Ritesh Sidhwani, Indian producer and co-founder of Excel Entertainment, prepares for the global release of Superboys of Malegaon, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was screened at the BFI London Film Festival. It’s progressing.
The film is a production of Amazon MGM Studios, Excel Entertainment, and Tiger Baby. Directed by Reema Kagti, the film tells the story of a group of friends from Malegaon, India, who create a parody film with limited resources. Sidhwani greenlit the project over 15 years ago after hearing about the real-life inspiration behind the story.
“It basically gives you hope, like you can dream something, you have a goal in life, and if you keep chasing it, you can achieve it,” Sidhwani said. variety.
After the festival, ‘Superboys of Malegaon’ will be released theatrically in India and international markets, including diaspora, and then streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Excel was founded by Sidhwani and filmmaker, musician and actor Farhan Akhtar and started in 2001 with ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ directed by the latter. Excel’s upcoming schedule includes Rahul Dholakia’s action drama ‘Agni’ which will premiere on Prime Video. In December. The war movie “120 Bahadur” starring Akhtar and directed by Razneesh Ghai is currently being shot. And Akhtar will be directing the latest in the Don series starring Ranveer Singh next year. The company also develops series and features that are in various stages of production.
Discussing Excel’s commissioning philosophy, Sidhwani said: “In our case, we’re very clear about what we’re looking for. We need to connect with the character on an emotional level. So whether it’s joy, sadness, happiness. Whether it’s superheroes or whatever, I just need to connect. And if you feel connected, that’s the story you want to be a part of, and add your voice to excite millions of people. For us, it has to be about the fundamental connection of having some kind of emotional connection to the characters and the story.”
Sidhwani pointed to the unpredictability of India’s theatrical market, citing recent record-breaking box office results, including for “Street 2.” He attributes this to audience desire for collaborative viewing experiences and limited indoor entertainment options in India.
Excel Entertainment aims to continue producing content across a variety of platforms, distinguishing between theatrical and streaming releases. Sidhwani also revealed plans to collaborate with directors from the South Indian film industry, with projects currently in the pipeline.
