Davos 2025: 'We aim to bring Indian culture and movies to London through the iconic Riverside Studios,' says Vedanta’s Priya Agarwal Hebbar

Priya Agarwal HZL

Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director of Vedanta and daughter of Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal, on January 20, has shared her perspective on the significance of acquiring the iconic Riverside Studio, a 100-year-old venue now under her father’s stewardship.

“This studio has been a passion area for our entire family, especially for my father,” said Priya Agarwal in an interview with Moneycontrol’s Chandra R Srikanth at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “He’s been eyeing it for some time. He is deeply passionate about Bollywood and Indian culture, and every Friday you’ll find him in a cinema alone watching a Bollywood movie.”

Anil Agarwal, founder and chairman of Vedanta Group acquired the historic Riverside Studios in London in January 2025. The 100-year-old studio, located on the north bank of the River Thames, is renowned globally as a hub for the arts and has hosted performances by legends.

Over its illustrious history, Riverside Studios has hosted prestigious artists from across the world with song recordings by Beatles, performance by David Bowie, presented work by Dario Fo and exhibited works by David Hockney, to name a few.

According to a recent media statement, it was mentioned that the acquisition was  Agarwal's personal commitment to fostering creativity and global cultural exchange. Post the acquisition, Riverside Studios has been named Anil Agarwal Riverside Studios Trust.

Anil Agarwal’s connection to Indian arts runs deep. Priya Agarwal recalled that her father’s journey began when he first arrived in Mumbai, with the dream of becoming a Bollywood singer. Riverside Studios represents a key piece in the realisation of that dream,  a space where Indian culture and talent can be celebrated on the global stage.

“The studio is iconic, and we aim to bring the best of Indian talent to perform here,” Priya said. “Riverside Studios, which has hosted global legends like The Beatles, will be a platform for promoting Indian culture and films. London, as a global hub, is the perfect place for this vision.”