Netflix, Amazon Prime, SonyLIV Vie for India’s IFFI Streaming Honor
STREAMING SUCCESS
Netflix leads the pack with two nominations as India’s streaming platforms gear up for the Best Web Series Award on the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The category, which returns for its second year, has witnessed a robust 40% increase in submissions across 10 major streaming platforms.
Netflix’s twin contenders include ‘Kota Factory’, Saurabh Khanna’s examination of India’s pressure-cooker academic coaching culture, and ‘Kala Pani’, a survival drama from creators Sameer Saxena and Amit Golani set against the backdrop of the Andaman Islands .
Prime Video joins the race with Vikramaditya Motwane’s ‘Jubilee’, a period piece that chronicles the golden age of Indian cinema, while ZEE5 brings Muthukumar’s ‘Ayali’, a contemporary drama that explores the lives of women in traditional society. Completing the nominations is SonyLIV‘Lampan’, Nipun Dharmadhikari’s rural coming-of-age story.
MUSCLE MAN
Producer Sajid Nadiadwala has action film “Baaghi 4” scheduled for release on September 5, 2025, with Tiger Shroff returns to helm the fourth installment of the franchise. The project marks helmer A. Harsha‘s (“Bajrangi”, “Veda”) in the series. The ‘Baaghi’ franchise has collected $60 million worldwide from three pictures, with Shroff becoming one of Bollywood’s youngest stars to star in a quadrilogy.
The film heralds a banner year Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment‘s 75th anniversary list, including Salman Khan-starring “Sikandar”, ensemble comedy “Housefull 5” and Vishal Bhardwaj’s untitled feature film with Shahid Kapoor And Triptii Dimri.
Production started this week.
POLITICAL POWER GAME
Kangana Ranaut‘Emergency’, which depicts the political unrest in India in the 1970s, will finally hit theaters on January 17, 2025 after a lengthy approval process by the censor board. Ranaut plays a triple role as writer-director-star, playing the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in political drama. The cast includes Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary and Milind Soman and marks one of the last performances of the late Satish Kaushik. Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films are producing along with Renu Pitti, with score by Sanchit Balhara and GV Prakash Kumar. Ritesh Shah co-wrote the film.
