Pickle February Berlin Issue 2023

FILMS

INDIA’S ONLY MEDIA BIZ MAGAZINE FOR THE WORLD

Countdown to Glory!

NAATU NAATU

As MM Keeravani’s song is nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars 2023, SS Rajamouli’s RRR is redefining Indian cinema’s worldwide reach

Filmed in Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Palace, RRR song featuring lead actors Ram Charan and Junior NTR has garnered over 145 million views on YouTube

SEE WHAT COMES NEXT

ONE EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE. FOUR UNIQUE DESTINATIONS.

CREATE. All things pre-production to post.

CONNECT. All things distribution and delivery.

INTELLIGENT CONTENT. All things data, AI and automation.

Cannes Palais des Festivals

17-19 April 2023

FROM THE EDITOR

We are delighted to present the latest issue of Pickle on the occasion of Berlinale and European Film Market 2023. This is the 15th edition of Pickle at the Berlinale and EFM.

We are adding FILMS to the Mast of Pickle, starting with this issue, and the idea is to reimagine and reset our focus on the various media verticals such as GAMES, EMERGING TECH, STREAMING, LOCALES, AVGC, INNOVAION, SKILLING in the forthcoming editions, capturing the rapidly evolving new world of media influenced by AI and a new business modules.

Berlinale continues its discovery spree of selecting films from India, like in previous years. This year’s Berlinale selections include films by more than a half-dozen innovative Indian filmmakers. The Berlinale selections from India include Chhatrapal Ninawane’s Ambush (Marathi, Panorama), Sreemoyee Singh’s Happy Alleys (Persian, Panorama), Priya Sen’s No Stranger At All (Forum Expanded), and Ashish Benede’s Aatmapamphlet (Generation 14-plus). Brown by Abhinay Ramesh Deo and Roar by Excel Entertainment will be part of the Berlinale Series Market.

Our heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Meenakshi Shedde, South Asia film delegate, Berlin International Film Festival who is celebrating 25 years of working with Berlinale, pre-selecting their India and South Asian films since 1998. Her ability to adapt in this space and discover talent from across India is a great accomplishment.

In this issue, we have captured the success of SS Rajamouli’s film RRR which has opened a new

path in transforming the reach of Indian cinema acorss the world, especially the North American market and Japan. Now, all eyes are set on whether or not Nattu Nattu song from RRR would win Oscar for Original Song on March 12. RRR has won the Best Original Song Award at the Golden Globes. SS Rajamouli is the new Raj Kapoor of India, who like Raj Kapoor single handely succeeded in taking Indian cinema, its song and dance global. Music composer MM Keeravani, choreographer Prem Rakshith, singers Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj and lyricist Chandrbose along with lead actor Ram Charan and Junior NTR, director SS Rajamouli through the song Nattu Nattu will be etched in our mind for years and years to come. India has a huge room for growth for domestic media and entertainment companies as well as foreign media and film companies looking to tap the Indian market. Audio visual services are recognised as a champion sector by the Government of India. The policies are geared towards realising the full potential of the M&E sector – providing an enabling environment and lowering market barriers to propel growth. The government has made India available for filming as part of these efforts, and a decision has been made to place the Film Facilitation Office’s operations under ‘Invest India’ in order to increase foreign investment in India through well-coordinated efforts. Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions. We will be most happy to answer your questions and we are just a few clicks away to set up meetings (www.pickle.co.in) for collaborating with Indian media and entertainment companies.

n vidyasagar pickle media

nat@pickle.co.in www.pickle.co.in

Senior Editor : Vivek Ratnakar

Editorial Coordinators : Maitreyi Vidyasagar, Shruti Sundaranand, Bala, Ram

Design: Jose J Reegan, James, D Sharma

Photo Editor : K K Laskar

IT & Operations : B Rajalakshmi

Email: natvid@gmail.com

tracking the filmed entertainment business in India.

The Berlinale is Europe’s largest film festival and the city of Berlin’s most important event. The 73rd Berlinale will highlight the struggle for independence in Ukraine and Iran

Star Power @Berlinale 2023

Berlinale 2023 would be a celebration of the “catalysing and revolutionary notion of cinema, which unites even when it divides,” stated artistic director Carlo Chatrian. This year’s edition includes everything from star power to extravagant red carpet evenings. The 2023 edition is the first real edition for Chatrian and managing director Maritte Rissenbeek. This year’s actor awards will favour a gender-neutral format. During a retrospective of his films, Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg will be honoured with a Golden Bear for his life’s work. Nineteen films will compete for the main awards. Asian animated films “Art College 1994” by China’s Liu Jian and “Suzume” by Japan’s Makoto Shinkai will compete for the Golden Bear.

Berlinale artistic director Carlo Chatrian and managing director Maritte Rissenbeek

Panorama

Ghaath (Marathi) - Ambush

Writer-Director: Chhatrapal Ninawe

Country: India

Starring: Jitendra Joshi, Milind Shinde, Janardan Kadam, Dhananjay Mandaokar, Suruchi Adarkar

Producers: Shiladitya Bora, Manish Mundra, Milapsinh Jadeja, Sanyukta Gupta

Co-Producer: Ashok Mahapatra

World Sales: Platoon One Films

Since India’s independence from British colonization,, the tribals of India have been fighting to protect the three central elements of their lives – Land, Water and Jungle. Ghaath is a story told through those elements and corresponding three characters – an undercover Maoist trying to track down a police officer, who is responsible for the death of his brother; a cop trying to secure the surrender of a Maoist guerrilla with the help of an aborigine; and a Maoist besotted by a tribal woman, while on the run from the Maoist cadre. The film is set on the fringes of a Maoist-affected area, shining a light on the tribals caught between conflicting ideologies.

Relying on his images to depict this beleaguered region in central India, Chhatrapal Ninawe transports the audience into an almost hypnotic atmosphere that heightens both the senses and awareness. An unsparing psychological portrait of a protracted and ruthless civil war that continues to rage.

Panorama

And Towards Happy Alleys (Farsi, English)

Director: Sreemoyee Singh

Country: India

Starring: Jafar Panahi, Nasrin Soutodeh, Jinous Nazokkar, Farhad

Kheradmand, Aida

Mohammadkhani

Producer: Sreemoyee Singh

Executive Producers: Hussain Currimbhoy, Noopur Sinha, Orly Ravid

Sales Contact: Happy Alleys Films

Inspired by the cinema and poetry of Iran a young Indian filmmaker undertakes a self-reflexive journey to explore the lives of filmmakers and women in Tehran. Through intimate and unexpected conversations, the camera captures revelations about how Iranians negotiate life under the Islamic Regime, its constant censorship, and the limitations on basic human expression. Moving and unguarded exchanges with acclaimed Iranian filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Shirvani open a door into the lives of women whose daily battles with repression have been the source of their stories. We witness how the Regime dismisses the idea of femininity by erasing a woman’s body, forbidding women to sing, forbidding desire. Over six years, the filmmaker’s camera captures the simmering anxieties, fears, hopes and dreams of a nation on the brink of revolution. Woven within the film’s careful observation and diligent enquiry is the historic journey of Iranian women from mute observers to those fighting to reclaim their lost voices, as they spearhead the largest struggle for liberation rocking Iran now.

And, Towards Happy Alleys is a passionate declaration of love for the cinema and poetry of Iran which also provides a frank view of daily life, and bears witness to a fearless generation raising its voice and implacably demanding its civil liberties.

Generation 14plus

Aatmapamphlet (Marathi)

Director: Ashish Avinash Bende

Country: India

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Aanand L. Rai, Kanupriya A. Iyer, Madhugandha

Kulkarni, Shariq Patel

Starring: Om Bendkhale, Pranjali Shrikant, Chetan Wagh, Manas Tondwalkar, Khushi

Hajare

World Sales: Zee Studios

Daydreams, disillusions, and a sudden rush of joy. The symptoms of a first love are everywhere in this delightful directorial debut that reworks the visual codes of Bollywood romances to great comic effect. Yet as Ashish recalls his childhood, and time speeds up or slows down, the story of his love for his classmate Srushti gets caught up in that of 1990s India. Caste and religion threaten to turn friends into foes, but Ashish and his classmates ultimately prove their friendship runs deeper than societal divisions. This plea for (national) unity, voiced by a band of ordinary schoolboys, is in no way naïve: here is a strong rebuttal to the violently divisive walls and barricades of classism and religion tearing the whole world apart; here is popular comedy of the best kind.

Forum Expanded

No Stranger at All (Hindi, Urdu, English)

Director: Priya Sen

Country: India

Producer: Priya Sen

“For two years starting in 2020, this work has been forming along the edges of disquiet and premonition, in fragments and intensities, through wandering and notstaying. It has tried to find language for and ways across the bizarre upheavals of social and political values with the rise of fascism in India and a global pandemic. It has insisted on being amongst the things that keep from falling apart. Filmed in Delhi, these incomplete fictions are of the people, places, and protests that keep the language of hatred at bay and absorb the city’s grief and euphoria. In them are the continuous echoes of a violent and tenuous present. The false closures and tenuous associations in this video/essay compose a timeline of the city at an angle through the time of this work. There is a shadowy sense of a protagonist who undreams it all; a stranger, who it turns out, is no stranger at all.”

Priya Sen

Forum Expanded Exhibition

Our Daughters Shall Inherit the Wealth of Our Stories: The Imaginactivism of Yugantar Film

Collective

Director: Yugantar

Country: India

Produced by: SAVVY

Contemporary Berlin, Germany

Our Daughters Shall Inherit the Wealth of Our Stories will manifest spatially in the form of a convivial cinema appreciation, exhibition and discursive space that hosts films and people that resonate with the spirit of the collective alongside a constellation of stories, contextual information and artistic resonances. SAVVY Contemporary welcomes Yugantar’s ecology of vision by accommodating further mediations and entanglements in a programme that extends the duration of the films through other creative productions in performance, literature, theory, as well as in the reality of SAVVY’s neighbourhood and the larger professional community of Berlin. Adding these lively dimensions, the exhibition animates this complex lineage to be a source of new propositions for a collective filmmaking practice that strives towards relations based on equality across different backgrounds and perspectives. The film collective Yugantar was founded by Deepa Dhanraj, Abha Bhaiya, Navroze Contractor, and Meera Rao in 1980. Between 1980 and 1983, during a time of radical political transformation in India, Yugantar created four pioneering films together with existing or ensuing women’s groups.

Retrospective Aparajito (Bengali)

Director: Satyajit Ray

Country: India

Starring: Pinaki Sen Gupta, Smaran Ghosal, Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Ramani Sen Gupta

Producer: Satyajit Ray

Produced by: Epic Productions

In the 1920s, Apu moved with his family from rural Bengal to Varanasi, where his father finds work as a priest. When the father dies, mother and son move back to their village. The young man resists pressure to become a priest like his father and instead persuades his mother to let him go to school. After graduating, he wins a scholarship to study in Kolkata. Apu works at a printing press at night to pay his expenses and begins to make friends. Meanwhile, left behind back home, his mother grows lonelier and lonelier … Satyajit Ray’s Apu trilogy was influenced by Italian neo-realism. In this, the second film, he puts his youthful protagonist in direct confrontation with modern-day commodities – automobiles, wristwatches, and printing presses – as well as the bustling street life of a contemporary metropolis and, particularly convincingly, his first encounter with electricity in the form of a lightbulb. It all challenges the young “unvanquished” on a functional level. At the same time, Apu’s individual coming of age and his adaptation to Western culture foreshadow the process of modernisation in Indian society that would culminate in the country’s independence.

Berlinale Series

Dahaad (Hindi) - Roar

Creators: Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar

Country: India

Starring: Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Varma, Gulshan Devaiah, Sohum Shah

Producers: Kassim Jagmagia, Angad Dev Singh, Sunitha Ram

Produced by: Excel Media and Entertainment, Tiger Baby

In rural Rajasthan, women are disappearing but nobody seems to be alarmed. It is not uncommon here for women to elope with their partners when they cannot afford the traditional dowry. However, young policewoman Anjali Bhaati notices a similarity in the cases: long nightly phone calls, a boyfriend whom no one in the neighbourhood has ever seen, and no sign of life after the disappearance. With her motorbike and sunglasses, Anjali might wear the insignia of traditional macho cops but power and coolness are of no concern to her, rather truth and justice. As a member of a lower caste, obstacles only make her all the more determined: “I’ve had many doors shut in my face. But no one has managed to shut me up.”

In the captivating and subtly humorous Dahaad, Reema Kagti (creator, director) and Zoya Akhtar (creator), who both presented Gully Boy in Berlinale Special in 2019, and Ruchika Oberoi (director) tell the story of a society riven by caste and religion, and a legal system undermined by Hindu nationalism and a patriarchy in which marriage is the only accepted goal in life for women.

Berlinale Series Market Brown (Hindi)

Director: Abhinay Deo

Country: India

Starring: Karishma Kapoor, Helen, Soni Razdan, Surya Sharma, K.K. Raina

Producer: Zee Studios

Zee Studios’ Brown follows Karishma Kapoor (Rita Brown) as a detective in the Kolkata police force and recovering alcoholic investigating the murder of a young woman from a well-connected family. Directed by Abhinay Deo, the web series is based on the 2016 novel “City of Death” by Abheek Barua, adapted by Digvijay Singh, Sunayana Kumari and Mayukh Ghosh.

2023 BERLINALE TALENTS FROM INDIA

From February 18-23, 2023, Berlinale Talents welcomes 204 selected filmmakers to Berlin: for a community comprising 68 countries the 6 days exchanging experiences along the theme “You Must Be Joking: Humour In Serious Times” are a ticket to join what is one of the largest worldwide film communities, with soon to be 10,000 Berlinale Talents alumni. Here are 2023 Berlinale Talents from India

Modhura Palit Cinematographer

Gayle Sequeira Film Critic / Journalist

Udit Khurana Cinematographer

Koel Sen Director, Screenwriter

Apurva G Charan Producer, Screenwriter

ARIEL VENEZIANO TO LEAD TOONZ INTO FEATURE SPACE

The choice to develop the feature film division, led by a charismatic leader, is seen as ideal to position Toonz as a key player in the in the world of feature films after the group established its reputation as the industry leader in animation and children’s entertainment. Toonz Media Group is at European Film Market

Toonz Media Group, which has been serving the global children and family entertainment market for around 25 years, is expanding into features with the formation of a division helmed by industry veteran Ariel Veneziano.

Veneziano, who formerly served as president of Icon Entertainment International, where he supervised sales on Mel Gibson’s The Passion Of The Christ, plans to make additional feature announcements in the runup to Cannes. The company will work with in-house and third-party content. Toonz Media Group is at Euroepan Film Market.

During his tenure at Alliance Atlantis Communication as Director of Sales and Distribution, he handled international distribution on Michael

Toonz is a highly recognizable brand in the kids and family space, having established relationships with exceptional creators of content. I look forward to helping the group capitalize on the many opportunities in the feature film world, with an initial focus on high end animated movies for the theatrical marketplace

Moore’s award-winning documentary Bowling for Columbine, and America’s most watched television show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Ariel has also served as President of Gold Valley Films International where he helped arrange partnerships with top theatrical distributors.

Sharing his vision, Ariel Veneziano, President of Toonz Feature Film Division said: “Toonz is a highly recognizable brand in the kids and family space, having established relationships with exceptional creators of content. I look forward to helping the group capitalize on the many opportunities in the feature film world, with an initial focus on high end animated movies for the theatrical marketplace.”

“Having firmly established Toonz as the worldwide leader in animation and kid’s entertainment, I feel this is the right time to launch the feature film division headed by a dynamic leader. Post Berlin, Ariel will announce additions to his team along with new projects currently under development. He is tasked with making Toonz a global force in the feature film world,” P Jayakumar, Chief Executive Officer of Toonz Media Group commented.

Toonz is co-producing Isabella Blanco’s family animation adventure movie Little Emma with Gold Valley Entertainment, China. The plot revolves around a small girl adopted by animal parents who longs to learn the truth about her human ancestors.

Together with Robert Chandler’s Space Age Films and Align Pictures US Inc., Toonz is also co-producing the Oscar Wilde adaptation The Canterville Ghost. International sales are handled by Cinema Management Group.

Prior positions held by Veneziano include president of Gold Valley Pictures International and director of sales and distribution at Alliance Atlantis.

In the children’s and family market, Toonz is a very recognisable brand, having developed ties with outstanding content providers, said Veneziano. He added that he was excited to work with the organisation to take advantage of the various potential in the world of feature films, with a starting concentration on premium animated films for the theatrical market.

10 THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO @BERLINALE EFM 2023

With the return of EFM in physical form, all digital aspects developed for epidemic editions, such as online screenings, are expected to be incorporated into the physical version in 2023.

The Berlinale Series Market will be more tightly linked into EFM, with its conference, screenings, and talks taking place around Potsdamer Square.

The EFM Industry Sessions are being held at a new location, the Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, and Reconciliation, which is a short distance from the Gropius Bau.

As the designated “Countries in Focus” this year, filmmakers from the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will get the chance to introduce themselves, their works, and the film industry of their nations.

The Ukrainian Institute is collaborating on a finance panel called Producers Presentations, which will take place at the EFM along with the Project Pitches of the Odesa International Film Festival.

The difficulty of taking audience demands into account throughout production, distribution, and multiplatform releases will be discussed by a think tank during conference.

In addition to the presentation and the numerous matchmaking sessions at EFM, there will be an investment forum for the first time, where the start-ups will exhibit their concepts and products to potential investors.

In the EFM Industry Sessions site, there will also be a “Room of Stillness” to provide all market visitors with a mobile-free and work-free atmosphere to wind down and de-stress.

This year’s Berlinale Series Market has an especially strong line-up of showcases from many countries, including specific events such as a Spanish showcase with contributions from Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia, an All3media showcase revealing brand-new series, and a conversation with Universal International Studios president Beatrice Springborn.

The EFM will not offer accreditation to those working for official Russian national or state-controlled institutions, businesses, or media, as well as those who support the regime.

THE CHANGING FACE OF INDIAN CINEMA

It is clear that Indian cinema is evolving, which would help it not only expand globally and increase its business abroad but also help Indian businesses while building India’s soft power, writes Veteran Indian film industry leader Ravi

of

Kottarakara, President, Film Federation

India and South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce

Ravi Kottarakara, President, Film Federation of India and South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, Producer Kottarakara Films & Ganesh Pictures

India, as a cinema nation, holds a significant mind space both domestically and globally. Not only is India’s economy growing strong, but the filmed entertainment space is also passing through an exciting phase.

A few days back, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with talented professionlas from the Kannada film industry. Those moments captured on film, send a clear and strong message-the Indian film industry is high on the government’s priority list for expanding its soft power abroad.

For the first time in our recent history, we have recognised Indian cinema as a separate genre with a national audience. There are many cinemas of India, made in filmmaking centres across the country. Our films have received recognition and acclaim not only in India but also among audiences worldwide. Examples include RRR, Kantara, KGF, Pushpa, Vikram, PS1, Baahubali, and, most recently, Pathan. Our regional films have become not only a new national phenomenon but also a global one.

This changing face of Indian cinema is very apparent, and this would not only assist Indian cinema grow its global footprint and increase its overseas film business, but it would also benefit Indian businesses and the brand India globally. The Indian film industry has effectively

recovered from the COVID pandemic and is strategically positioned to assist India’s economy in reaching $5 trillion by 2025. When the Film Federation of India and the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce signed an MoU with the Spanish Film Commission, we had this idea to link and expand collaboration between Indian and Spanish producers, filmmakers, talents, and professionals. We would be the connecting point for filmmakers and producers to meet, greet, network, and do business. India has inked co-production treaties with 15 nations, and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FFI, SIFCC, and the Spanish Film Commission is the first step in expanding our footprint in new areas and enabling ease of doing business. The Indian content on screen reaches over 100 countries on all major streaming platforms. This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is expected to grow in the coming years. After Hollywood, Indian cinema has the highest reach (in terms of distribution of films), reaching over 100 territories globally. India’s strength is emotional content--telling human stories that resonate the world over, irrespective of the language barrier. The Indian film industry is fairly unique in the world. The country, along with America and China, is among the few that can sustain their industry domestically. What is unique is that you can make a film just for India, or even one region within India and still make it successful everywhere.

(Ravi Kottarakara, a film industry veteran of 40-years, is also a champion for the growth and development of the Indian film industry. He is President of India’s leading film industry body Film Federation of India (FFI) and also Presdient, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC).

OUR FILMS HAVE RECEIVED RECOGNITION AND ACCLAIM NOT ONLY IN INDIA BUT ALSO AMONG AUDIENCES WORLDWIDE. EXAMPLES INCLUDE RRR, KANTARA, KGF, PUSHPA, VIKRAM, PS-1, BAAHUBALI, AND, MOST RECENTLY, PATHAN

POTENTIAL AS A FILMING DESTINATION

The Government of India is now redesigning the Film Facilitation Office (FFO) in partnership with Invest India, the national investment promotion and facilitation agency, in order to attract more foreign investment into the film sector.

With its geographical and cultural richness, India is a fascinating country and a genuinely unique and wonderful location for filming. India has diverse scenery, ranging from snow-capped mountains to gorgeous beaches, expansive deserts to deep woods, making it an ideal site for action and romantic films.

When you combine this with a large pool of skilled workers, including directors, producers, cinematographers, actors, and technicians, as well as various incentives to foreign film production companies to encourage filming in India, such as tax breaks, subsidies, and other financial benefits, it becomes an irresistible deal to produce high-quality films in the country.

India also has a rapidly growing film industry, which is helping to put the country on the map as a destination for international film production.

“We have a strong intellectual property regime, and the digital medium now complements the other more established modes of consumption and dissemination such as theatres and movies. This has brought about a democratisation of consumer choice like never before,

and our government is intent on preserving this via support to the creative industries,” says Anurag Thakur, Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports

With an aim to unlock the immense potential of India as a filming destination, the Government of India is now revamping Film Facilitation Office (FFO) in collaboration with Invest India— the national investment promotion and facilitation agency—to attract more foreign investment into film sector.

INDIA ALSO HAS A RAPIDLY GROWING FILM INDUSTRY, WHICH IS HELPING TO PUT THE COUNTRY ON THE MAP AS A DESTINATION FOR INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCTION

Co-Production Treaties and Incentives for Foreign Filmmakers

India has Audio Visual co-production treaties with 15 countries. Recently, India also announced an incentive scheme for audio-visual co-production and shooting of foreign films in India to unleash the potential of the M&E Industry.

The Incentive Scheme will be executed through Film Facilitation Office (FFO) under the aegis of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Some of the salient features of the scheme are:

 For all qualifying projects, the international film production company can claim a payable cash incentive of upto 30% on Qualifying Expenditure in India subject to a maximum of INR 2 crore (USD 260,000).

 In case of foreign films shootings in India, an additional 5% bonus upto a maximum of INR 50 lakhs (USD 65,000) as additional reimbursement would be granted for employing 15% or more manpower in India.

 The incentives of the schemes can be claimed under either of the Schemes and not for both. To be eligible for the scheme the filmmakers need to ensure that the project must have been granted the “Co-Production” status by the Ministry of I&B and the participating country must fall under one of India’s official bi-lateral co-production treaties on Audio-Visual Co-production.

 Projects that have been granted official Co-production Status after May 1, 2022 are eligible for the incentive.

 International productions that have been granted shooting permission by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of External Affairs (for documentaries only) after May 1, 2022 are also eligible for the incentive.

 As far as the disbursement mechanism is concerned, the Incentives will be disbursed in two stage—Interim and Final. The Final disbursement claim can be made only once the project is complete in India, as per the guidelines under the scheme. Incentives are provided on the recommendation of a Special Incentive Evaluation Committee.

“Invest India has been one of the most successful ventures in the country and is responsible for more than $100 billion FDI coming into India in this year. So, we would like to take help of Invest India to attract foreign investments into media and entertainment and also facilitate Indian filmmakers and the states to provide the facilities which make the process seamless,” says Apoorva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Invest India has country desks in

countries like Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

Besides increasing FFO’s operational efficiency, the move allows filmmakers and investors to benefit from Invest India’s expertise in encouraging foreign investment into India’s film business. India also enables up to 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in film and television projects through the automatic route.

Addressing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Film Festival in Mumbai recently, Joint Secretary Prithul Kumar highlighted the role of FFO, which provides a catalogue of shooting locations, and rebates in different states to incentivise and promote Film production in India.

In addition, the FFO portal has been successfully integrated with India’s National Single Window System (NSWS) for Business Approvals, namely ‘Maadhyam’, in an endeavor to streamline with the Central Government’s initiative for Ease of Doing Business in India.

The integration allows applicants coming on NSWS portal for filming

INVEST INDIA HAS COUNTRY DESKS IN COUNTRIES LIKE AUSTRALIA, CANADA, CHINA, FRANCE, GERMANY, ISRAEL, ITALY, JAPAN, KOREA, RUSSIA, SAUDI ARABIA, TAIWAN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, UNITED KINGDOM AND UNITED STATES

FOR ALL QUALIFYING PROJECTS, THE INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY CAN CLAIM A PAYABLE CASH INCENTIVE OF UPTO 30% ON QUALIFYING EXPENDITURE IN INDIA SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM OF INR 2 CRORE (USD 260,000)

permissions to access the FFO online application for international filmmakers for filming in India. The NSWS has access to over 100 Central level approvals and State Single Window Systems of 14 States/ UTs with one user id and password.

To ease filming in Railways, the FFO and Ministry of Railways have integrated to create a Single Window Filming Mechanism to make the permission for filming across Railways premises streamlined and efficient. Filmmakers can also apply for permits for location recce, shooting in monuments under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India.

International filmmakers can also promote talent exchange and explore Co-production Agreements with India and avail benefits of the existing Indian film incentives through joint projects.

India has Audio Visual co-production treaties with 15 countries. Recently, India also announced an incentive scheme for audio-visual coproduction and shooting of foreign films in India to unleash the potential of the M&E Industry.

The Incentive Scheme is executed through FFO under the aegis

of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). For all qualifying projects, the international film production company can claim a payable cash incentive of upto 30% on Qualifying Expenditure in India subject to a maximum of INR 2 crore (USD 260,000). In case of foreign films shootings in India, an additional 5% bonus upto a maximum of INR 50 lakhs (USD 65,000) as additional reimbursement is granted for employing 15% or more manpower in India.

To be eligible for the scheme the filmmakers need to ensure that the project must have been granted the “Co-Production” status by the Ministry of I&B and the participating country must fall under one of the India’s official bi-lateral coproduction treaties on Audio-Visual Co-production.

As far as the disbursement mechanism is concerned, the Incentives are disbursed in two stages—Interim and Final. The Final disbursement claim can be made only once the project is complete in India, as per the guidelines under the scheme. Incentives are provided on the recommendation of a Special Incentive Evaluation Committee.

THE MANY COLOURS OF INDIA

Film Shooting Made Easy

Rajasthan-The Royal Saga

This princely state is the best option for royal stories. Rajasthan’s cities, with their magnificent palaces and forts, might easily pass for international destinations, thanks to the influx of foreign tourists. Rajasthan has also been widely portrayed in film. The state has attracted both Indian and international filmmakers, including Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Karan Johar, and others. However, the stories of Hawa Mahal, Mount Abu, and the ghostly forts of Alwar remain untold on film.

Mumbai-The City of Dreams

Formerly known as Bombay, it is India’s largest metropolis and is also known as the entertainment and financial centre. It is affectionately known as the city of dreams. Mumbai offers it all, from struggling actors to labourers, Bollywood stars to gangsters. There is so much that can be written and discussed! Mumbai also has one of the largest slum areas as well as the richest, thus it is only reasonable to call Mumbai a city for everybody. If you want to know and experience diversity, visit Mumbai.

Kerala- The Tropical Paradise

Kerala, sometimes known as “God’s Own Country,” is a state in southern India that is rich in natural resources. It is known for its stunning and exotic beaches, breathtaking hill stations, backwaters, captivating waterfalls, beautiful lagoons, meandering rivers, and incredible natural scenery. These hues have helped to establish

Kerala as a land of beauty and paradise on Earth. The Idukki dam in Kerala is the first Indian arch dam and the largest arch dam in Asia. Kovalam, Cherai, Varkala, Kappad, Muzhappilangad, and Bekal are some of Kerala’s top beaches.

Himachal Pradesh-The Land of Gods

Located in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh offers an abundance of parks, rich in flora and fauna, and places that undergo temperature extremes, ranging from hills to mountains crowned by snowy peaks and interrupted by passes and glaciers. Himachal Pradesh has long been a popular filmmaking site, attracting filmmakers for more than six decades. Himachal has various gorgeous spots that are perfect for film makers, particularly in the remote regions, and the government is working hard to improve these areas to accommodate tourists and film producers.

Kashmir-The Paradise on Earth

Nature has abundantly gifted Kashmir with unique characteristics that are shared by only a few alpine locations around the world. The Central Government of India administers this newly constituted Union Territory in India. While Jammu is known as the City of Temples, and its gardens, castles, forts, and religious monuments, the most famous of which is Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra, provide enough tourist options, the Kashmir Valley is well-known for its meadows, lakes, high altitude passes, hill stations, Mughal Gardens, Dal Lake, Shikara Ride, and old religious sites.

Goa-The Sun, Sea and Sand

This smallest state in India is wellknown for its beaches, which range from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in sleepy fishing communities like Agonda. Goa is distinguished by its fresh seafood, spicy curries, busy markets, crazy nightlife, and fusion of Portuguese and Indian traditions. Central Goa is the historic and cultural centre of the state, and it is home to the capital, Panjim. Old Goa is known for its magnificent churches, inland islands, bird sanctuaries, spice plantations, and untamed Western Ghats.

Karnataka- Potpourri of Tech & Heritage

This state is home to India’s Silicon Valley as well as several heritage sites including as palaces, temples, mausoleums, monuments, and ruins. The architectural marvel built by the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century, Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Karnataka has plenty of romantic destinations and is one of the few states that has it all. There are several sanctuaries, national parks, and waterfalls, as well as endless beaches, beautiful hills, and modern cityscapes. Every festival in Karnataka has a narrative to tell about bygone rulers and empires.

Madhya Pradesh-The Heart of India

Madhya Pradesh, also regarded as the “heart of India,” offers a diverse choice of settings, eliminating the need for a set designer. The

natural splendour of the state is varied. The hills, which are largely a plateau striped with the Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges, give rise to numerous rivers, including the Narmada and Tapti, as well as the Chambal, Sone, Betwa, and Mahanadi. Almost half of the state is forested, resulting in a rich wildlife. The Khajuraho temples have been listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Sikkim-Mesmerizing Natural Splendors

Sikkim, located in the northeastern region of the country in the eastern Himalayas, is known for its biodiversity, which includes alpine and subtropical climates, as well as hosting Kangchenjunga, India’s highest peak and the third highest on Earth. Almost 35% of the state is covered by the Khangchendzonga National Park. Sikkim has gorgeous sites such as Yumthang Valley, Lachung, Gnathang Valley, numerous Buddhist monasteries, and pure glacial lakes that are ideal for filming. The state is a fairy tale land with towering hills and picturesque villages.

Guwahati-The Essence of Northeast

Guwahati is the capital of Assam, one of northeast India’s most scenic states noted for its lush green tea farms, mystic hills, wild forest, and glittering Brahmaputra river. The large metropolis is known for the old Kamakhya Devi temple and its mystic experiences. The 18th-century

Navagraha Temple is an astronomical centre with planetary shrines to the east. On Peacock Island in the Brahmaputra River, the Umananda Temple, dedicated to Shiva and adorned in carvings, stands. The city is also recognised for its mesmerising getaways and pristine environment.

Varanasi-the City of Lights

One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world is Varanasi, also known as Benaras or Kashi. Varanasi’s Ganges River is said to have the ability to wash deadly sins away, and the Ghats that line the river’s edge are a veritable history and heritage treasure trove. One of the most well-known Hindu temples in the city devoted to Lord Shiva is Kashi Vishvanath Temple. One of the top four Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world is Sarnath, which is 10 kilometres northeast of Varanasi.

Uttarakhand- The Mystical Himalayan Kingdom

Uttarakhand, a magical place of mountains and mythology, breathtaking landscapes and exhilarating adventure, wellness and yoga, provides something for everyone. The Himalayas surround the state, which is divided into two major regions: Garhwal and Kumaon. Uttarakhand, with its gorgeous highlands of Nainital and Mussoorie’s waterfalls, as well as the holy bells of Rishikesh and Badrinath, is an ideal location for filmmakers. If action scenes are shot on the skiing mountains of Auli and Munsiyari, they will undoubtedly become more frantic. Jim Corbett Park’s animals, too, are waiting for their 10 seconds of glory.

SAILING UNCHARTED WATERS WITH FINESSE

Global Flavors for Local Consumption

Manish Dutt and Krish Dutt, Directors at VR Films & Studios, talk about their new OTT platform VROTT, dubbed Global Ka Local, as they explore a new market segment that has ensured big success...They are in the European Film Market at the Berlinale to explore more

Manish Dutt and Krish Dutt, Directors VR Films & Studios

How did you manage to successfully transition VR Studios into a content machine with your unique OTT platform VROTT?

VROTT’s transition is a natural one—an extension of our existing core verticals, namely, acquisition of content and localization. Earlier, we used to provide content and localization services to other existing TV Platforms, OTTs, etc. Now, besides the existing client base, we cater to another in-house vertical VROTT, a SVOD platform, wherein we premiere content exclusively every alternate week. This has helped us scale up business multifold, and also enter the OTT space which will help us stay ahead for a long time.

What piques your interest in the Indian market and audience? What drew your attention to this segment?

The Indian market is huge and extremely complex. In India, the majority of platforms only cater to Hindi / Tamil / Telugu or Hollywood originals from big studios / big ticket films. Independents and Global Cinema from Scandinavia, Russia, Turkey, and the majority of Europe, including France, Spain, Hungary, Poland, the Baltics, the Netherlands, Belgium, China, Korea, and Thailand, had no purchasers for the Indian market.

We decided to explore this segment. The content available Worldwide is just brilliant. We gained a large subscriber following by localising this content in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu and premiering it on VROTT. The Indian public prefers to see Global Cinema in their native language. It differs significantly from the present programming provided to the audience by other players. This helped us reach a larger audience because we were different from the other players and provided something no one else did.

Covid has caused a significant shift in audience preferences all across the world. What changes prompted you to launch your OTT?

Following Covid, revenue generators such as Theatrical and Pay TV were severely impacted. We, as content providers, were simply unable to monetise our work. Audiences were forced to consume material on OTT platforms on mobile or simulcast on television from the comfort of their living rooms or bedrooms. There was no time limit, and the viewers could access the content whenever they wanted.

This was an excellent time to start our own OTT Platform and provide audience content from around the world. We were no longer reliant on other platforms to exhibit our content, such as theatres and pay television.

I believe that launching our own OTT Platform was a wise decision.

You’ve been acquiring content for quite some time. In addition, VR Films & Studios is highly known in market circuits. What is your content differentiation strategy?

We’ve been obtaining content from Hollywood for more than 22 years. Rather than limiting acquisitions to popular Hollywood /Studio programming with big star casts, we now focus on purchasing content from all over the world in exotic languages. Of course, big names make a difference, but monetization recovery is impossible. Budgets are the primary concern. Thus we buy solely for our platform VROTT any content with outstanding production quality and engaging subjects like Thrillers, Horror, Action Adventure from around the world. We provide exclusive content on VROTT that is not available on any other platform, in the original language with English subtitles and localised in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.

You’re a dubbing pioneer? How has this aided you in the OTT business?

No OTT platform in the world has an inhouse dubbing setup. VROTT is the first OTT Platform with in-house dubbing capabilities, with over 80 dubbing studios across India catering to localization in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Urdu, and more languages. The Pandemic raised awareness among existing OTT platforms and expanded the reach of dubbed content. The number of subscribers increased dramatically. The need for localization was enormous. This worked in our favour.

Since we had the expertise in content

acquisition and had infrastructure to localize content, launching our own OTT Platform was a big help. We could localize 600+ hrs of original content in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu languages in just three months and launched the VROTT platform. This was a huge advantage to us and did take many by surprise as well.

What genres work in India? Is VROTT restricted to South Asia region?

Thriller, horror, drama, teen romance, action, adventure, sci-fi, disaster, and conflict all these genres work exceptionally well. VROTT is currently targeting the Indian market. We plan to expand into the MENA region soon. Negotiations for integration with telecom players in the MENA Region are now underway.

What is your primary focus and purchasing goal at EFM?

Our primary focus is on Global Cinema with high production quality and engaging material. We are looking forward to acquiring content and premiering it on VROTT 2024 January onwards, as we are well stocked with content currently in post-production through Q4 2023.

How can you stand out in an Indian market with 50 OTT platforms?

That is really difficult, but fortunately for us, none of the 50 existing OTT Platforms are focused on the type of content we provide. They also do not support dubbed content. The majority of OTT platforms are original language based, such as Hindi Cinema, Tamil Films, Telugu, Malayalam, Non Fictional, and so on. There are 22 languages / dialects spoken, and each has one or more OTT platforms competing with it. Consolidation among rival platforms will occur soon. Being unique in

our products remains our USP.

Has the decision to become a SME listed firm paid off? Is this part of your growth story?

Absolutely, it is a part of our development story. VROTT is the sole OTT platform that is currently listed on the SME BSE platform. Certain significant announcements, such as relocation to the main BSE Board, will be made soon. This will help the company grow and raise capital on the stock market in the future.

How has VROTT embraced rising technology and AI?

AI is a positive advancement, yet it is not without flaws. An AI cannot reproduce the emotions required to perform dubs. It will take a lot of work to perfect it. To produce the base voice in AI, dub studios, artists, authors, and so on will be required. All of them will coexist. But that’s an intriguing development, and we’re excited about it.

Finally, how can you compete for viewers when the market is struggling?

Integrations, consolidations, and bundling package offers are the way to go. Soon, OTT Aggregators will emerge, offering all 50 OTT Platforms under a single label. Aggregators will compete with one another, and the viewers will benefit from the price war. With a single payment, a customer would gain access to 50+ OTT platforms. The audience will benefit the most from this.

The best way forward for VROTT is price sensitivity, solid exclusive content, and bundling with as many integrations as possible with existing big OTT players. Times are difficult, but they are also interesting.

17 MUST-SEE FILMS AT BERLINALE 2023

Director: Christian Petzold

Country: Germany

Producers: Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber, Anton Kaiser

World Sales: The Match Factory

This second part of Christian Petzold’s trilogy begun in 2020 with Undine, is about not being able to sleep and wanting to love; about writing and being read; about being in the world and yet possibly allowing life to slip by. A film that is suspended between symbolism and realism, both funny and deeply tragic. PANORAMA

And Towards Happy Alleys is a passionate declaration of love for the cinema and poetry of Iran which also provides a frank view of daily life, and bears witness to a fearless generation raising its voice and implacably demanding its civil liberties.

Director: Sreemoyee Singh

Country: India

Producer: Sreemoyee Singh

Executive Producers: Hussain Currimbhoy, Noopur Sinha, Orly Ravid

Sales Contact: Happy Alleys Films

ROTER HIMMEL AFIRE (GERMAN)

BERLINALE WATCH

Borris Becker was interviewed for this film in 2019 and again in 2022, just a few days before his sentencing. Fellow travellers also have their say – from the ironic Ion Tiriac to the witty John McEnroe. A journey of selfdiscovery about, by and with someone who loves the game.

Director: Alex Gibney

Country: UK, USA

Producers: John Battsek, Alex Gibney, Erin Edeiken, George Chignell

World Sales: Apple TV+

Margarethe von Trotta interweaves the times before and after the catastrophe. Her direction is frank, sober and elegant. Ronald Zehrfeld as the corpulent, pipe-smoking Frisch and Vicky Krieps (in the role of another cult figure after Empress Sisi) are the perfect match. This film is not about Bachmann’s fatal end, but about her hopes for love and respect, in literature, and in life.

Director: Margarethe von Trotta

Country: Switzerland / Austria / Germany / Luxembourg

Producers: Katrin Renz, Bady Minck, Bettina Brokemper, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu

World Sales: The Match Factory

Vasilis Katsoupis’ feature film debut is an existential exploration of human needs and the value of art and luxury. Willem Dafoe is convincing in the role of the art thief left to his own devices and doing battle with a dream penthouse that turns into a nightmare.

Director: Vasilis Katsoupis

Producers: Giorgos Karnavas, Marcos Kantis, Dries Phlypo

Co-Producers: Jens Wolf, Neshe Demir, Bastie Griese, Peter Kreutz, David Claikens, Alex Verbaere

World Sales: Heretic, Schiwago Film, A Private View

BOOM! BOOM! THE WORLD VS. BORIS BECKER (GERMAN, ENGLISH)

BERLINALE SPECIAL GALA

PANORAMA

INGEBORG BACHMANN – REISE IN DIE WÜSTE (GERMAN, ITALIAN, FRENCH)

BERLINALE WATCH

In Kill Boksoon, director Byun Sung-hyun invites us into an astonishing, chilling world in which a killing agency offers an elite path to success and wealth, and talent scouting is all about spotting promising psychopaths and orphans who have nothing to lose.

Director: Byun Sung-hyun

Country: South Korea

Producer: Yi Jin-hee

World Sales: Netlcix

Director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s enthusiasm for the many twists and turns of his clever thriller is palpable and infectious. His use of the confined space of the manhole is deft, as is the way in which he picks up the pace of the narration.

Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri

Country: Japan

Producers: Tsuyoshi Matsushita, Hideki Hoshino

World Sales: Gaga Corporation

In his previous film, The Wound, South African filmmaker John Trengove explored how a male rite of passage unleashed repressed feelings with the same potential for danger as opening a pressure cooker. A similar force is at work inside the protagonist of Manodrome, in whom Trengove observes a disturbing phenomenon from an original angle.

Director: John Trengove

Country: United Kingdom

Producers: Gina Gammell, Ben Giladi, Riley Keough, Ryan Zacarias

World Sales: CAA Media Finance

KILL BOKSOON (KOREAN)

BERLINALE SPECIAL

MANHOLE (JAPANESE)

BERLINALE SPECIAL

BERLINALE WATCH

This gentle, enlightening film ny Nocholar Philibert invites us to join the welcoming microcosm of the Adamant. In their company we may, as one patient suggests, decide in the morning to make sure that we will have a good day.

Director Nicolas Philibert

Country: France/Japan

Producers Céline Loiseau, Gilles Sacuto, Miléna Poylo

World Sales: Les Films du Losange

Making her cinematic debut here with Past Lives is New York based playwright Celine Song. But nothing about this intensely resonant meditation on the trajectory of life would mark her as a newcomer. Drawing from personal experience, Song is guided by a precise vision of the story’s conflicted emotional core.

Director: Celine Song

Country: USA

Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon

World Sales: A24

Jennifer Reeder’s new feature-length film is a dark, queer-feminist genre mix of body horror, gore and mystery. As in her earlier works, she looks at the world predominantly through the eyes of her young protagonists who, armed with biting humour and an unbroken sense of justice, manage to wrest moments of light-heartedness and solidarity from the twisted world of adults.

Director: Jennifer Reeder

Country: USA / France

Producers: Derek Bishé, Gregory Chambet

World Sales: WTFilms

SUR L’ADAMANT ON THE ADAMANT (FRENCH)

INSIDE (ENGLISH)

COMPETITION

PANORAMA

INGEBORG BACHMANN – REISE IN DIE WÜSTE (GERMAN, ITALIAN, FRENCH)

COMPETITION

BERLINALE WATCH

Director Tina Satter presents a snapshot of recent US history that derives all of its tension from the gravity of the situation. The strong imagery and subtle direction of the actors in this drama places it on the cusp of documentary. This enables an unobstructed view of the events of that day – before they became a case that was to polarise the press, the general public and politics.

Director: Tina Satter

Country: USA

Producers: Noah Stahl, Brad Becker-Parton, Riva Marker, Greg Nobile

World Sales: mk2 Films

Here is a Romeo and Juliet, set against the backdrop of a divided America, in the key of a folk ballad which, refracted through an operatic setting, casts its own narrative into elaborate perspective. For anyone who, like Captain Katrina, has been advised to abstain from romantic films, She Came to Me offers a great opportunity to renew their addiction.

Director: Rebecca Miller

Country: USA

Producers: Damon Cardasis, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon, Rebecca Miller, Len Blavatnik, Anne Hathaway, Cindy Tolan, Ged Dickersin

World Sales: Protagonist Pictures

On Feb 24, 2022 while Sean Aaron Penn and Kaufman were filming in Kyiv, Putin’s invasion took the world by storm. As explosions rocked the city, they became inadvertent front-row witnesses to this historic “David and Goliath” struggle. Penn conducted the first of multiple interviews with Zelensky on the night of the invasion and, deeply affected by what he witnessed in Kyiv and during the film team’s journey to the border, became an unofficial ambassador for Ukraine and its unlikely leader

Director: Sean Penn, Aaron Kaufman

Country: USA

Producers: Billy Smith, Sergei Bespalov, Danny Gabai, Lauren Terp

World Sales: Fifth Season

REALTY (ENGLISH)

SUPERPOWER (ENGLISH, UKRAINIAN)

PANORAMA

BERLINALE SPECIAL GALA

SHE CAME TO ME (ENGLISH)

BERLINALE SPECIAL GALA

BERLINALE WATCH

Written and directed by anime auteur Makoto Shinkai, this epic adventure takes us across the length and breadth of Japan, venturing outside metropolitan hubs to seek doors of disaster in the abandoned infrastructures of depopulated rural areas

Director: Makoto Shinkai

Country: Japan

Producer: Genki Kawamura

World Sales: Toho

Displaying all the sensitivity and wicked humour of his previous works, Dustin Guy Defa’s new film is a shrewd study of the pitiless condition known as adulthood. After growing up in a family unit that constitutes your whole world, with its particular set of habits and a shared language, crossing the border into the realm of adults can feel disempowering, even terrifying. A sense of loss may be difficult to ever really overcome

Director: Dustin Guy Defa

Country: USA

Producers: Michael Cera, Hannah Dweck, Ted Schaefer, Allison Rose Carter, Jon Read, Julia Thompson

ENCOUNTERS THE ADULTS (ENGLISH)

World Sales: Universal Pictures Content Group

Jennifer Reeder’s new feature-length film is a dark, queer-feminist genre mix of body horror, gore and mystery. As in her earlier works, she looks at the world predominantly through the eyes of her young protagonists who, armed with biting humour and an unbroken sense of justice, manage to wrest moments of light-heartedness and solidarity from the twisted world of adults.

Director: Jennifer Reeder

Country: USA / France

Producers: Derek Bishé, Gregory Chambet

World Sales: WTFilms

SUZUME (JAPANESE)

LE GRAND CHARIOT THE PLOUGH (FRENCH)

TAKING THE WORLD BY STORM

RRR CRAZE TAKING THE WORLD BY STORM

RRR has generated a lot of buzz among moviegoers worldwide and it continues SS Rajamouli’s legacy as a top filmmaker in the Indian film industry. The film’s mix of action, drama, and historical significance, combined with the star power of its cast and crew, has resonated well with the audiences around the world, allowing it to win several major accolades. With RRR song Naatu Naatu nominated in the Best Original Song category at the Oscars this year, the success of the film will herald the beginning of a new era of creatively made Indian movies with strong cultural roots that reach a wider global audience

By Natarajan Vidyasagar and Vivek Ratnakar

Afilm title with three capital letters ‘R’ is working wonders for Indian cinema. The credit for this goes to SS Rajamouli, India’s most successful film director Rajamouli, who turns 50 this October. He devised a transformation plan for his film RRR (“Rise, Rose, Revolt”), in order to penetrate the subconscious mind of the burgeoning new generation of North American filmgoers. In recent times, no other producer-director has sought to build euphoria for a film that paved the way for it to make inroads into the Awards Season, garnering an Oscar nomination and winning nearly a dozen other trophies in North America alone.

At the Golden Globe, RRR won the Best Original Song (Nattu Nattu... Native Native in Telugu) and Critics Choice Award. The New York Film Critics Award picked Rajamouli as the best director for RRR. Now, everyone is waiting with bated breath for the Academy Award presentation on March 12 to see if Nattu Nattu, nominated for Best Original Song, would herald Oscar for RRR, which will also be the first for an Indian film. At Oscars, RRR’s Nattu Nattu will compete against Lady Gaga and Rihanna, whose songs too are nominated in the Best Original Song category.

There’s no doubt that the rhythm, choreography, style, energy, and action in Nattu Nattu song is captivating. While SS Rajamuli envisioned this song and dance, it was the seamless collaboration teamwork that made it a success. Music composer MM Keeravani, choreographer Prem Rakshith, singers Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj and lyricist Chandrbose along with lead actors Ram Charan and Junior NTR, as also British actor Olivia Morris and American actor Edward Sonnenblick aided the viral success of the song. Nattu Nattu succeeded because it was incorporated into the film’s

AT GOLDEN GLOBE, RRR WON THE BEST ORIGINAL SONG (NATTU NATTU... NATIVE NATIVE IN TELUGU) AND CRITICS CHOICE AWARD. THE NEW YORK FILM CRITICS AWARD PICKED RAJAMOULI AS THE BEST DIRECTOR FOR RRR. NOW, EVERYONE IS WAITING WITH BATED BREATH FOR THE ACADEMY AWARD PRESENTATION ON MARCH 12

narration. Music and dance, previously dismissed as a “waste of time” by Westerners, are now being revitalised by artists such as Rajamouli. The team behind the song Naatu Naatu may also get a chance to perform live at the Academy Awards annual gala. .The film shoot of Nattu Nattu was facilitated by Natarajan Ramji and Ukrainian Film producer Anna Palenchuk.

In the first instance, Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series and Manohar Naidu’s Lahari Music secured all language (Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada) music rights to the historical drama RRR. This happened in July 2021, and the film was released in March 2022. The original Telugu version of the song, which is nominated for an Academy Award, has received over 145 million views on the Lahari Music| T-Series YouTube channel. Almost 240 million people have watched the Hindi version Nacho Nacho. Furthermore, the song is available on platforms such as JioSaavn, Spotify, Hungama, Gaana, Apple Music, Amazon Prime Music, Wynk, Resso, iTunes, and YouTube Music. According to industry estimates, Nattu Nattu has been heard over 500 million times. That’s incredible!

“I have personally admired MM Keeravaani’s music for over three decades and SS Rajamouli is a visionary director. To work with such exemplary creators is a huge opportunity. I am sure the audiences are going to love it,” said Manohar Naidu of Lahari Music after they

acquired the music rights in July 2021. The rest they say is history.

Today, cheerleaders are galore for RRR. The Gods of modern cinema are enamoured of the film. Take Steven Spielberg and James Cameron for instance. They have publicly lauded SS Rajamouli as a filmmaker. There is no amount of lobbying that can bring a film to the attention of mainstream national newspapers and magazines in the United States, and RRR was covered in the mainstream media (New York Times, LA Times, New Yorker, and many more), proving its credentials as a global entertainment.

Set in the 1920s pre-Independence Delhi, “RRR” follows the life of two characters who are loosely inspired by the real-life Telugu revolutionary leaders Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao, Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) as they team up to take on a number of brutal British officers. RRR Telugu version is estimated to have a gross box office of $104.94 mn.

“SS Rajamouli’s RRR has ushered in a transformation of Indian cinema,” said Manu M Savani, a well-known Indian film distributor in USA and Canada since 1968 who is currently writing a book on How Bollywood Won the West. “There is a visible change on the ground in America.”

“SS Rajamouli is one of the greatest

MUSIC COMPOSER MM KEERAVANI, CHOREOGRAPHER PREM RAKSHITH, SINGERS KALA BHAIRAVA AND RAHUL SIPLIGUNJ AND LYRICIST CHANDRBOSE ALONG WITH LEAD ACTORS RAM CHARAN AND JUNIOR NTR, AS ALSO BRITISH ACTOR OLIVIA MORRIS AND AMERICAN ACTOR EDWARD SONNENBLICK AIDED THE VIRAL SUCCESS OF THE SONG. NATTU NATTU SUCCEEDED BECAUSE IT WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE FILM’S NARRATION

film directors in India. I have profited from every Rajamouli movie we acquired as global rights, including RRR,” said 81-year-old Ahmad Golchin, Chairman Phars Film Group, the man behind the birth and distribution of cinema in UAE. “All of his films have done incredibly well, including Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, and RRR. With his films, there is no linguistic barrier.” Golchin’s words are priceless. He has dedicated 59 years to cinema.

It explains why RRR is still popular in the United States and Japan. This marks the start of a new era of culturally rooted, creatively produced films that can reach a wider global audience.

RRR debuted on March 25, 2022. The film was released concurrently in the United States and received a lot of social media attention. Subsequently, it was a game changer, streaming on Netflix and topping its charts for 14 weeks, along with a screening at

the TCL Chinese Theatre Imax (Los Angeles). Audiences in America began to enjoy the film in the same way that fans in India did. Reading the audience pulse in America prompted Rajamouli to take daring risks, including a theatrical re-release by Variance Films (distributor) and strategic guidance from film consultant Josh Hurtado.

RRR was also shown at a number of film festivals across the United States. When SS Rajamouli interacted at the Visionaries interview at TIFF Industry, the buzz was amplified. Enthralled by Rajamouli and lead actors Ram Charan and Junior NTR, many Western programmers and film critics publicly endorsed RRR, on which Rajamouli collaborated with his father--V.

Vijayendra Prasad--a famous Indian storyteller and scriptwriter--to construct the story and screenplay.

“I was at the TCL Chinese Theatre Imax. We were conducting an 8K interview with SS Rajamouli. Almost 90% of the audience were Americans who thoroughly loved the film. That marked a watershed moment for RRR in North America,” says Ravi Velhal, Intel Corporation’s Global Content Technologist, and Executive Producer and VR Technologist for AR Rahman’s Le Musk.

RRR’s success was anticipated previously by renowned Indian film filmmaker Mani Ratnman, who stated during an interactive session with Rajamouli at the CII Dakshin South India Media & Entertainment Summit that Rajamouli was a marketing wizard and that he has a lot to learn from him. In fact, Mani Ratnam admitted that Rajamouli inspired him to split his film Ponniyan Selvan into two parts. “When I saw Baahubali, I saw how you can present a story in two parts while keeping the audience glued; it opened up possibilities for me as well.”

Rajamouli has gained a new fan following as a result of the popularity of RRR. Aside from RRR, his new global (Western) followers are glued to his earlier works, including Student No. 1, Eega, Maghadheera, Sys, Baahubali Beginning, and Baahubali Conclusion.

It’s amazing how SS Rajamouli has accomplished this feat alone through perseverance and confidence, and that too without the assistance of a Hollywood studio.

THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF LOBBYING THAT CAN BRING A FILM TO THE ATTENTION OF MAINSTREAM NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND RRR WAS COVERED IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA (NEW YORK TIMES, LA TIMES, NEW YORKER, AND MANY MORE), PROVING ITS CREDENTIALS AS A GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT

global RRR cRaze CLEAN SWEEP BY RRR

Golden Globe Awards (GGA)

Critics’ Choice Movie Awards (CCMA)

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA)

Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards (SEFCA)

Saturn Awards (SA)

New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO)

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC)

Atlanta Film Critics Circle (AFCC)

National Board of Review (NBR)

Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA)

Hollywood Critics Association Awards (HCAA)

Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC)

SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR RAJMOULI’S CINEMA

SS Rajamouli has gotten tremendous backing from renowned international filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, who have openly expressed their admiration for the Indian filmmaker’s work

THE CROWDSURFING DARLINGS OF RRR 

I’ve seen RRR seven times now. Twice at the cinema and five times on Netflix. The fact that a 3+ hour film is so highly rewatchable is an incredible feat.

@PeterAckarey

I gotta thank Netflix for having RRR in their lineup, otherwise I never would have seen and enjoyed the film. 3 hours sounds rather exhausting but I thought if I can sit through the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I can do this. And man zero regrets! After watching I immediately blasted my recommendation to friends in our chat group.

@yllare

Expressions of Solidarity & Hope

THE MASTER OF MELODY

Creator of Auditory Feast

The composer of Naatu Naatu compares the song to a young son, who has grown up and is now travelling places to make a good name for himself and his father

Koduri Marakathamani

Keeravani aka MM Keeravani made history after ‘Naatu Naatu’ from SS Rajamouli’s directorial ‘RRR’ became an international phenomenon.

In all the recent screenings of RRR in the West, the song got the audiences hooting and dancing.

Over the months, several videos of western audiences seen dancing in the theatre to the song have surfaced on social media.

The song bagged the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and was also nominated for the Oscars race in the Best Original Song category.

This win for the 61-year-old music

composer on an international stage is an acknowledgment of his oeuvre that spans across 220 films in various languages.

Accepting the award, the composer said, “Thank you very much HFPA for this prestigious award, the Golden Globe. I am very much overwhelmed by this great moment happening and I am very happy to share this excitement with my wife. It’s been an age-old practice to say that this award belongs to someone else, not me. So, I was planning to not say those words when I get an award like this. But I am sorry to say that I am going to repeat that tradition because I mean my words.”

Nattu Nattu Composer Keeravani With Golden Globes Award for Orignal Song

Keeravani said that this song was like his infant son, who has become big and is now going places to bag a good name for him.

He has composed 30 tunes before finalising on the present version of the ‘Naatu Naatu’ song. Reports said that it took 19 months for lyricist Chandrabose to come up with the perfect lyrics for the song.

Keeravani first started out as a music composer in the late 1980s, but wouldn’t hit a breakthrough till 1990’s ‘Manasu Mamatha’. Since then he has won a National Award, multiple State Awards, Nandi Awards and SIIMA Awards. He is also a recipient of eight Filmfare Awards, eleven Andhra Pradesh state Nandi Awards, and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award. He was also nominated for Saturn Award for Best Music for ‘Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)’. ‘Annamayya’, for which he won the National Film Award and ‘Azhagan’, for which he won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director feature among some of his critically acclaimed works.

Born in 1961, in Andhra Pradesh’s Kovvur town, Keeravani has worked in over 150 films in a career spanning three decades. While his work predominantly features in Telugu cinema, he has collaborated with the rest of the South Indian industries and featured in Bollywood too.

Keeravani is deeply spiritual. He has lived like a sanyasi for a year to avoid a premature death, which

BORN IN A TELUGU FAMILY IN KOVVUR IN ANDHRA PRADESH, TO PAINTER, LYRICIST AND SCREENWRITER KODURI

SIVA SHAKTHI DATTA AND HIS WIFE BHANUMATHI, KEERAVANI BEGAN LEARNING TO PLAY THE VIOLIN WHEN HE WAS FOUR. KEERAVANI BEGAN HIS CAREER IN 1987 AS AN ASSISTANT TO MUSIC COMPOSERS K CHAKRAVARTHY AND C RAJAMANI.

was predicted, gives large part of his earnings to charity, and is fiercely loyal to his family.

Keeravani, who calls himself MM Kreem in Mumbai cinema and Maragathamani in Tamil and Mayalayam cinema.

The decision to create aliases was inspired by Stephen King. “Stephen King had two names. I have three,” he said during an interview.

Born in a Telugu family in Kovvur in Andhra Pradesh, to painter, lyricist and screenwriter Koduri Siva Shakthi Datta and his wife Bhanumathi, Keeravani began learning to play the violin when he was four. Keeravani began his career in 1987 as an assistant to music composers K Chakravarthy and C Rajamani.

When he was ten, Keeravani used to play the violin for the Pranalingam Accordion Party which is a band from Kakinada, a coastal city in Andhra Pradesh.

Growing up on a steady diet of film songs on the radio, especially RD Burman, at the age of 10 Keeravani was travelling with a band from Kakinada and would often perform Laxmikant Pyarelal’s Ek pyar ka nahgma hai on the violin.

It is said that Keeravani wanted to retire from the film industry. Baahubali’s historic success changed the fortunes of not just Keeravani, but also his family now, one of the most influential film families not just in Andhra Pradesh but all of India.

Keeravani changed his retirement plans. “I can never retire from music – whether it is creating, or listening”.

THE VOICES

‘NAATU NAATU’

A Few Hard Working Men

SS Rajamouli’s RRR has become a global phenomenon, especially when the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ was recognised at the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.

The song was performed by Kaala Bhairava (the son of composer MM Keeravani) and Rahul Sipligunj. Their vocals elevated the song to a whole new level by precisely matching the characteristics of Rama Raju and Komaram Bheem, performed by Ram Charan and Junior NTR, respectively. Keeravani is a deeply spiritual individual. His guru advised him to live like a sanyasi for a year and a half in order to avoid premature death; however, his wife was expecting at the time. He lived as a recluse and only ate vegetarian food, but his greatest sacrifice was being separated from his wife. During that time, the couple had a kid, and Keeravani only got to meet him months later. Keeravani called his son Kaala Bhairava after this.

Kaala Bhairava, who is overjoyed with the Oscar nomination, recalls the moment he found out he had won the

Golden Globe. “When we got to know that Naatu has won the Best Original Song, we were jubilant, overjoyed, overwhelmed and so excited (can’t stop adding adjectives!). I wasn’t there at the actual event. I was in fact watching the event live with my family and with my brothers and cousins in the US, at home. We were watching it like it was an ongoing India in the World Cup cricket match and there was just a last ball left for India to win, and that was how our

Working hard for almost two and a half years to create it, the team behind the song is elated at the propects of Natu Natu winning the Oscar award for Best Original Song

Nattu Nattu Singer Kaala Bhairava (Son of Keeravani)

CHANDRABOSE, THE LYRICIST OF THE SONG NAATU NAATU, WAS PLEASED WHEN THE SONG GOT NOMINATED, WHICH HE CHARACTERISES AS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. HE ATTRIBUTES THE SONG’S SUCCESS TO RAJAMOULI’S VISION. HE CREDITS RAJAMOULI’S VISION AND CHARM FOR ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF THE SONG.

emotions were at that time. After I got to know about our win, I shared the news with the family, those who are from the music department, and the team who created Naatu Naatu,” he said.

Making ‘Naatu Naatu’ was itself an interesting journey because, right from the composition to the final master of the song, which was released worldwide, the entire process took almost two and a half years, he added.

Kaala Bhairava feels that any artist’s purpose should be to be recognised for his or her original work. “The best thing that we can do to ourselves and our art, is to try to be as original as possible and stick to our uniqueness and originality, because there is no point in trying to mimic something or trying to imitate something in order to be successful or in order to sell our work. I feel that you being you,

and you being recognized as yourself is the best thing ever, and you can’t compare that feeling with anything at all.”

Bhairava has performed in Telugu films such as Baahubali, Dear Comrade (2019), and Jersey (2019). Kala Bhairava also contributes musical arrangements for his father. Rahul Sipligunj, co-singer of ‘Naatu Naatu,’ is overjoyed after the song won the Golden Globe for best original song. Sipligunj began as an independent singer before being discovered by Keeravani, and he has since gone on to sing for films like Dammu, Eega, and Maryada Ramanna. He has appeared in almost 50 films as a singer.

His other major hits are ‘Bombhaat’, ‘Pedda Puli’, ‘Chal Mohan Ranga’, and ‘Ranga Ranga Rangasthalana’ among many others. The young singer has singing credits in over 50 films. He was also the title winner of the third season of popular TV show Bigg Boss (Telugu) in 2019.

Nattu Nattu Song Lyricist Chandrabose

Nattu Nattu Co- Singer Rahul Sipligunj

IGNITING THE SCREEN WITH UNSTOPPABLE ENERGY

Man of Many Moves

Prem Rakshith has been praised for generating electrifying choreography in his two RRR songs, which have made the crowd go berserk with his distinctive choreography style

Prem Rakshith, who choreographed the song “Naatu Naatu,” has been credited by RRR director SS Rajamouli as one of the primary reasons for the movie’s success.

The composer Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose did an excellent job, but the song’s main success belongs to Prem, according to Rajamouli.

Rakshith is a famous and leading Indian choreographer. He was born on December 14, 1977, in Chennai. He began his career in 1993 and is still working today.

He began working in the Tamil and Telugu film industries with several other choreographers in 1993. In his career, he took various dance classes, which gave him an edge over other choreographers. In the year 2006, Prem got his first break when RB Choudry hired him to do choreography in his movie.

For the second time, he was given the opportunity to work on Rajamouli’s film Yamadonga in 2007. Yamadonga was a blockbuster hit.

His style of choreography is unique as well as entertaining in the film, and he got very much appreciation for that. He choreographed two songs in it.

Speaking about the success of ‘Naatu Naatu’, Prem said the real challenge was to show them as equally energetic on the big screen.

He added that they did multiple retakes to come up with the perfect song.

“When Rajamouli told me about Naatu I was scared as I feared that one of the stars might look less impressive than the other because of me. I needed to show them the same energy. We improvised a lot on the song till the end,” said Prem.

It took me two months to choreograph it. We shot for 20 days and did 43 retakes, he added.

“We did about 90 to 110 hook steps before zeroing down on the final one. For the shoot, we did more than 20 takes. Rajamouli sir was not satisfied and he wanted to take one more shot and one more shot,” he said.

RRR: THE UKRAINIAN EXPERIENCE

Partner in Success

Anna Palenchuk, the Line Producer and Production Manager of RRR filming in Ukraine, discusses her personal experience working with SS Rajamouli and wishes to continue working with Indian production companies after things return to normal in his home country

Iwas the line producer and head of production for RRR film shooting in Ukraine. Working with the RRR Team, especially SS Rajamouli, is a true blessing. Rajamouli is a genius. I was in charge of site scouting, filming, and executive management of everything that was going on, including the finance department.

The RRR crew is a lovely family, and I was blown away by their passion for filmmaking. We worked tirelessly every day and are now enjoying the film’s success. Everyone is waiting for the announcement of the Academy Awards for Best Original Song. If given the opportunity, I would like to work with Rajamouli and his team again. Karthikeya, his son, is a fantastic film producer.

After graduating from New York Film Academy, I produced the first Ukrainian official co-production film “Eastalgia” (Ukraine/Serbia/ Germany). I am the founder of Ukraine film company “435 Films”, which works both with feature and documentary films.

I’ve previously worked with Indian crews, but working with the RRR crew is something special. They are genuine, inventive, and oneof-a-kind in every manner. They have a very innovative knowledge of production values. In addition, the storytelling of Indian films is highly distinct. They are fantastic. I hope to continue working with Indian production companies.

I’ve known Ramji for six years and we’ve collaborated on six films. He is a wonderful person with a good heart and sound judgement. He is a professional executive and a thinker. I hope he writes a book about his unusual experiences one day.

I moved to Toronto with my three children after the war. It’s a shame what’s going on right now. But I will head back to Ukraine. Ukraine is a wonderful country with wonderful people that are brave and hardworking. As Ukrainians, we have our own nation, language, culture, and way of life. We are quite optimistic that everything will return to normal and that we will be able to resume filming and production in Ukraine.

MEET INDIAN CINEMA’S LOCATION MAN

Creating Perfect Backdrops

Affectionately referred to as location guru, Natarajan Ramji was the one who facilitated the shooting of Naatu Naatu in the Ukrainian Presidential bungalow that served as an ideal setting for the award-winning song

If there is one person in India who has facilitated film shoots in Switzerland more than 100 times, it must be none other than Natarajan Ramji. Ramji has facilitated film shoots for over 3000 projects over the last three decades. He was featured in the Netflix series Creative Indians, a docu series showcasing, demystifying, and deconstructing the lives, journeys, and processes of the most impactful creative people of India.

It was Ramji, affectionately referred to as “location guru,” who shared pictures of the Ukrainian Presidential bungalow (Kiev’s blue Mariyinsky Palace, residence of the Ukrainian president) with the RRR team when they were scouting for a palace background with an open area, and that is where the Oscar-nominated Naatu Naatu song was shot.

Ramji has buildings and locations all around the world at his fingertips, much like reading a novel and memorizing characters. As soon as he understands how to adapt the writing to the screen, suggestions for topographies and buildings appear on his radar.

Actually, the RRR team was looking for a location in and around Delhi, preferably an old colonial-era structure. But the plan never materialized.

When all roads led to Ukraine, the unthinkable happened. Once the shooting spot was cleared by SS Rajamouli, Ramji showed his professional prowess to make it happen, from reserving the location to arranging people for the backdrop.

“Working with an acclaimed director and the lead stars of RRR was an amazing and dream-come-true project for me,” Ramji says. “What an experience to go through. “It was one of the best crews to work with.”

Ramiji has worked in some of the biggest Indian films produced: Baahubali: The Beginning, its sequel, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, and RRR. His primary strength, in addition to researching locales and doing reconnaissance, is connecting with the locals, coordinating between artists and technicians, and preparing the budget. “I am a problem solver.” You get only a couple of minutes to talk to a

THERE WERE 150 DANCERS AND EXTRAS NEEDED FOR THE SONG NAATU NAATU (PRIMARILY SOUTH ASIANS). RAMJI GATHERED 300 INDIAN STUDENTS IN UKRAINE THROUGH LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND MEDIA ADVERTISEMENTS

gathered 300 Indian students in Ukraine through local organisations and media advertisements.

person like Rajamouli. “In those few moments, you have to understand and provide solutions,” he says.

Ramji says that it is difficult and competitive work, and that one must always stay one step ahead of what is to come.

Ramji was all praise for Kiev mayor, Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko, a former boxer, who assisted in getting permissions on time.

There were 150 dancers and extras needed for the song Naatu Naatu (primarily south Asians). Ramji

When a need for 150 South Asian extras arose, they advertised among foreign student organisations, and nearly 300 Indians studying medicine in Ukraine answered – more than double the minimum number. Over 100 Kiev Ballet dancers stood in for the British extras, and they were disguised as upper-class Britishers. The filming process employed around 1000 people, including an Indian team.

“It was the most satisfied project till date,” recollects Ramji as they never saw war looming over Ukraine. “There’s some divine intervention, we all came back on time. I believe in it. Half of the crew-- men and women -- who were working with us are fighting the war in the frontlines,” says Ramji, taking a deep breath.

“We were the last to shoot in Kiev. I am very confident that I will go back to shoot in the presidential palace one day,” says Ramji

a teCHnICal masteRpIeCe by osCaR WInnInG ComposeR a.R. RaHman WI dIsCIplInaRy expeRtIse ComInG toG aRoUnd tHe WoRld, le mUsk Is a Feat UsHeRs neW GRoUnd In aRt and teCH meRGInG WoRlds, medIUms and CUlt set to exClUsIVely pRemIeRe at Holly

AR RAHMAN’S LEMUSK NOMINATED FOR PGA INNOVATION AWARD

The award recognises outstanding originality, ingenuity, and the effect of the submitted work in pushing the boundaries of programme format, content, audience participation, production method, and delivery

Le Musk has in the making worldwide; we’ve an unprecedented, cinematic a feature-length experience that of storytelling multiple senses for me. Aroma bring warm for the audience.

aR RaHman director and Composer

Working on the VR experience “Le Musk” under director A.R. Rahman has been a beautiful journey where we found new artistic expression. Through ‘Le Musk’, we’ve unlocked a new, expansive frontier in storytelling where we hope to inspire and inquire through the senses. This film is an experience unlike any other. We hope you choose to witness this alluring new world!

noRa aRneZedeR le musk’s lead actress

Continuing the recent success run of Indian films like SS Rajamouli’s RRR in creating a buzz in awards circuit after winning nomination for best original song at 2023 Academy Awards, there is more good news for the Indian cinema as AR Rahman’s multi-sensory virtual reality film LeMusk has been nominated for the 2023 Producers Guild of America (PGA) Innovation Award ahead of the 34th Annual Producers Guild Awards.

While Rahman’s first nomination for the PGA’s flagship global innovation

award is undoubtedly a proud moment for the Oscar-winning film music composer, it also has much broader implications for the Indian creative industry at large, which is seeking wider recognition in the world cinema as they create compelling bodies of work that resonate well with the global audience.

The PGA nomination for the directorial debut of Rahman, which emphasises the power of creative storytelling and technology, has not only placed this masterpiece on the radar of Hollywood but has also fuelled the

Imagined with Intel creative genesis of frontier for new-age like A.R. Rahman. the-art technology meeting push the boundaries With motion, music into the narrative, making

AR Rahman Director and Composer LeMusk

THE PGA NOMINATION FOR THE DIRECTORIAL DEBUT OF RAHMAN, WHICH EMPHASISES THE POWER OF CREATIVE STORYTELLING AND TECHNOLOGY, HAS NOT ONLY PLACED THIS MASTERPIECE ON THE RADAR OF HOLLYWOOD BUT HAS ALSO FUELLED THE INSATIABLE THIRST OF INDIAN CREATORS TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE FURTHER

insatiable thirst of Indian creators to push the envelope further.

LeMusk, which blends scent into a one-of-akind cinematic sensory experience, was made by ARR Studios in association with associate producers Thenandal Studio and PalaniAndavar Holdings, as well as co-producers Ideal Entertainment and Intel. The movie’s screenplay was written by Gurachi Phoenix, and AR Rahman created the soundtrack.

The 2023 PGA Innovation Award winner, as well as the PGA Award winners in the Short Form category, will be announced during the Nominee Celebration Event on February 23rd in Los Angeles, and will be recognised at the PGA Awards ceremony on February 25 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The award honours exceptional distinctiveness, inventiveness, and the impact of the submitted work in expanding the conventions of program format, content, audience interaction, production technique and delivery.

This year’s nominees highlight access to historic moments, seamless application of AR/VR, and emotionally immersive experiences. The jury noted industry-wide

emphasis on gaming, virtual togetherness, and mass adoption of innovative technology. Other nominees for the 2023 PGA Innovation Award include:

Dance Monsters (Lime Pictures)

Experience Yosemite (CityLights)

Ghostbusters VR Academy (HOLOGATE)

Lustration (New Canvas) On The Morning You Wake (To the End of the World) (ASTREA)

OXYMORE by JeanMichel Jarre (VRROOM)

PerfectoVerse (Watch and Play)

Stay Alive, My Son (UME Studios)

Stranger Things

Immersive Watch Party (Sawhorse Productions)

Verizon Pepsi Halftime Ultra Pass (R/GA)

The PGA will recognise the programme rather than the individual producers. As a result, the makers of these programmes are exempt from the awards eligibility selection process.

The award was open to programmes launched between January 1, 2022

and December 31, 2022. Entries were evaluated and voted on by a blueribbon jury of specialists after being vetted by a nomination committee cochaired this year by Eric Shamlin and John Canning.

Le Musk blends virtual reality with motion, music, aroma, and haptics, opening up new avenues for collaboration between Hollywood and the Indian creative industry, which has recently been at the forefront of producing stunning films for a global audience using cuttingedge technologies that redefine cinematic experience.

The film can be watched in specialized chairs built by Positron with headsets and top gear earphones. The Positron chairs rotate the viewer from scene to scene in a VR space.

With scent as the key to unlocking the story, Le Musk is immersive, ground breaking, and unrivalled, ushering in a new era in film making. Earlier, the World Premiere of Le Musk was held in front of a sold-out audience at the Cannes XR, which was part of the 75th Cannes Film Festival.

The 36-minute film has a global star cast led by Nora Arnezeder (Army of the Dead) and Guy Burnet (Oppenheimer)

from Hollywood, as well as Munirih Grace and Mariam Zohrabyan from Armenia.

Munirih Grace and Mariam Zohrabyan from Armenia. The film, where technology meets the storytellers, constructs a compelling world of music, motion and scent, following the journey of an orphaned heiress and musician, who grows up to be a woman on a mission. Despite her tumultuous life, she has one constant companion – the lingering Muskan scent.

of a woman spurned by the oldest, most treacherous quest of humankind — revenge.

Following the journey of an orphaned heiress and musician who grows up to be a woman on a mission, the film conjures a captivating universe of song, motion, and scent. Despite her turbulent past, she has one constant companion: the Muskan scent.

Centering an unforgettable protagonist in Arnezeder’s Juliet, Le Musk is an ode to music and memory. The movie is a potent portrait of a woman spurned by the oldest, most treacherous quest of humankind — revenge.

Juliet yearns for normalcy, but her past doesn’t allow her the luxury of mundanity. Dipping into the abstract trenches of the woman’s psyche, Le Musk constructs a compelling world of music and scent that lay bare sinister and pure motives. As Juliet searches for the four men — the injured, the tattooed, the poacher and the ‘Musk’ — she must come face to face with the price of her purpose and confront the persistent presence of the past. As she inches closer to discovery, will she endure or will she break… irreversibly?

Shot in Rome, Le Musk is a technical masterpiece with inter-disciplinary expertise coming together from around the world. Shot on 14 different cameras capture super-resolution quality video. Postproduced in stereoscopic 360 VR workflow at higher resolution and frame rate, Le Musk’s was finished by 10 VFX houses from around the world with close to a Petabyte of data.

le musk@Hollywood

Revolving around an unforgettable protagonist in Arnezeder’s Juliet, the movie is a potent portrait

Location: le musk theater, 6565 sunset blvd, los angles

The idea for Le Musk was born out of director Rahman’s conversation with his wife Saira Rahman. The partners share a love for perfume and wished to employ scent as a narrative device in immersive cinema. They tapped into the infinite possibilities posed by immersive VR soon after their exchange. Gradually, the world and characters of Le Musk took shape in the artist’s mind.

The idea for Le Musk was born out of director Rahman’s conversation with his wife Saira Rahman. The partners share a love for perfume and wished to employ scent as a narrative device in immersive cinema. They tapped into the infinite possibilities posed by immersive VR soon after their exchange. Gradually, the world and characters of Le Musk took shape in the artist’s mind.

Nov 2-5 - Special Press, Media and VIP screening

Location : Goya studios (Infinity Festival)

Nov 3 - Making of Le Musk Session with ARR and Ravi moderated by Lori Schwartz

Location: le musk theater 6565 sunset

SHOT IN ROME, LE MUSK IS A TECHNICAL MASTERPIECE WITH INTER-DISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE COMING TOGETHER FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SHOT ON 14 DIFFERENT CAMERAS CAPTURE SUPERRESOLUTION QUALITY VIDEO. POST-PRODUCED IN STEREOSCOPIC 360 VR WORKFLOW AT HIGHER RESOLUTION AND FRAME RATE, LE MUSK’S WAS FINISHED BY 10 VFX HOUSES FROM AROUND THE WORLD WITH CLOSE TO A PETABYTE OF DATA

Nov 5 Evening : Us premiere of le musk ( by invite only)

Nov 6: ticked, open for general public

Shot in Rome, Le Musk is a technical masterpiece with inter-disciplinary expertise coming together from around the world. Shot on 14 different cameras capture super-resolution quality video. Post-produced in stereoscopic 360 VR workflow at higher resolution and frame rate, Le Musk’s was finished by 10 VFX houses from around the world with close to a Petabyte of data. ARR Studios produced the film in collaboration with Ideal Entertainment and Intel as coproducers, as well as Thenandal Studio and Palani Andavar Holdings as associate producers. Gurachi Phoenix wrote the screenplay and Rahman composed the music for Le Musk.

The PGA first presented the Innovation Award in 2019, when it was given to the team behind “Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series - Episode 1.” The team behind “For All Mankind: Time Capsule,” an AR app developed by Apple to promote the second season of “For All Mankind,” received the award in 2022. In 2023, this Award will continue to showcase industry advancement and the Guild’s dedication to rewarding storytelling innovation.

TEAM Le Musk: A New Frontier in Cinema. Nora Arnezeder, A R Rahman, Ravindra Velhal, Guy Burnet. Photo by Greg Williams

TEAM Le Musk: A New Frontier in Cinema. Nora Arnezeder, A R Rahman, Ravindra Velhal, Guy Burnet. Photo by Greg Williams