India’s Phantom Studios Lines Up Slate of Theatrical Projects

Indian production house Phantom Studios is preparing a diverse slate of theatrical releases, CEO Srishti Behl revealed during the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF), where she is serving as a jury member.

Leading the lineup is the Hindi-language remake of Tamil-language smash “Love Today,” titled “Loveyapa,” scheduled for a February 2025 release. The studio is also moving forward with an untitled drama directed by Rahul Dholakia (“Raees”) and starring Vikrant Massey (“12th Fail”). “It’s a drama based in a setup that we haven’t really seen. It talks about a mother and son relationship,” Behl said of the project, which Dholakia has developed over six years.

The company is launching new director Saurabh Gupta with what Behl describes as “a very exciting, dramatic, action-filled love story” featuring fresh talent. Additionally, “Manjummel Boys” director Chidambaram is in the final stages of his next script for the studio, expected to be completed within “four to six weeks.” A biopic is also in development.

Phantom Studios was formerly Phantom Films, founded by celebrated Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap (“Gangs of Wasseypur”) and his partners, the directors and producers Vikramaditya Motwane (“Bhavesh Joshi Superhero”) Vikas Bahl (“Queen”) and producer Madhu Mantena (“Trapped”). Their seven-year partnership was dissolved in 2018.

“This iteration of Phantom, what we want it to be, is about people doing the most creatively ambitious projects,” said Behl, formerly director, international original film at Netflix India. “That’s where we want to be, and that’s what we think is going to inspire audiences to come to the cinemas.”

Addressing the theatrical market challenges, Behl emphasized the importance of creating urgency for audiences. “The best recommendation that anybody can make is not a piece of marketing or being seen on a show or a poster. It’s actually the recommendation of your peers,” she said.

Regarding the rise of South Indian cinema in the pan-Indian market, Behl maintained that great stories transcend language barriers. “Stories speak to [audiences] irrespective of the language that they’re told in,” she noted. “The focus is to look at what we’re doing rather than what other people are doing. Because while we can enjoy the cinema that others create, the only way to have people enjoy the cinema that we create is by focusing on that.”

At TCCF, Behl is evaluating projects across series, features, documentaries, and animation as a jury member. “It’s been almost like a learning experience about how people are approaching stories,” she said, expressing interest in potential collaboration opportunities between Taiwan and India.

While Phantom Studios remains focused on theatrical releases, Behl brings experience from her previous roles at Balaji Telefilms and Netflix. She emphasized that the studio’s current priority is creating theatrical content, though it remains open to episodic storytelling if the right project emerges.

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