iWorld
Prime Video unveils Angry Young Men trailer
Mumbai: Prime Video unveiled an intriguing and emotion-packed trailer for its upcoming original docuseries, Angry Young Men. The three-part docuseries captures the personal and professional journey of the legendary writer-duo Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, more popularly known as Salim-Javed. In the 1970s, they revolutionized Indian cinema by reinventing the Bollywood formula, introducing ‘angry young man’ heroes in a romance-dominated industry, and making action dramas a beloved genre. Produced by Salman Khan Films, Excel Media & Entertainment, and Tiger Baby, Angry Young Men is executive produced by Salma Khan, Salman Khan, Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, and marks the directorial debut of Namrata Rao. Angry Young Men is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide on August 20. Angry Young Men is the latest addition to the Prime membership.
The trailer of the docuseries presents an emotional and inspirational look at the extraordinary journey and enduring legacy of Salim-Javed. It immerses the audience in the rich Bollywood realm that they created, spotlighting their iconic characters and blockbusters such as Deewar, Don, Sholay, Trishul, and Dostana—films that have left an indelible imprint on Indian cinema. From their modest origins to becoming the first screenwriters to achieve stardom, it showcases rare archival footage, offering a nostalgic glimpse into their personal relationships, camaraderie, and creative brilliance through their unforgettable collaboration across 24 films. Heartfelt reflections from industry figures like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Helen, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Aamir Khan, and Kareena Kapoor Khan further highlight the significant impact Salim-Javed had on their careers.
Salim Khan said, “I started my career in front of the camera but realized that my true strength lay in telling stories. That’s when I decided to focus on what came naturally to me – writing. I then met Javed who was equally passionate about writing, and together we did some fantastic work together, which I am very proud of. We had an excellent run and achieved great success, and also challenged industry norms along the way. It feels wonderful that our journey is being documented for future generations, and I hope they will be inspired to do their best and not be confined by society’s prescribed roles. I’m excited for audiences across the world to see our journey unfold on Prime Video.”
Javed Akhtar shared, “I arrived in this city as a young man with no job, contacts, or money and often going to bed hungry; despite that, quitting never crossed my mind. What I always knew, however, was that my life story was something I would want to share with the world. The support we have received from our family, friends, and the industry in documenting our journey has been heartening and I would like to thank them all for their love. We’re delighted to share our story on Prime Video with a global audience, offering them a candid look into our journey from early struggles to achieving our dreams.”
Angry Young Men director Namrata Rao shared her enthusiasm for her debut project, saying, “Directing this docuseries on Salim-Javed has been an amazing experience. Their story is so inspiring, full of twists & turns and it has been a great opportunity for me to start my journey as a director. Interacting with Salim and Javed saab has taught me so many things about film writing, about life and dealing with the odds an artist face. They are effortlessly candid, witty and vociferous storytellers. Their stories are filled with both deep insights and charming anecdotes. It’s also a journey into the larger-than-life cinema of the 70s. I’m excited for everyone to see the unfiltered story of these two legends on Prime Video in India and across 240 countries and territories on 20 August.”
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
