'Ballerina not only holds a candle to John Wick - It might just outshine it'

Time of India

12-06-2025

When Aamer Bijli first heard about Ballerina, it wasn't pitched as just another installment in the bullet-riddled mythology of John Wick. 'It was such a phenomenal concept,' he says, speaking about the moment when Lionsgate first brought the idea to the table, nearly two and a half years ago.
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Aamer Bijli, Lead Specialist – Innovation, Film Marketing & Digital Programming, PVR INOX Ltd., says,"It's such a phenomenal concept. When our partners at Lionsgate first shared it with us 2.5 years ago just off the success of
Wick: Chapter 4 - we were all so excited that the franchise was getting a resurgence. Ballerina does just that. I was lucky enough to see the film, and I completely fell in love with the franchise all over again.
I think Ana de Armas does a phenomenal job of bringing elegance and ferocity to the character. It's something Indian audiences are really, really going to love. It also prepares Indian audiences for a genre we are diving deep into now -independent, women-led action characters.
There's been a lot of speculation about whether it will hold a candle to the original John Wick franchise, but I think it not only holds up, it exceeds expectations.
The full might of action direction has gone into this. They've gone all out.'
Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, and Keanu Reeves also appear in the film. "I wanted to make sure people knew this wasn't about creating a female John Wick. It's her own character," director Len Wiseman told Collider about Ballerina.
Niharika Bijli and Aamer Bijli
This week in Mumbai, the India premiere of Ballerina unfolded at PVR Juhu, alongside a curated reel of upcoming international titles.
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BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 26: Ana de Armas attends the "From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina" Berlin Premiere at Zoo Palast on May 26, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by)
BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 26: Ana de Armas attends the "From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina" Berlin Premiere at Zoo Palast on May 26, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by)
BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 26: (4R-8R) Robert Maaser, Ana de Armas, Bernhard zu Castell, Len Wiseman and Helen Lee-Kim attend the "From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina" Berlin Premiere at Zoo Palast on May 26, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by)
At the event, he also unveiled PVR Pictures' international release slate for FY25–26 - a bold and varied lineup that includes everything from Now You See Me 3 and Smashing Machine, to A24's Sorry Baby and Black Bear's provocatively titled I Want Your Sex.
'We're committed to curating stories that transcend borders and genres,' Bijli says. 'Ballerina is just the beginning of a global content journey that reflects our growing audience's appetite for bold, diverse, and cinematic storytelling.'
The past year saw PVR INOX Pictures make significant strides as a leading player in the international distribution space. The studio successfully brought award-winning and buzzworthy titles such as Oscar hopefuls Golda and Beau Is Afraid to Indian audiences. It also expanded into new genres — championing popular anime releases like Suzume and Haikyuu: The Dumpster Battle, as well as concert films including Blackpink World Tour, Seventeen Tour, Suga: Road to D-Day, and J-Hope: In the Box — tapping into India's rising pop culture fandom and niche cinematic communities.
Aamer Bijli took the stage to unveil the next wave of international acquisitions for 2025–26, marking a pivotal moment in PVR INOX Pictures' global growth story. The upcoming slate features standout titles from some of the world's top studios:
From A24: Sorry Baby, The Drama, The Riders, Marty Supreme, Onslaught
From Lionsgate: The Strangers: Chapter 2, SAW 11
From Black Bear Pictures: Afterburn, Relay, Fred & Ginger, Greenland Migration, I Want Your Sex, Famous
From NEON Studios: The Housewife
These acquisitions reflect the studio's ambition to deliver diverse, impactful storytelling across genres — whether it's prestige drama, elevated horror, romantic musicals, or high-stakes action.
'The studio's continued success is rooted in its deep relationships with a roster of renowned international partners, including A24, Lionsgate, FilmNation, Black Bear, Pathé, NEON, and Comix Wave,' he said. 'These collaborations allow PVR INOX Pictures to serve as the exclusive theatrical gateway for many of the world's most compelling films in India.'