Filmmaker and producer Dinesh Vijan, the force behind Maddock Films, delivered a powerful message at the CII Big Picture Summit 2025 about taking Bollywood to the world stage. As the head of one of the industry’s fastest rising and most genre diverse studios, Vijan spoke passionately about the next big leap for Indian cinema using technology and artificial intelligence.
He shared, “It’s time to take India global, to take our stories to the world with the help of technology and AI. And to go global, you have to be quintessentially yourself. It has finally become cool to be Indian. We’re proud of who we are, and that’s the sweet spot in content that we found, which helped us immensely.”
Stree Became The Game Changing Accident
Vijan revealed that the industry sometimes needs an unexpected nudge, an “accident” to realize what truly resonates with audiences. He recounted how Stree became that accident for his team back in 2017. Despite repeated doubts from many who said the supernatural horror comedy would never work in theatres, the film overturned every prediction and cultural assumption.
The producer shared, “People told us a film like Stree could never work in cinemas. But look at where we are today. Stree 2 is now the highest grossing Hindi film of all time.” This incredible achievement validates Vijan’s belief in backing unique stories that stay rooted in Indian culture while appealing to modern sensibilities.
Using AI To Tap Into India’s Rich Stories
Vijan emphasized that AI has become democratic and accessible, allowing filmmakers to dream bigger. “What we’re trying to do is tap into our labyrinth of stories. Our culture is probably the richest and oldest, and we want to use technology and AI to carry those stories to the world,” he explained. This approach reflects a significant shift in how Indian producers are thinking about content creation and distribution.
The filmmaker also touched upon how digital deals give producers comfort by helping recover production costs, but warned that depending solely on such recoveries can curb creative ambition. He wants filmmakers to think beyond safe bets and take bigger risks.
Mahavatar Shows Maddock’s Bold Vision
Speaking about distribution of large scale films, Vijan referenced Mahavatar, one of his most ambitious projects. He explained, “When we make a film like Mahavatar, it is not for sale anywhere. We don’t know how far a film of this kind can go. It might be the most Indian film we’ve ever made, but it’s taken us almost 20 years to reach a point where we can hold on to a film of this scale and not sell it. This kind of conviction requires patience and perseverance.”
Through his remarks, Vijan underscored the push toward confidence, creative ownership, and global ambition happening in Indian cinema today. He believes the biggest progress will happen when creators fully trust stories that arise from their own roots.
About Maddock Films And Ikkis
Maddock Films stands today as one of the fastest growing production houses in the country, consistently delivering hits across genres from patriotic dramas to horror comedies and heartwarming rom coms. The studio is all set to close 2025 on a high with Ikkis, releasing in cinemas on December 25. More updates on Maddock’s upcoming slate are awaited.
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