Famous Studios brings the content value chain in-house as it enters its next chapter

MUMBAI: Eighty years old, and refusing to sit still. Famous Studios, one of India’s most established names in the film and entertainment industry, is repositioning its business under the leadership of Anant Roongta, managing director, to become India’s first integrated creative and content business. The prize: bringing the entire content value chain in-house, so brands and creators across formats can work with one partner through multiple stages of the content journey. Mumbai, 29 September 2026, and the studio that once made its name in celluloid is now betting big on an end-to-end ecosystem.

The pitch is simple. From creative development and production to VFX, post-production, IP creation and distribution, Famous Studios is building an end-to-end content ecosystem designed to amplify impact and visibility. Sitting at its core is AI, powering creativity, efficiency, impact and scale across the content value chain.

The credentials are hard to beat. Founded in 1946, Famous Studios has spent eight decades evolving alongside India’s entertainment industry, serving as a home to generations of the film-making and advertising fraternity, introducing technology ahead of its time, and playing a pivotal role in enabling creators and shaping the industry’s evolution. It became Asia’s first air-conditioned studio, imported one of India’s first film cameras and pioneered post-production technologies, and has been associated with several milestones in the industry’s evolution. Its legacy extends to music too: Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle recorded their first duet together at Famous Studio.

Now comes the consolidation. Building on decades of expertise, Famous Studios is bringing together creative development, production, post-production, VFX, brand solutions, digital media, AI, IP creation and distribution within a single business umbrella. The model is designed to build original IPs by Famous Studios and also give brands, filmmakers and content creators access to end-to-end capabilities through one connected partner, from the development of an idea through production, post and final delivery.

There is a smart second half to the strategy. Recognising a gap in the industry, the new approach is focused not only on creating compelling content but also on ensuring it finds the right audience. It brings together strategic distribution and audience targeting to make sure the right content reaches the right people, in the right places, and at the right time. In an age when content is abundant and attention is scarce, that is the bit that pays the bills.

Roongta framed the shift as a natural evolution. “The content industry is moving towards greater integration, speed and creative collaboration, and we believe ‘Famous’ has a role to play in shaping that shift. We have always been early to recognise where the industry is headed, and this is the next step in that evolution. By bringing production, VFX, post, technology, IP, brand solutions, films, AI, social media and emerging formats together under one ecosystem, we are making it simpler for brands and creators to move from an idea to execution with one connected partner. For us, innovation has always been about staying ahead of the curve and continuously creating what the industry needs next,” he said.

He added: “The new business strategy is intended to address an increasingly fragmented content landscape, where brands and content makers often work with multiple specialist partners across different stages of a project. At Famous Studios, these capabilities can now be accessed through one connected ecosystem, creating greater continuity between creative, production and execution while simplifying the journey from brief to final delivery.”

The structure is tidy. The business is built around four key verticals: post-production and VFX, brand solutions, films and original content, and digital media. Together, they bring capabilities spanning creative development, production, VFX, CGI, editing, sound, colour, branded content, IP creation and digital-first content. Recent work includes Animal, Kalki 2898 AD, IB 71 and Article 370. The films and original content and digital media businesses are also being developed, including Ground Zero, its digital-first platform expanding into YouTube Shorts and other formats.

AI is not a bolt-on. It is increasingly embedded across Famous’ creative and production ecosystem, with the company exploring applications across concept development, visualisation, production, VFX and post-production. It is also working on projects and collaborations that bring together AI, CGI and traditional production to create new creative possibilities, while retaining control over quality, visual language and brand requirements. That last clause matters: speed without losing the brand’s voice.

The repositioning also opens a new physical chapter. The iconic Mahalaxmi studio was an important part of Mumbai’s entertainment history, hosting generations of filmmakers, actors, artists, production houses and major broadcast activity. It was also associated with major sporting and cultural moments, including FIFA Qatar broadcast activity and IPL broadcast operations during its Jio era. Today, the company’s corporate office has moved to Santacruz, while its studios operate from Andheri West.

One studio, one partner, one journey from brief to final delivery. For a business with 80 years of history, Famous Studios is behaving very much like a start-up.