Film Production
Rapid fire questions with Swastik Productions’ Siddharth Kumar Tewary
MUMBAI: Story-teller, director and producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary is now touted as the king of mythology (which he calls 'history') on television with shows like Mahabharata, Suryaputra Karn, Shani, Mahakali, RadhaKrishn, Chandragupta Maurya and internationally famous Porus. In a virtual fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari, Swastik Productions and One Life Studios founder and chief creative officer Siddharth Kumar Tewary revealed his most favourites.
Know your favourite person behind these successful shows in this tell-all interview.
Edited excerpts:
Which is your most favourite show?
I am a very hard-core fan of Netflix Originals show Breaking Bad. I think the characterisation of Walter White, the way this show has been written is brilliant. They have done very good work from a direction and writing standpoint. So, yes that is my favourite series so far.
Who is your favourite writer?
In writing I have a lot of favourites, but I think Rajkumar Hirani is the best writer ever in India and in the Bollywood industry. His work is legendary, the kind of messaging he does through humour is very aspirational. In Bollywood his favourite movie is 3 Idiots and internally it is Brave Hearts which has had a huge impact on me. Apart from this my favourite animated movie is Finding Nemo.
One thing that a programming head had done which made you upset?
I think I am on the other side of the table, the person doesn’t have the intention to spoil the work. For instance, someone was making the series and I am a micro manager. I look after every small detailing right from your scripts to dialogue. And I have invested days and months understanding the work and if suddenly someone says you are not understanding the concept this is something that makes me a little upset. Because I have created the show, I have written the character, made 50 episodes and then someone just can’t say I don’t know the character. So, those kinds of things make me emotional. I am very sensitive about the work I do. I get very agitated when somebody pinpoints it. But even I have made lots of mistakes in this journey. I was quite a difficult person to handle as well so it is fine, I understand that their intention is not bad.
A writer you hate to work with, but you had to work anyway.
There is nobody I hate to work with and still go ahead and work, this is not possible. I don’t need to be forced to work with anyone because if you are forced to do something the outcome will never be good. I always believe in the creative field if you disconnect with somebody, then you should not work with that person. If you will work with that person the core objective of the work will go for a toss. It will no longer be a product you wished to create. There is nobody right or wrong, we are the biggest subjective field in the world. So, for me if you are not connected, then you are not on the same page.
Are you a writer, director or a producer. Which is your favourite role?
The reality is I am a writer, director and a producer. I started with being a producer, I was not a writer in the beginning. When I did Amber Dhara there were writers who were working with me and creatively driving the show. Over the period of time I worked on myself, I used to write a story and not an episode. I became a writer in a course of time and then started directing. So, it has been an interesting journey for me. However, I am more close to direction and writing, your work is out in front of the people. I look forward to people saying well done to me for my shows, it gives me immense happiness. I have not come here to build a multi-million empire, I have come here to tell stories.
When are you most inspired?
I am most inspired when I see legends. I try to understand what goes behind creating these legendary people. So, the journey about what goes into being consistent in their life, and continuously delivering good work inspires me. Even after being in the industry for 50 years Amitabh Bachchan goes to film sets everyday and is still curious to learn. I am a huge fan of Roger Federar. At the age of 38 playing a Wimbledon final is not a joke. It is not like this is something he got lucky with, it requires a huge amount of work. I really admire sports people, they take them to another level. In tennis you retire at thirty two. I think it takes a lot to retire at the age of thirty. I admire Boris Becker a lot.
If you could switch professions, what would you become.
I can only play sports; I only like sports apart from what I do. I would most probably play tennis. Infact, my elder brother Rahul and I are very competitive when it comes to playing tennis.
What is the best thing that has ever happened to you professionally?
When I was doing the show Amber Dhara I had no intention of becoming a producer. But the whole 'accidently turning into a production house' has been the best thing that has happened to me.
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
