Hindi
Zee to invest Rs 600 mn for Marathi, Bengali films
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) plans to invest Rs 600 million in producing and marketing a slate of Marathi and Bengali movies over two years.
The company aims to roll out 15 Marathi films during this period. The first to roll out has been Sade Made Teen which has grossed Rs 45 million at the box office.
“We will be putting in Rs 300 million for producing, promoting and distributing these Marathi films. The next film, De Dhakka, is set for May release,” a source in the company says.
Mahesh Manjrekar‘s Ashwani Films is doing De Dhakka. Zeel has also tied up with Smita Talwalkar‘s Ashmita Films and Bulbule‘s Indian Magic Eye.
Zeel will also be investing Rs 300 million for a production pipeline of around 15 films in Bengali. Two are already on the floors and will be released this year, the source says.
Earlier Zeel director regional channels Nitin Vaidya had told Indiantelevision.com that the company would be spending close to Rs 10 million for each Marathi film while in Bengali the costs would be marginally higher.
“The production costs, meanwhile, have gone up. Besides, we will be investing substantially on promotion and distribution of these movies,” the source says.
After theatrical release, the Marathi movies will be aired on Zee Talkies. Zee launched the Marathi movie channel on 25 August 2007.
Zee is also planning to launch a Bengali movie channel.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
