iWorld
“We are journalists and storytellers; Our mandate is to uncover, showcase, and celebrate cinema:”
Mumbai: The visionary behind Film Companion, founder Anupama Chopra is back with a new venture: Film Companion Studios.
Film Companion Studios is a speciality division for long-form storytelling, to create, develop and produce documentaries on all things film and entertainment. Film Companion Studios tells stories of storytellers and artists responsible for making cinema an experience. Through various endeavours, including impact-driven programmes to fund emerging filmmakers, FC Studios aims to take Film Companion’s legacy of discerning and nurturing love for cinema ahead.
Indiantelevision’s Suman Baidh in conversation with Film Companion Studios founder Anupama Chopra
Edited excerpt
On the inspiration for the creation of Film Companion Studios
The creation of Film Companion Studios came from our desire to document Indian cinema – the artists, the movies, the high points, and the low points. We started with Modern Masters, a documentary on SS Rajamouli. And through making that we decided that we wanted to do long-form storytelling around Indian cinema and pop culture.
On the planning to maintain the essence of Film Companion’s original mission while expanding into the more niche space of documentary filmmaking
The essence of Film Companion was always to be the missing Companion. FC Studios will also fulfil that role by bridging the gap between movies and movie lovers. We want to create an archive of incredible stories from the world of movies.
On focusing on long-form storytelling the criteria used to select the subjects for your documentaries
We want to tell stories that are engaging, informative and always, entertaining. That is the criteria we use to select subjects.
As the lines between journalism and content creation continue to blur, On Film Companion and Film Companion Studios shaping the future of entertainment journalism
We are journalists and storytellers. Our mandate is to uncover, showcase, and celebrate cinema. I don’t really worry about being a content creator. I hope the work that we do helps to propel entertainment journalism in the right direction.
On anticipating the shift from Film Companion to Film Companion Studios, potential resonance with the existing audience and challenges in retaining their loyalty are considered.
I think we have to continue to do our work with passion and integrity. As Rancho said in 3 Idiots – chase excellence and success will follow. I hope the same is true for our audience.
On the recent release of Modern Masters
Modern Masters was originally conceived by my erstwhile colleagues Baradwaj Rangan and Avinash Prakash. We took the idea to Applause Entertainment. Sameer Nair was excited by it and partnered with us in making the documentary. It’s been a thrilling journey to create the documentary and have it release on Netflix.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
