GOWRI MANICKAVASAGAM
India is witnessing the first wave of digital releases of much-awaited movies. Amazon Prime Video has secured the global streaming rights of several Indian movies, and the streaming giant will be premiering them in over 200 countries over the next three months.
Following the announcement of the upcoming premiere of Shoojit Sircar’s Amitabh Bachchan (Black, Piku) and Ayushmann Khurrana (Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan, Andhadhun) starrer Gulabo Sitabo, Amazon Prime Video today announced an additional six highly-anticipated Indian films will be premiering directly on the streaming service.
Spanning five Indian languages, the Direct-to-Service line-up features additional releases such as Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi with Vidya Balan (Dirty Picture, Kahaani) in lead, legal drama Ponmagal Vandhal starring Jyotika (Chandramukhi) in addition to Keerthy Suresh (Mahanathie) starrer Penguin (Tamil and Telugu), Sufiyum Sujatayum (Malayalam), Law (Kannada) and French Biryani (Kannada).
“At Prime Video we believe in listening to what our consumers want and working backward from there. This belief is the genesis of our latest offering,” said Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video, India.
“Indian audiences have been eagerly awaiting the release of these 7 highly anticipated films and we are delighted that Amazon Prime Video will now be premiering these movies for our customers – who can enjoy watching these from the safety & comfort of their homes and on a screen of their choice. Prime Video with its deep penetration in India, with viewership across over 4000 Towns and Cities, and its world-wide reach in more than 200 countries and territories, will give a large global release footprint to these films. We feel truly excited about this initiative and are confident of delighting our Prime Members with this offering” said Gaurav Gandhi, Director and Country General Manager, Amazon Prime Video India.
Ponmagal Vandhal (Tamil), from 29th May
Starring Jyotika, Parthiban, Bhagyaraj, Prathap Pothen, and Pandiarajan, Ponmagal Vandhal is a legal drama. The movie is written and directed by J.J. Fredrick and produced by Suriya and Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian.
Gulabo Sitabo (Hindi), from 12th June
Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, Gulabo Sitabo is a quirky family comedy depicting day to day struggles of the common man. The movie is written by Juhi Chaturvedi, directed by Shoojit Sircar and produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar.
Penguin (Tamil and Telugu), from 19th June
Starring Keerthy Suresh, Penguin is written and directed by Eshavar Karthic. The film is produced by Stone Bench Films and Karthik Subbaraj.
Law (Kannada), from 26th June
Starring Ragini Chandran, Siri Prahlad and veteran actor Mukhyamantri Chandru, Law is written and directed by Raghu Samarth and produced by Ashwini and Puneeth Rajkumar.
French Biryani (Kannada), from 24th July
French Biryani features actors Danish Sait, Sal Yusuf, and Pitobash as leads. The movie is written by Avinash Balekkala, directed by Pannaga Bharana and produced by Ashwini and Puneeth Rajkumar and Gurudutt A Talwar.
Shakuntala Devi (Hindi)
Featuring Vidya Balan in the lead, Shakuntala Devi is a biographical drama on the extraordinary life of Shakuntala Devi, mathematics genius, writer, and astrologer who was popularly known as the human-computer. Also featuring Sanya Malhotra and Directed by Anu Menon, the film is produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Vikram Malhotra.
Sufiyum Sujatayum (Malayalam)
Starring Aditi Rao Hydari and Jayasuruya, Soofiyum Sujatayum is written and directed by Naranipuzha Shanavas and produced by Vijay Babu’s Friday Film House
