India’s first Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) service, Bigflix, a global personal blockbuster for Indian film aficionados across the world, has clinched a breakthrough agreement, which will see an Indian film simultaneously release in cinemas in India and internationally in the UK and USA on the Bigflix platform.
With a commitment to introducing worldwide audiences to the true spectrum of Indian Cinema, Bigflix selected the critically acclaimed, true-story inspired thriller SAMEER, to benefit from the simultaneous release strategy.
Facilitated by Shiladitya Bora of Platoon One Films Private Limited, the agreement will see SAMEER release on Bigflix on Monday, 11th September 2017, available for US and UK subscribers to stream and download for just $0.99 as TVod in HD quality.
Set against the backdrop of a serial bomb attack in the Indian States of Hyderabad and Bengaluru, he edge-of-the-seat thriller SAMEER portrays the story of a young and innocent Muslim engineering student (Zeeshan Ayyub), who is taken into custody by the Ani-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Sameer is later used as an “undercover informant” to help the ATS in their mission to find his own roommate Yasin, the mastermind behind the tragic Hyderabad and Bengaluru blasts, before he strikes again in Ahmedabad. SAMEER strikes a wider debate of how knee-jerk reactions by the upper echelons of the security establishment affect the common man.
The film boasts a cast as avant-garde as it’s narrative and treatment. The film is helmed by stellar performances by Zeeshan Ayyub who perfects the role of Sameer to great avail. He is best known for his iconic roles in Raanjhanaa, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, No One Killed Jessica, Raees and Shahid. He is joined by Subrat Dutta (Tevar, Bhootnath Returns, The Shaukeens, Roar, Talaash, Rakhta Charitra and Lajja) who performs the role of Barot; National Award Winning actress Seema Biswas (Banndit Queen, Water) performs the role of Khala; international film actress and thespian Anjali Pail (Delhi in a Day, Chakravyuh, With You Without You, Na Bangaaru Tall) performs the role of Aaliya; and Manoj Shah (Ship of Theseus, What’s Your Raashee? and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey) performs the role of Bahubali Mehta.
Produced by Nomad Movies Private Limited, SAMEER is the directorial debut of Dakxin Chhara, playwright, an activist from the Chhara de-notified tribes of Ahmedabad in the western part of India and a revered filmmaker who boasts a portfolio of eighty non-fiction and fiction films through his production house Nomad Movies Private Limited. He was awarded a National Award for his book Budhan Bolta Ha and the South Asian award for his documentary film Fight For Survival. Chhara is also a recipient of the Ford Foundation International Fellowship, director at and runs a community theatre group called Budhan Theatre.
With 3.9 million registrations, Bigflix offers video content in categories such as feature, short, and devotional films, and movie trailers. The new platform has over 2,500 HD movies in nine Indian languages to start with, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bhojpuri, and Bengali, catering ta global, multi-lingual South Asian audience.
Speaking about the release of the film on Bigflix, Amit Khanduja, CEO of Reliance Entertainment – Digital said: “We are proud to introduce a new dimension to the Indian cinema audience – both with the film SAMEER and its release strategy where we will simultaneously release the film on Bigflix and in cinema. We are excited that subscribers worldwide will get a front seat, personal blockbuster experience with our original content and films, and SAMEER is the first of many firsts to come on our platform. Besides new releases like Sameer, BIGFLIX also supports an extensive catalogue of more than 2500 movies in 9 popular Indian languages.”
The indigenously developed technology of Bigflix delivers a personalized theater experience to users who can stream and download movies advertisement-free, on any internet-connected device including personal computers, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and game consoles. Its technology also allows a multi-screen experience to users who will be able to switch devices – smartphone to tablet to television and back – in the middle of a film. The same technology will also allow a clean and smooth film experience.
