Arlene Nelson will direct a documentary series on Indian Women’s Premier League cricket team U.P. Warriorz, it was revealed on the sidelines of the Asian TV Forum and Market (ATF).
The men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most lucrative properties in world sport. In June 2022,Viacom18, a TV and streaming group backed by billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, paid $3 billion towin an online auctionfor two packages of digital rights to the men’s IPL cricket. Disney, which held the TV and digital rights to IPL for the past five seasons, won only the broadcast TV rights, but agreed to pay $3.01 billion for them.
The Women’s Premier League launched earlier this year and also proved to be enormously popular. The city-based team franchise rights were sold for $572 million and the media rights for $116 million.
Nelson recently directed “Angel City,” a three-part HBO documentary series that followed Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club.Over the next six months, Nelson will train her sights on the U.P. Warriorz team, which is owned by Capri Sports, and will also serve as executive producer.
The as-yet-untitled docuseries on the U.P. Warriorz will be financed and produced by Victory Sports Media, the newly established sports content company founded by Jai Khanna and Parag Parikh, in association with Dubai’s ART & M and Mumbai’s Capri Sports. Advanced discussions are underway with various international broadcasters and global streaming platforms.
Victory Sports Media, a subsidiary of Victory Media Group, launched this year. Victory is co-founded by Jai Khanna, a former Brillstein talent manager most recently credited on film “Four Good Days” and the Hulu premiere “Prisoner’s Daughter,” and Parag Parikh, a strategist and marketing executive with considerable experience advising Fortune 500 clients and as strategic advisor to the 2020 Presidential campaign. Victory’s co-production alongside Show B of the Tony-winning play “Life of Pi” is scheduled to launch its American tour next year.
The U.P. Warriorz docuseries aims to delve into the personal stories and international backgrounds of team athletes and examine the culture of a professional women’s team in a traditionally male dominated game. Unveiling their training regimens, the wisdom of the coaching staff, team dynamics, off-field camaraderie and the emotional and physical hurdles they overcome, the series aims to paint a canvas of the franchise’s history and articulate its future.
“In the current zeitgeist, a global groundswell is propelling female protagonists to the forefront. The docuseries embraces this momentum and allows me to weave a rich narrative where resilient women athletes emerge as trailblazers. I’m honored to be entrusted with the telling of this universal story that I believe is destined to captivate audiences worldwide,” said Arlene Nelson.
Khanna added: “We are excited to collaborate with Capri and ART & M, to share the incredible story of the U.P. Warriorz with a global audience. Such stories are crucial for celebrating accomplishments, shattering glass ceilings, and inspiring future generations.”
ART&M, an entertainment company operating out of Dubai, specializes in film and television IP. Capri Sports, led by Jinisha Sharma, is part of Capri Global Holding’s portfolio, based in Mumbai, with an interest in financial, apparel and sports sectors.
Arlene Nelson is represented by UTA.
