iWorld
Twisted tales and edgy ends, VOOT Originals, ‘SHORTCUTS’ launches 12 must watch stories
MUMBAI: A tattoo that changes a regular man’s life, a mundane twist of the tap that spirals a boy in his past and a dead husband’s eyes that continues to suffocate a troubled wife, the 12-brand new short films by VOOT Originals ‘SHORTCUTS’ will challenge your imagination. Produced by Tipping Point (A Viacom18 Studios Production) an array of intense and off-beat thriller dramas is all set to give you a paraphernalia of emotions. Spread across multiple genres of drama, adventure and mystery with varied plots set across India, Voot will be your go-to entertainment destination for a rush of raw and edgy content.
An ensemble cast featuring, Barun Sobti, Mona Singh, Akshara Hasan along with directors such as Debatma Mandal and Vikas Chandra, VOOT is sure to entertain viewers from all over India.
Speaking about Shortcuts, Akash Banerji, Head Marketing and Partnerships, Viacom 18 Digital Ventures said “At VOOT we have been focused on providing high decibel engagement and an immersive content experience to our users. VOOT Original Shortcuts Produced by Tipping Point allows us to leverage synergies and add to the content diversity of VOOT. We are sure that the distinctive narrative and unique storytelling is sure to intrigue audiences and gather significant interest.”
Commenting on the launch, Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios said “The purpose of Tipping Point is to tell edgy, provocative stories and narratives missed out in the mainstream. These are targeted for personal consumption on a mobile or a tablet. Our maiden production for VOOT in the form of 12 exciting short films seeks to make a big impact amongst digital viewers with this eclectic bunch of stories”
The opening set of ‘SHORTCUTS’ will showcase Derma, Googly, Joy Ride, Bauma and Chacha and Cheetah’s trip starting 08th February 2019 followed by Glitch, Grey, Aun and Teaspoon going live on 15th February. The third tranche of short films on Voot will showcase Maya, On the Road and Red Velvet on 22nd February 2019.
Here’s a quick introduction to the first set of stories releasing on 08th February:
· DERMA – The story of a man whose life turns upside down after he gets a tattoo made by a mystical man in the mountains. The intriguing saga is a unique take on the circle of Karma.
· JOYRIDE – A road trip that takes Raunak amid the wilderness on an unusual road trip, ignoring the perils of a menacing folktale as challenged by his friend. What follows is an extraordinary tale of the unforeseen.
· BOUMA (Bengali) – Set in the heart of Kolkata, Bouma is the story of a middle-aged couple in the 1960s, living their mundane lives. A nagging husband is diagnosed with cancer and the wife agrees to donate his organs to his scientist friend after he dies. What she does with her husband’s still-conscious head after death culminates to a climax, which is both funny and dark.
· Chacha and Cheetah’s trip will take the protagonists on an adventure of a lifetime. It is a story of two marijuana enthusiasts who after smoking the mythical and legendary windmill joint take an unusual trip.
· Ishq Ki Googly – A story of a husband who plans to murder the illicit lover of his wife, but things go bizarrely out of plan, thereby compelling him to play this game of love.
· Teaspoon – Series of incidents become ingredients for a Molotov cocktail that leads to a disturbing end.
· Red Velvet – What happens when unusual incidents take place at a household when a ten-year-old boy enters home.
· On the Road – A story with unusual coincidences happening on a night drive of Aravind on the way home.
· AUN A(U)N USUAL DAY – Aun details the problem faced by a photographer against a tribal man who lacks wisdom due to the dearth of human interaction.
· Maya – Maya is the story of a young independent working woman living in Mumbai with her mother, who suffers from incontinence.
· Grey – A unique take on a murder, investigation between an autistic man and an inane cop.
· Glitch – An interesting tale of time traveling.
Launched in May 2018, ‘Tipping Point’ is the digital Content brand of Viacom18 Studios that focuses on creating contemporary, engaging and path breaking, content for online audiences. The brand extends the Viacom18 Studios’ ethos of unconventional narratives with a host of web series, short films and non-traditional formats.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
