Hindi
Ajay Devgn rebrands NY Cinemas as Devgn Cinex in metro push
MUMBAI: Ajay Devgn is putting his name on cinema screens—literally. The actor launched Devgn Cinex on Maha Navami, rebranding the NY Cinemas chain at North Bombay’s Durga Puja celebrations alongside his wife, actor Kajol. The move signals an aggressive expansion play across Indian metros and the south, backed by Vishwa Samudra Holdings.
Vishwa Samudra group managing director Shivdutt Das hailed the rebrand as more than cosmetic. The company promises to turn multiplexes into “spaces of innovation, comfort, and culture”, deploying premium formats and what it calls “immersive experiences”. Whether that means reclining seats, better sound systems or something more ambitious remains unclear—cinema chains have long promised whilst delivering incremental upgrades.
NY Cinemas has operated quietly for years, but the Devgn tie-up suggests plans to compete with PVR Inox, which dominates India’s multiplex market with over 1,700 screens, and Cinépolis, which runs around 450.
Devgn, one of Indian cinema’s bankable stars and a producer through his Devgn Films banner, brings celebrity firepower to a sector recovering from pandemic losses and grappling with streaming competition.
The emphasis on south India is telling. Regional-language films have outperformed Hindi movies at the box office in recent years, with Tamil and Telugu blockbusters like Pushpa and RRR drawing massive crowds. Metros in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad have become battlegrounds for cinema chains chasing affluent audiences willing to pay premium ticket prices.
Vishwa Samudra Holdings operates across real estate, hospitality and entertainment. Its bet on Devgn Cinex suggests it sees room for another national player, despite consolidation that saw PVR and Inox merge last year.
Says a media observer: “There’s a shortage of cinema screens in India compared to its massive 1.5 billion or so population. The population is underserved, which has stunted the growth of Indian cinema. The more the screens, the better can be the box office collections for good productions.”
But whether Indian audiences need yet another multiplex brand—celebrity-backed or not—to fill that gap is another question entirely.
Hindi
Kridhan Infra enters film production with AI-led feature film
Infra firm debuts AI-powered film marking RSS centenary
MUMBAI: Kridhan Infra Limited is swapping hard hats for headsets. The infrastructure company has announced its entry into film production and media technology through its subsidiary, Kridhan Mediatech Private Limited, with the nationwide theatrical release of Shatak: Sangh Ke 100 Varsh, an AI-led feature film.
With Shatak, the company is not just stepping into cinema but staking a claim in what it describes as one of the world’s early full-length AI-driven feature films. Artificial Intelligence has been embedded across the creative and production process, from script visualisation and environment creation to modelling and production design.
The film commemorates 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, tracing defining moments, personalities and historical phases that shaped its journey. By combining archival storytelling with algorithm-powered creativity, the project attempts to blend heritage with high technology.
For Kridhan Mediatech, this is only the opening scene. The subsidiary’s broader ambition spans AI, CGI, virtual production systems and scalable content models for both theatres and digital platforms. The move signals a strategic diversification for Kridhan Infra, traditionally rooted in engineering and construction.
The timing aligns with India’s growing push to become a global AI powerhouse. At the 2026 AI Impact Summit, prime minister Narendra Modi urged innovators to design in India and deliver to the world. Kridhan Mediatech’s initiative positions itself squarely within that narrative, aiming to export technology-enabled storytelling beyond domestic audiences.
India’s media and entertainment industry, valued at over Rs 2.5 lakh crore, alongside a rapidly expanding AI economy projected to cross Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the coming years, offers fertile ground at the intersection of cinema and code.
“With Shatak, we proudly present one of the world’s first AI-led full-length feature films while marking our strategic entry into film production and media technology through our subsidiary,” the company said in a statement. “Our vision is to combine India’s rich narrative heritage with forward-looking innovation. This is just the beginning of building globally competitive, technology-enabled cinematic experiences.”
From infrastructure to imagination, Kridhan’s latest venture suggests that in today’s India, even storytelling can be engineered.
