Eskay Movies

Eskay Movies
Company typeMedia and Entertainment Company
FoundedFebruary 1988 (as Eskay Video Private Limited)
Headquarters
Kolkata, West Bengal
,
India
Key people
Ashok Dhanuka
Himanshu Dhanuka
Subsidiaries
  • Eskay Digital
  • Eskay Music
  • Eskay Digilab
Websiteeskaymovies.com

Eskay Video Private Limited is an Indian Company promoted by Dhanuka family. The company was incorporated in 1988 and since then it has been a vital part in the media and entertainment industry in India. The company has produced more than 50 films and acquired another 200 films. Eskay group has digitized 80+ Cinemas, Operated Television Channels, owns 5 Theatres, produced television serials, reality shows and webseries.

In 2019, Eskay opened up a Subsidiary in UK - High Five Productions Limited and the company is growing globally, providing Filming Equipment services and line production services to Indian films which are shot in the UK. Eskay has invested around 10 Million Pounds, equivalently in Filming Equipment and Post Production facilities in India. Internationally, Eskay's film - Doob ( English title - No bed of Roses ) was the official selection for Oscar. It is the first Bengali film of late legendary star Irrfan Khan.

History

1988–2009: Early years and initial releases

Eskay Movies was founded by Ashok and Himanshu Dhanuka.[1] In 1988, Ashok Dhanuka founded Eskay Video Pvt. Ltd. Distribution house. His first distributed film, Bhai Amar Bhai, first movie of SVF. After, they distributed SVF, Swapan Saha, Prince Entertainment and other Production houses movies. Within that Baba Keno Chakor (1998), Sasurbari Jindabad (2000), Annadata (2002), Sathi (2002), Sneher Protidan (2003), Mayer Anchol (2003), Raju Uncle (2005) are blockbusters. In 2008, Eskay released their first produced film, Bhalobasa Bhalobasa .From 2009, Eskay would begin to release films every year, such as, Dujone,[2][3] and Jamai Raja.

2010–2013: Commercial successes

Eskay Movies released two films in 2010, Kohono Biday Bolo Na and Wanted, the latter of which became popular for its director-actor duo of Rabi Kinagi and Jeet.[4] After releasing Hello Memsaheb, Eskay would go on to release Fighter[5] and Shotru[6] in 2011.

Eskay began 2012 with the critically acclaimed film Khokababu starring Dev and Subhashree Ganguly,[7][8] which became one of the highest grossing Bengali films. Eskay would go on to release Bikram Singha: The Lion Is Back[9][10] and Idiot.[11] After the successful release of Kanamachi,[12] Eskay released Khoka 420[13] and Khiladi,[14] with the former becoming a box office success.[15] Eskay has also acquired the rights to remake the hit youth-centric romantic comedy Kannada movie Googly.[16]

2014–present: India-Bangladesh joint ventures and critical acclaim

Eskay Movies' sole release in 2014 was Ami Shudhu Cheyechi Tomay, which was co-produced with Bangladeshi film company Action Cut Entertainment.[17] The film, which won the award for Best Bengali Film at the 2015 Kalakar Awards, would go on to spark a trend of Indo-Bangla joint venture films, most of which would be a co-production of Eskay Movies and Jaaz Multimedia.[18]

Aside from their film Mayer Biye,[19] Eskay Movies co-produced three films with Jaaz Multimedia in 2015: Romeo vs Juliet, Agnee 2 and Aashiqui: True Love. Despite having initial success with the audience,[20] Romeo vs Juliet, a remake of the film Jatt & Juliet, was panned critically.[21] Agnee 2, a sequel to the Bangladeshi film Agnee, was released to commercial success[22] but mixed critical reception.[23] Aashiqui: True Love would launch the career of actress Nusrat Faria in both India and Bangladesh.[24][25]

Eskay Movies released seven films in 2016, all of which were co-produced by Jaaz Multimedia: Angaar, Hero 420, Niyoti, Badsha – The Don, Shikari, Prem Ki Bujhini and Rokto. The year began with two films starring Om, Angaar,[26] a drama, and Hero 420, a romantic comedy.[27] Hero 420 was released for the occasion of Valentine's Day, releasing on 12 February in India and 19 February in Bangladesh.[28][29] After debuting in Angaar, Jolly starred alongside acclaimed actor Arifin Shuvo in the film Niyoti, which released in India in June[30] and in Bangladesh in August.[31] Badsha – The Don, a remake of the film Don Seenu starring Jeet[32] and Nusrat Faria, received commercial success[33][34] and mixed critical reception.[35] Shikari, which stars Shakib Khan and Srabanti Chatterjee,[36][37] was a commercial success[33][34] and received critical acclaim,[38][39] leading to a Best Film win at the Kalakar Awards, where Srabanti Chatterjee also won Best Actress.[40] Shikari also led for two Best Actor wins for Shakib Khan, at the Tele Cine Awards[41] and Bangladesh's Meril Prothom Alo Awards.[42] Prem Ki Bujhini received negative reception[43] while Rokto received mixed reception.[44]

In 2017, Eskay Movies released two Indian films, The Bongs Again and Byomkesh O Agnibaan, and two films co-produced with Jaaz Multimedia, Nabab and Doob: No Bed of Roses. The Bongs Again, a sequel to The Bong Connection, received mixed reception.[45] Byomkesh O Agnibaan, a sequel to Byomkesh O Chiriyakhana, also received mixed reception.[46][47] Both Nabab and Doob were a box office successes and received critical acclaim,[48][49][50][51] but Doob, starring Irrfan Khan, received international praise,[52][53][54] competing at the Shanghai International Film Festival[55] and winning at the Moscow International Film Festival.[56]

Films

Released

Year Film Cast Director(s) Note
2002 Annadata Prosenjit Chatterjee, Sreelekha Mitra, Abdur Razzak, Anuradha Roy Ravi Kinagi
2004 Aakrosh Jeet, Rituparna Sengupta, Anamika Saha, Subhasish Mukherjee, Sabyasachi, Pushpita, Mousumi Mukherjee, Rajesh Sharma Prasanta Nanda
2005 Rajmohol Prosenjit Chatterjee, Abhishek Chatterjee, Anu Choudhury, Rachana Banerjee, Biplab Chatterjee, Subhasish Mukherjee Swapan Saha
2007 Kalishankar Prosenjit Chatterjee, Anu Chowdhury Prashanta Nanda
Bandhu Prosenjit Chatterjee, Swastika Mukherjee, Victor Banerjee, Rajatava Dutta Prasanta Nanda
Pagal Premi Yash Dasgupta, Ritwick Chakraborty Hara Patnaik Remake of Telugu film Arya[57]
2008 Bhalobasa Bhalobasa Hiraan, Shrabanti Rabi Kinnagi Remake of Telugu film Bommarillu
2009 Dujone Dev, Srabanti Chatterjee Rajiv Kumar Biswas Remake of Nuvvu Nenu
Jamai Raja Prosenjit Chatterjee, Anu Choudury Swapan Saha
2010 Wanted Jeet, Srabanti Chatterjee Rabi Kinnagi Remake of Telugu film Athadu
Le Chakka Dev, Payel Sarkar Raj Chakraborty Remake of Chennai 600028
2011 Fighter Jeet, Srabanti Chatterjee, Ferdous Rabi Kinnagi Remake of Telugu film Lakshyam
Shotru Jeet, Nusrat Jahan Raj Chakraborty Remake of Singam
Hello Memsaheb Jeet, Priyanka Trivedi Nandita Roy, Shiboprasad Mukhopadhyay
2012 Khokababu Dev, Subhashree Ganguly D. Shankar Aiyya Remake of Telugu film Dhee
Idiot Ankush Hazra, Srabanti Chatterjee Rajiv Kumar Biswas Remake of Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam
Bikram Singha: The Lion Is Back Prosenjit Chatterjee, Richa Gangopadhyay Rajiv Kumar Biswas Remake of Telugu filmVikramarkudu
2013 Khoka 420 Dev, Subhashree Ganguly, Nusrat Jahan Rajiv Kumar Biswas Remake of Telugu film Brindavanam
Kanamachi Ankush Hazra, Srabanti Chatterjee, Abir Chatterjee, Saayoni Ghosh Raj Chakraborty Remake of Ko
Khiladi Ankush Hazra, Nusrat Jahan Ashok Pati Remake of Telugu film Dhenikaina Ready
2014 Ami Shudhu Cheyechi Tomay Ankush Hazra, Subhashree Ganguly Ashok Pati Remake of Telugu film Arya 2

Co-produced by Action Cut Entertainment

Won Kalakar Awards for Best Film

2015 Romeo vs Juliet Ankush Hazra, Mahiya Mahi Ashok Pati Remake of Singh vs Kaur
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Agnee 2 Om, Mahiya Mahi Iftakar Chowdhury, Himunshu Dhanuka Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Aashiqui: True Love Ankush Hazra, Nusraat Faria Mazhar Ashok Pati Remake of Telugu film Ishq
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Mayer Biye Saayoni Ghosh, Sreelekha Mitra Abhijit Guha, Sudeshna Roy Radical Story
2016 Angaar Om, Falguni Rahman Jolly Wazed Ali Sumon, Nehal Dutta Remake of Appayya
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Hero 420 Om, Nusraat Faria Mazhar, Riya Sen Sujit Mondal Remake of Telugu film Maska
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Niyoti Arifin Shuvoo, Falguni Rahman Jolly Jakir Hossain Raju Remake of The Notebook
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Badsha – The Don Jeet, Nusraat Faria Mazhar, Shraddha Das Baba Yadav Remake of Telugu film Don Seenu
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Shikari Shakib Khan, Srabanti Chatterjee Joydip Mukherjee Remake of Aadhavan
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Prem Ki Bujhini Om, Subhashree Ganguly Sudipto Sarkar Remake of 100% Love
Co-produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Rokto Pori Moni, Ziaul Roshan Wazed Ali Sumon Loosely Based on Hollywood movie The Long Kiss Goodnight
Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Kiriti Roy Chiranjeet Chakraborty Aniket Choudory Based on Nihar Ranjan Gupta's Setarer Sur
2017 The Bongs Again Parno Mitra,Neha Panda, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Jisshu Sengupta Anjan Dutt
Nabab Shakib Khan, Subhashree Ganguly Joydip Mukherjee Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
Byomkesh O Agnibaan Jishu Sengupta, Swastika Mukherjee Anjun Dutt
Doob: No Bed Of Roses Irfan Khan, Nusrat Imrose Tisha Mostofa Sarwar Farooki Co-Produced by Jaaz Multimedia
2018 Ami Neta Hobo Shakib Khan, Bidya Sinha Mim, Omar Sani, Moushumi, Sadek Bachchu Uttam Akash Co-Produced by Shapla Media
Chalbaaz Shakib Khan, Subhashree Ganguly Joydip Mukherjee Remake of Subramanyam For Sale
Co-Produced by Action Cut Entertainment
Bhaijaan Elo Re Shakib Khan, Srabanti Chatterjee, Payel Sarkar Joydip Mukherjee
Tui Sudhu Amar Soham Chakraborty, Mahiya Mahi, Om Joydip Mukherjee Remake Of Humraaz

Co-Produced by Action Cut Entertainment

2019 Bhokatta Om, Elina Samantray, Sagnik Ramesh Rout Remake Of Odia Film Tokata Fasigala
2020 Hullor Soham Chakraborty, Srabanti Chatterjee, Om, Darshana Banik Abhimanyu Mukherjee
2021 Anusandhan Saswata Chatterjee, Payel Sarkar, Churni Ganguly, Joydip Mukherjee, Riddhi Sen Kamaleshwar Mukherjee Based on the 1956 German novel A Dangerous Game by Friedrich Dürrenmatt[58]
2022 Swastik Sanket Nusrat Jahan, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Saswata Chatterjee, Rudranil Ghosh, Shataf Figar Sayantan Ghosal Based on the novel Narak Sanket by Debarati Mukhopadhyay
Ogo Bideshini Ankush Hazra, Alexandra Taylor, Rajnandini Paul Anshuman Pratyush
2023 Aaro Ek Prithibi Kaushik Ganguly, Shaheb Bhattacharjee, Tasnia Farin Atanu Ghosh
Ghore Pherar Gaan Parambrata Chatterjee, Ishaa Saha Aritya Sen
2024 Dard Shakib Khan, Sonal Chauhan Anonno Mamun Filming; Pan-Indian film; Indo-Bangladesh joint production film

References

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