Netflix hires Zee Studios’ Abhishek Vyas for original films

NEW DELHI: US streaming service Netflix has hired Abhishek Vyas, former head producer of the feature films division at Zee Studios, for its original films business in India.

Vyas, who has also served as senior producer at Eros International, and worked with the marketing team of Star India, will be part of the same team as Aashish Singh and Srishti Behl Arya - both directors of original film at Netflix India.

Media industry executives confirmed the news.

At Zee, Vyas was associated with films like comedy drama Good Newwz, period drama Manikarnika- The Queen of Jhansi, and action thriller Hotel Mumbai. He was working on unreleased projects such as Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Pandey-starrer Khaali Peeli and Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari featuring Manoj Bajpayee, Fatema Sana Sheikh and Diljit Dosanjh.

Netflix’s India original film catalogue is exhaustive though few titles have been appreciated by either critics or audiences.

The Reed Hastings-owned platform brought Mrs. Serial Killer, a mystery thriller starring Manoj Bajpayee, Jacqueline Fernandez and Mohit Raina last week. Before that it had Maska, a comedy drama featuring Manisha Koirala and Preet Kamani, Karan Johar’s production, Guilty featuring Kiara Advani, Sooni Taraporevala’s Yeh Ballet and horror anthology Ghost Stories. It also received much flak for picking up Johar’s crime thriller Drive, originally intended for theatrical release.

Upcoming original movie titles include Freedom directed by Dibakar Banerjee, Class of ’83 starring Bobby Deol and produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, and Kaali Kuhi directed by Terrie Samundra.