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Digital is among biggest markets for films today: Pen Studios’ Jayantilal Gada
Mumbai: Last week, Pen Studios’ “Gangubai Kathiawadi” starring Alia Bhatt joined the 100 crore club, despite the strong competition (“The Batman”) and theatres still running at 50 per cent capacity in Mumbai and Delhi circuits. The film grossed Rs 92.22 crore at the box office in its second week, with the worldwide box office gross standing at Rs 108.3 crore. The success of his latest production notwithstanding, Pen Studios founder Jayantilal Gada is hopeful about the future of digital, even as the industry returns to normalcy post the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a quick chat with IndianTelevision.com, he spoke about how the digital medium has grown to become indispensable for the film business today.
“Digital is today the biggest market for films, having replaced television as a medium of film advertising and promotion as well as distribution,” says Gada, adding that, “the 80:20 ratio between TV and digital in terms of marketing budgets and distribution deals has been reversed completely.”
For all Pen Studios productions, while the theatrical window of 60 days remained sacrosanct even during the pandemic, digital has already overtaken TV as the second release platform, enjoying another exclusive 60-day window before the satellite premiere.
However, despite all of digital’s merits, Gada maintains that the cinema experience is irreplaceable. “The market for digital grew by leaps and bounds during the pandemic. Even though it is stabilising at a higher value than pre-pandemic, it can never replace cinema,” he asserts. “The theatrical market will bounce back to what it used to be; in fact, it already has, as shown by the success of Gangubai. The audience will continue to go for the theatrical experience while digital takes over as the second screen, surpassing TV.”
In the last couple of years, Pen Studios has shifted focus to digital for film promotions in a big way. “Gangubai Kathiawadi” was the first-ever Hindi film promoted by Instagram Global to its 475 million followers. The film based on the journey of real-life madam Gangubai of Kamathipura, was released in over 5000 screens worldwide.
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The teaser of the company’s forthcoming production, John Abraham starrer “Attack,” garnered 227,000 engagements and 24.2 million total views across all platforms, in addition to trending on YouTube in number one position.
“Digital is the fastest medium to reach out to the audience today. The share of TV has diminished in the recent past. As a perception building and reminder medium, outdoor gets the same weightage as before,” Gada tells. “The last two years have been a great learning experience which gave us the time to remodel our processes to come up with new strategies for upcoming releases.”
While Pen Studios’ 2022 slate is yet to be out, for now, it is looking forward to its next big release, SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus “RRR” on 25 March. The company also has Shahid Kapoor starrer “Jersey” and Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan starrer “Acharya” in the pipeline.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
