Anshuman Jha’s First Ray Films and Max Marketing are coming together to chart a new path for small and mid-budget theatrical releases in India. Their first joint project is set to be Anshuman’s debut directorial, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli which will be released in theatres on October 10.
First Ray Films has independently produced and released three films to date, each of which successfully recovered its production costs. It has six more films in the pipeline with three of them headed for theatrical release in the next six months with a combined budget of USD 2.5 million.
Max Marketing is known for spearheading campaigns for films like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013), Animal (2023), RRR (2022), HanuMan (2024), Tumbbad (2018) and Merry Christmas (2024).
For Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, they aim to apply a smarter, more targeted approach to marketing and distribution — one that aligns with the actual cost of production and the film’s investment scale, as per a press release. “For instance, rather than spending disproportionately to secure hundreds of screens or deploy blanket campaigns, the focus will be on identifying the right TG (target group), tailoring the reach, and using funds effectively to maximize returns,” said the press release.
Anshuman, Founder of First Ray Films, said in a statement, "Films never fail, budgets mail. And a producer isn't a financier, producers make and mount films. Independent films have always carried the fire of honest storytelling — what they often lack is the marketing muscle to cut through the noise. With Varun and Max Marketing, we aim to create an ecosystem that gives good & well mounted non-studio films the same theatrical fighting chance as big-budget cinema. I’ve known Varun for over a decade, and our first collaboration dates back to my debut production Mona Darling in 2016. In a noisy world, he has always been a voice of reason for me — someone I trust. This partnership isn’t just business, it’s belief. And I’m excited to change the game together with our slate of 3 releases because we aren't afraid to fail.”
Varun Gupta, Founder Max Marketing Limited, added, "We’ve always believed that a good story is bigger than its budget. In addition to being an incredible actor, Anshuman is one of the rare artists in the industry with the drive, passion and vision to build a production house from scratch — and sustain it successfully for a decade. That alone speaks volumes. He doesn't wait, he finds a way & shows how it's done. And his directorial debut is cinema we can be proud of as Indians.”
Over the next six months, First Ray Films and Max Marketing are set to test this model with three upcoming theatrical releases.
