“Each Film was Different”: co founder Ritesh Sidhwani on Excel Entertainment’s 25

Excel Entertainment and Amazon MGM Studios’ Mirzapur: The Movie has emerged as one of the most anticipated films in Indian cinema, with excitement building ever since its announcement. Marking the much-awaited theatrical transition of India’s biggest OTT franchise, the film will bring the iconic and widely loved world of Mirzapur to the big screen for the first time. The explosive teaser and trailer have already fuelled anticipation, taking the excitement among fans to an all-new level.

As the film gears up for its release, Excel Entertainment co-founder Ritesh Sidhwani marks 25 glorious years in the Indian entertainment industry. His contribution to Indian cinema has been truly remarkable. Leading one of the country’s biggest production houses, he has always stayed true to his vision and continued to create stories that leave a lasting impact. Recently during an interview, When asked, "How has Excel's run been in the last 25 years? And what makes you believe that a story must be told?"

Ritesh Sidhwani answered , "Dil Chahta Hai birthed bromance and friendship films in the industry. We then went on to make Lakshya followed by Don and Honeymoon Travels. Each of them were different from the other. Over time, we realized that a production company should feature diverse voices. It shouldn't restrict itself to one particular genre, which many production houses tend to do. Till now, we only proceed with a film if we genuinely believe in the story 100%. However, there have been times when we believed in a project and it did not work. In those cases, we have always stood by our decisions. We have never gone back to the filmmaker and said, "I told you this wouldn't work." We are fortunate that such great stories continue to choose Excel Entertainment and it's still going."

Presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Excel Entertainment, Mirzapur: The Movie is directed by Gurmmeet Singh, written by Puneet Krishna, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment. The film is co-produced by Kassim Jagmagia and Vishal Ramchandani.Mirzapur: The Movie releases in cinemas on 4th September 2026.