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The Hollywood Reporter India Magazine - October 2025

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In this issue

The Malayalam film industry has soared higher and delivered more. Case in point — Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, which is our cover story this month. Produced by Dulquer Salmaan and directed by Dominic Arun, the film is a unique superhero film — for starters, the superhero is female — where Chandra is played by Kalyani Priyadarshan. Dominic, who co-wrote the story with Santhy Balachandran, marries comic book to Kerala folklore, to create a fresh take on superheroes. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, the first in a five-film franchise, became a blockbuster.
October issue also features The Hollywood Reporter India’s first Creator A-List 2025, a definitive ranking of our most influential creators who are expanding and redefining the boundaries of entertainment. India currently has between 2 and 2.5 million active creators.These are the folks shaping our culture. The A-List, curated by Ormax Media, is anchored in robust methodology and independent data. It’s a fascinating portrait of India’s newest stars.
This issue also features a revealing conversation with leading Telugu producer Dil Raju and with Punjabi rockstar Karan Aujla.
And adding international flavour is an interview with Bela Bajaria, chief content officer at Netflix. Bela oversees one of the largest content budgets in the world — $18 billion for 2025 — and is arguably the most powerful woman in the entertainment business. In short, it’s an issue bursting with information, insight and entertainment. Enjoy

Applause Entertainment's Gandhi, Helmed by Hansal Mehta and Headlined by Pratik Gandhi, Premieres at TIFF to a Standing Ovation

Applause Entertainment's most ambitious project, Gandhi, had its world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival 2025 (TIFF50), marking a historic moment for Indian storytelling on the global stage. Gandhi offers a never-seen-before look into the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.

3 mins

Everyone's Talking About Gaijin

The neo-Japanese diner in Mumbai is the rebellious experience that everyone in town – including celebrities – can't get enough of

3 mins

A Visionary of Sound

From url το vnurananar, music composer Shashwat Sachdev doesn't just score films, he conjures entire visual worlds through sound

4 mins

Party Hard, Train Harder

Four fitness experts spill how celebrities juggle cocktails, cardio, and carpets without losing their glow

3 mins

Binge the Show. Buy the Dress

TV's richest characters are miserable narcissists. Now, thanks to a slew of screen-inspired fashion collaborations, you can dress just like them

2 mins

TULSA KING BLENDS OLD SCHOOL GRIT WITH GENRE DRIVER DRAMA

Season three of Tulsa King, streaming now on JioHotstar, promises a star studded cast. Joining Sylvester Stallone (Rocky, Rambo) on screen are Samuel L Jackson (Pulp Fiction, The Avengers) and Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The X-Files). But besides the cast, there are many reasons for the show's success, from its strong and often humorous writing to its insightful plot and brilliant cinematography and music.

2 mins

What To Wear Now

From linen kurtas and thrifted Madras shirts to mismatched socks, here's what actors, producers and creators across the film industry are wearing to work this month

3 mins

The Must List: Books, Movies, Shows & More

How Shefali Shah's reading list reveals the mind behind her most unforgettable characters

3 mins

STARS TO STORYTELLERS: IMDb REPORT ON HOW INDIAN CINEMA HAS EVOLVED IN THE PAST 25 YEARS

As we inch toward the end of 2025, the 21st century's first quarter, tidal waves of change are making themselves felt across the Indian film industry, as presented by the IMDb 25 Years of Indian Cinema report. The gears are slowly shifting and the industry is morphing into a new form that's more collaborative and global, impacted largely by audiences that are more discerning and analytical. The IMDb report uses data that is global and user-led, collected as it is through audience engagement with the respective film and actor pages on their website. For this reason, the data isn't limited by geography. It also offers a long-term view of the industry, since IMDb activity by users isn't restricted just to release windows, nor is it affected by the platform one views the content on since IMDb is always present and listening. As a result, it offers a view of the afterlife of the films, beyond first weekend numbers and release dates.

2 mins

IN SOFT FOCUS

THE ACTOR TALKS ABOUT FASHION THAT MOVES HIM, FINDING JOY IN MINIMALISM, AND THE FREEDOM OF SAYING NO TO TRENDS

2 mins

NOT JUST LIP SERVICE

THE MULTIPLEX GENERATION TURNED AWAY FROM LIP-SYNCING IN MOVIES, DEEMING IT 'UNREALISTIC' BUT AUDIENCES ARE HUNGRY FOR ITS RETURN

4 mins

The Lost Art of “Good” Bad TV

Indian streaming platforms may have mastered serious drama, but they've fumbled the deceptively difficult art of enjoyable fluff

3 mins

The Will Smith Paradox

The star's AI enhanced tour video turned into a cringey PR debacle. But as the tech gets better (and cheaper), expect more and more celebrities to follow suit

3 mins

The Architecture of Adornment

Sarah Choudhary transforms jewellery retail into immersive storytelling at Hazoorilal by Sandeep Narang

2 mins

Big Screens, Bigger Gambles

From Aamir Khan's YouTube experiment to Christopher Nolan's advance booking strategy, cinema is evolving globally — but can India keep pace?

5 mins

Screening for Success?

With 2025 proving rocky for films nationwide, the debate over test screenings intensifies, even though regional industries remain sceptical of the Bollywood approach

4 mins

How KPop Demon Hunters Spawned Smash Singles

The animated film has led the streaming movie chart and racked up Billboard hits thanks to savvy pacts inked by Sony and Republic

1 mins

Inside the Renovated Restaurant That Celebrities Can't Get Enough of

The Sahib Room & Kipling Bar in Mumbai reopens, bringing its signature blend of nostalgia and contemporary cuisine

2 mins

A Super Team

The unlikely trio - of Dulquer Salmaan, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Dominic Arun - behind Indian cinema's most surprising superhero success talk about Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and what's coming next

8 mins

THE BOX OFFICE BELONGS TO Kerala

Malayalam blockbusters Thudarum, L2: Empuraan, and Lokah dominated 2025 charts, challenging Bollywood and Telugu supremacy

4 mins

THE LEGEND GIVES ON

John Legend won an essay contest as a kid predicting that he would one day become a celebrity and use his fame to better the world. Three decades, 12 Grammys, an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony later, the 45-year-old musician is right on track

6 mins

CREATOR A-LIST CLASS OF 2025

A DEFINITIVE LIST SPOTLIGHTING CREATORS WHO ARE REDEFINING INDIA'S DIGITAL ECONOMY AND INFLUENCE

10+ mins

THE MUSE MAKER

Between Black Panther and India Couture Week's stage, J.J. Valaya designs legacies beyond borders

4 mins

LOVE'S LONGEST RUNNING REEL

DDLJ HAS RUN DAILY AT MUMBAI'S MARATHA MANDIR FOR 30 YEARS, A LOVE STORY CARVED PERMANENTLY INTO INDIA'S CULTURAL MEMORY

4 mins

Brooke Shields' Jeans Ad Didn't Sit Well

Decades before Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad campaign sparked online furore, a series of jeans commercials featuring Brooke Shields similarly ignited controversy.

1 mins

NO BUSINESS LIKE WOE BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY STAR JENNA ORTEGA AND DIRECTOR TIM BURTON — IN THEIR FIRST JOINT INTERVIEW — ENDURE OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY PULLED OFF NETFLIX'S BIGGEST SHOW EVER AND WHERE THEY WILL (AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT) GO NEXT

10+ mins

A Friday Loyalist

Cinema shaped his childhood; producer Dil Raju, in turn, reshaped Telugu cinema's enduring pulse

5 mins

KATTAPPA'S SWORD, INDIA'S CLIFFHANGER

Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali? The question shook a good section of the nation following the 2015 release of S.S. Rajamouli's Baahubali: The Beginning, the Telugu war epic about a man (Prabhas) learning his true legacy. The film ended with a loyal Kattappa (Sathyaraj) ruefully driving a sword through him, leaving audiences shattered.

4 mins

SLOW RISE, STEADY REACH

FOR INDEPENDENT CINEMA IN INDIA, DISTRIBUTION REMAINS LIMITED TO TIER-1 CITIES, THOUGH GROWING DEMAND EXTENDS SHOW RUNS

5 mins

HER HEART'S CONTENT

From Mumbai to Madrid, Bela Bajaria steers Netflix's content strategy, betting boldly on original voices

5 mins

I'VE JUST HAD DIABOLICAL GOOD LUCK'

GARY OLDMAN GETS CANDID ABOUT SOBRIETY, SECOND CHANCES AND WHY JACKSON LAMB MIGHT BE THE ROLE OF HIS LIFE

10+ mins

The Sound of Modern Punjab

Punjab memories anchor Karan Aujla, even as his voice dominates international charts and sold-out shows

7 mins

BOLLYWOOD'S FAVOURITE MEET-CUTE

Jab We Met turned compartments into confessionals, heartbreak into comedy, and small-town slang into Bollywood's coolest export

5 mins

FIRE IN THE QUIET

Between a devastating diagnosis and a world premiere, creativity and friendship sustained Tannishtha Chatterjee through her darkest period

5 mins

Notes from Croatia

Karishma Tanna's European getaway was all about island winds, blue horizons and old towns

3 mins

Read all Stories from The Hollywood Reporter India

The Hollywood Reporter India Magazine Description:

Publisher: Business-Media-Pvt-Ltd

Category: Entertainment

Language: English

Frequency: Monthly

In India entertainment isn’t just an industry — it’s part of our identity. From the cinematic grandeur of Bollywood (and the other ’woods) and the rise of streaming platforms to the stadium roars of cricket and the electrifying energy of music concerts, storytelling is woven into our culture. We don’t just watch entertainment; we live it. With that in mind, we are proud to launch The Hollywood Reporter, India, bringing one of the world’s most respected entertainment brands to a country where creativity thrives. The Hollywood Reporter India will be a multimedia platform that extends across print, digital, video and live experiences.

For industry professionals, The Hollywood Reporter India will be an essential resource, delivering credible analysis, exclusive news and a global perspective. For entertainment enthusiasts, it will be an engaging and insightful guide to the world they love.This is not just a publication launch; it’s the beginning of a new conversation about entertainment in India. Whether you are a filmmaker pushin creative boundaries, a producer rethinking business models, an artist redefining success, a sports sta inspiring millions, or a fan who lives and breathes entertainment — this magazine is for you. Welcome to The Hollywood Reporter India.

~ AN RP-SANJIV GOENKA GROUP PUBLICATION