Two Indian entertainment companies are teaming up to tackle one of the most sustainable challenges in the industry. This is to create a viable theatrical pathway for independent films in a market dominated by large studio releases.
First Ray Films and Max Marketing launched a strategic partnership this week designed to develop more targeted distribution and marketing strategies for small and medium-sized budget productions, addressing what they consider systematic inequality in how films are promoted and released regardless of actual budgets.
The collaboration combines First Ray Films production expertise with Max Marketing’s extensive campaign experience. First Ray has so far been the perfect batting average, with all three independently produced films recouping production investments. The company has six additional projects in development, including three theatrical releases that are expected to have a total budget of $2.5 million over the next six months.
Max Marketing manages major hit campaigns across a range of budgets, from “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” and “Animal” to “RRR”, “Hanuman”, “Tumbbad” and “Merry Christmas”, “Merry Christmas”, “Yeh Jawaani hai deewani” to 15-year track records, bringing important industry qualifications to the partnership.
Companies argue that current industry practices create inherent drawbacks for small productions, as film costs and distribution costs remain constant whether an inch ($450,000) ($450,000) or INR400 crores ($4.5 million) are produced.
Their first joint venture, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, tests a more surgical approach that focuses on accurate audience targets and budget-friendly promotional strategies, rather than pursuing a wide range of theatre footprints and mass market campaigns.
“The film never fails, the budget fails. And the producers aren’t investors, the producers make and mount the film,” says Anshuman Jha, founder of First Ray Films. “Independent films have always been on fire for honest storytelling. What they often lack is the marketing muscles that go through the noise. With Varun and Max Marketing, we aim to create an ecosystem that gives excellent & studio non-studio films the same theatrical fighting chances as big-budget films.”
Jha said that a decade-long expert relationship with Max Marketing founder Varun Gupta has returned to his 2016 debut production, “Mona_Darling.” “This partnership is not just a business, it’s a belief, and I’m not afraid to fail, so I’m excited to change the game along with the slates of three releases.”
Varun Gupta, founder of Max Marketing Limited, praised Jha’s entrepreneurial approach to filmmaking. “We have always believed that a good story is bigger than a budget.
“Together, we are not merely marketing films. We are building the future of India’s independent theatrical film,” added Gupta.
The partnership will face a six-month trial period with three theatrical releases. Success can establish replicable frameworks for other independent producers and distributors seeking alternatives to traditional marketing models that support high-budget productions.
