'Azaad,' Lust Stories': Ronnie Screwvala unveils RSVP's upcoming projects
Ronnie Screwvala has announced a diverse slate of projects under his production company RSVP. The lineup includes director Abhishek Kapoor's historic drama Azaad, an untitled period film set in Punjab by director Honey Trehan, and new seasons of Netflix hits Mismatched and Lust Stories. All these projects will be released in the next 90 days. Meanwhile, Kanu Behl's thriller Despatch featuring Manoj Bajpayee has recently begun streaming on ZEE5.
RSVP's journey and Screwvala's strategic shift
Since its inception in 2018, RSVP has churned out an impressive 39 films and series including the Emmy-nominated Lust Stories, Uri: The Surgical Strike, and one of India's first Netflix original films Love Per Square Foot. In an interview with Variety, Screwvala spoke about his strategic shift after his exit from UTV. He said he deliberately chose storytelling through RSVP rather than rebuilding a full-service media company like UTV.
Screwvala's unique approach and recent RSVP releases
Screwvala has made RSVP a passion project, with industry insiders revealing that nearly 30% of RSVP's greenlit projects were turned down by other producers. RSVP's recent releases included military-themed films Vicky Kaushal-led Sam Bahadur, Pippa starring Ishaan Khatter, and Tejas, headlined by Kangana Ranaut. The company has also launched new talent with films like survival drama Kedarnath which was Sara Ali Khan's debut.
Screwvala's observations on India's theatrical and streaming sectors
Screwvala has witnessed drastic changes in audience behavior in India's theatrical market in 2024. He said younger audiences are getting choosy about their cinema visits due to price sensitivity. On the streaming front, he highlighted Netflix's localization strategy as a major development. "At ₹199 per month, which is the first time Netflix has broken their fee barrier anywhere in the world, they opened up the floodgates to large volumes," he said.
Screwvala's vision for Indian content and regional cinema
While Screwvala sees potential for Indian content to reach global audiences, he warns against relying solely on streaming platforms. He advocates for more ambitious theatrical releases to strengthen India's domestic market. He has also called for retiring the term "regional cinema" often applied to non-Hindi language Indian films, citing recent successes of Tamil and Telugu language films as evidence of India's evolving national entertainment market.
