Sony Pictures Entertainment India and Vishnu Induri, founder of SIIMA and co-producer of 83, and the Jayalalitha biopic being made as a Hindi-Tamil bilingual, have come together to produce films of award-winning debut-making directors in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada cinema. The first-time directors they have signed are Ajay Bhupathi (Telugu), Nelson (Tamil), Zakariya Mohammed (Malayalam), and S. Mahesh Kumar (Kannada).
Independently, Sony ventured into Malayalam cinema early this year with Prithviraj Productions’ Nine. It will also soon start its maiden Telugu film, Major, starring Adivi Sesh. Major is being produced jointly with Mahesh Babu’s production house, GMB Entertainment. Sony just recently announced four films including Major, with directors Sabbir Khan, Umesh Shukla, Sajid Samji and Sashi Kiran Tikka. Sabbir Khan’s Nikamma is already on the sets.
On his part, Vishnu Induri is busy with the shooting of Kabir Khan’s 83, starring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. His next venture will be Jayalalitha’s biopic which will star Kangana Ranaut.