Balaji Telefilms has announced the launch of Hoonur, a dedicated talent management vertical under the Balaji Telefilms Digital division on February 06, 2026. This strategic move marks a significant expansion of the company's integrated entertainment ecosystem, reinforcing its commitment to nurturing artists and creating structured opportunities across digital and broadcast platforms.

Strategic Leadership and Vision

The new vertical will be led by Mohammed Nagman Lateef, an accomplished industry leader with over 11 years of experience in entertainment and talent strategy. Lateef previously founded and led Iconic Entertainment, where he built a strong reputation for progressive talent representation and career development. His appointment signals a forward-looking approach to talent identification, management, and elevation within the evolving media landscape.

Hoonur is designed to offer focused representation in an increasingly platform-driven industry, where talent development, content strategy, brand alignment, and audience engagement must work in sync. The vertical aims to provide artists with long-term career direction, strategic positioning, and access to diverse creative and commercial opportunities.

Current Talent Portfolio

Hoonur already represents a growing and diverse roster of talent across television and digital platforms:

Several Hoonur-managed artists are also part of "The 50," described as one of India's most anticipated new reality television formats, demonstrating the vertical's immediate integration with major content initiatives.

Management Perspective

Ekta Kapoor, Joint Managing Director, Balaji Telefilms, emphasized the company's artist-centric approach: "At Balaji, we have always believed that every artist deserves the right environment to grow. Talent thrives when it is supported by a platform that understands its individuality and long-term potential. With Hoonur, we are creating a curated space where artists receive focused attention, strategic guidance, and opportunities that are aligned with who they are and where they can go."

Nitin Burman, Chief Revenue Officer, Balaji Telefilms, highlighted the industry evolution: "The industry today is moving toward deeper collaboration between content, platforms, and brands, with talent at the center of that ecosystem. Hoonur allows us to approach these relationships in a more cohesive and long-term manner. By aligning talent more closely with our content and digital network, we are strengthening how partnerships are built, how audiences are engaged, and how value is created across the ecosystem."

Integrated Entertainment Model

The launch of Hoonur represents Balaji Telefilms' continued strengthening of its integrated entertainment model, combining content creation, digital strategy, and talent representation to support the next generation of media stars. This approach reflects the company's understanding of the interconnected nature of modern entertainment, where talent management must align with content strategy and platform distribution to maximize value creation across the ecosystem.

Balaji Telefilms has announced an exciting strategic partnership with Netflix to bring back the popular reality show Lock Upp. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for the production house as it expands its digital content portfolio on one of the world's leading streaming platforms.

Strategic Partnership Details

The partnership between Balaji Telefilms and Netflix represents a major development in the Indian streaming entertainment landscape. Lock Upp, which gained considerable popularity in its previous iteration, is set to make its comeback through this collaboration.

Content Strategy and Market Position

This partnership underscores Balaji Telefilms' strategic focus on digital content creation and distribution. By collaborating with Netflix, the company is positioning itself to reach a broader global audience while leveraging the streaming giant's extensive distribution network.

The return of Lock Upp through this partnership demonstrates the production house's commitment to reviving successful content formats and adapting them for streaming platforms. This move aligns with the growing trend of traditional production houses forming strategic alliances with major streaming services.

Industry Implications

The collaboration between Balaji Telefilms and Netflix reflects the evolving dynamics of the Indian entertainment industry, where content creators are increasingly partnering with global streaming platforms to expand their reach and enhance content quality.