Film Production
Essel Vision enters into a multi-film deal with White Feather Films
MUMBAI: Essel Vision Productions Ltd (EVPL), the creative and production studio of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), has announced a multi-film deal to make its foray into mainstream commercial Hindi films with writer, director and producer, Sanjay Gupta’s White Feather Films.
The first film to go on floors in January 2015 is directed by Sanjay Gupta. Titled Jazbaa, it is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s comeback film as the dynamic lead protagonist and also stars Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi and Anupam Kher. Jazbaa will be Aishwarya’s first film after a gap of 5 years.
Essel Vision has, in a short span of three years, emerged as a full-fledged state-of-the-art-studio that is a one-stop destination for all in film making, promotions, advertising, distribution and revenue generating streams. It has built a dynamic portfolio of regional cinema in Marathi and Bengali, top rated television shows and is now venturing into Hindi cinema. Wholly owned by ZEE, Essel Vision is backed by the conglomerate’s vast network of channels including its music company Zee Music.
After being a trendsetter in Marathi and Bangla cinema and associations with the biggest names in regional language cinema, this announcement is a first from amongst a slate of films being made by Essel Vision.
Acclaimed filmmaker Nittin Keni is Essel Vision’s CEO and has produced commercial and critical blockbusters like Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and half a dozen other successful films. On this multi-film deal, Nittin Keni says, “We are delighted to associate with Sanjay Gupta. The first offering Jazbaa is a brilliant script that is full of emotional texture and develops beautifully into a human story for global audiences. The partnership is a perfect fit for both companies and I am confident that together we will be in a better position to deliver compelling, profitable entertaining content to global audiences. Besides the films which we have already locked, we are in talks with several prolific content makers and will soon announce other projects in the pipeline.”
Sanjay Gupta is known for his fast-paced action thrillers which include Kaante, Musafir, Zinda, Shootout at Lokhandwala and the recent blockbuster Shootout At Wadala amongst others. Commenting on their association, Sanjay Gupta, Chairman & MD, White Feather Films says, “It’s a pleasure to associate with Essel Vision on their foray into mainstream Hindi film production after the successes they have had in regional cinema. Having the largest Indian television conglomerate ZEEL backing us is a dream come true for any production house. We, at White Feather Films, could not be happier. Also, for me from doing fast paced action, I’m looking forward to Jazbaa as it’s a gripping, touching and terrifying drama. We have a stellar team, and a great dramatic conundrum that audiences should enjoy.”
After creating an unprecedented record at the recently held 45th International Film Fesival of India (IFFI) in Goa, with four films produced by EVPL selected officially to be screened at the festival, the studio identifies and acquires powerful fresh and intellectual property based ideas and matches them with strong filmmakers to turn them into blockbusters. Essel Vision – Business Head, Akash Chawla says, “This is our first announcement and many more announcements can be expected from Essel Vision in the Hindi film space. Zee is here to make quality & commercially viable films and Essel Vision, as the creative and production arm of Zee, will lead the foray. We will be involved in all aspects right from film production, processing, distribution, exhibition and revenue streams of these films.”
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
