Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited has acquired a 50.1% stake in Sikhya Entertainment, the Indian production company that produced the Academy Award-winning documentary “Period End of Sentence.” and “Elephant Whisper”.
The deal combines Jio Studios, India’s largest film studio and the media arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd., with a company co-founded by producers Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain. The partnership aims to combine Jio Studios’ distribution reach with Sikhya’s track record in globally resonant storytelling to develop films and series for loved ones and audiences around the world. Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited.
Sikhya Entertainment is the only Indian production company to have won both an Academy Award and multiple Indian National Film Awards. In addition to winning an Oscar for short documentaries, the company’s National Film Award-winning films include ‘Masaan’, ‘Soorarai Pottru’ and ‘Kathal’. The company’s multilingual portfolio also includes ‘The Lunchbox’, ‘Pagglait’ and ‘Kill’.
Jio Studios has produced over 150 films and series in Hindi and other Indian languages. The studio’s recent works include the “Street” series and “Laapata Ladies,” India’s official entry for the Oscar international feature film competition. The studio’s “Dhulandhar”, starring Ranveer Singh, became India’s highest-grossing Hindi film of all time.
“Sikhya Entertainment has consistently delivered stories that are Indian yet resonate across the globe. This association reflects our long-held belief in partnering with creators of creative excellence and cultural authenticity,” said Jyoti Deshpande, President, Jio Studios. “Over the past seven years, Jio Studios has been involved in everything from the recent phenomenon Dhurandhar to Streets 2 to the Oscar-winning Raapata. I have known Guneet for a long time and truly admire her passion and tenacity. We are delighted to partner with Guneet, Achin and Sheikhya’s entertainment team and their unique storytelling tradition. Through our combination of scale, distribution, creativity and global ambition, we aim to give Indian stories a platform and pathway to reach a global audience. ”
Monga Kapoor and Jain said, “We have always believed that stories have the power to unite people across cultures, geographies and languages.”
“At the heart of Shikuya’s work is a deep belief in storytelling and the people who bring those stories to life,” the two said in a joint statement. “Over the past decade, we have worked with bold new directors, screenwriters, actors, and great creative teams who continue to push the boundaries of independent film with integrity and ambition. For independent producers like us who are driven by dreams and the audacity to turn our ideas into reality, this journey has been extremely rewarding.”
Producers said that partnering with Jio Studios “allows us to bring these stories to a global audience while empowering us to champion up-and-coming talent from across the country whose stories exist in every fabric and every thread.”
“Jyoti Deshpande’s commitment to innovation and her instinct for bold ideas and creative risks make this partnership particularly exciting,” they added. “Together, we celebrate the rise of an India that is confident in its voice, unafraid in its stories and ready to shape the next chapter of cinema.”
