19th July, India, San Diego, Comic-Con 2023: Spirit Media, the new-age entertainment and media company, with deep roots in regional Indian cinema is going global with its debut appearance at the San Diego Comic-Con 2023 (SDCC 2023), the world’s premier pop culture celebration. Spirit has announced a slate of new films, series, comics and more.
“We are thrilled to make our first appearance at Comic-Con, where the spirit of storytelling and fandom converge,” expressed Rana Daggubati, Founder of Spirit Media. “We want to captivate audiences worldwide by bringing them stories that transcend boundaries and ignite the imagination. Comic-Con serves as the perfect platform to share our vision and connect with the passionate film and comic enthusiasts who inspire us.”
Along with Spirit, Amar Chitra Katha, one of India’s oldest and most loved comic book companies, founded by Anant Pai in 1967, will make its first at booth no. 4237. Backed by Rana Daggubati, Amar Chitra Katha, publishes in over 20 languages and sells 2.5 million copies every year, and has a global digital presence across its Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle apps.
Preeti Vyas, Amar Chitra Katha CEO shared “Through the timeless tales of India’s great heroes, and our popular toon characters we are bringing the extraordinary legacy of Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle to the farthest corners of the world at the Comic-Con stage. Our mission is to offer the global audience a transcendent glimpse into the captivating realm of Indian Mythology and storytelling through both our legacy and new Amar Chitra Katha comics, which continue to endear themselves to multiple generations of comic book and story lovers, across transmedia formats.”
In the run-up to Comic-Con, Spirit Media unveiled some of their upcoming projects
Hiranyakashyap
One of the highlights in the offing from Spirit Media, a film inspired by Amar Chitra Katha’s comics of the mythological figure, the powerful demon “Hiranyakashyap” and his relentless quest to annihilate beliefs and faith in the followers of Lord Vishnu. Rana Daggubati will play the titular role of this formidable demon king, and the noted Indian film writer-director Trivikram is writing the story.
Trivikram expressed his excitement, stating, “I am honoured to share this story of timeless legends for audiences today. The meticulous process of crafting this captivating narrative has already commenced, and we eagerly await the opportunity to translate this excitement onto the big screen.”
Minnal Murali
Spirit revealed their partnership with Weekend Blockbusters, the producers of the widely loved Malayalam superhero film Minnal Murali which released on Netflix in 2021 and instantly became a globally trending film accruing more than 25 million hours in its first few weeks. The two companies’ first foray together will be a new comic character of Minnal Murali who will find a home in the popular Indian comic magazine Tinkle.
Sophia Paul, co-founder of Weekend Blockbuster, said “we’re excited to join forces with Spirit Media, who share our love for the superheroes genre. Minnal Murali was a work of deep love and passion and we’re thrilled to present him in a new comic avatar to the fans.”
Lords of The Deccan
Spirit’s other project in the making is the historical epic action-drama series on the Indian bestseller “Lords of the Deccan” that promises to be a one-of-its kind historical drama series. This series takes us back in time to witness the birth of the Chalukyas, a dynasty that shaped southern India for centuries and will keep you riveted and enthralled. Spirit is producing the series in partnership with Sony LIV.
Saugata Mukharjee, Head Content, Sony LIV added “Sony LIV believes in taking great Indian stories to audiences across the globe. And in keeping with that, we are embarking on the exciting journey of capturing the history of the glorious dynasties of southern India by adapting the celebrated book ‘Lords of the Deccan’ by Anirudh Kanisetti. We are elated that we are joining hands with Rana Daggubati in this journey. Together, we are excited about bringing these untold histories – the glorious dynasties, the majestic lands, the valiant kings and their many wars – to our audiences from across the world.
At SDCC 2023, Spirit will also be supporting the highly awaited Indian mythology inspired sci-fi epic Project K and its panel presentation in Hall-H. Spirit boarded Project K as its international marketing and distribution partner.
As Spirit continues to expand its reach, it remains dedicated to amplifying local stories globally through authentic and compelling films, series, books and games that showcase the diversity of Indian storytelling.