Indian businessman Prasanna Agarkar has launched Anashwar Media and Entertainment, marking the company’s debut with Nikhil Mahajan’s ‘Taxi Driver’ in the ongoing Film Bazaar market.
The film’s events revolve around a taxi driver and a thief, whose lives intersect during one fateful night, revealing an unexpected relationship from their past. Production is scheduled to begin in early 2025, with a targeted release in early 2026.
“I have always been fascinated by the film business,” says Ajarekar. “When Shrirang Godbole introduced me to Nikhil and Suhraud, I felt that this was the right association for me, given their body of work. I realized that this work is about long-term engagement and collaboration, and my eyes are looking to the next few years as I want to create an ecosystem of modern and cutting-edge Indian cinema. “Taxi Driver” is just the beginning.”
For Mahajan, whose latest film, the environmental thriller Raafsaheb, is competing at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, “Taxi Driver” represents a shift in genre after the family drama “Godavari”.
“Taxi Driver is one of my dream projects,” notes Mahajan. “I am grateful to Prasanna for understanding the potential of this story and supporting it with such conviction.”
The film continues the partnership between Mahajan and producer Suhraud Godbole, and is their fourth collaboration after ‘Pune 52’, ‘Baji’ and ‘June’. Godbole, who has worked with Mahajan since 2009, emphasizes their commitment to expanding the boundaries of Marathi language cinema. “We are thrilled that in Prasanna we have someone who understands our creative vision,” says Godbole, noting that Agarkar is also an investor in Rafsaheb.
The launch of the project on Film Bazaar builds on the team’s history with the platform, which has backed their previous projects in the Marathi film industry.
The Film Bazaar (20-24 November) is a component of the Project Market at IFFI (20-28 November).