India’s Amara Raja Group Sets Up New International Content Division

Amara Raja Group, one of India’s largest industrial corporations, is launching a new entertainment division, focused on producing drama series for the global marketplace.

With bases in Hyderabad and London, the new division, Amara Raja Media & Entertainment, will develop and produce blue-chip drama projects for the international market. The new business launches with its first production, Curse of the Kohinoor (working title), at MIPCOM.

The scripted series is being produced by Amara Raja Media & Entertainment in partnership with Star Entertainment Worldwide, behind the Indian adaptation of The Biggest Loser, and Contentflow Studios, owned by renowned Indian producer Bobby Bedi (Bandit Queen, Fire). The series is directed by Colin Teague, (Doctor Who, Beowulf), and it is being written and co-developed by novelist and playwright Farrukh Dhondy, the former Channel 4 commissioning editor for multicultural programming.

Padma Galla, director of Amara Raja Media & Entertainment, said, “We are delighted to launch Amara Raja Media & Entertainment to the international content world here at MIPCOM. Working with producers and broadcasters from across the globe, our company has bold ambitions to create premium scripted series for the Indian and global marketplace.”

Rahul Aggarwal, Star Entertainment Worldwide, said, “Star Entertainment is delighted to be working with Amara Raja Media & Entertainment and Bobby Bedi on Curse of the Kohinoor. We are bringing the very best talent from the Indian and U.K. scripted worlds together in this premium production for the international market.”