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Fashion Lite Blogs

OTT themed party for ‘Mera Noor Hai Mashhoor’

Veteran actress Jaya Bachchan looks resplendent in lemon resham kurta with pants. The perfect ode to her timeless beauty and elegance…reports Asian Lite News

Designers Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla hosted an OTT-themed party to unveil their latest fashion film ‘Mera Noor Hai Mashhoor’ at The Mansion, Rustomjee Elements Juhu on 2nd March 2023.

Starring Huma Qureshi and Aashim Gulati, the film features 150 garments on an inclusive cast of more than 40 people including supermodel Ujjwala Raut and actor Tarun Arora. Uorfi Javed also makes a special appearance. Original music by Burudu.

The premiere party saw the who’s who of fashion in film in attendance, which included:

Shweta Bachchan

Shweta Bachchan stuns in an ethereal archival dress made of salli work in a geometrical pattern. The garment is 25 years old.

Jaya Bachchan


Veteran actress Jaya Bachchan looks resplendent in lemon resham kurta with pants. The perfect ode to her timeless beauty and elegance.

Neetu Kapoor

Neetu Kapoor exudes timeless sophistication in aqua kurta with white resham shadow work with a satin lungi.

Radhika Merchant

Radhika Merchant looks stunning in an classic ruffle sari with a Pearl and crystal blouse and collar. Her natural beauty and effortless elegance make her the perfect muse!

Huma Qureshi

Star of the Night! Huma Qureshi exudes glamour and sophistication with every step as she stuns in timeless archival look from 15 years ago. An exaggerated snow-white collar dress fashioned with gun metal stones and Swaroski crystals. Featured in their book, India Fantastique.

Urfi Javed

Making a Statement! Urfi Javed steals the spotlight in an red satin concept sari with a jewelled Swaroski crustal blouse along with a custom-made crown. Her fabulously fearless attitude perfectly captures the spirit of ‘Mera Noor Hai Mashhoor’.

Natasa Stankovic

Natasa Stankovic is a rockstar in a bold and beautiful creation. She wears our classic gold chain top with a black drape. This look has been worn by Jennifer Lopez in the past.

Sonali Bendre

Sonali Bendre is a vision in latest Hoor collection Anarkali in aubergine.

Sussanne Khan

Sussanne Khan sassy sense of style and radiant spirit shines joyously in our full sequins timeless archival piece from 12 years ago.

Aashim Gulati

Aashim Gulati wears a Bandhgala jacket encrusted in crystal and beads by @mardbyabusandeep

Babil Khan

Babil Khan wears an @mardbyabusandeep multi-panel angarkha, an archival piece from 26 years ago. This is combined with a silver jewelled piece short jacket.

Gurfateh Pizada

Gurfateh Pizada makes a powerful style statement in @mardbyabusandeep patchwork denim jacket with intricate embroidery and playful fringes, paired with an elegant organza long shirt.

Neha Dhupia

Neha Dhupia exudes fabulous pop glamour in timeless bright pink neon candy dress from their 2019 – 33 show.

Kusha Kapila

Fashion with a side of funny! Where comedy meets couture, Kusha Kapila turns heads in embroidered coat in pearls and sequins with a solid red bustier and chrome yellow sarong.

ALSO READ-No boundaries to fashion

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Films Interview Lite Blogs

‘OTT and theatrical releases are completely different experiences’

The actress was also seen in ‘Raju Gari Gadhi 2’ opposite Nagarjuna and ‘Touch Chesi Chudu’ opposite Ravi Teja…reports Asian Lite News

Seerat Kapoor, who made her debut with the Telugu film ‘Run Raja Run’ and was also seen playing a gray character in the crime thriller ‘Maarrich’ starring Tusshar Kapoor, discussed the importance of finding the right medium for the right content, and her thoughts on OTT versus theatrical release.

She said: “In just a few years, I believe filmmaking has expanded dramatically for all of us. Cinema and its experience have evolved. From theatrical releases to now having content instantly accessible on your phone. There are even web series and shows that have travelled across the world in terms of content. Whereas many people are concerned that the growth of OTT would result in fewer people going to see movies in theatres, I disagree.”

The actress was also seen in ‘Raju Gari Gadhi 2’ opposite Nagarjuna and ‘Touch Chesi Chudu’ opposite Ravi Teja.

She added: ” I believe OTT and theatrical releases are completely different experiences altogether. Either way, it lies in the hands of the audience really. Whether it’s the taste of the kind of story they prefer or the experience they chose to enjoy it.”

While concluding the conversation, she shared that for her, medium is not that important as she is more concerned about the story and the role given to her. She wants to give her best in her work and this matters most for her.

Seerat Kapoor.

“For me, the story and the characters have always held utmost importance regardless of the medium. Over the years, I have formed a relationship with my audience, where they shower and support me with their love for the characters I have chosen.”

“Most of my films have left them pondering while also entertaining. It’s a very sacred connection I share with them. So whichever platform the story may release, on the bright side, today as creatives we have extended ways to explore our potential and give back to our audiences to keep their smiles around life intact,” she concluded.

On the work front, Seerat will be seen playing the lead in Dil Raju’s next, which is yet untitled.

ALSO READ-Samantha celebrates 13 years in the industry

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Bollywood Lite Blogs

‘Kantara’ reaches OTT

It is a story that has universal appeal but the plot’s local flavour will keep viewers intrigued until the very end…reports Asian Lite News

The biggest surprise hit movie of the year, ‘Kantara’ is finally set for OTT release. Prime Video announced the exclusive worldwide digital premiere of the Kannada blockbuster, which will start streaming from November 24.

Made on a modest budget of around Rs 16 crore, ‘Kantara’ has grossed Rs 400 crore (and counting!) worldwide in theatres worldwide after its release in September this year.

The story of ‘Kantara’ is set around a small community living in the woodlands of Kaadubettu in the southern coastal state of Karnataka. Weaving an interesting plot of human versus nature conflict, where death leads to war between villagers and evil forces and Shiva, a rebel defends his village and nature.

On the digital release of Kantara, writer, director, and actor Rishab Shetty shared, “Audiences from all corners of the country have showered immense love on ‘Kantara’ and I am extremely excited that with its global digital premiere on Prime Video, we will be able to take our labour of love and hard work to a wider audience worldwide. It is a story that has universal appeal but the plot’s local flavour will keep viewers intrigued until the very end!”

Produced under the banner of Hombale Films by Vijay Kiragandur, the action-adventure is written and directed by Rishab Shetty, who also acts in the movie alongside Sapthami Gowda, Kishore Kumar G. and Achyuth Kumar in the pivotal roles.

Producer Vijay Kiragandur added, “At Hombale Films, we are always looking at telling engaging tales in an extraordinary yet relatable manner. ‘Kantara’ is yet another film by us that has touched hearts of audiences from varied regions and backgrounds. Rishab and the entire cast and crew have worked incredibly hard to create this beautiful film and we are delighted to take it to audiences across the globe through the exclusive launch on Prime Video.”

After winning audiences’ hearts in theatres, viewers can now enjoy the widely-loved film from their homes from November 24, 2022 in India and 240 countries and territories worldwide. Prime members can exclusively stream this visual spectacle in Kannada along with Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu language dubs on the service.

ALSO READ-VFX is not a magic wand that can make a film run

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Films Lite Blogs

‘Sumi’ heads to OTT for Nov 14 release

The film will be available to stream on Planet Marathi OTT from November 14, on the occasion of Children’s Day in India…reports Asian Lite News

Marathi film ‘Sumi’, which bagged the Award for Best Children’s Film at the 68th National Film Awards is heading for an OTT release. The poster of the film was unveiled by the makers recently.

In the words of the film’s director, Amol Vasant Gole, the film touches on various important topics like “girl child education, women empowerment, education in rural areas and infrastructural development.”

Talking about his film, Gole said: “The risk we took to tell a brave story has paid off. Every character in the film will leave the audience with a strong message, especially the characters of both the kids who have performed so real by understanding the nerves and emotions.”

The film, which stars child actors Akanksha Pingale and Divyesh Indulkar, seasoned actors like Smita Tambe and Nitin Bhajan, follows the inspiring story of the daughter of a stone quarry worker and her pursuit for higher education. ‘Sumi’ is heading to OTT platform Planet Marathi OTT for its release.

Commenting on the release, National Award winner Akshay Bardapurkar, Founder, Planet Marathi OTT said: “Films like Sumi are brave, experimental stories which deserve a global platform. We are here to give it a nationwide and global release to homes all over. It is an honour to have the privilege to add ‘Sumi’ to our library and showcase it to our viewers who are always looking for the best in Marathi entertainment content. We are looking forward to revealing the release date of the movie.”

The original story is written by Sanjeev K. Jha, and has been produced by Harshall Vinay Kamat, Swati S. Sharma, Mihir Kumar Sharma and co-produced by Anand Panchal, Jayaditya Giri, Sonali Jayant and Jayant Yewale.

The film will be available to stream on Planet Marathi OTT from November 14, on the occasion of Children’s Day in India.

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Films Lite Blogs

‘OTT space in India is still primitive’

Gandhi, who was also the creative director of ‘Tumbbad’ (2018), another festival favourite feels the big questions of the self and the universe do not need the speculative romance of philosophy and science has caught up and answered most philosophical or “spiritual” questions of his youth…writes Sukant Deepak

When he dropped out of school early, he was convinced that he wanted to be a magician. He even wanted to be a philosopher and a scientist. Cinema has allowed filmmaker Anand Gandhi to stay close to all his childhood dreams.

Believing magic and cinema are cognitive gyms as both achieve wonder by simulating experiences that are greater than the sum of their parts — whether by pulling a rabbit out of a hat or by telling a story of siblings separated at birth…

“We are seduced into studying the parts and interactions that this new whole emerged from. We are compelled to understand the cogs and gears behind the collapse of a marriage in a story or the engineering behind a bullet catch by a magician. Improbable phenomena witnessed firsthand challenge our notions of reality. Wonder then becomes an invitation to engage with paradoxes. The path of wonder may not always lead to answers, but often broadens our consciousness. That is the overlapping function of magic and cinema,” he tells.

The filmmaker and co-writer of ‘Ship of Theseus’ (2012) which made audiences and critics across the world sit up, who recently put up on Instagram a storyboard driven by AI for his sci-fi film ‘Emergence’, says looking back at his life, including the decision to drop out of college early, was a choice informed by his immediate needs and context.

“I wanted to get to know the region I was born in better and didn’t want to leave the country for education. The education that I had access to in Mumbai was insufficient for my intellectual curiosity and capacity. The only choice I was left with was to create my own bespoke journey of learning. Today, I am grateful that the 16-year-old me had the opportunity to leave college in search of a more meaningful education and follow it with rigor and responsibility.”

Gandhi, who was also the creative director of ‘Tumbbad’ (2018), another festival favourite feels the big questions of the self and the universe do not need the speculative romance of philosophy and science has caught up and answered most philosophical or “spiritual” questions of his youth.

“The purpose of philosophy now is to simulate potential human futures and propose social and moral contracts that will get us there. To that purpose, I find the work of Peter Singer very relevant. Besides learning about decision systems and possible directions for democracies and DAOs, I spend most of my time reading breakthroughs in cognitive biology,” he adds.

Though his next film ‘Emergence’ is about the pandemic, he started work on it way back in 2015. In fact, he had started thinking about it while making ‘Tumbbad’.

“I had hinted at the Spanish flu in one of the early drafts of ‘Tumbbad’ (which was how I justified the desolate Indian landscapes to myself). After finishing the shoot in 2015, I went back to a brilliant book I had read about making ‘Ship of Theseus’. That was Dennis Bray’s ‘Wetware’. I had become obsessed with the question of the emergence of consciousness. Does it evolve at the level of the mammalian brain or does it exist at the level of the cell, or even before (in quantum nanotubes as suggested by Penrose)? A setting emerged in my mind: One where I can juxtapose all these ideas together. A pandemic where the smallest form of consciousness, that is a virus, interacts with the most complex form that we are aware of, that is the human mind.”

Stressing that his process is about constantly searching for metaphors and analogies that can help him transmit his hopes, warnings, and insights, he says, “Once I find an allegory that seems to stick, I spend a lot of time making it coherent and immersive.”

This filmmaker who admires directors like Roy Andersson, Michael Haneke, Bela Tarr, Emir Kusturica, and Stanley Kubrick, says he cannot even imagine where AI-based visualisation is going to take us.

“It’s to help us record our memories with unprecedented fidelity, transmit our interiority with incredible accuracy, imagine futures, recreate pasts, dream up solutions in space travel and protein folding. We are living through a leapfrogging event in humanity.”

Anand Gandhi and The Future of Living TERRA.

For someone whose writing credits also include ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, he says he was young and used training wheels at the time.

“I was learning to ride. It was a wonderful experience to work with Ekta and Rajubhai. I have always been grateful.”

He also feels that while the OTT space in India is still primitive, but will leapfrog very soon.

“A new generation of execs will soon replace the old guard and a golden era of cultural excellence will emerge — or at least, this is what I keep telling myself.”

ALSO READ-OTT releases to watch with family

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Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

OTT releases to watch with family


This one marks the on-screen debut of popular fictional character, Detective Boomrah, who takes up cases that are beyond the realm of reality…reports Asian Lite News

Not many films are worth watching in a theatre, and more often than not, television too has nothing out-of-the-box playing on. However, it is a different world out there when you talk about Over-The-Top or OTT platforms. While you would often come across niche content and those with abusive or crass language, there are a few films and shows that can ensure wholesome entertainment for the whole family. Here are some gems that you can start with.

Wholesome entertainers to watch with family on OTT.(photo:IANSLIFE)

Detective Boomrah

This one marks the on-screen debut of popular fictional character, Detective Boomrah, who takes up cases that are beyond the realm of reality. The detective is out to solve a case in a heritage hotel where a man mysteriously appears in a locked room, and then jumps off the terrace to disappear. When the detective and his partner try to solve the case, another resident of the haveli, Amtim, jumps off in a similar way, only to be followed by the detective this time. The Case of the Missing, based on the concept of time travel, is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar and is a must watch.

Babli Bouncer

This heart tugging tale is that of a girl who lives in a village that is known for producing body builders and bouncers. Her father, who is a trainer, trains her and she becomes the uncrowned queen who cannot be messed with. Babli decides to go to the city and become a professional bouncer when the opportunity arises. Will she be able to make a mark in this male dominated society. This one teaches about feminism without shouting from the rooftops, watch it on Disney +Hotstar.

Pinocchio: A True Story

We have all heard the story of Pinocchio, the boy made of wood, whose nose grew every time he told a lie. This animated film is a different take on the same concept, where Jepetto, the genius creator builds a wooden boy, who comes alive with magic. Accompanied by the talking horse, Tibalt, Pinocchio sets out to see the world. He joins a traveling circus where he falls in love with the ringmaster’s daughter and now he wants to become human. This intriguing tale of emotions will be loved by all in the family. It is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Chintaa Mani

This film, streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, is a quirky take on people who feel they can mess with the future. It is a modern interpretation of the times when mani (precious stones) had magical powers and they could either grant our wishes or reveal the future. Three friends find themselves with a mani and as it reveals the future, they realise that the future isn’t too great. They try to change it through their cunning ways, and what follows is mayhem. With an interesting lesson, this one will be loved by people of all age groups.

Jogi

It is set against the backdrop of the unfortunate riots that took place in 1984 in Delhi. It tells the story of how an ordinary day turned into the longest day for a few, as Sikhs were targeted, and killed by mobs. How Jogi and his friends save many people from coming under the fire of the riots is how this tale unfolds. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Jogi is streaming on Netflix, and is being loved by the viewers.

ALSO READ-Latest shows and films to binge watch on OTT

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Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

Latest shows and films to binge watch on OTT

We’re excited to see Ana de Armas transform into the iconic star on screen after she received a 14-minute standing ovation for her performance at the Venice Film Festival…reports Olivia Sarkar

The second half of September has brought a good mix of genres, ranging from horror fantasies to teen dramas to long-awaited biopics. We’ve compiled a list of new shows and films to round out your October binge-watching marathon.

Do Revenge


Drea, a popular girl, has the perfect high school life until her boyfriend ruins it by leaking her sex tape to the entire school, and now she wants vengeance! When she meets Eleanor, an exchange student who is haunted by a rumour spread by one of her classmates, the two form a team to take down their respective nemesis. They even joke about murdering their tormentors, but will they go so far? You’ll have to watch to find out what this crazy teen revenge drama is all about.

Jogi


When two Sikh men assassinated Indira Gandhi, public sentiment toward the entire Sikh community shifted overnight, and people became hostile toward them. Jogi, a Diljit Dosanjh-starrer set during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, tells the story of a Sikh man determined to save his family, friends, and fellow members from a massacre that killed thousands of Sikhs.

Blonde

The much-anticipated biopic follows the rise to fame and tragic demise of one of the world’s most famous people, Marilyn Monroe. We’re excited to see Ana de Armas transform into the iconic star on screen after she received a 14-minute standing ovation for her performance at the Venice Film Festival.

The Good Doctor Season 5


If you’re a fan of the hit medical drama and haven’t seen the most recent season yet, there’s no need to wait any longer. Dr. Shaun is available on Netflix. And here’s how The Good Doctor Season 5’s plot synopsis reads: “Shaun and Lea make a major life decision and are pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of support from their hospital friends.”

Hush Hush


In the upcoming crime drama, Juhi Chawla, Ayesha Jhulkha, Soha Ali Khan Pataudi, Kritika Kamra, Shahna Goswami, and Karishma Tanna star. “Hush Hush revolves around a group of women whose picture-perfect lives unravel when an unexpected event brings to light secrets from their past and threatens everything, they hold dear.” The story “explores the storm that brews behind the seemingly quiet fade of these women’s privileged lives, knitted in a web of lies, deceit, and fighting patriarchy,” according to the synopsis.

Hocus Pocus 2

If you grew up in the 1990s, we’re sure you’ve been waiting for this one. After nearly 30 years, your favourite trio of witches has returned to spook you. In Hocus Pocus 2, Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker reprise their roles as the Sanders sisters. What is the plot? Three teenagers bring the Sanderson Sisters back from the dead to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from destroying the entire town.

Plan A Plan B

Tamannaah Bhatia works as a matchmaker and believes that marriage is for everyone except herself. Riteish Deshmukh is a successful divorce attorney who harbours a dark secret. Will they fall in love when they meet?

ALSO READ-‘No special system or rule in acting’

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Lite Blogs

‘OTT is not a safe space’

Talking about ‘Cuttputtli’ opting for OTT release, producer Jackky Bhagnani said: “The film was designed to release on OTT. We were certain from the word go that this film will release digitally…reports Asian Lite News

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, whose last three films ‘Bachchhan Paandey’, ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ and ‘Raksha Bandhan’ did not make it big at the box-office, said that he has to make come changes as his films are not working.

Talking about his last few releases not working as planned and ‘Cuttputtli’ opting for OTT release, Akshay said: “Films are not working, it is our fault, it is my fault, I have to make the changes, I have to understand what the audience wants.

“I want to make the changes, I will dismantle my ways, the way I think, and the kind of movies I do. Nobody else is to be blamed, it is just me.”

Akshay was joined by Rakul Preet Singh, Sargun Mehta, Chandrachur Singh, Jackky Bhagnani, Deepshikha and Ranjit Tiwari for the trailer launch of ‘Cuttputtli’ in Mumbai on Saturday.

The actor said that OTT is not a safe space as it also requires people to give their nod to the content.

“OTT is not a safe space, digital space also requires people to say ‘yes’ to the content, it is not a safety net. The film releases the same way it releases everywhere; the audience, critics, and media watch the film on the net, and they give their feedback too, so forget about being safe. It would help if you work hard and that is it,” he said.

Talking about ‘Cuttputtli’ opting for OTT release, producer Jackky Bhagnani said: “The film was designed to release on OTT. We were certain from the word go that this film will release digitally.

“Since the inception of the film, we knew this is a great genre, and we wanted to put this story out in the best way, and Disney is the best platform for this movie.

“There was no confusion about the release, the film was not meant to release in theaters. We had planned and made it for OTT release, we just had to figure out on which platform.”

‘Cuttputtli’ is a crime thriller based on real-life serial killer Anatoly Yemelianovich Slivko from the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh and Jackky Bhagnani under the banner of Pooja Entertainment, the film will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on September 2.

ALSO READ-B’town hope for ‘achche din’ with new releases

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Films Lite Blogs

‘Highway’ to have direct OTT release

Talking about the film, director K V Guhan said, “Post the first wave of Covid, there was an unprecedented change in the film industry…reports Asian Lite News

Well-known cinematographer and director K V Guhan’s much-awaited psychological thriller, ‘Highway’, featuring Anand Deverakonda in the lead, will directly release on the OTT platform Aha on August 19.

The psychological thriller will also feature Sayami Kher and Manasa along with Abhishek Banerjee in a never-before-seen role.

Directed and written by K.V. Guhan and produced by Venkat Talari, the film is a psychological thriller about a photographer Vishnu (Anand Deverakonda) who falls in love with Tulasi (Manasa). When everything is going great, a serial killer kidnaps his lady love. What happens then is what ‘Highway’ is all about.

Talking about the film, director K V Guhan said, “Post the first wave of Covid, there was an unprecedented change in the film industry. At the same time, we were all connected to world content, irrespective of languages. There was a massive opening for concept films, new experiments, and novel thoughts. That’s when I narrated this idea to Anand and Abhishek, and being explorers themselves, they said ‘yes’.”

“The more you get into the story, the more it brings out the different shades of characters,” says Guhan, who adds that every twist and turn in this film will be new.

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Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

OTT and future of Indian cinema industry

The music industry is expected to reach Rs. 23 billion (USD 330 million) by 2023, from Rs 15 billion (USD 210 million) in 2020 at a CAGR of 15 per cent between 2020 and 2023…reports Asian Lite News

India is home to one of the largest and most vibrant film industries in the world. The country is famous globally for its movies and songs. Citizens of several nations, irrespective of the relations between India and their country, recognise India for its films. Such is the prominence of tinsel town internationally!

Bollywood or the Hindi film industry occupies a pivotal position. However, some regional movies including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Punjabi films among others have also made it big abroad. India has 22 official languages and more than 19,500 dialects are spoken here as mother tongues. Hence, there are numerous varieties of films from different languages.

The Indian film industry generates nearly USD 2 billion a year. According to Britannica, Bollywood, Hindi-language sector of the Indian film industry began in Bombay (now Mumbai) in the 1930s and developed into an enormous film empire.

After early Indian experiments with silent films, in 1934, Bombay Talkies, launched by Himansu Rai, spearheaded the growth of Indian cinema. At the turn of the 21st Century, the Indian film industry – of which Bollywood remained the largest component – was producing as many as 1,000 feature films annually in all of India’s major languages and in a variety of cities. International audiences began to develop among south Asians in the United Kingdom and in the United States.

The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is a sunrise sector for the economy and is making significant strides. Proving its resilience to the world, Indian M&E industry is on the cusp of a strong phase of growth, backed by rising consumer demand and improving advertising revenue. According to a FICCI-EY report, the advertising to GDP ratio is expected to reach 0.4 per cent by 2025 from 0.38 per cent in 2019.

According to a BCG report, India’s M&E industry is expected to grow between USD 55-70 billion by 2030. India’s digital advertising industry is expected to grow to Rs 23,673 crore (USD 3.09 billion) in 2022 from Rs 18,938 crore (USD 2.47 billion) in 2021.

Television would account for 40 per cent of the Indian media market in 2024, followed by print media (13 per cent), digital advertising (12 per cent), cinema (9 per cent), and the over-the-top (OTT) and gaming industries (8 per cent). The market is projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17 per cent between 2020 and 2023.

According to India Brand Equity Foundation, within the M&E sector, animation, visual effects, gaming and comic (AVGC) sector is growing at a rate of 29 per cent, while the audio-visual sector and services is rising at the rate 25 per cent; is recognised as of one of the champion sectors by the Government of India. The AVGC sector is estimated to grow at 9 per cent to reach Rs. 3 lakh crore (USD 43.93 billion) by 2024, as stated by Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles.

The music industry is expected to reach Rs. 23 billion (USD 330 million) by 2023, from Rs 15 billion (USD 210 million) in 2020 at a CAGR of 15 per cent between 2020 and 2023.

Several Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan are household names in various countries. Numerous Bollywood movies are also shot abroad, which has made the industry along with its stars popular globally.

Salman Khan Katrina Kaif-starrer spy-thriller ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ was shot in Istanbul and near the border with Syria and Iraq. Several more Bollywood movies were shot aboard and many in Middle East, including United Arab Emirates. Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer political thriller Phantom was shot in in Lebanon, including downtown Beirut, the nearby area of Khandaq Al Ghameeq and the mountain town of Kfardebian.

A spy-thriller ‘Baby’ starring Akshay Kumar was shot in multiple locations in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the UAE. Akshay Kumar-starrer war thriller ‘Airlift’ was reportedly partially shot in Al-Hamra Palace Beach Resort in Ras Al Khaimah.

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-starrer Guru’s famous song ‘Mayya Mayya’ was picturised in Istanbul’s Nuruosmaniye Mosque.

A lot many Bengali and South Indian movies are shot in Thailand, Singapore and US among other destinations.

Indian movies are filmed across the world and several are shot in across European locations like the UK, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Spain, Greece and Amsterdam. Also, southeast Asian countries are another favourite destination for shooting. Some movies are also filmed in Australia.

Apart from Bollywood, at present, South Indian movies are topping the chart. In the recent 68th National Films Awards in the country, movies from south swept the award ceremony.

The jury had received around 305 movies from 30 languages. The films from the southern region of the country dominated the National Film Awards. As many as 19 top awards across various sections went to south Indian films. During last year’s ceremony, south Indian films won as many as 15 awards in various categories.

Some very famous south Indian movies of recent times which made it big in domestic market as well as abroad are ‘Bahubali’ and ‘RRR’.

Apart from the over-arching Bollywood all the other regional film industries also have a distinctive name. Bengali film industry in West Bengal and Telugu film industry in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are both called Tollywood. Similarly, Malayalam film industry in Kerala is known as Mollywood, film industry in Karnataka as Sandalwood, Assamese language film industry as Jollywood, Tamil film industry is called Kollywood and film industry in Odisha as Ollywood.

The future of Indian cinema will remain entwined with OTT platforms.

According to a Deloitte study, 83 per cent of India watches video content on their mobile phones. This still makes the cinema experience a unique one.

The story lines of Indian cinemas are undergoing a change. From love stories and family issue-based content, it is now moving towards other social issue-based stories and this trend is more perceptible in regional movies.

ALSO READ-Mani Ratnam makes two-part epic in 120 days