In this episode of The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks with Nikkhil Advani, filmmaker and founder of Emmay Entertainment, for a wide-ranging conversation on storytelling, stardom, and the shifting economics of the Indian film industry.

Nikkhil reflects on his journey from films like Kal Ho Naa Ho to building a content studio that has delivered projects such as Rocket Boys, Mumbai Diaries, and Freedom at Midnight. He shares how the company is evolving as it marks 15 years, with a slate of ambitious new projects spanning streaming and theatrical releases.

The conversation dives into the realities of filmmaking today - from the continued dominance of star-led economics in theatrical releases to the challenges of scaling the Hindi film industry globally. Nikkhil explains why India still remains a relatively small player on the global stage, the importance of expanding screen infrastructure, and how subscription behaviour and platform strategies are shaping content decisions.

They also explore the creative process behind modern storytelling - how feedback loops with platforms work, why collaboration is essential, and how research-driven writing is shaping both historical and contemporary narratives. Nikkhil discusses the balance between creative instinct and data, and why understanding audiences has become more complex in a fragmented, content-heavy ecosystem.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & Nikkhil’s Journey

04:25 – Upcoming projects & Emmay Entertainment slate

06:36 – Scaling content: 15 projects and OTT focus

16:18 – Feedback loops, platforms & collaboration in OTT

21:57 – Theatrical comeback & audience behaviour

27:58 – Stardom vs acting & working with big stars

30:50 – Casting decisions & the economics of stars

34:40 – Film community, collaboration & industry conversations

38:47 – Size of the industry & global positioning

40:57 – OTT economics & subscription behaviour in India

42:52 – Advice to filmmakers & creative process

46:56 – Business model, funding & future ambitions

#TheMediaRoom #VanitaKohliKhandekar #NikkhilAdvani #Bollywood #IndianCinema #FilmIndustry #OTT #Streaming #ContentIsKing #Stardom #BoxOffice #WordOfMouth #Filmmaking #Storytelling #MediaBusiness #EntertainmentIndustry #Cinema #OTTvsTheatrical #DigitalContent #WebSeries #IndianContent #FilmBusiness #FutureOfCinema #PodcastEpisode