Amazon Prime Video To Co-Produce First Indian Movie, Akshay Kumar-Starrer ‘Ram Setu’
In a first for its Indian operations, Amazon Prime Video will act as co-producer on upcoming Hindi movie Ram Setu, which will be led by superstar Akshay Kumar.
The pic is an action-adventure revolving around the mythical bridge that the god Rama is supposed to have built between ancient India and Sri Lanka in order to rescue his wife Sita from the demon god Ravana. Jacqueline Fernandes and Nushrratt Bharuccha also feature in the cast.
Abhishek Sharma (Parmanu) is directing. Chandraprakash Dwivedi (Prithviraj Chauhan) will act as creative producer, with production companies Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, Lyca Productions teaming with Prime on the project.
The film will receive a theatrical release, with Cape of Good Films and Abundantia holding those rights, which will be followed by the global streaming bow exclusively on Amazon Prime.
Last year, Amazon made a splash with a series of high-profile acquisitions in India. Deadline sat down with two top Amazon India execs earlier this year to discuss their strategy.
“At Amazon Prime Video, every decision we take is from a customer-first perspective. Stories that are entrenched in Indian soil have often found an audience not only in India but across the world, and we are delighted to further take a step into co-producing by collaborating with a film that highlights our Indian heritage,” said Vijay Subramanium, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video India. “Our collaboration with Vikram Malhotra and Abundantia Entertainment as well as with Akshay Kumar to date has been unique and highly successful; and with this step, we move into the direction of further deepening and strengthening our association. With an exemplary cast and a story that is unique yet steeped in history, we look forward to continuing to entertain our customers the world over.”
“The story of Ram Setu is one that has always intrigued and inspired me: it represents strength, bravery and love, and uniquely Indian values that have formed the moral and social fabric of our great country,” added Akshay Kumar. “Ram Setu is a bridge between generations past, present and future.I look forward to telling the story of a significant part of Indian heritage, especially for the youth and I am happy that, with Amazon Prime Video, the story will cut across geographies and strike a chord with viewers across the world.”
“In India, mythology, religion and history are deeply inter-twined. They form the nerve system of our nation and have always given us the foundation for great, epic storytelling. Ram Setu is a story formed on facts, science and historical heritage and is anchored in the deep belief of Indians since centuries,” said Vikram Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Abundantia Entertainment. “We have had a wonderful association with Amazon Prime Video for our successful Amazon Original Series Breathe and Breathe: Into The Shadows as well as for films like Shakuntala Devi and the upcoming tentpole series – The End, also starring Akshay Kumar. I am thrilled to collaborate with Amazon once again for the opportunity to share this amazing story with a global audience.”
via Deadline
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