Yash Raj Films invests in Rusk Media to build vertical entertainment IP

Yash Raj Films (YRF) has made a strategic investment in digital entertainment company Rusk Media to develop original animation and vertical micro-drama intellectual property (IP) for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, as both companies seek to capitalise on the growing vertical entertainment market. The companies did not disclose the financial details of the transaction.

Under the partnership, YRF will lead the creative direction for original animation and vertical micro-drama IP, while Rusk Media will produce and distribute the content through its proprietary Alright! TV platform and global digital channels.

The collaboration is aimed at creating original digital IP that can scale across platforms as audiences increasingly consume short-form, mobile-first content. The companies said the partnership reflects their shared ambition to establish India as a creative force in the vertical entertainment economy through original animation and vertical micro-drama franchises.

“The instinct to evolve has always been central to YRF’s DNA. Platforms are infrastructure, content and IP are culture. Mayank and his team at Rusk Media have built a deep understanding of how the next generation discovers and inhabits stories, and that is exactly the kind of vision we want to invest in. Together, the aspiration is to build worlds, not just content,” said Akshaye Widhani, CEO, Yash Raj Films.

Rusk Media, founded in 2019, creates digital-first entertainment across social media platforms, OTT services and its owned platform, Alright! TV. The company focuses on serialised fiction, animation, unscripted content, vertical dramas and branded entertainment targeted at younger audiences.

“Vertical entertainment in India has produced extraordinary reach, but not the enduring IP that defines a category. That is the gap this collaboration is designed to close. We bring a native understanding of how digitally native audiences discover and build community around content, and with YRF’s backing, we are building for longevity, not the algorithm,” said Mayank Yadav, co-founder and CEO of Rusk Media.

The companies said they expect the partnership to support the creation of long-term digital franchises as the lines between cinema, streaming and mobile-first entertainment continue to blur, with original IP expected to play a larger role in shaping the next phase of India’s entertainment industry.