Suparn S Varma and Anshu Patni launch branded content studio Katha Pictures

Writer and director Suparn S Varma and Anshu Patni (having previously led television and branded content business at Kwan Entertainment) have co-founded Katha Pictures, a Mumbai-based content studio that aims to fill the void of creating entertaining content by using insight-based communication for brands.

India's branded entertainment content market is expected to touch $1.6 billion in revenue by 2022, according to recent reports. With a strong team and network of directors and writers, they are bullish about the studio delivering stories that matter to a new generation of digital consumers.The demand for branded entertainment is far more than the supply and it was the need of the hour that resulted in the inception of Katha Pictures.

One of the first briefs that Katha Pictures has worked on is for the men’s grooming company Beardo. The treatment married entertainment with brand in a style where the story takes the centre stage and weaves in the Beardo in an edgy and new age style.

Varma said, “The idea is to work closely with brands and creative agencies to understand their needs and produce branded entertainment content. The endeavour is to bring actual storytellers into this world and bring their stories to the market. It was a natural evolution to be responsive to this demand; the new changing world of digital consumers.”

Elaborating further on their company’s way of working, Patni said, “Audiences these days have a plethora of options to watch, holding their attention and creating recall is a challenge every brand is facing these days and that’s where we come in. Having worked on different formats of storytelling through branded shows, television properties, IPs and with actors, musicians, content creators, we saw a lacuna that could be bridged. We strive to give all brands and agencies that partner with us, stories which bring out their desired message in the most entertaining way possible.”