iWorld
Warner Bros Discovery & Friday Storytellers create a hattrick with Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Secrets of the Buddha Relics’
Mumbai: Upon its OTT debut in January, the documentary “Secrets of the Buddha Relics” captivated audiences with its compelling storytelling and exploration of ancient mysteries. Following its premiere on the Discovery Channel, the documentary garnered widespread acclaim, ranking among the top five shows in the factual genre and establishing itself as one of the top-rated Indian originals on the channel. Its success extended to discovery+, where it claimed the number-one spot on the OTT platform, further solidifying its status as a must-watch production.
Created by acclaimed writer/director Neeraj Pandey and produced by Shital Bhatia, with direction by Raghav Jairath and hosted by actor Manoj Bajpayee, the show delves into the final days of Gautam Buddha and explores the origins and current state of the relics which have intrigues generations. The documentary traces the origins, cultural and spiritual significance and the mystical stories behind how the relics came to be. Continuing the momentum of the previous two installments, ‘Secret of the Buddha Relics’ has been well received by audiences and critics alike.
Commenting on the success, Manoj Bajpayee said “Seeing the ‘Secrets’ series become extremely popular has been incredibly exciting. It’s amazing to see the love viewers have showered on the franchise, and it shows how interested they are when history is brought alive in a fascinating way on-screen.” Secrets of the Buddha Relics’ has followed on the back of the previous two extremely successful series ‘Secrets of Sinauli’ and ‘Secrets of the Kohinoor’
Warner Bros Discovery head of factual and lifestyle cluster, South Asia Sai Abishek said, “We have constantly been striving to up the ante with factual entertainment. Our partners, Friday Storytellers, share our vision of elevating factual entertainment from the region by bringing larger-than-life stories to the screen. We have seen great reception with the ‘Secrets’ franchise and look forward to continuing our partnership with Friday Storytellers.”
Producer Shital Bhatia, emphasizing the commitment to quality content in factual entertainment, stated “Friday Storytellers vertical focuses on Documentaries, bringing History to life. History, though intriguing, must be backed by extreme and thorough research, separating myth from facts. We aim not only to cater to our strong and loyal audience but also to add newer audiences to the fold through authentic and entertaining storytelling”.
Raghav Jairath, director of the franchise commented “With the ‘Secrets’ franchise, we set out to create an entertaining yet credible series which all kinds of audiences will appreciate. The aim was to elevate the factual entertainment genre, drawing audiences who will actively seek more instalments of our franchise and we are glad we could make that happen as a team with the recent success of ‘Secrets of the Buddha Relics’.”
Collaborating with a diverse range of experts from around the world, Friday Storytellers has further solidified the authenticity and integrity of their documentaries. Esteemed figures such as Late Dr B. B. Lal – former director general of ASI (Padma Vibhushan), Dr B.R.Mani – former ADG, ASI, Dr KK Muhammed (Padma Shri), Dr Shashi Tharoor- Parliamentarian, Adv J Sai Deepak- Arguing Counsel, Supreme Court of India, Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi- Filmmaker, Dr Adrienne Munich- Stony Brook University, Mr. Navtej Sarna- former diplomat, Dr Halle O’Neal – University of Edinburgh and Dr Danielle Kinsey- Carleton University have lent their expertise, adding a significant level of credibility to the franchise among both general audiences and the global academic community.
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.
