Pickle July 20-26 2020 weekly edition by Pickle -- Indian M&E Biz

www.pickle.co.in JuLY 20-26 | 2020

NEw vision in animation and VFX his unique cinematic space d ate cre has ade Ran tra ide (in Canada). Amid Soutmi s Paperboat, Occult and UtS with his co-founded studio ve the global content creation pipeline blending COVID-19, his mission is to ser look at his vision art and technology. A close

INSIDE

Anuradha Aggarwal, Head of Infotainment and Kids, Star India

STORIES

From The Heart Of Disney

No Easy Walk To Stardom

28 2

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Extraction

32 42

Netflix Top 10 Most Watched Movies List

Content Is King For Saregama’s Yoodlee

New Model Of Filmmaking In India India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

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fro m t he editor

he Media and Entertainment Sector has been more active than ever before. As we cope with uncertainties of life and new challenges during this pandemic there is a growing optimism and fresh thinking among media executives. This is quite reflective in our cover feature “New Vision”. Soutmitra Ranade explains how Paperboat Design Studio is sailing the Covid-19 storm with its operations and building trust with employees as well as business clients. “It’s always a crisis that either brings people together or tears them apart. We as a world community need to take a decision which way we want to go,” says Ranade. Amid Covid-19, they have set up UtSide, a design/ animation studio in Toronto, Canada. “Our singular mission for that studio is to develop global content for new-age audience.” The AVGC (Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics) vertical of the Indian Media and Entertainment Sector is one of the most dynamic industries with modern technologies acting as a key enabler for providing world-class services to overseas and domestic companies. Audio visual services is also a champion sector recognized by the Government of India. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has identified this sector as a high potential for increasing job creation and export earnings for India. The virtual Animation Masters Summit (July 20-24) organized by Toonz Animation Group bringing the best creative and business minds is a booster to the Indian AVGC sector.

In “New Model of Filmmaking in India”, O P Srivastava explains how Covid-19 has brought in a new set of opportunities for independent filmmakers. “It has ushered in an era of OTT platform based streaming, which is not only cutting across a number of layers between the filmmakers and the ultimate audience, but also making independent filmmaking a viable business proposition in India,” says banker-turned-filmmaker Srivastava. This transformation has given new energy to the changing narrative of our cinemas. This efficiency is visible now in how Saregama is changing the game of content creation with Yoodlee Films. With one billion mobile subscribers, 550 million smart phone users, 600 million Internet subscribers, 950 TV channels, 2,000 films produced annually, 100,000 newspapers and periodicals and over 35 OTT platforms India’s vibrant M&E industry provides attractive growth opportunities for global and domestic corporations. The government’s policies are geared towards realising the full potential of this growing sector. Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions.

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12 - 15 October 2020 Cannes, France

The World’s Entertainment Content Market

For the love of television

The world this week Business RP-Sanjiv Goenka group has picked up a 51% stake in the curated video news platform Editorji, the platform’s founder Vikram Chandra announced on Twitter. Chandra said that RPSG’s investment would help the company scale; financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. This is RPSG’s second foray into journalism — the group also owns OPEN magazine. RPSG also owns Saregama, the music label that also makes Carvaan, the growing music player product. Shemaroo has forged a partnership with BookMyShow to sell online access to films before their rights are sold to subscription video-on-demand and TV channels. ShemarooMe, the company’s streaming service, will be selling access to view these films on a transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) basis. The company is calling this new platform ‘ShemarooMe Box Office’, reminiscent of Hotstar’s Multiplex launched in June.

BY THE NUMBERS 193 million

Worldwide Netflix subscribers

Gaana has partnered with Liberated Syndication (Libsyn), to onboard its catalogue on its platform. While the former is a music streaming app, the latter is a podcast hosting, distribution and monetisation platform. With this association, Indian podcast-lovers would have access to Libsyn’s content library that features The Dave Ramsey Show, WTF with Marc Maron, Hardcore History & The Minimalists among others.

66 million

Netflix subscribers in the USA

5 million

Approx Netflix subscriber base in India

The Indian Performing Rights Society, a copyright society that has several musicians as members, will charge artists or organisers live streaming performances a Rs 20,000 fee, plus taxes. The tariffs, which came into force on July 1 and applies to music as well as literary works, requires fees to be paid to the IPRS even if an artist is performing without taking money from sponsors, or broadcasting the stream publicly without getting any revenue.

Prominent global mobile trailblazer and innovator Ralph Simon, head Mobilium Global Group, sprang a surprise during a webinar on Copyright session (during Cannes Film Market) by showing this placard creativity is important as literacy. This had the biggest impact among the attendees.

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The world this week Business

$205 million

Approximate production budget of Tenet, one of Christopher Nolan’s most expensive films.

Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (WARNER BROS PICTURES) is the most awaited film across the world. Portions of the film was shot in Mumbai Zee Entertainment has announced the return of its brand Zindagi, on its digital entertainment platform, ZEE5. Zindagi, besides offering its original content library, will also create fresh new shows which will be a bold multicultural narrative. According to the company, Zindagi’s shows have been highly appreciated by audiences for its realistic appeal, superlative character portrayals, captivating performances and its ability to satiate the evolving content preferences of the viewers.

China, which has allowed theaters to reopen, has however decided to limit the length of time audiences spend in auditoriums- all titles must run two hours or less. Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, currently slated for release on August 12, clocks in at 150 minutes according to reports out of the Korean ratings board — a full half hour over the limit. Nolan’s last three films earned between 8 percent and 18 percent of their worldwide totals in China.

Hong Kong’s Wong Kar-wai is among the leading filmmakers to boost the region’s movie industry with a five-tier plan that totals $33.5 million in funds. He’s joined by Derek Yee and Peter Chan Ho-sun and more who support a government-funded revival initiative in response to political unrest, as well as the Hong Kong film industry’s erosion due to coronavirus and the shuttering of theaters.

Tech Mahindra has announced the launch of a new digital platform branded as ‘Blockchain-based Contracts and Rights Management System’ (bCRMS) for the global media and entertainment industry. The platform is designed to enable production houses and content creators to track revenue, royalty payments, manage rights and address content piracy by leveraging IBM blockchain. Tech Mahindra’s new bCRMS platform is built on open-source Hyperledger Fabric protocol and utilises techniques like content hashing and forensic watermarking to track and trace content.

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ANIMATION MASTERS SUMMIT

NUGGETS FROM

ANIMATION THOUGHT LEADERS The 21st edition of Animation Masters Summit, loaded with multiple sessions attended by industry experts, also saw noted animation director Arnab Chaudhuri posthumously getting conferred with the Legend of Animation Award 2020

he five-day Animation Masters Summit (July 20-24) was organized by the Toonz Media Group. Speaking at the inaugural session, Anuradha Aggarwal, head of Infotainment and Kids, Star India, now owned by Disney, said three crucial aspects that could act as game-changers for the creative industry today are people, technology and quality. “We strongly believe in the swirling interplay of art and technology. Young people today are creating fantastic content. If they also make use of the right technology, sky is the limit,” she said. Noted animation director Arnab Chaudhuri was posthumously conferred with the Legend of Animation Award 2020 at the 21st edition of Animation Masters Summit. The award was presented for his invaluable contribution to the animation and entertainment industry of India. Arnab Chaudhuri’s wife Ashima Chaudhuri and brother Sudeep Chaudhuri symbolically accepted the award at the inaugural session from Anuradha Aggarwal.

The ‘Legend of Animation’ award was instituted by the Toonz Media Group (TMG) as part of the Animation Masters Summit (AMS) 2020. Anuradha Aggarwal said, “I have the distinct honor of conferring The Legend of animation award to someone who is known for his creativity and storytelling. Arnab Chaudhuri was a beacon of the Indian animation industry. And while he may not be physically present with us today, he is someone who will live forever in our hearts. He has been very closely associated with us at Disney and was a favourite among his peers and his team. His directorial feature Arjun The Warrior Prince not only won accolades from the Indian audiences but gained recognition across the world. He was a creative genius, who was respected beyond measure for his impeccable talent, skill, and for the wonderful person that he was for his distinguished contribution to the animation and entertainment world. In India, it is my great privilege to confer this award posthumously to Arnab Chaudhuri . He will always be with us in spirit.”

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P Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Media Group

Biren Ghose, Country Head, Technicolor India

Sach Chandaria, promoter Toonz Media Group

Anuradha Aggarwal, Head of Infotainment and Kids, Star India

Ashima Chaudhuri

Sudeep Chaudhuri

Arnab, who passed away on December 25, 2019, was one of the pioneers of the Indian animation industry, and his animation movie ‘Arjun: The Warrior Prince’ is the only animation from India to date to be longlisted for Oscar awards. He was an alumnus of the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, and has worked with leading entertainment organisations like Walt Disney, Turner, and Channel V. Arnab was a true genius who was always ahead of his time. P Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Media Group, hoped the summit would be a platform to connect, collaborate and start conversations on forging new ties and creating meaningful content. Toonz would also be soon launching an online learning platform dedicated to animation and creative arts in order to mould new talents in the field, “Toonz has had an unwavering commitment towards the Art of Animation, and has relentlessly strived to further the growth of animation in India. It is as part of this mission that we conceptualized Animation Masters Summit. The first edition of this event was held 21 years back soon after the establishment of Toonz in 1999. Today, the event has grown and transformed itself into a major platform for not just animation, but for the entire entertainment industry to converge, celebrate and promote diverse art forms as well as artists.” He added: “I’m happy to let you all know that Toonz is coming up with a new initiative to promote creative education and moulding new talents in this

field. It is an online learning platform dedicated to animation, and creative arts. This platform is being launched by Toonz Academy in association with Bangalore based Native Puppets. Wisdom is basically our response to the changing ecosystem of education and entertainment around the world.” Speaking on the occasion, Biren Ghose, Country Head, Technicolor India, said even amid current uncertainties, particularly the Covid-19 epidemic, a new narrative of the 21st century was evolving among young creators. “It will be a new language of powerful storytelling that represents our fight back as the human race inspiring the future with the power of young voices” “Our computer graphics industry has this uncanny mix of creative people, technologists, investors, designers, scientists, and even inevitably, the finance and the business guys who try to make all of this stuff come together in a product or a service. These multiple specialties all contribute to this exciting field of animation,” added Biren Ghose. Sach Chandaria from the promoter group of Toonz Media spoke at the session. The event was packed with sessions by masters from various fields in the media and entertainment industry across the world. This includes senior cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, who is famous for the works in movies like Virasat, Black, Dil Chahta Hai, and Kannathil Muthamittal, to name a few. National Award-winning composer Shantanu Moitra took another session.

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DISNEY EXPERIENCE

FROM THE HEART OF

DISNEY In her inaugural address at the 21st edition of Animation Masters Summit organized by Toonz Animation Group, Anuradha Aggarwal, Head of Infotainment and Kids, Star India, spoke about the magic of Disney and why creativity matters the most

y family loves to watch movies together, it’s our time together. And we are animation fans, we really want to rewatch a lot of our old favorites. And this has given us the time to select Friday night, Saturday night movie together, bring on the popcorn, and enjoy old classics like the old Lion King and compare it to the new one. Watch the old Pixar Toy Story and remember the first time that we saw them, try and remember all the stories that hadn’t been seen. And of course, we’ve seen the new Mandalorian and you know bit about whether it fits into the large storytelling of all the Star Wars that people seen again and again. I’ve been watching all these stories and all these movies and loving them. But, I’ve been on the other side, and I know the process that goes behind creating a successful story.

MEMORIES IN MAKING

So, the actual animation, of course, is a very, very important part of

storytelling, I believe there are other elements that come together in making a story lovable, timeless, and something that viewers will keep in their mind and hearts for a very long time. And I think these elements need to be appreciated, and acknowledged, and who best to do it with the audience, who is part of creating some of these amazing, wonderful pieces of storytelling. So I thought I’d like to discuss with you, share with you how Disney successfully fosters creativity, and how it’s been doing it over the years. And what I’ve learned are the key elements of bringing stories that people love, and people embrace across the world. So one of the key when the first and foremost thing I’ll say is people. Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, very rightly said, “If you give a good idea to a mediocre team, that’s good. If you give a mediocre idea to a great team, they’ll make it work.”

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Anuradha Aggarwal, Head of Infotainment and Kids, Star India

A lot of creativity at Disney is teamwork. People think of creativity as some mysterious solo act, but we believe that creativity involves a large number of people from multiple disciplines working effectively together

NURTURING CREATIVITY

It has to be talent and not just good ideas. Because when you take big risks, they’re the ones who help you recover. Talent matters. But it doesn’t stop there. It’s not about hiring the best people. It’s about nurturing them and their creativity. It’s about supporting them. And you know, a lot of creativity at Disney is teamwork. People think of creativity as some mysterious solo act, but we believe that creativity involves a large number of people from multiple disciplines working effectively together. Because you cannot create

the magic that Disney creates on the back of one person’s idea. It has to be a very large set of creative people, the best creative people working together in an environment that nurtures their creativity, trust them and respect the relationships that people develop amongst each other. And such a relationship and such an environment is what unleashes everyone’s creativity. The result is a vibrant community where talented people are loyal to one another. And of course, believe that they’re part of something extraordinary. And that’s something that creates extraordinary results.

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creating so much fantastic content. And if they apply their creativity, using new age technology, I think the sky’s the limit. So we have to embrace technology in today’s world to create real breakthroughs in storytelling. The third thing that I would like to mention is something that goes for everything that we do in life.

GOD IS IN DETAIL TECH TOUCH

The second thing I would say, is technology. In today’s world, I wouldn’t be able to do this without technology and a lot of you have realized the value of the technology, staying at home and working from home and actually producing really great results from home or remotely from where you are. Did you know that not a single Disney or Pixar movie is made with the same exact technology that was used in the last film? That’s the power of Walt Disney’s vision because he himself was firm believer in the evolution of technology. I mean, he knew that technology and art blend together to make magic happen. I mean, he did the first sound and animation, the first color, the first compositing of animation with live action, and the first applications of xerography and animal production. We continue to believe in this swirling interplay of art and technology.

PUSHING BOUNDARIES

I think we are constantly trying to produce breakthroughs and push the technological boundaries of animation, I would encourage you to do the same. Young people today are

Did you know that not a single Disney or Pixar movie is made with the same exact technology that was used in the last film? That’s the power of Walt Disney’s vision because he himself was firm believer in the evolution of technology 12

For creating something extraordinary and timeless, I would say, quality and detail is a very, very important part of creating great stories. I mean, any piece of content, whether it’s a series or a movie, contains literally thousands of ideas. I mean, in every sentence, in the performance of every line, in the set design, the character, the background, the clothing, the end environment, the location, because the lighting, the pacing, everything can be done in 1000 different ways. And in every little aspect, Disney handles this with utmost care and clarity. Truly, the God is in the details. I mean one doesn’t take precedence over the other and one element will not be compromised for the sake of the other because we believe creativity must be present at every level in everything that we do.

ARTIST & TECHNICIAN

And every artist is a technician and every technician is an artist and must perform and deliver at the highest level of their art. Every content base at Disney is in development for like three or four years before we even decide to release it. We plan every element from storytelling, character development, technology design, every minute aspects go through a lot of detailed thinking and planning before it goes to even the final draft. And I would encourage all young people to adopt this eye for detail, and encourage the people you are training or the people who are working with you to make sure that you work with this highest standard or benchmark of quality. And when it all comes together, I mean, it would create magic, as I believe Disney has been creating for many, many years before us. And of course, I wouldn’t be here telling you the story if we don’t believe that. But what we also believe in, is what we call the Disney difference.

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EMOTIONAL VALUES

TOUCHING HEARTS

Every story we narrate with the timeless classic or a very relevant story in today’s world has a heart. And you may have heard me say this or we have heard earlier Disney spokespeople talk about it. The stories with a heart basically mean that everything that we do is heartwarming and everlasting, meaningful and formed emotional connections with our audiences from two to eight years. Our stories have continued to represent the present and inspire universally positive values. They continue to inspire people, they are relatable, but they push the boundaries of imagination in a manner that, that they stay timeless for a really long time.

Young people today are creating so much fantastic content. And if they apply their creativity, using new age technology, I think the sky’s the limit. So we have to embrace technology in today’s world to create real breakthroughs in storytelling 13

So you can watch a Lion King, the first time when you’re a child and 20 years later in a different form, and still feel the tug. And Simba is born. And to the end, when he takes on as a kid. The emotional values are still the same. You know, who thought we would see the world through the eyes of bird toy, Toy Story, and fall in love with the story of talking animals in Zootopia. Even what we’ve done in India with using food as an analogy for friendships and relationships with our storytelling of simple samosa tells us that, it’s the stories that matter and characters which touch people’s hearts and when we get the right characters, the right stories, the ones which have a really deep emotional connection with the viewer. Those are the stories that are successful and they’re the ones which last for very long. And whether it’s the struggle of an everyday of a boy and everyday struggle of running to catch the bus, or it is about, a child who’s trying to keep up with other kids. The stories are real and very relatable.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

Today when we think about it, the possibilities of creativity through stories are endless. And, there are no boundaries in today’s world. You can find inspiration from the art and craft of India. You can find it in comics, you can find it in anime, or you can find it in timeless graphic novels from the past. There are so many stories that we have access to. There are so many inspirations that we have access to. The potential is limitless. We’ve seen characters evolve and animation come alive through live action and new technology. We’ve seen stories that can be experienced through products, through Broadway, and at Disneyland. But you know, we haven’t lost sight of the key points that we’re speaking about. And the biggest one is every Disney experience is an experience with a heart. So this has helped us retain our creativity, our magic, and, you know, it’s helped me come here with conviction that more people adopting all of these points that I spoke about will lead to more magic being created together.

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Soumitra Ranade, Co-founder - Chairman Paperboat Design Studios

MY JOURNEY

HOW I DID IT Soumitra Ranade, Co-founder - Chairman Paperboat Design Studios, narrates his story from Afghanistan to animation. The uniqueness of the animation ecosystem in Paperboat is that it is driven by creatives and run by managers rather than the other way around. 14

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spent four of my formative years, from 12 to 16, in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was an extraordinary experience. While we witnessed the political turmoil, we were also introduced to perhaps the most compassionate people in the world. During that time my father also bought a Super8 camera and a projector. My entire family used to shoot films and we had to send the reels to Germany since Kabul didn’t have a film processing facility. These were just 4 minutes reels and sometimes we would have to wait for 3-4 months to see what we had shot earlier. In this day, when we all are shooting stuff on our mobiles and the instant gratification that it offers, this 3-4 month long wait just to see a 4 minute clip sounds bizarre. When the reels would come, we would all huddle up at night and watch the films projected on the wall. In the darkness of the room, I think the magic of cinema must have surreptitiously crept into my being.

Back in India

When I came back to India, I joined JJ School of Art and passed out with a gold medal. But I felt irresistibly drawn towards cinema and hence joined FTII. Those were pre-digital

We have started UtSide, a design and animation studio in Toronto, Canada. Our singular mission for that studio is to develop global content for new-age audience

times and yet most of my work as a film student anticipated this shift. When the digital technology finally arrived, I was immediately attracted to it because of the possibilities that it presented.

Alibaba & Baahubali

My background in visual arts and film, made animation and VFX as a natural choice for me and that resulted in Jajantaram Mamantaram, a feature film in 2003. I had thought then that it would open up a whole new world but unfortunately we as a nation still remained averse to technology and it took India till 2015 to make a Baahubali!

Gitanjali Rao’s Bombay Rose was made at Paperboat Studios. About 200,000 frames were hand-painted individually – each with multiple characters in about 18 months

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Anamika Haksar’s Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Jaa Riya Hoon

While making Alibaba and 41 Thieves (yet unreleased) for UTV, I desperately felt the need to have my own studio. I wanted to create a dynamic, creative space where one could build a team that is genuinely interested in creating something exciting. I then started Paperboat with Aashish Mall and Mayank Patel who were my colleagues on Alibaba. We had a great working relationship and we had a singular dream.

Awards & Accolades

Our first project was Shilpa Ranade’s animated feature Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiyaa. It was just the kind of work we wanted to do at Paperboat. Then came Anamika Haksar’s Ghode

Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Jaa Riya Hoon, and then recently Gitanjali Rao’s Bombay Rose. We are absolutely proud of all our films as they are all unique, have their own aesthetic, are stunning in their own distinct ways. They all had a festival run of more than 30-40 international film festivals each – and also numerous awards. This was the first time that an Indian animation studio was getting recognition outside of the country in the top notch festivals. While we were doing these films we were also doing animated serials. Our first one was Bandbudh Aur Budbak which was a runaway success and it redefined children’s entertainment on Indian television. We brought in the ‘edginess’ in children’s content and we it extended further with Fukrey Boyzz.

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‘Ad’ it up

We were always serious about advertising as that is one space where one can push the envelope not just in terms of creative thinking but also in terms of technology. We made many cutting edge advertisements and received numerous awards. We have recently started Occult, a vertical that focuses on VFX and CGI. We are also getting into animation education since we have a serious dearth of fresh talent as there are just a handful of schools that teach animation. Our proposal to start an animation school and studio in Srinagar has also been accepted by the government and we are truly looking forward for that to start off. We are also partnering with other prestigious universities across India, to launch our animation degree courses.

Canada calling We have also started UtSide, a design/ animation studio in Toronto, Canada. Our singular mission for that studio is to develop global content for newage audience. We have lined up many exciting projects to execute crossplatform interactive ideas and content. Unfortunately, some of these initiatives have been delayed due to the pandemic

Our proposal to start an animation school and studio in Kashmir has been accepted by the government and we are truly looking forward for that to start off but our larger dream is to create a 360 degree ecosystem that encompasses design, animation and VFX.

Kids & dreams

On a personal level I have always been interested in children’s publications. I have written and designed numerous books for top publishers and I am currently awaiting the publication of my first novel for children that’s been published by Hatchett. A lot of people tell me that I am doing too many things and yet I feel I am doing too little. After all, I have seven nights in a week so I can have seven different dreams! And each dream, as wonderful as the other, I can see on a little white wall in my room, as if watching it on a Super8 projector.

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Shilpa Ranade’s animated feature Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiyaa

ANIMATION

in the age of art Tech &

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Managing Paperboat in COVID-19 environment. Interview with Soutmitra Ranade, Co-Founder and Chairman Paperboat Design Studios How did Paperboat adapt in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic?

This is a huge humanitarian crisis. Millions of people all over the world are going through perhaps the worst times of their lives. The element of fear also plays a terrifying role - how long will this last? Am I or my family safe? Are our jobs secure? Will there be a cut in our salaries? These of course are the immediate fears. Then there are of course the larger fears– Where is this world heading to? What have we done with it? Is it destroyed beyond repair? Will our children always have to wear masks all their lives? Are we losing control over our lives? But right now, very honestly, my priority is the 250 people who work with us in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. They and their families. So about 1500 people. We are responsible for them and have to ensure that at least these 1500 people have a comparatively easier life. Then each

one also has dependents. They have their maids and their vegetable vendors etc. So it’s extremely important that we run our studio efficiently even in these terrible times, because it impacts so many people. And since we don’t know yet when this is going to end, we must take a deep breath and take the calamity on the chin. Two days before the first lockdown was announced in March, we anticipated it and shifted all the equipment to people’s homes so that they could work from there. All the

We aspire to create worldwide communities that bridge geographical, linguistic, socio-cultural gaps and strive for a world that is inclusive, compassionate and joyous

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employees have co-operated with us. Believe me it’s been a big challenge but we have done well for the first four months. And I am sure we will get through these tough times.

Just before COVID-19 struck, Paperboat had planned to set up studio in Canada, Toronto...

Yes. Our Canada plans got delayed due to the pandemic but I feel that is nothing as compared to what so many had to suffer. I mean, we have to be realistic. This is a world crisis and honestly it doesn’t really matter if a studio gets delayed in some place. We have to see things in the larger context. There are more urgent matters that the world needs to concentrate upon right now. The delay has been disappointing but we are sure our Canadian studio will take off as soon as the pandemic is behind us.

What are the focus areas of Paperboat Studios in Canada?

Our Canadian studio is called UtSide Inc. and focuses on creating a synergy between art and technology and we want to develop ideas in

various medias such as animated films, apps, VR/AI, physical interactive experiences etc. Our vision is to empower individuals in their formative years. We aspire to create worldwide communities that bridge geographical, linguistic, sociocultural gaps and strive for a world that is inclusive, compassionate and joyous. We have identified many projects and the work on them would begin hopefully by the end of the year.

Big dreams need big investments and these investments may not always be counted in monetary terms. We are also looking for collaborations, partnerships and joint-ventures

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Now that you have set up studio in Toronto, do you look at co-production opportunities? Canada has signed the largest number of co-production Treaties in the world. How do you see collaboration in this time of crisis? It’s always a crisis that either brings people together or tears them apart. We as a world community need to take a decision which way we want to go. For us, these co-production treaties are not just documents or agreements between two governments. It is a partnership between two people, two cultures, two languages, two world views. And this union can be very exciting. In a co-production project it’s the artists from one country working with artists from another country. I am very keen that my next project – an animated feature film based on Tagore’s Kabuliwala is not just an Indo-Canadian co-production. But we would like to work with artists from all over the sub-continent. Imagine a situation where the musicians are from Afghanistan, artists, designers, animators, voice actors from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Tagore after all belonged to the entire subcontinent. A collaborative film of this kind on Kabuliwala would be a true salute to the great man’s vision.

How do you plan to scale up Paperboat studios?

It’s very easy for us to go from 250 to 500. But that’s not the kind of scaling we want to achieve. For us the primary scale up would not be in numbers but in a constant pursuit of quality. With the three films that we have done recently we have shown to the world that we can do it in India. We want to break this perception about Indian animation being shoddy and low standard. If we concentrate on quality, and keep delivering path-breaking animation year after year, the scaling up will happen automatically. Afterall, everyone wants an artistic and efficient animation studio, even people from Europe and North America. We want

Up until now, me, Aashish and ayank have brought Paperboat to this stage without a single rupee of outside investment them to come to us with great stories and we can create the animated world for them.

What are the current moves you are making for Paperboat’s journey to future?

Up until now, me, Aashish and Mayank have brought Paperboat to this stage without a single rupee of outside investment. We have put systems in place, have a very good client base, and are working for the top TV channels. As we now start work on our own IPs, we need investments. Big dreams need big investments and these investments may not always be counted in monetary terms. We are also looking for collaborations, partnerships and joint-ventures.

How has been the client response during the period? Do you see surge in pipeline?

Our clients are well aware of the situation and although they have their own pressures, which may or may not be in sync with our pressures but they all have reacted most positively to all our problems. We are talking to each one of them very regularly and updating them of the immense pressure that our team is going through. Many employees have shifted to their villages since the cities are not very safe. There are different challenges there. Internet speeds are ridiculous at most places. It takes hours to upload/download a simple file. But all the clients have been extremely understanding, and supportive. Actually it’s also got to do with intent. If we start using this pandemic as an excuse for our

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Our films have primarily been driven by the star system. When you have a big star in your film, you don’t even need a script, forget about VFX and animation! That’s the mind-set that we have. But the star system is dead now

inefficiency then they will obviously see that. If the problems are real and if we keep updating them regularly then there need not be any friction.

Do you see acceleration for animation, VFX, gaming business going forward as there are challenges in live

shoots and these verticals can help in storytelling?

I feel traditionally, the Indian mindset has always been a bit fearful of technology. We don’t invest enough in it. Even big stars and producers tell us proudly that for such and such film they have got the experts from Hollywood: for prosthetics, for VFX, for CGI and so on. I think they should actually be ashamed of themselves to even say this. Why can’t they invest in creating the talent here in India? They have the resources, they have the money. Our films have primarily been driven by the star system. When you have a big star in your film, you don’t even need a script, forget about VFX and animation! That’s the mind-set that we have. But the star system is dead now. Infact it’s been dead for a while but they have somehow kept it alive through PR which won’t last for too long anyways. Then they will have to turn to VFX and animation to get the eye balls. So primarily we will have two kinds of films: the ones with great, hard hitting content and then big spectacles with huge amount of VFX and animation. As far as gaming goes, I honestly think that we still have a long way to go.

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What are the opportunities you see during this period for the AVGC (Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects, Comics) sector in India? Also challenges?

I do think that the AVGC sector cannot be seen separately. The internet speeds that we have in India right now, the accessibility to technology, proper training institutes, and many other factors define our AVGC sector. It’s the entire ecosystem that matters. The government must recognise that this sector is a huge job creator. We must look at the taxation laws if we want to encourage this sector. I feel we have a huge opportunity. We have a vast young population that is willing to move towards this area as the traditional sectors like medicine and engineering etc., are beyond the reach of most people. Also, this is a very exciting world and the youth would naturally feel attracted towards it. We must make this movement easier for them.

You had expressed keenness in starting training and studio in Jammu & Kashmir?

Over the past many years we have had extremely talented youngsters from the valley, working with us at our studio in Mumbai. Unfortunately they had all done their animation courses from other parts of the country and it pained me that there is

With our institute in Kashmir, we also hope to start a branch of our studio, which will employ the artists graduating from the institute

not a single good animation institute in the valley. It was a dream to start something there so that the locals don’t have to leave their wonderful environs to come and study and work in our rotten cities. Animation is not just a medium of art, expression and entertainment but it also offers job opportunities in large numbers. With our institute in Kashmir, we also hope to start a branch of our studio, which will employ the artists graduating from the institute. The ultimate aim ofcourse is to produce animation films written, designed and directed by Kashmiri artists! As a teenager in Kabul, I was witness to some of the most horrific armed struggles that the world has ever seen. In the following decades a most compassionate and loving people have been crushed to pulp and we don’t want Kashmir to go that way. I am sure art can heal.

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REALITY AND REEL WORLD

No Easy

Walk to Stardom Celebrities are hot air balloons, which often reach dizzy height but in a matter of time fall ingloriously into deep abysses of oblivion By Amit Khanna

t’s a magical world. Where you come chasing a dream and then see it come true. You walk in with nothing but guts and grit or a bagful of talent. From anonymity to applause all it takes is one hit. From dingy PG digs to a swanky apartment is a matter of months. From local train to limo the ride is one helluva rollercoaster with more uphill thrills than downhill slides.

This is for the lucky few. The rest wallow in a half-forgotten existence. But these are the rules of fame and you enter knowing the odds. Don’t blame the other players or even the bystanders. When you play this roulette of celebrityhood you know your chances of winning are slim and even if you win one round you may lose the next.

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Amit Khanna is media guru, poet, lyricist, writer, filmmaker and historian. His latest book Words, Sounds, Images (published by HarperCollins India) is ambitious and encyclopaedic in scope, a first-of-itskind book that presents the history of media and entertainment in India – from the times of the Indus Valley Civilization right up to the twenty-first century

Entertainment is as much about art as it is about commerce. As far a studio goes, they are in the business of entertainment and incidentally except for one two or three all, Studio heads today are professionals with no family linkage

When a million are out competing for the spotlight, a handful will make it eventually. Unlike what some believe and others talk, your dad can get you to sit on this carousel of success but it’s the audience which turns the wheel. The lineage just puts you in the inside lane but in this race it is often the outsider who surprises you with her performance. Gossip

columns and sound bites get you a mention or more. It is the ‘public’ which is the arbiter of success at the box office. This makes the journey from the sidewalk to the marquee tough, tiresome and tardy. It’s not for the weak-kneed or fainthearted. Legends are made of those who have travelled this route triumphantly.

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I have spent over five decades in showbiz. My family never had or has any connection with the media. There was no attempt to ever derail my progress nor did any of the socalled Bollywood (incidentally a word coined by me) establishment ever sabotage my career. Many before me and after me have made it not because they inherited fame and success or had the Industry lineage. Like in any field in media and entertainment there are second or third generation (occasionally even fourth) actors, producers, directors, writers, technicians, musicians, singers, journalists, photographers, media owners and others who perhaps follow their parents’ calling. As do politicians, sportspersons, corporates, business heads teachers, scientists, doctors, engineers, architects or even masons, carpenters, tailors and farmers, who enter a vocation because someone in the immediate family did earlier and made it perhaps a little easier for them to follow. However, for every one such familydriven success there are a dozen who achieved success by themselves. Media and entertainment history of a list of achievers who came from outside and the failures from within the Industry. Almost the entire group of offbeat and middle cinema are and have always been “nonfamily”. Eighty per cent of directors, composers, writers, singers and 90 per cent of technicians are firsttimers who came, struggled and made it on their own. Stardom and failure don’t distinguish between caste or creed, insider or stranger. I am not saying no one is exploited or abused here. Some are, and one’s heart and goes out to them. Another myth is Bollywood has

From dingy PG digs to a swanky apartment is a matter of months. From local train to limo the ride is one helluva rollercoaster with more uphill thrills than downhill slides 26

camps. What camps? A producer or a director or even a star can surely decide who he or she wants to work with. It’s their project, their money, their convenience. Entertainment is as much about art as it is about commerce. As far a studio goes, they are in the business of entertainment and incidentally except for one two or three all, Studio heads today are professionals with no family linkage. Businesses succeed when their product is well made, well marketed and well received and not when they play favorites. I have headed two studios in the past 30 years in which we gave breaks to hundreds of newcomers irrespective of where they came from. I have personally been a bridge for many to several whenever they have encountered storms professionally and to a few in their personal lives as well. A number of people who are big names across ideological and creative divide will vouch for this. A number of past and present colleagues are not only still in touch but are often ready to lend a shoulder to cry in your hours of need. Half-truths, heresay, fact and fiction are interwoven seamlessly into a larger than life tapestry of innuendo, doubt and bias. We forget what we call film industry is an amorphous blend of stars, strugglers, media magnates, indie filmmakers, writers and musicians and a million of others. Let’s look at the top 50 breakthrough films of the last 20 years and you will find all of them were backed by one studio or another. Obviously, relationships, success and yes talent do queer the pitch for in showbiz but that’s true for any other profession. If you look at any studio’s filmography it will include a variety of artistes and others and different genres and budgeted films. I have headed various Industry organisations for decades and I can say with certainty that working conditions, wages and business is far better today than what it was a generation earlier. There is a certain fraternal feeling which still exists. Even in the present crisis this industry was the first to mobilise resources to help daily wage earners. Sure, not everyone has been taken care of but the intent is there. Today insurance and other benefits are available to a large percentage of people involved in this Industry. Indeed, more still needs to be done.

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Eighty per cent of directors, composers, writers, singers and 90 per cent of technicians are first-timers who came, struggled and made it on their own. Stardom and failure don’t distinguish between caste or creed, insider or stranger Show Business is a cruel business. It picks up nobodies and catapults them to the stratosphere. Amidst stars, money, fame, adulation. Then for no reason it just takes it all away. Spits out the very icons it creates. Those who have savoured success for extended periods face the same dilemma of emptiness when their play is over. No more party invites, no more mahurats and premieres. No more call sheets. No more work. Forgotten, forsaken, lonely and lost some break more and quicker. So is the case anywhere else where your fame turns its face away. How many painters, performing artistes, authors and artisans have faced similar crisis? In the last five decades I have seen the marquee drop names with an alacrity that is ruthless. I have seen the tinsel lose its lustre. Limelight turning a hazy yellow like aging cellophane. Stars turned applause junkies writhing in the pain of withdrawal symptoms. Some fortunate ones change their trajectory and move to the small screen and some find solace on streaming platforms. Some who invested wisely wallow amidst nostalgia in relative comfort. Irrelevance is the most hurtful

truth, which afflicts 80 per cent of the film people in the twilight of their lives. Time just makes reining czars disappear in the dark void of failure and oblivion. Heartthrobs and creative artistes face heartbreak and manic depressions. These scenestealers lie forgotten, sometimes dusted and brought out at obscure award functions and handed trophies as a token gesture. More often lying in the deep abyss of digital archives with their work sprouting sporadically on the vast TV channelscape or Google searches of an eager scholar. It is for them to have an insurance in place emotionally and yes financially always handy. We are living in a moment economy. Every moment counts. In hyper networked society noise levels are so high that celebrity hunters are going to the extreme to attain their two minutes in sunshine. We always walk the edge. We are easily susceptible to hurt, anxiety, depression, euphoria or even death. No one has yet figured out the safeguards or even the perils of stardom. Celebrities are hot air balloons, which often reach dizzy height but in a matter of time fall ingloriously into deep abysses of oblivion. As writer Michael Humphrey wrote in Forbes magazine a few months ago, Has Generation Famous changed the equation for fame and fandom? If the famous are, usually performing 24×7, the media reporting non-stop turns voyeurs and vultures at will. The hunter and the hunted keep switching places. A thin line differentiates the two. When privacy gives way to isolation, the filament breaks. As a society, our ‘always on’ online presence is like walking the thin edge. We are easily susceptible to hurt, anxiety, depression, euphoria or even death. No one has yet figured out the safeguards or even the perils of stardom. The performers and their purveyors know the fragility of it all. Let us not keep shifting the blame when the focus shifts. We are all a part of this scenario. A walk with the stars always ends on Sunset Boulevard my friend. (This column by Amit Khanna was originally published by IANS)

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From India to America

NYIFF takes virtual route

This year the virtual New York Indian Film Festival will screen Indian films from 13 languages. Running July 24-August 2, the digital NYIFF will open with the streaming of Geetha J’s Malayalam-language Run Kalyani says Festival Director Aseem Chhabra

Run Kalyani

Moothon

he 20th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival will go online, powered by MovieSaints, following in the footsteps of many other fests. Running July 24-August 2, the digital NYIFF will open with the streaming of Geetha J’s Malayalam-language Run Kalyani, about a woman who works as a cook while caring for her ailing aunt. Dedicated to bringing these films to a New York audience and now in the new normal, to a wider global audience through the virtual platform, the festival will feature 12 narrative films, 4 documentaries and 30 shorts (both narratives and documentaries) on a range of subjects and languages. The festival is presented by the Indo-American Arts Council “We are excited to bring this year’s film selection right into audience’s homes. We will be hosting intimate conversations and chats with the filmmakers and stars involved in the movies being presented. This year all the events will stream exclusively on the MovieSaints platform,” Aseem Chhabra Festival Director, as he is gearing up for the 20th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival.

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We are excited to bring this year’s film selection right into audience’s homes. We will be hosting intimate conversations and chats with the filmmakers and stars involved in the movies being presented. This year all the events will stream exclusively on the MovieSaints platform

Aseem Chhabra, Festival Director New York Indian Film Festival

Chhabra’s transports his mind way back when NYIFF evolved. “Immediately after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, what happened was basically people in New York City were really so scared, stopped going out, restaurants were losing business, which is exactly what has been happening now also. And the Mayor of New York at that time, Rudy Giuliani, basically asked arts organizations to do events so that people could come out because he said that it was important for people to come out and sort of do community approach. And so, in November of 2001, literally a few months after the terror attack, we held our first edition,” says Chhabra, “Run Kalyani is a gorgeous film and got a lot of love from our programming committee,” says Chhabra. The fest will close with Geethu Mohandas’ Moothon, produced by Anurag Kashyap. Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice played in the festival in 2013 and the film was entered in the 2014 Oscar foreign-language race as India’s entry. Moothon is described as a film about love and loss. “The festival has been running for 20 years. So obviously there is a huge interest. We don’t show Bollywood films. We have nothing against Bollywood. We don’t show other popular films unless we are doing some retrospective or something like that. We showed English Vinglish two years ago when Sri Devi passed away. We are bringing films to people that they cannot access,” Chhabra adds.

All the films are subtitled in English. For more information, visit iaac.us or nyiff.moviesaints.com 29

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Here is the entire list of the feature films to be screened in NYIFF Feature Narrative Films

Aani Maani (Hindi/ Urdu), dir. Fahim Irshad Ahaa Re (Bengali), dir. Ranjan Ghosh Gamak Ghar (Maithili), dir. Achal Mishra Kastoori (Hindi/ Marathi), dir. Vinod Kamble Knock Knock Knock (Bengali, English), dir. Sudhanshu Saria Lorni- the Flaneur (Khasi), dir. Wanphrang Diengdoh Moothon (Malayalam, Hindi), dir. Geethu Mohandas Nimtoh (Nepali), dir. Saurav Rai Run Kalyani (Malayalam), dir. Geetha J Trijya (Marathi), dir. Akshay Indikar The False Eye (Malayalam), dir. Rahul Nair The Prologue (Bengali), dir. Chandrasish Ray

Feature Documentary Films

Aunty Sudha, Aunty Radha (Hindi), dir. Tanuja Chandra Son Rise (Haryanvi, English), dir. Vibha Bakshi Two Flags (Tamil, French, English), dir. Pankaj Rishi Kumar Yeh Freedom Life (Hindi), dir. Priya Sen

Two documentaries will be featured as the festival’s centerpieces. Vibha Bakshi’s Son Rise highlights changing the narrative on patriarchy is deeply rooted in states such as Haryana. The Q&A for Son Rise will play on July 28. And the Q&A for Tanuja Chandra’s Aunty Sudha, Aunty Radha, about her two widowed aunts who live in the family home in a village in Uttar Pradesh, streams July 29. The languages focused on are Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Kannada, Ladakhi, Punjabi, Khasi, Nepali and Haryanavi. All the films will have English subtitles. The shorts program is divided into four groups: Queer Perspectives; Connection, Explores; Social Ideals & Illusions; and A Collection of Short Documentaries. The Indian film industry lost an outstanding actor and a wonderful human being, Irrfan Khan, this year and NYIFF will pay a tribute to him by reminiscing about his work in The Namesake. Joining in will be director Mira Nair and actor Kal Penn. Returning to NYIFF is Manoj Bajpayee who talks about his career, his directors and his experiences. The festival will be hosting a Special Spotlight on Anubhav Sinha’s Article 15 which completed one year in June this year. An incisive look at caste discrimination in India, the film was both a commercial and critical success in India. Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor will open the panel sessions by moderating the Run Kalyani post-screening Q&A.

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Aani Maani

Gamak Ghar

Kastoori (Musk)

NYIFF 2020 Virtual Edition Nominations Best Film 1) Aani Maani 2) Gamak Ghar 3) Kastoori (Musk) 4) Moothon 5) Run Kalyani

Best Director 1) Achal Mishra (Gamak Ghar) 2) Akshay Indikar (Trijya) 3) Geetha J (Run Kalyani) 4) Geethu Mohandas (Moothon) 5) Vinod Kamble (Kastoori)

Best Screenplay 1) Knock Knock Knock 2) Lorni – the Flaneur 3) Nimtoh 4) The False Eye 5) The Prologue

Best Actor 1) Adil Hussain (Lorni – the Flaneur) 2) Farrukh Seyer (Aani Maani) 3) Nivin Pauly (Moothon) 4) Paran Banerjee (Ahaa Re) 5) Prasenjit Chatterjee (The Prologue)

Best Actress 1) Garggi Anathan (Run Kalyani) 2) Priyanka Verma (Aani Maani) 3) Rituparna Sengupta (Ahaa Re) 4) Vee Kumari (Halwa)

Best Child Actor 1) Pravesh Gurung (Nimtoh) 2) Sabit Khan (Flying Wagon) 3) Samarth Sonawane (Kastoori) 4) Sanjana Dipu (Moothon) 5) Vasudev Sajeesh Marar, Suryadev Sajeesh Marar & Ansu Maria Thomas (The False Eye)

Best Documentary (Feature) 1) Aunty Sudha, Aunty Radha 2) Two Flags 3) Son Rise 4) Yeh Freedom Life

Best Documentary (Short) 1) Gladiators on Wheels 2) In Thunder & Lightening 3) Niru’s News 4) Tailing Pond 5) Urmila Devi 6) Utran Conversations

Best Short (Narrative) 1) Arabian Nights 2) Grandfather 3) Hauah 4) Sekool 5) Wig

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NETFLIX Top 10 Most Watched Movies List

99M

A black-market mercenary who has nothing to lose is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. But in the murky underworld of weapons dealers and drug traffickers, an already deadly mission approaches the impossible. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal and Randeep Hooda, the actionthriller film is directed by Sam Hargrave.

Extraction

Director: Sam Hargrave Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Golshifteh Farahani, Pankaj Tripathi, David Harbour

89M

When a mysterious force decimates the population, only one thing is certain -- if you see it, you die. The survivors must now avoid coming face to face with an entity that takes the form of their worst fears. Searching for hope and a new beginning, a woman and her children embark on a dangerous journey through the woods and down a river to find the one place that may offer sanctuary. To make it, they’ll have to cover their eyes from the evil that chases them -- and complete the trip blindfolded. The film is directed by Susanne Bier.

Bird Box

Director: Susanne Bier Starring: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Danielle Macdonald, Sarah Paulson

85M

Spenser, an ex-cop and ex-con, teams up with aspiring fighter Hawk to uncover a sinister conspiracy tied to the deaths of two Boston police officers. Eager to get out of Boston and start a new life when he’s released after five years in prison for aggravated assault, Spenser just can’t quite make the break in Spenserr Confidential. First, his mentor and friend, Henry Cimoli (Alan Arkin) wants Spenser’s help in training a young boxer, Hawk (Winston Duke), with terrific potential. Plus, the corrupt police chief whom Spenser beat up is murdered the very day Spenser gets out. Events continue to pile up. The movie is helmed by Peter Berg.

Spenser Confidential

Director: Peter Berg Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Marc Maron, Austin Post

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Six individuals from all around the globe, each the very best at what they do, have been chosen not only for their skill, but for a unique desire to delete their pasts to change the future. Director Michael Bay’s Netflix debut is little more than endless explosions, a gripping plot and interesting content.

6 Underground

Director: Michael Bay Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Lior Raz, Payman Maadi

73M A New York cop and his wife go on a European vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage. A chance encounter leads to them being framed for the murder of an elderly billionaire. Murder Mystery reunites Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler for a lightweight comedy. It is directed by Kyle Newacheck and written by James Vanderbilt.

Murder Mystery

Director: Kyle Newacheck Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, Adeel Akhtar, Terence Stamp

In the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family. As Sheeran climbs the ranks to become a top hit man, he also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa -- a powerful Teamster tied to organized crime. A magisterial entry in his long and masterful career, Martin Scorsese’s crime epic is no mere nostalgia trip; reflective and melancholy rather than kinetic, it’s touched by both greatness and loss.

The Irishman

64M 33

Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Harvey Keitel

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NETFLIX Top 10 Most Watched Movies List

83M

NETFLIX Top 10 Most Watched Movies List 34

Former Special Forces operatives reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. For the first time in their prestigious careers, these unsung heroes undertake this dangerous mission for themselves instead of the country. But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties, and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival. The film is helmed by J C Chandor.

63M

Triple Frontier

Director: J. C. Chandor Starring: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, Pedro Pascal

In this Netflix comedy featuring David Spade and Lauren Lapkus, a texting mixup leads to calamitous times at a retreat. Disaster strikes when a man invites his dream girl to an island resort -- but a previous blind date shows up instead. The film directed by Tyler Spindel is funny and inventive.

The Wrong Missy

Director: Tyler Spindel Starring: David Spade, Lauren Lapkus, Nick Swardson, Geoff Pierson, Jackie Sandler, Sarah Chalke, Rob Schneider, Chris Witaske

56M

59M In the future, prisoners housed in vertical cells watch as inmates in the upper cells are fed while those below starve. The film is set in a large, tower-style ‘Vertical SelfManagement Center’. Its residents, who are switched every 30 days between its many floors, are fed via a platform which, initially filled with food at the top floor, gradually descends through the tower’s levels, each level getting only the leftovers from the previous ones. The science fiction-horror film is directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia.

The Platform

Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia Starring: Iván Massagué, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor, Emilio Buale

A high school student creates an app to offer his services as a fake date to make money for college. When he develops feelings for someone, his plan gets complicated. Teen heartthrob Noah Centineo and the talented Laura Marano charm their way past a contrived story to deliver a witty, good-natured movie that will delight young romcom fans. The film is helmed by Chris Nelson.

The Perfect Date

Director: Chris Nelson Starring: Noah Centineo, Laura Marano, Odiseas Georgiadis, Camila Mendes, Matt Walsh

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48M www.pickle.co.in

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NETFLIX’S INDIA OFFERINGS

Super 17 from

Netflix Exciting times are in for Netizens, as Netflix has announced the biggest release schedule of 2020 in India. Seventeen original titles. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming originals and films

etflix has announced an interesting lineup of 17 original stories, including six new films and two new series. From thrillers to romantic comedies to lighthearted dramas, this diverse collection will launch on Netflix in the coming months. According to Monika Shergill, Vice President-Content, Netflix India, “We are excited to share our lineup of stories across formats and multiple genres. We know our members have unique tastes, moods and needs sometimes, they want to lean back and watch a delightful comedy, and at other times, they want a pulsepounding thriller that brings them to the edge of their seats. We are so proud to bring these diverse stories created by acclaimed and emerging storytellers and producing partners. Together with the finest stories from around the world and our rapidly growing selection of licensed titles, we want to give our members something to discover and love on Netflix every day.” The six new additions to Netflix films include - Ludo, Torbaaz, Raat Akeli Hai, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare, Ginny Weds Sunny and Bombay Rose. These stories join the upcoming slate of Netflix films which include the inspiring true

story of Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Tribhanga - Tedhi Medhi Crazy, Kaali Khuhi, Serious Men, Class Of ’83 and AK vs AK. The two series are Mismatched and A Suitable Boy. They join the lineup of upcoming series including the delightful Masaba Masaba, Bombay Begums and Bhaag Beanie Bhaag.

LUDO It is a dark comedy featuring Abhishek alongside Rajkummar Rao, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Asha Negi and Pankaj Tripathi. It plays on one key theme: Nothing’s ever a coincidence and is expected to us a dark and comical ride.

TORBAZZ

An action-packed film starring Sanjay Dutt in the lead role, Torbazz uses cricket as a medium to help transform the lives of a group of children at a refugee camp. According to Dutt, the film highlights his character’s rise form personal tragedy as well.

RAAT AKELI HAI

Raat Akeli Hai is a mystery-thriller that will pair Radhika Apte opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the lead character, Jatil Yadav, tries to uncover what happened one fateful night.

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We are so proud to bring these diverse stories created by acclaimed and emerging storytellers and producing partners. Together with the finest stories from around the world and our rapidly growing selection of licensed titles, we want to give our members something to discover and love on Netflix every day DOLLY KITTY AUR WOH CHAMAKTE SITARE

It is a satire film by Alankrita Shrivastava, featuring Konkona Sen Sharma and Bhumi Pednekar in lead roles and Vikrant Massey and Amol Parashar in prominent roles opposite the actors. According to Pednekar, it is a charming story of womanhood, sisterhood, and everything in between.

GINNY WEDS SUNNY

Ginny Weds Sunny, a rom-com, features Yami Gautam and Vikrant Massey. It follows the actors’ unusual love story, one that’s perpetrated by her mother. A matchmaker by profession, she introduces the two, and even helps Massey’s character get on her daughter’s good side. But as all Hindi rom-coms go, expect a hidden twist in this tale as well.

BOMBAY ROSE

It is the first Indian animation film ever selected to open Venice Critics’ Week. It unfolds the story of a flower seller falling in love in the filmy style you only expect to see in Hindi movies.

GUNJAN SAXENA: THE KARGIL GIRL

It is a biopic based on the life of Gunjan Saxena, the first Indian woman to pilot a Cheetah Helicopter during the Kargil War in 1999. Bankrolled by Dharma

Monika Shergill, Vice President Content – Netflix

Productions and Zee Studios, the film features Jahnvi Kapoor as Gunjan Saxena and portrays Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi, Manav Vij and Viineet Kumar Singh in pivotal roles.

TRIBHANGA – TEDHI MEDHI CRAZY

This film, starring Kajol, Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar in the lead roles, will chart the hectic lives of their characters: Nayan, Anu and Masha. The title of which is inspired by Tribhanga, an Odissi dance pose that is asymmetrical, yet mesmerising to watch, much like what the film promises to be.

KAALI KHUHI

Shivangi, a 10-year-old girl, embarks on a mission to save her family’s village in Punjab from the restless ghosts of its horrific past. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Satyadeep Mishra, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Riva Arora in lead roles.

SERIOUS MEN

Serious Men, a film directed by Sudhir Mishra with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role, deals with this unique ideaWhat happens when you con the entire world into believing that your son is a genius? According to Netflix, Siddiqui’s character is tormented with his ‘underprivileged’ societal status and hatches a master plan to earn a quick buck, only it backfires and how.

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A SUITABLE BOY

BHAAG BEANIE BHAAG

BOMBAY ROSE

CLASS OF ‘83

DOLLY KITTY AUR WOH CHAMAKTE

GINNY WEDS SUNNY

GUNJAN SAXENA THE KARGIL

KAALI KHUHI

LUDO

CLASS OF ‘83

Class of ‘83 stars Bobby Deol in the lead role of Dean Vijay Singh, a cop-turnededucator whose students grapple with the complexities of being in the force and devotion to the nation. Notably, the film produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and directed by Atul Sabharwal is based on the book The Class of 83 by Sayyed Yunus Hussain Zaidi.

AK VS AK

A dark comedy, AK vs AK features Anurag Kashyap and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles. The plot revolves around the eccentric tale of how a director (Kashyap) kidnaps the daughter of a movie star and films the star’s (Kapoor) desperate search for his daughter in realtime as his next blockbuster.

MISMATCHED

This series stars one of YouTube’s biggest sensations, Prajakta Kohli with The Sky Is Pink’s Rohit Saraf. It is tipped to be a young-adult romance series that’ll take us through the ups and downs of their equation.

A SUITABLE BOY

Tabu and Ishaan Khatter play lead roles in Mira Nair’s TV adaptation of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. The show will unfold the story of Maan and Saeeda and a love that’s not barred by traditional norms of society.

MASABA MASABA

It is a scripted series based on real-life moments from Masaba Gupta’s life, her unique background, the diverse worlds she straddles across fashion and family, and her foray back into the dating world.

BOMBAY BEGUMS

In Bombay Begums, a fictional series, five women across generations wrestle with desire, ethics, personal crises and vulnerabilities to own their ambition, in contemporary urban India. It will follow each woman’s journey to find her own truth.

BHAAG BEANIE BHAAG

It is a comedy series that will follow the life of Beanie, a young girl, who decides to run from her very comfortable life and pursue a career in stand-up comedy. While navigating the demands of everyone from her concerned parents to her proposal-popping boyfriend.

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FROM BOOK TO SMALL SCREEN

A Suitable

Boy

set to shine In Netflix

The six-part series tells the story of spirited university student, Lata, coming of age in Northern part of India in 1951 at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election

Suitable Boy, based on the critically acclaimed best-selling book by Vikram Seth, was shot by Lookout Point Production for BBC One and later bought by Netflix. It will be first seen on BBC One on July 26 in the UK and available on Netflix globally except in the United States, Canada and China. A Suitable Boy will be available on Netflix in UK and Ireland 12 months after its release on BBC One. It tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala) as she comes of age in North India in 1951, at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. Lata, who is averse to marriage, must choose between several suitors put forward by her mother. Set in the fictional Indian city of Brahmpur, relationships play out against the raw backdrop of early ’50s India; newly partitioned, violently divided, with Muslims brutally separated from Hindus and Sikhs. Intertwined is the tale of a condemned love affair between a politician’s son, Maan, played by Khatter, and

a courtesan, Saeeda Bai, played by Tabu. A series of exquisitely filmed weddings frame the tale, but it’s no fluffy period piece. Set in the aftermath of the Raj, when the British have exited, it is a historical TV drama set in India and transports the viewer to ’50s India A Suitable Boy is adapted by Les Misérables and War & Peace writer Andrew Davies and the director is Mira Nair, the Golden Globenominated Monsoon Wedding helmer. It stars Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter, Indian screen star Tabu and rising actress Tanya Maniktala in the central role of Lata. Says Mira Nair, “I am really honoured and terribly excited to make Vikram Seth’s great novel, which I’ve loved since it was published — A Suitable Boy. I’m very excited to be director of all six hours of A Suitable Boy. And it’s with 110 Indian actors: It’s a great opportunity to tell the story of independent India. Portions of A Suitable Boy was shot in Uttar Pradesh, India.

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She adds: “The casting is full of bounty and full of beauty. A Suitable Boy is an incredible canvas of very rich characters. Tabu plays Saeeda Bai, the courtesan based on Begum Akhtar. Randeep Hooda, my discovery from Monsoon Wedding, is this cool stud in Calcutta called Billy Irani. Shefali Shah, a wonderful actor, plays Roopa Mehra, the mother of the young woman, for whom she wants the suitable boy. Vivaan Shah plays this wastrel lout who turns good.” Says Tabu, “Mira has the same energy that I had seen during The Namesake. I don’t think she has aged at all. Mira keeps collaborating with people whom she has worked with earlier. To be able to form such bonds in today’s world is a beautiful quality. She is like a rock who will never move. It’s always so wonderful reconnecting with Mira. Her quality of work is reassuring. You can submit yourself to her, knowing that she will create something magical.” Damian Keogh, Managing Director of Lookout Point, said: “We’re hugely excited to be partnering with Netflix to bring A Suitable Boy to international audiences, hot on the heels of its UK debut on BBC One. This epic tale speaks of human truths of life, love and family amid a country in rapid transition – themes and experiences as relevant today as when they were written.” Caroline Stone, Director of Independent Drama at BBC Studios said: “The demand for quality British drama is higher than ever globally so we are thrilled to be partnering with Netflix on this wonderful series to bring audiences around the world Vikram Seth’s literary classic reimagined with such colour and vigour. The talent on and off screen for A Suitable Boy are exceptional and have helped to make this a series of which we are very proud.” Executive Producers are Andrew Davies, Mira Nair and Vikram Seth; Faith Penhale, Laura Lankester and Will Johnston for Lookout Point; Lydia Dean Pilcher and Aradhana Seth (who also produce); and Mona Qureshi and Ayela Butt for the BBC. BBC Studios distributes the series internationally. Lookout Point, which is wholly owned by BBC Studios, is one of the UK’s leading producers of television drama, known for delivering highly authored series with scale, ambition, and global impact.

A SUITABLE BOY SNAPSHOT In a newly independent India, passionate literature student Lata Mehra (Tanya Maniktala) is looking towards her own future. Her mother Rupa (Mahira Kakkar) has successfully arranged the marriage of her eldest daughter Savita (Rasika Dugal) to Pran Kapoor (Gagandeep Singh Riar), a university lecturer. Now Rupa has her sights set on her spirited younger daughter but Lata wants to make her own way in the world. She isn’t interested in romance but her resolve is challenged when she starts to fall for a mysterious fellow student, Kabir Durrani (Danesh Razvi). Pran’s brother is the charming but directionless Maan Kapoor (Ishaan Khatter), who becomes bewitched by the singer and courtesan, Saeeda Bai (Tabu). Maan is a worry to his father, the progressive Revenue Minister Mahesh Kapoor (Ram Kapoor), who can’t let anything unbalance his political career at a crucial moment. As religious tensions mount between Muslims and Hindus in the wake of Partition, India’s first national democratic election approaches.

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Out of the routine box

Content is king for

Saregama’s

Yoodlee Like how it did for music with Carvaan some years ago, Saregama is now changing the game of content creation with Yoodlee Films. Targeting the 18-30 age group, the banner caters to the inherent need of the audience to watch strong thematic content

t a time when big Bollywood studios are staring at a hard road to recovery in the coming years, thanks to the damage caused by Covid-19, Saregama India is trying to redefine movie-making.

times. This is entertainment in the era of the selfie.”

Like how it did for music with Carvaan some years ago, Saregama is now changing the game of content creation with Yoodlee Films. Targeting the 18-30 age group, the banner caters to the inherent need of the audience to watch strong thematic content.

Well, Yoodle’s films are driven by powerful stories, and not by stars. Its core commitment is: “We bring a heightened sense of realism to our films: shot in real locations, with sync sound, on the best camera technology available. All films are within 120 minutes. Our films will be made available to our audiences on any screen they wish to view them on. We present our audiences with cinema that matters.”

To get an idea of Yoodle, read this description from its website: “We understand Irreverence; and swear by it. challenge the status quo, we question the old assumptions. Our audiences don’t wish to escape their life, but rather revel in it. We bring filmed entertainment that holds up a mirror to real life, distorting it sometimes, magnifying it other

The only person who gets an entry in the Saregama office as far as films are concerned is the writer with a script

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AJJI, Netflix

ASCHARYACHAKIT!, Netflix

axone, Netflix

BRIJ MOHAN AMAR RAHE, Netflix

chaman-bahaar, Netflix

chhappad-phaad-ke, Hotstar

hamid, Netflix

K.D, Netflix

kanpuriya, Hotstar

KUCHH BHEEGE ALFAAZ, Netflix

music teacher, Netflix

Noblemen, Netflix

Living to its commitment, the production house has come out with 13 films in less than three years. Since its inception in 2017, Yoodlee Films has roped in new, independent filmmakers and licensed 10 films to Netflix and three to Hotstar as originals. Vikram Mehra, managing director of Saregama India, believes that the unique model of Saregama’s film division—Yoodlee Films—is also most amenable for these constrained circumstances. It has the potential to redefine how films are planned, produced and budgeted. “From the start, we were clear we wanted to make films for a digital audience. Now is the best time for the company to grow,” says Mehra.

Content is king and Mehra understands it better than anyone else.”Yoodlee is a writer’s studio. The only person who gets an entry in the Saregama office as far as films are concerned is the writer with a script,” he says. And, while the film industry is being blamed as unorganised, Yoodlee has a well-defined plan for its actions. “Calls are taken on new scripts in 90 days after evaluation by a core group of 17 script readers from diverse backgrounds. Films under the Yoodlee banner are ready in nine months. And 30 per cent of the profits are shared with the writers,” says Mehra. Yoodlee is certainly on the right, or write, path.

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Small budget, big dreams

New model of

filmmaking in

India Covid has brought lot of distress to the film industry, but if you look at it as an optimist, it has brought in a new set of opportunities for independent filmmakers By O P Srivastava

n Chinese, the word ‘Crisis’ is made of two strokes- one represents ‘Danger’ and the other represents ‘Opportunity’. Covid has brought lot of distress to the film industry, but, if you look at it as an optimist, it has brought in a new set of opportunities also. It has ushered in an era of OTT platform based streaming, which is not only cutting across a number of layers between the filmmakers and the ultimate audience, but also making independent filmmaking a viable business proposition in India. Till now in order to make a film In India, one was required to collect ‘a bagful’ of money and then raise another bagful to promote the film and then

beg borrow or steal another one to release the film. And even after going through this long ordeal, a filmmaker could not be sure of ‘what cash flows’ were going to come back to his or her kitty. It is a well-known fact that whereas the big production houses and star-producers manage to multiply their investments in their films multi fold, the small producers, in ninety nine per cent of cases, end up losing their capital also. But, post March 2020, things started changing-thanks to Covid. The prolonged lockdown has induced not only a change in our lifestyle but it has also dented a shift in the consumption behavior including the digital consumption.

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O P Srivastava, a banker turned filmmaker, started his filmography in 2005 by producing a fiction film, ‘Missed Call’, which won 4 International Awards including selection as the opening film at IFFI 2006, Best International Film at Israel 2008 and represented India at Cinema du Monde, Cannes in 2007. His first feature documentary, Life in Metaphors, won the National Award for Best Biopic in 2015.

Yoodlee films, has not only proven that successful films can be made without big stars, big sets, high tech VFX, big promotions and of course big budgets, they have also opened doors for a new wave of filmmaking in India

The long struggling OTT platforms have suddenly taken off ! In the first quarter of 2020, Netflix added a staggering 15.8 million paid subscribers as the locked-down audience turned to OTT platforms in the absence of PVRs of the world. According to reports, Netflix’ global total has reached 189 million with audience binging on shows like Love and Blind and Money Heist and Indian web series like Delhi Crime, Jamtara, Made in Heaven, Mirzapur, Special OPS etc. Amazon Prime,

Hot Star and ZEE5 have reportedly seen 65 per cent increase in their consumption pattern during MarchJune 2020 quarter. One of the most impacted sectors due to the lockdown has been the entertainment industry. Not only the production activity has come to a grinding halt, the theatrical distribution companies like PVR have also suffered a serious blow (Share price down form Rs. 1815 on December 2, 2019 to Rs 1037 on July 17, 2020). So much so that an Amitabh

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Bachhan starrer like Gulabo Sitabo found it viable to release on a digital platform. To my mind, this trend is also a manifestation of a fundamental change happening in the ‘financial model of filmmaking’ in India. First of all, it indicates an increasing share of revenue from digital release of a film and a decreasing share of cash flows coming from the theatrical releases. The resultant combination of these two major cash flows increases the ‘certainty quotient’ in the total revenue stream of a film thereby enhancing the predictability and the stability of monetization in the filmmaking business. A more predictable or measurable revenue stream of a film is a good sign from an investor’s point of view. It helps the investors or a financier or a banker to look at investment in ‘filmmaking’ much more favorably. Besides, logically the stuff made for OTT platforms may not be as extravagant or as expensive as the high budget films made for the big screen. The success of the recently streamed popular films/episodic web series content like Patallok, Panchayat, Chintu Ka Birthday etc on OTT platforms largely driven by non-stars/ first timers is also an indication that for a film to be commercially successful on an OTT platform, it need not depend on the hugely expensive stars or sets thus bringing down the cost of the film and thereby increasing the Return on Investment ( ROI) on a film project. The success of Netflix Original or Amazon Original is, in a way, indicative of a new business model shaping up in the film industry. Add to this, the fact that in the post-Covid scenario, due to the enhanced pressure on timelines and productivity, ‘digitization’ in the filmmaking is bound to increase. We are looking at a ‘picture’, which may be more viable financially speaking.

even big blockbusters are getting forced to seek a release instead of waiting for cinema halls to open. Yoodlee films, with 13 small budget successful films like Chaman Bahar, Axone, Ajji etc. has not only proven that successful films can be made without big stars, big sets, high tech VFX, big promotions and of course big budgets, they have also opened doors for a new wave of filmmaking in India. What are the basics of this new model? Here it goes.

Yoodlee model of filmmaking

 The direct sale to OTT platform eliminates the huge promotion and distribution cost enhancing the financial viability of the project.

Three years back, when Yoodlee films started making small budget films based on the stories of a new crop of writers, there were many, who would have scoffed at their misadventure in the market dominated by the big budget starstudded films. But three years down the line, the tide has taken a U-turn with the explosion of viewership on the OTT streaming platforms, where

 Films are made with a focus on the audience in digital space only (essentially meaning that the films need not have the elements, which are required to pull the front benchers in cinema halls like the item songs etc. as an add– on in the film.)  Films are produced in a small budget (rumored to be between 1-2 Cr) under strictly monitored execution process. An independent auditor, who is given a pre-approved budget with dayby-day break up of the expenses, continuously audits all expenses during the entire schedule.  The choice of films is driven by the script and script only, having fresh perspective. All scriptwriters are reportedly paid on profit sharing basis.  All films are produced on a tight time schedule, within nine months– no time overrun and no cost overruns.  All films are shot on real locations– no artificial sets.  The film crews unless they are extremely senior artists, take train to locations and expect no five star hospitality or vanity vans.  Most of the investment is put into production.  All films are less than 120 minutes.

 They just produce films, own the IP of the content and are creating a pool of quality films – a perfect business model for a Venture Capitalist to step in. Yoodlee, the way to go!!

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