Mumbai, Aug 22 (PTI) Applause Entertainment, known for its excellent OTT shows like "Scam 1992", "Criminal Justice", and "Black Warrant", is broadening its horizons in theatrical releases by partnering with notable directors such as Imtiaz Ali and Kabir Khan for a romantic and sports drama, respectively.
Celebrating its eighth anniversary in business this August, Sameer Nair, the managing director, expressed his satisfaction with the company’s recent successes, including Vikramaditya Motwane’s "Black Warrant", Nagesh Kukunoor’s “The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination”, and the fourth season of "Criminal Justice" starring Pankaj Tripathi.
Nair revealed that the studio has an impressive portfolio of 60 OTT shows and five to six films, including Vidya Balan’s “Do Aur Do Pyaar”, Kapil Sharma’s “Zwigato”, and Tahira Kashyap Khurrana's directorial "Sharmajee Ki Beti".
"Our aim is to become one of India’s largest content producers for series and aspire to establish ourselves as a leading film studio. To achieve this, we are focusing on developing great content and collaborating with talented individuals," Nair shared in an interview with PTI.
Nair emphasized their plans to venture into movies, aiming to produce films for theatrical releases before transitioning to streaming platforms. "We operate on an 'invest and reinvest' business model, continually putting profits back into the business to fuel growth," he added.
Expanding their film projects, Applause Entertainment is working with numerous directors and actors, with several films, including a Tamil movie named "Bison", directed by Mari Selvaraj and produced by Pa Ranjith, in the pipeline.
"We are collaborating with Imtiaz Ali on his next film, which stars Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari, and others. It promises a heartfelt love story characteristic of Imtiaz's storytelling," Nair said. He added that Kabir Khan is working on two unnamed projects, including a sports drama based on a true story.
The studio is also gearing up for new seasons of their popular series like “Black Warrant”, “Criminal Justice”, “Scam”, and “Undekhi”.
"We’ve crafted a beautiful show with Nitya Mehra, featuring Aneet Padda, the lead from ‘Saaiyara’. Additionally, we are completing a documentary on Salman Khan, expected by year-end," he stated.
Applause Entertainment takes pride in its standout series, such as “Criminal Justice”, “Scam”, and “Undekhi”.
"‘Criminal Justice’ was our first show and a trailblazer in Indian streaming, now entering its fourth season. ‘Scam’ not only became a massive hit but also cemented Applause’s reputation. ‘Undekhi’ emerged as a beloved sleeper hit,” Nair elaborated. This year, successes included “Black Warrant”, the fourth season of “Criminal Justice”, and “The Hunt”.
Nair confirmed that the third season of “Scam” will delve into the story of maverick businessman Subrata Roy, capturing his intriguing journey and offering both celebratory insights and cautionary lessons.
Nair acknowledged the lukewarm reception of Vir Das’s show “Hasmukh” and Ajay Devgn-led “Rudra”.
“‘Hasmukh’ had potential but perhaps audiences weren’t ready for Vir Das in such a role,” he conceded. While “Rudra” performed well with Ajay Devgn’s stellar performance, Nair noted that it was ultimately the economic calculations that didn’t meet expectations. Until recent times, ‘Criminal Justice’ held the record as the most-viewed show, he concluded.
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