iWorld
Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show
MUMBAI: Ekta Kapoor’s Alt Balaji has announced its first digital series. Not yet titled, the platform has roped in actor Nimrat Kaur to essay the central character and Nagesh Kukunoor to direct the series.
The fiction series has been jointly conceptualized by Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor and Samar Khan, and is produced by Endemol Shine India.
“Set in the backdrop of the Indian Army, we are presenting a riveting story that is bound to resonate with the youth of the country. Having Nimrat and Nagesh aboard, definitely takes the show to a new level. When we announced the launch of ALT Balaji, we promised to break stereotypes in storytelling; this series is a strong reinforcement of that commitment,” said Kapoor.
Kaur will be seen portraying the role of the first woman preparing to be inducted in a combat role in the Indian Army.
“Disruption, innovation and scale is the core of what we want to do. From our strategy to our content, everything on ALT Balaji will reflect this ethos. Through ALT Balaji, we are targeting urban audiences who are always on the lookout for differentiated content, one that is not available on television or even on silver screen for that matter. ALT Balaji aims to satisfy the need of this very consumer. We have just announced our first exclusive show and will be making many such exciting announcements in the weeks to come,” added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.
Alt Balaji is aimed at disrupting the market with avantgarde and exclusive content catering to urban masses.
“Nimrat was our first choice for this and producing content for ALT Balaji at this scale will set new standards in the digital landscape,” stated Endemol Shine India managing director and CEO Deepak Dhar.
To this, Khan added,“The army and the armed forces have always fascinated me and stories with an army background draw me towards them naturally. I am excited about this opportunity to work with ALT and Endemol and am looking forward to telling a lot such stories in the future”
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
