‘Traitors,’ ‘Family Man 3’ on the Slate as Prime Video India Content Chief Details Franchise Expansion and New Originals: ‘A Business of Creative Gut Instinct’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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Prime Video India is investing heavily in two areas: adapting popular international shows like “The Traitors” for India, with Karan Johar as host, and continuing the success of Indian hits such as “The Family Man,” which is about to launch its third season.

In a unique conversation with EbMaster, Nikhil Madhok, who leads Indian original content at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, shared their bold approach to content creation. This strategy aims to maintain popular series while introducing new, original content, all while exploring the possibility of releasing select productions in cinemas.

Madhok shared his enthusiasm about the upcoming third season of ‘The Family Man,’ which has recently wrapped up filming. He anticipates its release in the second part of the year. The show has been a prominent production for Prime Video, and fans have been eagerly waiting for it for quite some time now. It took us a bit longer than planned to bring this new season to life.

In Season 3, Manoj Bajpayee reprises his role as Srikant Tiwari, a Mumbai-based salaryman who disguises himself as an ordinary citizen while working covertly for the Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), a division of India’s National Investigation Agency. The series is produced by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, also known as Raj & DK, who are currently developing another Prime Video show, a comedy-fantasy series titled “Gulkanda Tales.” As Madhok explained, the upcoming series will feature significant visual effects and world creation.

As a die-hard cinephile, I’m thrilled about one of Prime Video’s upcoming unscripted shows – the Indian adaptation of the worldwide phenomenon “The Traitors,” hosted by none other than Johar. This competition show is truly breaking new ground globally, according to Madhok, and it’s a format that attempts to blend the successful elements from around the world with an authentic Indian flavor. Karan, our host, has this unique ability to delve deep into the thoughts and emotions of these contestants, making each interaction intriguing. The Indian contestants have been carefully chosen, and many tasks have been localized to resonate with our audience here in India, while still preserving what makes the global format a hit.

Amazon’s Prime Video service has managed to reach nearly all postal codes across India, as stated by the platform itself. In 2024, Indian content consistently ranked among the top 10 most popular on Prime Video worldwide every week. The successes of 2024 have set new standards for the platform. As per Prime Video, the third season of the criminal underworld series “Mirzapur” broke all records by becoming the most-watched show on the platform in India upon its debut weekend and was viewed in over 180 countries. Similarly, the spy series “Citadel: Honey Bunny” was the most-watched series on Prime Video globally during its launch weekend, available in 200 countries and trending in the top 10 in nearly 150 countries.

Madhok outlined a versatile strategy for content creation, emphasizing the growth of franchises and the introduction of fresh, original productions in multiple languages. The popular series “Mirzapur” is not only in development for its fourth season but will also make its way to cinemas with a movie set for 2026. Meanwhile, the rural comedy-drama “Panchayat” is currently filming its fourth installment, and the coming-of-age comedy “Call Me Bae” has been approved for another season.

Regarding fresh productions, Madhok emphasized “Dupahiya,” set to debut on March 7th. He described it as a tale that revolves around a crime-free village where a motorcycle mysteriously vanishes seven days before they are due to receive an award from the government for maintaining a crime-free status for 25 years. This incident sends the entire village into a frenzy. Madhok further explained that it’s a humorous, heartwarming, authentic, and rooted story, which they are particularly enthusiastic about.

A new series titled “The Matka King,” starring Vijay Varma, is on the horizon. According to Madhok, it’s a captivating crime drama with an exuberant central character, meticulously written. He’s eager to share this and thinks it could potentially grow into an intriguing franchise for us in the future.

The platform is broadening its selection of genres, focusing significantly on horror and supernatural themes. Notable additions include “Suzhal – The Vortex” for a second season and an upcoming series called “Andhera”. This year marks a significant increase in the number of shows we’re producing within this genre compared to any previous period, as stated by Madhok.

Amazon Prime Video’s content approach encompasses more than just series; it also includes movie theater releases. According to Madhok, the most significant steps this year will be in the film sector as we plan to bring several films to cinemas. The initial film in this lineup is “Superboys of Malegaon,” set to premiere on February 28th in Toronto, London, Palm Springs, and Red Sea.

In response to the question on striking a balance between established and upcoming creators, Madhok highlighted their preference for a script-centric approach: “We generally prioritize scripts above stars, with stars encompassing individuals both in front of and behind the camera.” This strategy has consequently resulted in nearly half of their original productions showcasing new talent, either on screen or off.

Regarding the debate between data-driven choices and creative intuition in content creation, Madhok firmly stated: “Ultimately, this field revolves around creative intuition. It’s essential to support a creator’s vision and enthusiasm, as well as an exceptionally distinctive narrative. This aspect is crucial.” He conceded that viewer data assists in refining decisions, but emphasized that “creative intuition holds great significance for us.

The Indian government may soon introduce new regulations for streaming platforms, prompting Madhok to state that their focus is on creating content that is both entertaining and engaging, yet adheres to the country’s laws and respects its cultural sensibilities. By ensuring these three elements, they can tell a wide variety of stories effectively.

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2025-02-28 15:25