Maharashtra Government and Prime Focus make a big announcement, a world class entertainment hub will be built in Mumbai for Rs 3000 crore

Prime Focus Group has joined hands with the Maharashtra Government for a major investment of about Rs 3000 crore (i.e about $ 400 million) for infrastructure development in Mumbai.

This investment will create the most advanced and digitally connected content creation ecosystem in the heart of one of the oldest film industry hubs in the world.

This new hub, where world class entertainment and lifestyle will be enjoyed, is being developed with the aim of attracting tourists from India and abroad.

This multi-year project will bring new employment opportunities for thousands of skilled people in the area.

Prime Focus Group (‘The Group’), the world’s largest independent integrated media services company, today announced its partnership with the Government of Maharashtra to create a new global entertainment destination in Mumbai, the heart of India’s film making industry.

The announcement said that Prime Focus Group and the Government of Maharashtra will jointly invest close to INR 3000 crore (approximately US$ 400 million) to develop a new entertainment ecosystem in Mumbai, a destination for content creators, tourists and entertainment enthusiasts from across the globe, and will also create thousands of high-skilled jobs in the region.

Prime Focus was started in 1997 by its founder Namit Malhotra. The company is listed on the National and Bombay Stock Exchanges of India. Prime Focus Group also comprises DNEG, an eight-time Academy Awardⓒ winning visual effects and animation company, BRAHMA, an AI technology company, and Prime Focus Studios, a content financing and production company.

The new site will feature:

• State-of-the-art production studios for content creation, equipped with the latest and smartest digital technology
• Creation of a global entertainment destination featuring live shows, theme parks and fun experience centres
• More lifestyle experiences, such as shopping and dining venues, fine hotels, homes and more.

Prime Focus Group already owns and operates Asia’s largest production facility in Mumbai, comprising eight Hollywood-designed soundstages in a 200,000 sq ft studio complex. The Group’s post-production facilities, including its DNEG Mumbai studio, are located nearby.

Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis said, “Development, infrastructure building and a better future are key to Maharashtra’s growth. As we work on major projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, Coastal Road and Vadhvan Port, I am glad that the creation of this new entertainment hub is one of the projects that is transforming our state and putting us at the forefront of India’s growth. I am looking forward to working with Prime Focus and DNEG to create a great production and tourism destination, making Mumbai a major hub for film and entertainment.”

Namit Malhotra, Founder, Prime Focus Group said, “My vision for this development, which has been shared with Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, is to recognise the 100+ year old legacy of our film industry. We want to combine the strengths of Prime Focus Group’s companies – including DNEG’s Oscar-winning creativity, Brahma’s AI technology and Prime Focus Studios’ financing and production capabilities – to create the world’s most advanced and innovative content creation centre, which will be at the heart of our filmmaking heritage in Mumbai.”

Leveraging our country’s craftsmanship and innovation, we are not just building the world’s largest content creation centre; we are also creating a destination that will showcase India’s culture, our history and our strengths to the world, while providing an unparalleled entertainment and lifestyle experience,” Malhotra added. He adds, “This new centre will be a great example of what India can do in terms of technology, creativity and entertainment. This place will become a fun tourist destination for people from all over the world – that too in the heart of Mumbai, one of the oldest film industries in the world. We are bringing the world to India and connecting India to the world.”

Mumbai: Recently seen at WAVES Summit 2025, Emmy Award winner and well-known producer of India, Ekta Kapoor shared some very interesting things about global storytelling. She told how Indian drama and serial formats are no longer limited to the country, but are also making their strong hold in the international market.

When Ekta Kapoor was asked how she views global storytelling after building such a big empire of content on TV and digital platforms, she replied in a candid manner as always, “The way of storytelling should be such that it connects directly to the heart.”

Ekta Kapoor emphasized that today’s audience is adopting stories from all over the world, be it Korean, Turkish, American, Spanish or European. She said, “Global platforms and networks have proved that language is no longer a barrier. People enjoy stories because of dubbing, they actually connect with the story.” She also said that in today’s world of content, the language barrier no longer matters.

Drawing attention to India’s rich heritage of stories, Ekta Kapoor said, “We have the oldest and longest tradition of storytelling. And this is our real capital, it has always been our currency.” She admitted that till now there have been some practical obstacles, which prevented Indian content from spreading rapidly across the world, but now the situation is changing and she hopes that the era of Indian stories has now begun globally.

Pointing to the global identity of the Indian film industry, Ekta Kapoor said, “Now we are getting there.” However, she also said that now we need to move beyond just ethnic stories. “Now it should be non-ethnic i.e. beyond traditional stories. I think we are standing at a turning point.”

Ekta Kapoor concluded her speech by thanking the audience and giving a clear message: Indian content must now tell stories that reach every human heart, beyond borders and subtitles. Meanwhile, she is gearing up for her next production “VVAN – Force of the Forest”, starring Sidharth Malhotra in the lead role.

Mumbai: Mumbai After Special Commissioner Deven Bharti was appointed as Mumbai Commissioner, who will be the next Special Commissioner of Mumbai or will this post also be abolished and Deven Bharti will prove to be the first and last Special Commissioner. Before Deven Bharti was appointed as Special Commissioner in Mumbai, this post did not exist in Mumbai and the department worked under the Commissioner and Joint Commissioners in Mumbai, but by making Deven Bharti a Special Commissioner, the first Special Commissioner post was created in Mumbai and before that, the post of Special Commissioner was only in Delhi.

Now who will be the next Special Commissioner in Mumbai or will this post be abolished after Deven Bharti becomes Mumbai Commissioner? Deven Bharti has been appointed by placing 11 IPS officers on site and the main contenders in this were DGP Sadanand Date, Sanjay Verma, Archana Tyagi, while for the Additional DG level Deven Bharti has been made a commissioner by ignoring senior officers. Deven Bharti started his journey as DCP of Mumbai Crime Branch, after which he was made Additional Commissioner Crime, then ATS Chief and Additional DG Corporation. Will the post of Special Commissioner in Mumbai remain or can this post be abolished after Deven Bharti becomes Commissioner? For Deven Bharti’s coronation, the DG level post was converted to Additional DG level. Earlier, this post was assigned only to DGP level officer. This post was downgraded in 2024.