Sep 18, 2026 5:30pm IST
Robbie Grewal On ‘Billionaire’ And Making Shows About Real People: ‘You Cannot Toy With Somebody’s Life’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Filmmaker Robbie Grewal’s next project, “Billionaire,” takes him back into the world of real-life inspiration after “Made in India: A Titan Story.” But for the filmmaker, dramatizing the lives of real people comes with a responsibility that begins with research and extends to how their stories are ultimately told on screen.
Grewal shares, “The first point of the research has to be very deep and very correctly done. Because obviously they are real people. You cannot toy with somebody’s life and make a mess of it on screen.”
The filmmaker says this has always been central to his process. “You have to be big on research. Generally, my way of working is that I usually research a lot, which helps me make a picture of my story,” he adds.
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His research also determines what he finds compelling about the people at the center of these stories. Speaking about the real-life figure he explored while developing “Made in India: A Titan Story,” Grewal says,
“When I learned about him (Xerxes Desai), where he came from, and the ideologies that we are testing, and the belief he had in himself, and in the idea, and in his team, I loved the essence of the character.”
What particularly stayed with Grewal was the man’s unwavering belief in his vision. “He was a man who just believed. And that’s it. He said, no matter what happens, my beliefs will not waver.” Grewal sees that conviction as especially interesting in the present day. “It’s a world we live in where dreams fade away too quickly, and you move on to other things. So I think that characteristic of him was so nice, especially in today’s day and age,” he opines.
“Billionaire,” which Grewal is making next, has been reported as being loosely inspired by businessman Vijay Mallya. Its makers have clarified that the series is not a direct retelling of Mallya’s life. Instead, the project uses a fictionalized character and draws on elements associated with the world of a powerful business tycoon.
The move from “Made in India: A Titan Story” to “Billionaire” also highlights Grewal’s interest in stories built around people whose personal convictions shape larger worlds. But he says the process of making such shows is not simply about researching a person and reproducing their life on screen. The interpretation has to be grounded in an understanding of who they were and what drove them.
Grewal also addresses how streaming projects are developed, pushing back against the perception that production companies typically make an entire series and then shop the finished product to platforms. “Shows, 95% shows are commissioned by the brand,” he says. There are exceptions, he adds, but they are relatively uncommon. “Few make the show on their own, and then they sell it. But those are far and few in between.”
For most projects, he says, the platform and production company become involved much earlier in the process. “They approach you, you approach them either way and they agree with it, they like the show and also they are with you from that point,” Grewal says.
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