago, it can trend alongside a newly released movie, if surfaced in the right context. Thoughtful packaging, whether through festival-based playlists, actor-driven collections, or genre clusters, allows catalogue content to remain dynamic and continuously discoverable. Shemaroo Entertainment has built extensive film libraries over decades and its focus has mostly been on recontextualizing content for the consumption of newer environments. This process doesn’t just include digitization and restoration, but also re-packaging of films as per platforms.
Syndication itself has evolved into a key growth driver. In perspective, when looking at the domestic market, curated content packages continue to find strong demand across broadcast and digital platforms. Meanwhile, in the international market, especially in markets like Middle East, North America and Southeast Asia, the appetite for Indian content is opening up new monetization avenues. Here, the ability to package and position catalogue content effectively becomes as important as the content itself.
Importantly, the need to re-package catalogue content does not diminish the role of new content. In fact, originals and fresh IP are essential to sustaining the long-term value of a film library because they act as discovery engines that bring audiences into the ecosystem, while catalogue content drives depth, retention, and repeat engagement.
This interplay between the “new” and the “known” is what defines a robust content strategy today. While new films generate spikes in consumption, catalogue titles offer familiarity and comfort. These are factors that are increasingly valuable in an era of content abundance and decision fatigue. This is also shaping our strategy, drawing value from both a deep catalogue assets and a growing focus on original IPs to strengthen long-term audience engagement and build more predictable revenue streams.
There is growing recognition that long-term value in entertainment will be shaped not only by how intelligently existing content continues to live, travel and find relevance, but also by how consistently new stories are created to renew that ecosystem. In that sense, film libraries and original IP are not parallel bets, but reinforcing engines of growth. For media companies, the opportunity lies in making these two forces work together, because that is increasingly where more resilient and predictable businesses are being shaped.
Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect our own.
