Abundantia Entertainment Marks 13 Years, Sets Next Growth Chapter With aiON and Expanded Content Slate

Vikram Malhotra-led studio builds on Daldal, Subedaar and Maa Behen as it expands across films, streaming and AI-powered entertainment

Swati Bhat

Mumbai, September 29, 2026: Abundantia Entertainment has completed 13 years in the Indian entertainment business, marking the milestone with an expanded content pipeline and a growing push into artificial intelligence through its creative division, aiON.

Founded by Vikram Malhotra in 2013, Abundantia has built its identity around creator-led storytelling across theatrical cinema and streaming. Its catalogue spans films including Baby, Airlift, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Ram Setu and Sukhee, alongside streaming titles such as Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Jalsa, the Chhorii franchise and Breathe. The anniversary comes after an active 2026 for the studio, led by Daldal, Subedaar and Maa Behen. Prime Video confirms Daldal, headlined by Bhumi Pednekar, as a 2026 crime drama, while Subedaar, directed by Suresh Triveni and starring Anil Kapoor, is also part of the studio’s 2026 Prime Video slate.

Abundantia Entertainment says Daldal remained No. 1 in India on Prime Video for four consecutive weeks and entered the platform’s Top 10 across several international markets. The company has also described Subedaar as Prime Video India’s most-watched Hindi original film.

Meanwhile, Netflix’s Maa Behen, directed by Suresh Triveni and featuring Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Dharna Durga and Ravi Kishan, extended the studio’s 2026 run. Netflix describes the film as a crime-comedy built around a dysfunctional mother and her two daughters who unexpectedly find themselves dealing with a dead body and the escalating consequences around it.

From Storytelling Studio to Technology-Enabled Entertainment Company

The more consequential part of Abundantia’s 13-year milestone may lie not in looking back at its catalogue, but in how the company intends to build its next one.

Through aiON, its dedicated AI-powered creative division, Abundantia is exploring generative AI across different stages of the entertainment value chain including audience understanding, development, production, marketing and distribution.

Its stated philosophy, “Human First, AI Empowered,” positions AI as an enabling technology for creators rather than a replacement for creative authorship. Among the projects being developed under the initiative is Chiranjeevi Hanuman: The Eternal. Abundantia has also announced plans for hybrid films and a partnership with InVideo aimed at developing AI-powered films over the next two years.

For an Indian entertainment industry increasingly negotiating the implications of generative AI, Abundantia’s approach signals an attempt to integrate the technology at a studio level rather than restrict its use to isolated production or promotional applications. At the same time, the company says it is increasing investment in consumer intelligence examining how audiences discover stories, what they choose to watch and the factors that drive engagement.

Vikram Malhotra: ‘It Feels Like We Are Only Getting Started’

Reflecting on the milestone, Abundantia Entertainment Founder and CEO Vikram Malhotra said the principles behind the company have remained consistent even as formats, platforms and audience behaviour have evolved. “Thirteen years ago, we started Abundantia with the belief that great entertainment begins with understanding the audience and then giving exceptional storytellers the freedom and resources to delight them. That belief has only become stronger with time,” Mr.Malhotra stated.

Calling 2026 a standout year for the studio, he added that Abundantia’s focus continues to centre on “disruptive stories, empowered creators, customer obsession, embracing change and an unwavering focus on creating value.”

AI, however, represents a significant new chapter. “Our approach is clear: Human First, AI Empowered. Technology should amplify human imagination, enable creators to do things that were previously impossible and help us understand and serve audiences better,” Mr.Malhotra said. “Thirteen years in, I feel we have built a solid foundation. But in many ways, it feels like we are only getting started.”

Family Business, Sundar Poonam and Angre Lead the Next Slate

Abundantia’s next phase will span theatrical films, streaming titles, series, franchises and AI-enabled projects. Among its major upcoming productions is Family Business, a multi-season Netflix drama directed by Hansal Mehta and starring Anil Kapoor and Vijay Varma. The studio is also developing Sundar Poonam for Prime Video, directed by Pulkit and starring Sanya Malhotra, while its theatrical ambitions include Angre, based on the life of Sarkhel Kanhojiraje Angre and being developed with National Award-winning filmmaker Rajesh Mapuskar.

Another project in development is Jai Santoshi Mata: Sukh Sampatti Daata. Abundantia says its wider development pipeline also involves filmmakers including Suresh Triveni, Rajesh Krishnan, Vishal Furia, Mayank Sharma, Bhav Dhulia, Palash Vaswani, Madhumita S and Anuj Dhawan.

As Abundantia enters its 14th year, its evolution reflects a wider shift underway in Indian entertainment: studios are no longer competing solely on individual films or series, but increasingly on intellectual property, creator relationships, audience intelligence, technology and the ability to build stories across platforms.

For Abundantia Entertainment, the next test will be whether its long-standing creator-first philosophy can successfully coexist with its increasingly technology-enabled approach and whether “Human First, AI Empowered” can translate from a studio philosophy into a distinctive new generation of entertainment.

#entertainment #metatainment #AI #OTT #AbundantiaEntertainment #VikramMalhotra

India Must Become a Global Content Creator, Not Just a Consumer: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at FICCI FRAMES 2026

Union Culture Minister stresses original Indian IP, human creativity in the AI era and stronger links between storytelling and tourism

MUMBAI, September 29, 2026: India must move beyond being one of the world's biggest consumers of content and strengthen its position as a global centre for content creation, creativity and original intellectual property, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at FICCI FRAMES 2026 in Mumbai.

Addressing the 26th edition of the media and entertainment convention, Shekhawat placed human creativity, originality and trust at the heart of India's next phase of growth in the creative economy.

Speaking around this year's theme, "India's Media Moment: Creating Value in an Age of Infinite Content," the minister said the challenge facing the industry is increasingly not the availability of content but the ability to create work with originality and genuine human connection.

According to Shekhawat, audiences could increasingly gravitate towards content with less artificial intervention, fewer filters and a stronger human creative imprint as AI-generated material becomes more widespread.

As artificial intelligence transforms production and storytelling, he urged the industry to embrace technology without allowing it to diminish human creativity.

'India Has Content, But It Also Has Context'

One of Shekhawat's central messages was that India's advantage goes beyond the sheer volume of stories it can produce.

India, he said, possesses not only content but also context — shaped by its cultural diversity, traditions, languages and long history of storytelling.

He described this combination as India's "creative capital", arguing that the country's creative industries could simultaneously contribute to culture, employment, economic growth, tourism and India's global presence.

From Audience Scale to Original Indian IP

Shekhawat outlined three areas where he said India's media and entertainment ecosystem needs to advance.

First, India should move beyond its role as a massive content-consuming market and work towards becoming a global leader in content creation and creativity.

Second, the industry should convert the scale of India's audience into enduring value by creating and owning original Indian intellectual property capable of travelling across markets and platforms.

Third, stories shown on screen should connect more closely with real-world India, allowing films, television and digital entertainment to encourage travel while helping tourism generate economic opportunities for local communities.

The emphasis on original IP was echoed by Prabhat, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who said institutions, policy frameworks, platforms and international partnerships can be facilitated by government, but the creative economy ultimately depends on creators and industry.

He called for greater investment in Indian intellectual property and increased support for emerging writers, musicians, creators, animators and game developers.

AI, Gaming, XR and AVGC Open New Storytelling Opportunities

Shekhawat also highlighted the potential of technologies including artificial intelligence, gaming, extended reality (XR), virtual production and AVGC to create new forms of cultural storytelling.

Such technologies, he said, could recreate ancient cities, provide immersive interpretations of museum objects and offer younger audiences new ways of experiencing India's cultural heritage.

The minister's remarks came at a time when AI's growing role in media has triggered a wider conversation around creativity, copyright, consent, attribution and the economic value of human-created work.

Ayushmann Khurrana Highlights Global Opportunity for Indian Stories

Actor and FICCI FRAMES Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana highlighted how digital distribution has dramatically expanded the potential reach of Indian creators.

"A story can begin in a small town in India and find an audience anywhere in the world."

Khurrana said creators now have unprecedented access to audiences, giving India's diverse voices an opportunity to reach a much larger global stage.

Anant Goenka, President of FICCI and Vice Chairman of RPG Group, meanwhile, stressed the importance of converting India's scale into lasting value while ensuring Indian stories retain their distinctive cultural identity.

He called for storytellers to be provided with the capital, confidence, technology and global reach required to expand internationally without losing what makes their work uniquely Indian.

Uday Shankar Receives FICCI FRAMES Lifetime Achievement Award

A major moment during the inaugural session was the presentation of the FICCI FRAMES Lifetime Achievement Award to Uday Shankar, Vice-Chairman of JioStar and Past President of FICCI, recognising his contribution to India's media and entertainment industry.

Presenting his perspective on the continuing importance of the sector, Shankar described media as a fundamental pillar of society that helps shape people's imagination, aspirations and vision of the future.

His remarks extended the conversation beyond commercial growth to the wider influence of news, cinema, television, entertainment and sport in shaping how people view themselves and the country.

Industry Calls for Innovation and Responsible Growth

Kevin Vaz, Chair of the FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee and CEO – Entertainment, JioStar, said emerging value pools would require an environment in which the industry has room to innovate.

He highlighted self-regulation and strong industry practices as important considerations as the sector evolves.

Arjun Nohwar, Co-Chair of the FICCI M&E Committee and Managing Director – South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasised the need to give creators space to experiment while ensuring technology earns audience trust.

He also highlighted the interconnected roles of creators, technology companies, investors, policymakers and regulators in shaping the industry's next phase.

The 2026 edition of FICCI FRAMES, held in Mumbai on September 29–30, brings together leaders from film, television, streaming, gaming, artificial intelligence, digital media and the broader creator economy.

At the centre of the opening conversation was a clear industry challenge: India's enormous audience provides scale, but the next opportunity lies in converting that scale into original intellectual property, creative ownership and globally relevant Indian storytelling.

#entertainment #art #event #ficci #ficciframes2026