Netflix has signed a new creative partnership with Balaji Telefilms Ltd., the Indian production power led by the Professor Award -winning Ekta Kapoor, winner of the Emmy Award.
The agreement includes content development through several formats specially designed for the streaming of audiences. An unexpected series is already at advanced development stages as part of the initial slate.
The collaboration will be performed via Balaji Telefilms Ltd. And his divisions, notably Balaji Motion Pictures and Balaji Telefilms Digital.
The partnership is based on successful collaborations of Netflix and Balaji, which include acclaimed titles “Kathal”, “Pagglamppe”, “Jaane Jaan” and the selection of Busan “Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare”.
Balaji Telefilms, who was launched by Kapoor and his parents Jeetendra Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor in 1994, is the largest producer of television content in South Asia. The company had a huge impact with the mother-in-law soap “Kyunki SaaS Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi”, which broadcast 1,833 episodes between 2000-2008 on Star Plus and was one of the many in the genre produced by Kapoor. Under the banner of Balaji, Kapoor created and produced more than 18,000 hours of television and 45 films.
Kapoor and Monika Shergill, Vice -President of Netflix, Content, India, are the only women on the Indian television market listed in Variety500 – an index of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping the world media industry.
“Ekta was a force to shape Indian entertainment with unforgettable stories and characters who have reached pop culture, even before the hashtags exist,” said Shergill. “His creative instinct and his deep understanding of the public pulse have always distinguished her to shape what India has chosen to watch and love for more than two decades. At Netflix, our goal is to serve the public with very diverse tastes and this collaboration will bring unique stories in a rooted way, marking a new fascinating chapter in our creative journey.”
“At Balaji Telefilms, the narration has always been at the heart of everything we do – whether by cinema, television or digital platforms,” added Kapoor. “The partnership with Netflix, the main global narration platform known for its premium content and its constant innovation, is a great moment for us. It allows us to bring powerful stories, culturally rooted and emotionally resonant to a global audience.
