Hindi
Reliance Big Pictures to release Kannada film Ijjodu on 30 April
MUMBAI: Screened at four domestic film festivals, Reliance Big Pictures is now set to release the MS Sathyu-directed Kannada film Ijjodu on 30 April.
The story of Ijjodu is based in a remote area in Karnataka where photo journalist Ananda meets Chenni, a woman who was made a ‘Basavi‘ and was offered to the village goddess to save the superstitious locals from a devastating epidemic. Basavis, like Devdasis, often end up becoming sex workers.
Ananda specialises in photographing ancient monuments and writing about various rituals and customs that have gone unquestioned. He soon gets obsessed by Chenni’s unusual life. In trying to explore more information about her, he discovers that she is a victim of blind faith and the story unfolds to change their lives forever.
Says Sathyu, “Ijjodu is very close to my heart. The film takes a strong stand against the existent Devdasi pratha in the Yellama society in Karnataka. It has some excellent performances and music and I am happy that my 12-year long hiatus ends with such a beautiful film.”
Adds Reliance Big Pictures CEO Sanjeev Lamba, “Ijjodu not only marks the return of a director par excellence but also explores a social practice which has officially been banned from our society. Reliance Big Pictures is proud to be associated with such meaningful cinema.”
Scripted by the national award winner Sathyu himself, Ijjodu has noted South Indian actress Meera Jasmine, essaying the role of the female lead Chenni. The film also stars popular Kannada actor Aniruddha Jatkar as the male protagonist.
Hindi
Hansa Entertainment launched to produce across OTT, TV and film
New venture from R K Swamy Hansa Group eyes multi-language stories for digital-first audiences.
MUMBAI: Hansa Entertainment has just stepped into the spotlight because when a legacy media house decides to script its next act, even the credits get excited. Hansa Entertainment Private Limited has been incorporated to develop and produce original programming across digital, television, OTT platforms and theatrical features. The company will create short-running series, long-running series and original films for OTT, alongside standout theatrical ventures. It will also launch a podcast platform called Hansa Spotlight and produce content for the fast-growing vertical drama format. Stories are initially planned in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada.
The venture is founded by Sruti Swamy and Siddharth Swamy, drawing on the rich legacy of Hansa Vision and the broader R K Swamy Hansa Group. Sruti brings creative expertise with a master’s in architecture, interiors and design from Milan and a postgraduate degree in business management from the Indian School of Business. Siddharth contributes a data-driven perspective, having studied data science at Imperial College London.
Sujatha Narayanan has been appointed CEO of Hansa Entertainment. With over two decades of experience in creative content curation and production across film and OTT, she is also a well-known film columnist and media entrepreneur.
R K Swamy Hansa Group executive chairman Srinivasan Swamy said, “The launch of Hansa Entertainment marks an exciting new chapter. The new entity is the brainchild of the next generation and will be independently managed by Sruti Swamy, who is the Director and the newly appointed CEO.”
Hansa Entertainment director Sruti Swamy added, “I am very optimistic about the future of Hansa Entertainment, given the content explosion and the opportunities offered by new technologies for production.”
Hansa Entertainment director Siddharth Swamy noted, “The idea is to grow a contemporary production house that creates compelling stories for today’s multi-platform audiences while drawing inspiration from the rich storytelling traditions that audiences have appreciated over the years.”
Hansa Entertainment CEO Sujatha Narayanan said, “Hansa Entertainment will evolve as a story-first, IP-driven entity. We have already put together a smart team of interesting and dynamic creators who will helm our vertical dramas, shows and films.”
In the ever-evolving world of Indian entertainment, where stories now travel faster than the scripts that birth them, Hansa Entertainment is stepping onto the stage with fresh ink and big ambitions proving that even the best legacies know when it’s time for a compelling sequel.
