YRF's next big drama could be mobile-only: Why the film company is betting on a new format

Your next favourite show or drama could be mobile-only. Yash Raj Films (YRF), known for shaping Hindi films, is now betting on a new format to tell stories: mobile-first storytelling. 

According to a report in The Economic Times, it has invested in digital-first entertainment company Rusk Media, its first strategic bet on the vertical entertainment market. The report added that the financial terms of the investment are yet to be known. 

As evident from the term, vertical storytelling or mobile-first videos are designed to be consumed in portrait mode. Under the partnership, YRF and Rusk will develop original animation and vertical micro-drama intellectual property (IP) for distribution on Alright! TV and global digital platforms, said the report.

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Does that mean the days of theatrical storytelling are behind us? YRF doesn’t think so. Akshaye Widhani, chief executive of YRF said that it will always remain at the heart of YRF. He told the daily that this partnership is not a departure from their vision but a natural extension of it. 

The shift is not due to YRF’s focus, he said, but due to changing audience behaviour. Now appears to be the right time to enter the category, said Widhani. 

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Instead of adapting YRF’s existing film franchises, the company wants to create original IPs. 

Mayank Yadav, co-founder and chief executive of Rusk Media said that India’s vertical entertainment market has generated scale but it is yet to produce enduring franchises, the report stated. Yadav said it is that gap that YRF and Rusk want to close.