Hindi
Hollywood readies for writer’s strike
MUMBAI: With the clock ticking over and time running out, studios are stockpiling projects to avoid suspension of work.Hollywood writers are poised to strike work by 31 October if their list of demands are not met with.
Their existing 3-year contract with producers ends 31 October, so 1 November could be day one of the strike.
The Writers Guild Of America (WGA) is demanding a doubling of the pay they receive from the sales of DVD, raising minimum pay for writers and in addition a share of income from programmes streamlined on Internet by TV networks.
The strike could have a major impact as a municipal study indicates a loss of $6.9 billion to the economy of Los Angeles city alone.
Closer home, the film writers in India are also a discontented lot and are in complete support of their Hollywood counterparts.
Here, there are two bodies representing the fraternity – the Film Writers Association (FWA) was formed in 1954 while the Writers Society of India (WSI) has been in existence since the last five years.
The WSI was a body formed to protect writers‘ interests on the issue of royalties, something which the FWA, being governed by the Trade Union Act, could not address. 
Till 1950, in every film producing company, a director and writer were permanent employees. That‘s why till then, there didn‘t arise any need for an association of either directors or writers.
Soon after the contract system was introduced with directors and writers, the old relationships between writers and directors began to crack, leading ultimately to disputes between producers and directors as well as between directors and writers.
The director could no longer work with the writer of his choice nor could a writer offer his creation to the director of his liking.
Writer cum director Anurag Basu says, “Indian writers are underpaid and not respected within the film fraternity. Very few writers get their due. The whole community of producers spends time and energy on actors not writers. This thought process is very warped. First they find the actors, then directors and then writers. One can get a good script only if one finds a good writer. If a writer is better paid he will have a sense of security. This in turn will give the industry good scripts.
“Even when one goes to any film awards function it is noticeable that writers are neglected and they are not included in the prime category. I surely support the demands of the Hollywood writers and am looking forward to the day Indian film writers get their due respect.”
Writers in the film industry are keenly watching the on-going battle in Hollywood as they feel that the outcome could in a way affect their future.
Ved Rahi, Secretary of the Film Writers Association is in total support of the strike and says, “We are aware of the strike and are in complete support of their demands. Though we are not actively doing anything about it, we are in solidarity with them. Alas, if we too could go on a similar strike here.”
Ved Rahi, who has penned nearly 30 film scripts, adds that the biggest issue for writers is that of Royalty. “At any given point of time I see at least one of my films being telecast. And I am not paid a rupee by way of Royalty. When we can‘t get Royalty, forget demanding for rights from sales of DVDs. Even the law is not on our side. We need a strong voice to make a representation in Parliament. Unfortunately, this has been our weakness. The FWA has over 7,000 members. Every year we resolve many disputes. In fact, very recently, when both the story and dialogue writers of Nanhe Jaisalmer were not paid, we intervened and they were paid Rs 2.5 lakhs (Rs 2,50,000) by the producer though there was no written contract.”
To protect the rights of the writer is the first directive in the FWA Constitution. The members are seeking an amendment in order to include rights by way of Royalty. Rahi says, “We are not organized enough to opt for written contracts which would protect our rights. Moreover with the corporate culture coming in, some writers are being paid astronomical fees but without receiving any credits. And in addition they are made to sign a contract relinquishing all their rights. In fact the time has come for us to learn a lesson from Hollywood.
A minimum wage structure does exist even for film writers in India but it can be brought into force only in a dispute. If it is proved that a producer has not paid the writer, then he is made to pay according to the minimum wages stipulated in the Act.
It is only a matter of a day before the fate of writers in Hollywood is to be decided, but the murmurs of discontent amongst their Indian counterparts may soon turn into a roar.
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.
