Film Production
FridayFictionFilms: Redefining filmmaking for social impact and corporate collaboration
Mumbai: FridayFictionFilms, a film production house, is celebrated for its unparalleled dedication to storytelling that transcends the ordinary. With accolades gracing its shelves, including the esteemed Limca Book of Records, FridayFictionFilms reigns supreme, masterfully crafting narratives that not only entertain but also inspire change. Their repertoire spans from blockbuster commercial ventures to soul-stirring shorts, each imbued with a profound sense of purpose. FridayFictionFilms is renowned for its unwavering commitment to social causes.
Whether it’s shedding light on pressing societal issues or igniting empathy through the lens, every frame they capture is a testament to their dedication to making the world a better place, one story at a time.
Indiantelevision caught up with FridayFictionFilms -founder and CEO Tanmay Shah to talk about the challenges he has encountered as a filmmaker advocating for social causes and the unique approach his company takes in collaborating with brands to create impactful commercial films while staying true to its commitment to social good
On the inspiration behind establishing FridayFictionFilms
After I made my first film, I felt a lot could be done beyond what I knew. This medium can be explored to not just make films about social issues I am exposed to but can cater to individuals, companies, and brands already working towards a cause they care about. It’s also quite humbling and inspiring to listen, talk, and see how things operate at the grass-roots level. An accumulated sum of all this made it clear to start FridayFictionFilms and make films that matter.
On the significant gap in your YouTube channel’s content, particularly the last video titled ‘Horn ok please’’; Are you currently involved in the development of new projects
After the successful completion of the 52 Films Project, we started working on real-life stories. We moved from fiction to nonfiction and made two short documentaries, one feature-length documentary, and many in collaboration with NGOs. These films garnered 33 international film festival awards and ran across continents. This also led us to work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through CWAS (Centre for Water and Sanitation) in India and Circulate Capital to fund innovations in ocean recycling and upcycling in Southeast Asia. Currently, we are working on two short documentaries and a feature-length documentary about the art and craft of local artisans.
On the challenges that you have faced as a filmmaker, especially in advocating for social causes through your work
What I have realised over the past decade in making films with social causes is that we have to be deeply invested in the cause or have a mindset towards progressively weaving the voice of the film towards a larger goal to be able to bring about any real change of any kind. If the film only leads to a space where it will be stuck at the same point as the cause itself, I guess it won’t be able to transcend the block. This entire process then becomes quite challenging because now how much to deal with stakeholders beyond the film and how much to pursue beyond making the film becomes an interesting self-journey.
On FridayFictionFilms collaborates with brands to create impactful commercial films while maintaining its commitment to social good
Brand and social good can also be a subtle introduction. It has to come out in company communication internally and externally and not necessarily always as leading the front for a cause voice. It could be more implementation-driven by showing how a brand first cares as an establishment and how it cares for and manages its employees and stakeholders and builds trust in the market. We bring out these subtle underlying aspects of brands and include them in the narratives we build for them.
On FridayFictionFilms setting itself apart from other film production companies in terms of its USP
We at FridayFictionFilms, utilise film as a solution and not just as a service. We use film also to simplify a lot of internal communication between companies and brands. The process of making the film goes even beyond making the film, it becomes a step towards bringing together the underlying values of the company to its employees and stakeholders and gives everyone more ways to connect with company goals and objectives.
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
