Earlier this month, it was announced that Ananya Birla has established a production house called Birla Studios, which will focus on films which are commercial and also high-concept. Bollywood Hungama has learned that the business tycoon is in talks with several prominent filmmakers for films that would be produced under her banner.
A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Ananya Birla has initiated talks with Anees Bazmee, Shoojit Sircar, Neeraj Pandey etc., among others. Ananya has been an admirer of the films made by these filmmakers and feels that they could be apt to make content for her newly established production company. Anees, Shoojit and Neeraj have also been impressed with her vision, understanding of filmmaking and passion for cinema.”
The source added, “The talks are going on. If all goes well, Anees Bazmee, Shoojit Sircar and Neeraj Pandey will sign on the dotted line soon.”
As per the press release, “Birla Studios is shaping a multi-language slate that spans stories in Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, amongst other regional languages and international English language cinema, reflecting its ambition to engage audiences across borders and culture”. The press release also indicates that the studio plans to reveal its upcoming projects soon through an official announcement.
During the launch of Birla Studios, Ananya Birla said, “We are all stories. Cinema is one of the most powerful mediums through which those stories are told. At its most powerful, cinema creates an immediate connection while leaving a lasting resonance. At Birla Studios, our focus is on curating a slate of films that balance cultural significance with strong entertainment value and a conscious stand to nurture new talent, while exploring genres, amplifying fresh voices and diverse perspectives. As we put this slate together, we’ve been deeply encouraged by the kindness and receptiveness of everyone across the industry. It would be a privilege to play even a small part in taking Indian cinema forward.”
Meanwhile, Anees Bazmee is currently busy filming his next with Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Raashii Khanna and others. Shoojit Sircar’s next is a mytho-horror film starring Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao, Viineet Kumar Siingh and Saurabh Shukla. Neeraj Pandey’s next, Ghooskhor Pandat, was recently announced at the ‘Next on Netflix’ event. Starring Manoj Bajpayee and directed by Ritesh Shah, the heist movie got into trouble as a section of society has alleged that its title and promotional material are defamatory and communally offensive. The matter became serious, prompting the makers and Netflix to pull down the promotional material.
Also Read: Ananya Birla launches Birla Studios to back culturally relevant, commercial films
