Applause Entertainment Partners with Kabir Khan for Two-Picture Deal
In a significant partnership move, India's Applause Entertainment has struck a two-picture deal with acclaimed director Kabir Khan, best known for helming Bollywood blockbusters such as Ek Tha Tiger, 83, and New York. The pact sees the two entities co-produce a pair of features, with Khan at the helm as director and creative production lead on both.
According to Applause Managing Director Sameer Nair, the partnership is "fuelled by our mutual love for storytelling." Khan echoed this sentiment, stating that the collaboration offers a great balance of creative freedom and direction. The two entities are believed to be working on a pair of untitled features, although details have not been publicly disclosed yet.
This deal marks a significant milestone for Applause Entertainment, which has primarily focused on producing television shows and streaming dramas in recent times, with its flagship series Black Warrant gaining immense popularity globally, particularly on Netflix's Global Top 10 non-English shows chart.
Black Warrant, based on Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury's 2019 book "Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer," has been praised for its unique storytelling approach, exploring India's past through contemporary history. The show boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Anurag Thakur.
Applause Entertainment's bold move to explore the feature film space is part of a strategy to expand its slate of content, with Nair asserting that features are becoming an increasingly important aspect of their production. By partnering with an industry veteran like Kabir Khan, Applause Entertainment hopes to tap into his creative expertise and expand its storytelling capabilities.
Kabir Khan's extensive background in directing high-profile Bollywood films has undoubtedly brought a sense of excitement to the partnership. As Applause Entertainment continues to build out its feature film output, this collaboration is likely to be watched with great interest from fans and industry observers alike.
The deal reinforces the notion that India's content landscape is shifting, with the focus now on producing content that resonates with global audiences and offers a balance of creative freedom and commercial viability. As Applause Entertainment and Kabir Khan Films embark on this exciting journey together, one thing is clear - they are fuelled by their passion for storytelling, which will undoubtedly lead to compelling narratives that captivate Indian audiences worldwide.