We are not in the factory mindset of making multiple movies a year: Ritesh Sidwani and Farhaan Akhtar

Interview with Promoters, Excel Entertainment

After making hit films like Dil Chahata Hai, Don, Don 2 and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Ritesh Sidwani and Farhaan Akhtar, the promoters of Excel Entertainment, are now looking at venturing into the original digital content space through a joint venture with Dubai-based Riva Games called Excel Media. The duo reveals their plans for the JV and the production that gave one of this year’s surpise hits – Fukrey--in a conversation with Urvi Malvania. Edited excerpts.

Tell us more about Excel Media. How did the idea come up?
When we met Paul (from Riva Games), it wasn’t for Excel Media, but as we hung out and got to know each other and their companies, we realized it will be good to work together. Also, we think there is a void in the webisode and original content gaming space in India and we thought it will be a nice space to occupy. We have been working on Excel Media for quite some time now. We wanted to announce the launch when we have some product to go with it.

What are you immediate plans for the JV?

There are two projects currently. The Fukrey game is good to go and we launched it recently. The other one called Feed the Sparrow (a brainchild of Farhaans’s) is in the last stages of development and we are looking at a December launch. Apart from that there are many things that are being worked on at the conceptual stages.

We are looking at creating original content. Excel Media is a totally different unit (from Excel entertainment). It is not the digital marketing arm of Excel Entertainment. It is a new business entity that has been set up to create content that is original to India. We are looking at developing games as of now. Over the next year, we are looking at producing webisodes and animation series for television (something like the Simpsons). So, we will create the content and the series and give it to Paul’s team and they will produce it.

The company is based out of Singapore currently mainly because while we are looking at creating original content from India, we want to make it available globally, especially the gaming products. The production teams are based out of Los Angeles.

What is the revenue model you intend to follow for the games you launch?

The games from Excel Media will be available for download for free. They will, however, have in app purchases. Certain levels, upgrades and characters in the game will have to be bought. These apps will be ad-free. We don’t want to distract from the game itself.

Riva has capabilities to provide VFX (visual effects) for films. Do you plan to use Excel Media as a VFX outsourcing unit as well?

At this stage, we are not looking at a service-based offering, so we are not looking at providing VFX to films through Excel Media. We want to focus on content creation. Potentially, in the long run, we may use the resources Riva has to develop the VFX wing, but not as of now.

Over the past two years, Excel Entertainment has had one co-production (Talaash) and one solo film (Fukrey). Has it been a conscious effort to slow down?

Honestly speaking, we are not in the factory mindset of making multiple movies a year. Of course, you enjoy making stories and if you get excited by something you would love to make how many ever a year that excite you. But the fact is, if it doesn’t happen, you can’t just go ahead and make something because you have to make a movie. That’s a temptation and kind of evil that we would like to stay away from. We don’t want to be churning out something that lacks an idea backing it.

Also, in all fairness, in 2012, we had Game, ZNMD and Don 2 and we were so busy in the direction and production of those movies, that there was very little time to read new material and new scripts. That year that went into acting, directing and producing has now probably caught up in terms of not having spent enough time reading new material.

This is why we have now set up a script department. We realised we don’t always have the time to read all the material that comes our way and so now we have a department to streamline the process.

Are you looking at doing more co-productions then?

We have done coproductions in the past. Talaash was a coproduction with Aamir’s company and Don was a coproduction with Shah Rukh’s production house. It depends on whether the coproduction is required on not. Excel is completely capable of producing a film on its own. So if the need be and someone’s talent needs to come in, then we’re open to coproducing.

What are your plans for the next year?

We have liked around three to four scripts and have greenlighted those projects. We are in talks with actors for those films. None of them will release next year though, but three of them will definitely go into production next year. Having set up the script department and the time we took off to read scripts this past year, we hope to release two to three films a year eventually. That said, we have not set ourselves a number to achieve. If we get three good scripts then three films a year, if only one script excites us, then it will be one film.

In the meantime, we keep looking at scripts and developing storylines. Now with Excel Media, we also have the responsibility of creating content for the digital space. So, it’s a busy time.