“Filmmaking is equal parts passion and perseverance. Plans will fail. Problems will arise. But if the story is strong and your conviction is clear, you’ll find a way.”
Considering how far Roy Kapur Films (RKF) has come, Entrepreneurs Today reached out to Malvika Khatri, head of the films division at RKF and recipient of the ET 40U40 award, to get a glimpse of her journey in the industry.
At RKF, Malvika is responsible for the feature-film division, where she oversees every project as it comes to life from ideation and script development to production and release and full profit‐and‐loss accountability.
Having spent 17+ years in creative development, content production and strategic leadership, Malvika today partners with writers, directors and on-screen talent to make sure each project aligns with the vision of RKF and its quality standards.
Reflecting on the work she has done so far at RKF, Malvika shares,
“At RKF, I’ve had the privilege of working as co-producer, executive producer,
and associate producer across a dynamic slate of acclaimed projects — including Deva, Pippa, Tumse Na Ho Payega, Last Film Show, Rocket Boys, Aranyak, Yeh Ballet, and The Sky Is Pink.”
The Rising Star
An Economics graduate of The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), Malvika has also completed executive education in the Business of Media and Entertainment at Harvard Business School and in Film Producing at UCLA.
Malvika’s career in the industry started way before joining RKF. Previously, she worked at The Walt Disney Company and UTV Motion Pictures, where she oversaw content development, production, media distribution and corporate strategy.
After graduation, Malvika briefly worked in media investment banking on Wall Street before joining the film industry. Her filmmaking journey began with her learning the ropes of production, script breakdowns, schedules and budgets at Yash Raj Films. Soon after, she joined Disney India in a business strategy role during its acquisition of UTV, exposing her to the media and entertainment industry’s ecosystem of content creation across television/media networks, movies, digital and consumer products.
Malvika then moved on to Roy Kapur Films and under Siddharth Roy Kapur’s mentorship, she led the development and production of numerous renowned projects.
Head Full of Dreams
Every professional and entrepreneur has an ‘aha’ moment, where they realise their calling. Malvika has been deeply involved in the performing arts and storytelling since her school days, and she soon realised the power that storytelling holds in transcending borders, stirring emotions, and initiating dialogue. And Films held the space for being the most visceral medium for all that. She further adds,
“What fascinated me from early on was the blend of creativity and execution required for powerful storytelling — the need to both dream and deliver. That’s what led me towards this path of becoming a producer.”
As a producer, Malvika also sees her work as entrepreneurial. She highlights,
“Producing, to me, is actually the ultimate entrepreneurial act. While business models are constantly evolving and nowadays we are able to de-risk our slate to a high degree (with non-theatrical/syndication deals), the movie business is still about taking on that big challenge of building a creative venture from scratch – with no confirmed guarantees but plenty of instinct and belief.”
About Roy Kapur Films
“Every film is its own start-up. It begins with a bold idea, demands creative risk, and thrives only when passion meets precision.”
Even though the content at Roy Kapur Films is diverse and rooted in Indian ethos, it speaks to the world, as they believe good stories know no boundaries. Some of their most-renowned films include The Sky Is Pink, a family movie about loss, love and resilience that has touched millions of hearts.
Others include Pippa, a war epic based on the heroic true story of Captain Balram Mehta in 1971; Yeh Ballet, the story of the journey of two young boys from Mumbai who challenged societal norms and dreamed of conquering the global ballet stage; Rocket Boys, a film that redefined biographical storytelling; the small-town crime noir thriller Aranyak; Last Film Show (Chhello Show), India’s official Oscar entry in 2022 and only the fourth Indian film ever to make the Academy’s official shortlist for Best International Feature; and Deva, a recent action thriller that balanced emotional depth with scale, style and technical finesse.
More than anything, what sets Roy Kapur Films apart, according to Malvika, is the founder’s vision. She adds,
“I believe what makes us different is Siddharth Roy Kapur’s vision to create innovative, disruptive, commercially successful and high-quality content across platforms and our ability to straddle both creativity and commerce in equal measure —with the aim to develop stories with substance and soul and produce them at the scale they require.”
With a dedication to making way for new voices, RKF is known for its socially relevant dramas, coming-of-age stories, thrillers, and big-screen entertainers that create cultural conversations.
Navigating through challenges
Every project comes with its own set of challenges — and that’s what makes the job of a producer rewarding. At RKF, they’ve gravitated toward stories that demand courage: whether it’s logistical complexity or narrative boldness. There has been a spectrum of creative challenges along the way in terms of tackling stories with thematic depth and unconventional structures (like in Deva) or challenges that came in the form of tight timelines and complex coordination for large-scale action sequences and remote live-shoot locations (like in Pippa), where they did the shoot in rural Bengal and had to move around a real PT-76 tank from place to place.
Malvika adds that the post-pandemic shift of audiences moving rapidly to digital platforms was something unprecedented, but they embraced that change by delivering shows like Rocket Boys and Aranyak that eventually thrived in global digital ecosystems. She asserts,
“It’s all about keeping the ship steady while the winds change, but it’s also about knowing when to pivot and when to double down on your vision.”
Celebrating the Wins
“More than numbers or awards, true success is when our stories stay alive — when they’re watched, rewatched, and remembered. That’s the kind of legacy we aim for.”
Some of Malvika’s accomplishments at RKF include Last Film Show (Chhello Show) making it to the official Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature in 2022, a historic feat for an Indian film.
Moreover, Rocket Boys became a pan-India success across age groups and demographics, and Sky Is Pink got selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Another major win is the latest action-thriller, Deva, topping Netflix charts in 20+ countries.
What Lies Ahead?
The future content pipeline for Malvika at RKF includes a heartwarming family comedy, a mythological epic, a sharp social satire, and a slick con caper. RKF will also be collaborating with a new wave of visionary filmmakers like Alankrita Shrivastava, Jai Mehta, RS Prasanna, and Nitya Mehra.
RKF also has plans to scale its international co-productions while focusing on large-format theatrical spectacles.
Words of Wisdom
A lesson Malvika has learned over the years is that as a producer, she is the “go-to” bridge between dreams and reality, and it’s her responsibility to protect the creative process while solving financial and logistical challenges where both sides can thrive.
Lastly, as she signs off, she reminds the budding creatives,
“Success in this industry isn’t about one breakout moment — it’s about staying consistent, intentional, and adaptable. Sometimes, it takes years to put a film or series project together, so one has to stay the course but still be relentlessly curious. Watch everything. Read widely. Collaborate generously. Be obsessed with the details, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. Focus on your ‘WHY.’ And back stories that move you — because only that passion will carry you through all the highs and lows!”
