Director Kabir Khan signs 2-film deal with Applause Entertainment
What's the story
Applause Entertainment, the production house behind the successful Netflix series Black Warrant created by Vikramaditya Motwane, has reportedly signed a two-film deal with renowned Bollywood director Kabir Khan.
The agreement will see Applause and Kabir Khan Films co-producing two films, with Khan serving as both director and creative production lead.
However, further details about these projects are yet to be disclosed.
Shared vision
'Fuelled by our mutual love for storytelling': Applause MD
Applause Entertainment's MD Sameer Nair said he was excited about the collaboration, which is "fuelled by our mutual love for storytelling."
Khan echoed the sentiments, adding that this partnership gives him creative freedom.
Khan, who started his directorial career in 2006 with Kabul Express, has helmed several successful films such as New York, Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and '83.
His last directorial was the biographical sports drama Chandu Champion on India's first Paralympic gold medalist Murlikant Petkar—starring Kartik Aaryan.
Strategic shift
Applause's strategic move toward feature films
The deal with Khan is also a part of Applause's long-term strategy to expand its portfolio of films.
Although the company is primarily known for TV shows and streaming dramas, Nair revealed that feature films have become "a big focus to complement our series slate."
This strategic shift comes as Applause's Hindi-language drama series Black Warrant continues to perform well on Netflix, securing a spot in the Global Top 10 non-English shows chart.
Production strategy
'Black Warrant' success and Applause's production approach
Nair told Deadline that Black Warrant had "opened really well and gave Applause a great start to the new year."
The show is based on Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury's 2019 non-fiction book Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer.
Starring Zahan Kapoor as Gupta, alongside Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Anurag Thakur, Black Warrant is set in the 1980s and is based on true events told from the perspective of a rookie jailer at Tihar Jail.