Two Indian entertainment companies are teaming up to tackle one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: creating viable theatrical pathways for independent films in a market dominated by big-budget studio releases.
First Ray Films and Max Marketing have launched a strategic partnership this week designed to develop more targeted distribution and marketing strategies for small and mid-budget productions, addressing what they see as systemic inequities in how films are promoted and released regardless of their actual budgets.
The collaboration pairs First Ray Films’ production expertise with Max Marketing’s extensive campaign experience. First Ray has a perfect batting average so far, with all three of its independently produced films recouping their production investments. The company has six additional projects in development, including three theatrical releases scheduled for the next six months totalling $2.5 million in combined budgets.
Max Marketing brings significant industry credentials to the partnership, having managed campaigns for major hits across different budget ranges, from “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” and “Animal” to “RRR,” “HanuMan,” “Tumbbad,” and “Merry Christmas” over its 15-year track record.
The companies argue that current industry practices create inherent disadvantages for smaller productions, as marketing costs and distribution expenses remain constant whether a film costs INR4 crore ($450,000) or INR400 crore ($4.5 million) to produce.
Their first joint venture, “Lord Curzon Ki Haveli,” will test a more surgical approach focused on precise audience targeting and budget-appropriate promotional strategies rather than pursuing widespread theatrical footprints or mass-market campaigns.
“Films never fail, budgets fail. And a producer isn’t a financier, producers make and mount films,” said Anshuman Jha, founder of First Ray Films. “Independent films have always carried the fire of honest storytelling — what they often lack is the marketing muscle to cut through the noise. With Varun and Max Marketing, we aim to create an ecosystem that gives good & well mounted non-studio films the same theatrical fighting chance as big-budget cinema.”
Jha noted his decade-long professional relationship with Max Marketing’s founder, Varun Gupta, tracing back to his 2016 debut production “Mona_Darling.” “This partnership isn’t just business, it’s belief. And I’m excited to change the game together with our slate of three releases because we aren’t afraid to fail.”
Varun Gupta, founder of Max Marketing Limited, praised Jha’s entrepreneurial approach to filmmaking: “We’ve always believed that a good story is bigger than its budget. In addition to being an incredible actor, Anshuman is one of the rare artists in the industry with the drive, passion and vision to build a production house from scratch — and sustain it successfully for a decade.”
“Together, we’re not just marketing films — we’re creating the future of independent theatrical cinema in India,” Gupta added.
The partnership will undergo a six-month trial period across three theatrical releases. Success could establish a replicable framework for other independent producers and distributors seeking alternatives to traditional marketing models that favor high-budget productions.
