Announcement Overview
On August 26, 2026, CineNow issued a press release from Mumbai, Maharashtra, unveiling a new institutional‑grade investment vehicle valued at US$150 million. The vehicle is designed to finance more than 30 Indian films over a six‑year horizon, covering Hindi as well as regional languages including Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. CineNow’s website (www.cinenow.global) will host creative collaborations, and disbursements are targeted to commence within the current calendar year.
Governance Structure
CineNow has constituted three bodies to oversee the vehicle: an Investment Committee, an India Council and a Leadership Team. The Investment Committee, India Council and Leadership Team together comprise fifteen distinguished leaders from the Indian entertainment ecosystem:
- Sameer Nair, former CEO of Applause Entertainment, Balaji, NDTV Imagine and Star India;
- Neha Kaul, former senior executive with Netflix and Disney Studios India, and former leader at UTV Motion Pictures;
- Jaideep Sahni, acclaimed screenwriter, lyricist and creative producer;
- Aashish Singh, former senior executive with Lyca, Netflix, Balaji and Yash Raj Films, now producer at Red Chillies Entertainment;
- Abhay Sinha, President of IMPPA and FFI and Vice President of FIAPF;
- Sanjay Arjundas Wadhwa, Board Member of PDL and Co‑Founder and Managing Partner of AP International, Padma Shri awardee and Oscar‑winning sound designer Dr. Resul Pookutty;
- Jitendra Nagpal, finance leader;
- Reshma Shetty, Co‑Founder of Matrix Celebrity Management;
- Suresh Menon, former executive with MX Player;
- Yusuf Shaikh, former executive with Percept Picture Company and founder of Janta Cinema;
- Radhika Gopal, former Head of Writer‑Director vertical, now leading South‑India expansion at Tulsea;
- Rahat Beri, communications strategist and reputation specialist;
- Rohit Dalmia, Chairman & Managing Director of CineNow;
- Siddharth Roy Kapur, Principal Advisor to CineNow.
Rohit Dalmia emphasized that while India possesses a vibrant entertainment ecosystem, the investment architecture remains nascent, and the assembled group brings the creative insight and business depth needed to evaluate opportunities rigorously.
Investment Strategy and Scope
The vehicle will evaluate film projects based on creative strength, commercial potential, audience opportunity, talent, production economics, distribution prospects and long‑term intellectual property (IP) value. The Investment Committee will lead investment evaluation, content and commercial assessment, portfolio construction and long‑term IP value creation. The India Council will contribute broader industry, creative, media, distribution and financial perspectives, while the Leadership Team will support operations and execution. CineNow aims to allocate the US$150 million across the targeted 30+ films, seeking value creation through theatrical releases, streaming platforms, international distribution, music, licensing and other rights.
Tokenisation Initiative
CineNow is pioneering tokenisation within the entertainment sector, introducing a technology‑led framework intended to enhance liquidity, transparency and accessibility. By tokenising participation in the investment vehicle, CineNow seeks to bridge traditional entertainment finance with next‑generation digital capital markets, allowing broader investor participation while ensuring that IP ownership remains with the creators and production partners.
Timeline and Deployment
Disbursements are slated to begin within the year of the announcement. The vehicle’s multi‑year plan focuses on building a diversified portfolio that delivers long‑term value across multiple monetisation pathways throughout the entertainment value chain.