Prosenjit Chatterjee, Srabanti Chatterjee-Starring ‘Devi Chowdhurani’ Nabs Indo-U.K. Co-Prod Status (EXCLUSIVE) – Global Bulletin

CO-PRODUCTION

“Devi Chowdhurani,” helmed by Subhrajit Mitra, has become the first Bengali-language film to secure official Indo-U.K. co-production status. The period drama, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Srabanti Chatterjee alongside Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Arjun Chakraborty, Darshana Banik, Bibriti Chatterjee and Kinjal Nanda, is produced by Adited Motion Pictures (U.S./India) and LOK Arts Collective (India/U.K.), with the U.K.’s HC Films and Moringa Studios serving as co-producers.

The project, now in early post-production, adapts Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay‘s 1884 novel about one of India’s first female freedom fighters. Composer Pandit Bickram Ghosh is on board for the score.

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, NFDC, FFO and Invest India, along with the U.K.’s BFI and DCMS, greenlit the co-production status.

Adited Motion Pictures’ Aparna and Aniruddha Dasgupta called the recognition “a dream come true,” while LOK Arts Collective’s Soumyajit Majumdar emphasized the importance of international co-productions for global exposure. Lead actor Prosenjit Chatterjee said the move “will pave a new path for regional film industries” in India.

SINGLE SCREENS

Punit Goenka, MD and CEO of Indian media giant Zee, has acquired a majority stake in Maverick Media. The move aims to breathe new life into single-screen theaters across India’s tier II and III cities.

The statement announcing the deal said: “Mr. Goenka has made this investment in his personal capacity and the same has no bearing on the company that he leads.”

India has 9,742 screens for a population of 1.4 billion and less than 100 million people visited a cinema in 2023, according to the annual FICCI EY industry report.

“While my professional commitments continue to remain a priority, I believe that as key members of the fraternity, it is our collective responsibility to enhance the growth opportunities for all segments in the media value chain, and hence I have taken this decision in my personal capacity. The potential of single screen cinemas across several tier II and III cities is immense, and it is imperative to revive this infrastructure, keeping its fabric and cultural essence intact,” Goenka said.

CHANNELS

Prime Video has launched anime streamer Crunchyroll on its Channels platform in India, expanding anime offerings for local viewers. The add-on subscription, priced at INR79 (95 cents) monthly, grants access to over 800 titles, including simulcasts from Japan.

The service features 40+ new shows this season, such as “Kaiju No.8,” “Black Butler: Public School Arc” and “Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc.” Select content will be available in the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages, alongside English.

Gaurav Bhasin, head of Prime Video Channels India, cited growing anime popularity as the driver behind the move. Terry Li, Crunchyroll’s executive VP of business development, expressed hopes of attracting new fans through the partnership.