Scaling Stories Across Screens – An Interview with Friday Filmworks

This is a written version of the Vitrina podcast featuring the team behind Friday Filmworks, one of India’s most dynamic production houses. In this Q&A transcript, we explore their journey across 15 years, spanning feature films, digital series, and sports documentaries. This in-depth discussion sheds light on their development process, storytelling ethos, global collaborations, and the exciting slate of upcoming releases for 2024.

1. Vitrina: Friday Filmworks recently celebrated 15 years. Can you take us through the journey—from your first film to your current slate?

Friday Filmworks: We began our journey in 2008 with the feature film A Wednesday, which turned out to be a surprise box office success. It broke conventional Bollywood norms by showcasing two senior actors in lead roles and went on to be remade in multiple languages. Since then, we’ve completed over 22 projects, including 12 feature films in Hindi and Bengali. We’ve also forayed deeply into web series through our digital storytelling arm launched in 2019. That division kicked off with Special Ops, a collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar that became a breakout hit and is now a franchise. Over time, we’ve built a diverse portfolio spanning multiple genres and formats.

2. Vitrina: Can you break down your current structure across film, digital, and sports content?

Friday Filmworks: We operate through three core verticals. First is our feature film division, responsible for titles like A Wednesday and M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. Second is our digital division, which has produced hit web series such as Special Ops, Undekhi, and Secrets of the Kohinoor, in partnership with platforms like Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, and Amazon miniTV. Our third division is Friday Sports, which creates high-impact sports documentaries. Notable projects include a docu-feature on cricketer Pravin Tambe, who debuted at age 41, and a gripping series on India’s historic cricket test win in Australia in 2021.

3. Vitrina: Special Ops became a benchmark in Indian web content. What’s the development process behind such successful franchises?

Friday Filmworks: Our development starts from a philosophy of investing in great stories, regardless of where they come from. We often source ideas from books, regional literature, or real-life incidents. Once we lock a story, we go through an intense scripting phase. Then, we greenlight production only when the script is fully locked, which significantly streamlines casting and location scouting. This structured approach compresses our execution cycle from 18 months to just 4–6 months. A lot of credit goes to our partner platforms, who trust our process and enable efficient delivery.

4. Vitrina: Your projects often touch upon underrepresented themes. How do you identify these narratives?

Friday Filmworks: We believe powerful stories can come from anywhere. One example is our upcoming docu-series on a female Indian kabaddi coach who was invited to train the Iranian national team. It’s a compelling tale of empowerment and cultural diplomacy. Another is Secrets of the Buddha, a documentary that explores Gautam Buddha’s final journey and the spread of relics across Asia. These stories are not only engaging but have universal appeal, allowing us to take Indian storytelling to global audiences.

5. Vitrina: What kind of global collaborations are you exploring for these universal themes?

Friday Filmworks: Many of our stories lend themselves naturally to global co-productions. The kabaddi documentary, for instance, intersects themes of sport, gender, and cross-cultural collaboration, making it ideal for international audiences. We’re increasingly looking to partner with global studios for distribution and co-financing. Several of our titles are already being adapted for release in multiple languages, and platforms like Netflix and Disney+ are facilitating these global expansions.

6. Vitrina: Let’s talk about the sports vertical. Why did you create a dedicated division for sports content?

Friday Filmworks: Sports tells some of the most emotionally resonant stories. Our Friday Sports division launched with Kaun Pravin Tambe?, a film that challenges age-related biases in professional cricket. Another major project was a documentary on India’s underdog victory against Australia during the 2020-21 test series. These stories are inherently cinematic, with built-in tension, triumph, and emotion. Sports also connects deeply with Indian audiences and helps us bring fresh formats and energy into nonfiction storytelling.

7. Vitrina: In 2023, what were the major milestones, and how is 2024 shaping up?

Friday Filmworks: 2023 was a culmination year. Many projects conceived in 2020–21 moved into execution. We launched Cyber Vaar on Amazon miniTV, a show exploring the dark side of the internet through real cybercrime cases. We also released Shoorveer on Disney+ Hotstar, blending drama and action in a military backdrop. For 2024, we’re launching multiple projects: Secrets of the Buddha on The History Channel, a multilingual drama Taandav, a direct-to-digital Netflix film, and the second season of Special Ops. It’s shaping up to be one of our busiest and most exciting years.

8. Vitrina: How do you balance commercial viability with creative authenticity in your projects?

Friday Filmworks: We have a simple litmus test: have we given it our 150%? That’s the only thing we can control. Whether a project succeeds commercially is not always in our hands, but we focus on rigorous inputs—deep research, passionate storytelling, and a strong team. If we’ve done our best, success usually follows. This philosophy also earns us trust from platforms and collaborators, enabling repeat partnerships.

9. Vitrina: Your content often gains popularity beyond India. What do you think drives that international appeal?

Friday Filmworks: Storytelling rooted in emotion travels well. For instance, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter trended across 13 countries on Netflix. What helped was not just its local flavor but its universal themes—law, justice, heroism. Streaming platforms are now commissioning more locally-developed IP with potential for global expansion. While we always prioritize the Indian audience, it’s a bonus when stories resonate internationally.

10. Vitrina: What advice would you give to creators looking to break into streaming or collaborate with production houses like Friday Filmworks?

Friday Filmworks: Focus on the story. We’re always open to fresh voices, especially those who bring regional perspectives or untold angles. Be honest about your inspiration, structure your pitch clearly, and be open to feedback. We receive hundreds of stories, but we’re looking for the one that surprises us, moves us, or offers a unique lens. If it speaks to us, we’ll find a way to bring it to the screen—across film, series, or documentary formats.