Film Production
Locomotive Global acquires rights to develop local version of “RAY DONOVAN” for the Indian market
MUMBAI: Locomotive Global Inc., an international production company focused on developing, producing, and distributing Indian-themed content for India and the world, has acquired the first scripted remake rights to the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME®drama series RAY DONOVAN from CBS Studios International. Locomotive will develop a new version of the series to be set in India and featuring an Indian cast.
“India is one of the biggest entertainment markets in the world. There is a voracious appetite for high-quality drama series throughout the region,” said Sunder Aaron, co-founder and Principal of Locomotive Global, Inc. “We think RAY DONOVAN, with its complex and gritty storylines and strong anti-hero central character, is in sync with the themes and genres that are resonating with Indian viewers right now. Our adaptation will bring Ray into the Indian milieu with the protagonist now a “fixer” in Bollywood. We look forward to developing this first-rate series for a whole new fanbase.”
Roxanne Pompa, Vice President, International Formats for CBS Studios International said: “India has become an increasingly important market for scripted drama and we are seeing more and more high-quality content coming from the region,” said CBS. “Locomotive’s idea to adapt the story and iconic central character of RAY DONOVAN in India market is both exciting and timely and we look forward to seeing how Indian viewers will respond.”
As a "fixer" for Hollywood's elite, Ray Donovan is the go-to guy for celebrities, athletes, and business moguls to make their problems disappear. Though often a messy job, it’s much more lucrative than Ray’s previous work as a ruthless South Boston thug and it’s given him status to run with the truly wealthy and powerful. But no amount of money can completely mask Ray's past, including a troubled family and a father who threatens to destroy everything Ray has been trying to accomplish for himself.
Starring Liev Schrieber, RAY DONOVAN premiered on Showtime in 2013 and is currently in production on the series’ seventh season. RAY DONOVAN won the Critics Choice Television Award for “Most Exciting New Series” in 2013 and Liev Schreiber has multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his performance in the title role.
Locomotive Global will develop, produce, and film the remake in India, and is currently identifying broadcast and digital distribution partners.
Film Production
Priyanka Kaur Dhillon joins SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution
A seasoned content dealmaker with 16 years in digital and satellite media joins the Bengali entertainment powerhouse as it pushes into the pan-India music market
Mumbai: Priyanka Kaur Dhillon has made her move. The content acquisitions and commercials veteran, most recently commercial manager at Sony Pictures Networks India, has joined SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution, stepping into one of the more interesting briefs in regional entertainment right now.
SVF is no ordinary regional label. Over 30 years it has built a formidable legacy in Bengali cinema and music, driven by culturally resonant storytelling and a catalogue that consistently punches above its weight. Its recent success with Chiraiya underlines the point. But the Kolkata-based powerhouse now has its sights firmly set beyond Bengal, most visibly through Legacy, a rap reality series produced in collaboration with hip-hop label Kalamkaar that signals a deliberate push into the pan-India music ecosystem.
Dhillon brings precisely the kind of muscle SVF needs for that expansion. At Sony Pictures Networks India, she led film acquisition and commercials and handled music licensing across the entire satellite network. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years at Hungama, rising to assistant general manager and leading strategic content licensing for the platform’s digital entertainment business, with a particular focus on international markets. Her label relationships span the full roster: Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music, Believe International, Tunecore, The Orchard and a clutch of smaller aggregators. She has negotiated and closed deals with Hollywood studios, Bollywood production houses and regional content players alike, building pricing models and deal structures off data analysis rather than instinct.
Announcing the appointment, Dhillon said she was “thrilled to begin this journey with an iconic Bengali music label and content powerhouse,” adding that SVF’s “constant drive to push boundaries” was what drew her to the role.
SVF has spent three decades proving that regional does not mean limited. With a sharp commercial operator now steering its music distribution, its bid to go national just got a good deal more serious.
