This will be a waking up year for the industry: NH Studioz’ Shreyans Hirawat

Since its inception in 2015, NH Studioz, launched by Narendra Hirawat & Co initiated, has successfully released some of the most popular movies in India and across the globe. Starting their journey by acquiring the distribution rights of the critically acclaimed movie ‘Pink’ starring Amitabh Bachchan, NH Studioz has now released over 10 movies across genres. Some of the movies under the NH Studioz distribution network are Shivaay, Dear Zindagi, Begum Jaan and Half Girlfriend. Led by Shreyans Hirawat, NH Studioz also offers an extensive post-production infrastructure and services set in one of the most accessible localities of Mumbai. In this interview with Adgully, Shreyans Hirawat, Director, NH Studioz, talks about the company, what to expect this year, and much more. Excerpts:

What are your forecasts and predictions for the industry in 2023?

I feel 2023 will be a waking up year for the industry.  Most of us would have learnt from our good and bad experiences.  All the old clutter would be cleared and the makers will have fresh content to offer. Even the audience preferences would be duly considered.

What are the key innovations that NH Studioz has undertaken since inception?

We have been an integral part of the technological advancements in the industry. In our career of 40+ years, We have evolved from using 70-MM reels to as new as digital cinema prints. We have pioneered the introduction of buying perpetual copyrights of feature films. More commonly (in trade) known as buying negatives. As a concept, We have introduced the trade of buying / selling the entire life work(s) of a producer.

What are the key achievements of NH Studioz?

We have successfully collected 2500+ feature films, The largest film bank of Bollywood. Not only that, Our monetization streams include the rarest of entertainment sources / audiences like In flight entertainment to Seaborne cargo ships, etc. Our milestones include acquisition of the biggest catalogue like GP SIppy (sholay) , BR Chopra, Salim Aftab to release hit films like PINK, Tubelight, Jab Harry Met Sejal to producing films like Freddy, Omerta, etc.

 How is NH Studioz performing in the digital, OTT space?

We are privileged with our fanbase across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Collectively we have about 20+ channels, clocking 15BN Views by 20+MN subscribers.

 What’s the store for audiences in the next year?

We are currently doing photography of our already announced film Confession, starring Nana Patekar directed by Anant Mahadevan and we have a couple of exciting announcements coming up very soon.

How exciting will 2023 be for the Indian media and entertainment industry? What are your predictions in changing content consumption patterns, audience behaviour, etc.?

2023 looks very exciting with all the big guns coming out including that of SRK. As for predictions, no expert can guarantee the audience behaviour in these ever-evolving times. On one hand, some say that the OTT is invading the industry while the OTT players are shying away from their own numbers. I truly believe we can expect a blend of OTT/theatre. The only thing at the helm is content. It can be any medium of communication. But it is important to serve the right content to the right audience. Rest is all in the hands of the viewers.