Netflix unveiled three Indian productions at its APAC showcase in Tokyo, with Rajkummar Rao and R. Madhavan leading the slate of upcoming titles set for 2025 release.
The presentation, led by Netflix India original films head Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, highlighted the streaming platform’s growing commitment to diverse Indian storytelling across languages and genres.
“This year is going to be our most diverse year yet,” Sheikh told attendees. “After the wildly loved ‘Pushpa 2,’ ‘Dragon,’ and ‘Chhaava,’ we have an exciting lineup of some of the biggest theatrical films coming to Netflix in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.”
Currently streaming is “Test,” Netflix’s first Tamil-language original film, a sports drama featuring R. Madhavan, Nayanthara, and Siddharth. Sheikh also talked up the imminent release of “Jewel Thief,” described as a “high octane heist-action film” starring Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat, scheduled to debut within days of the showcase.
The spotlight then turned to three upcoming productions. “Aap Jaisa Koi” (Someone Like You) stars R. Madhavan and Fatima Sana Sheikh in what Sheikh described as “a heartwarming romantic drama” set in Kolkata. The film, directed by Vivek Soni, marks Madhavan’s return to the romance genre and follows an unlikely relationship between a 40-something introverted teacher and a confident 30-something woman who is a French teacher.
“Inspector Zende,” featuring Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh, draws inspiration from true events. The 1980s-set film directed by Chinmay Mandlekar chronicles Madhukar Bapurao Zende, an “ordinary cop with an extraordinary sense of justice,” pursuing notorious international criminal Carl Bhojraj.
Also featured was “Toaster,” Rajkummar Rao’s latest comedy and the first production from KAMPA Films, the new production house launched by Rao and his wife, actor Patralekhaa. The film features Rao as a miser whose obsession with a wedding gift – a toaster – triggers “murder and mayhem.” The ensemble cast includes Sanya Malhotra, Abhishek Banerjee, Seema Pahwa, and Archana Puran Singh.
Sheikh highlighted the platform’s recent successes, noting that “Amar Singh Chamkila,” “Maharaja,” and “Laapata Ladies” had broken cultural barriers to become “some of the most-watched Indian films on Netflix globally.”
During an on-stage conversation with Sheikh, Rao discussed the genesis of KAMPA Films: “We were in Goa on a holiday, and our friend was visiting us from Delhi, who’s not from the industry at all… He said, ‘why don’t you guys produce?’”
Rao also revealed his approach to comedy: “I try not to be funny while doing comedy, which is a very difficult task, because sometimes you get greedy… But that would just ruin the scene. So you have to be very controlled while doing comedy.”
The showcase highlighted Netflix’s growing commitment to Indian films, with Sheikh noting, “For Netflix in India, nearly half of the viewing is from film, which is one of the highest globally. In the past year alone, an Indian film was featured in Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English) list every single week.”
Read the full article here
