Adlabs to pump in Rs 3.7 billion for screen, studio expansion

While Rs 1.5 billion will be towards developing cinema theatres, Rs 1.2 billion will be for setting up four studios inside the Film City in Mumbai. The company will further invest Rs 1 billion for digital post production studios.

“We will be investing around Rs 3.7 billion in these three areas. We plan to have 200 screens in 76 properties and are also going to expand on the studio front. We should have the four studios by FY‘09,” Adlabs Films chairman and managing director Manmohan Shetty tells Indiantelevision.com. Adlabs currently has 107 screens and claims to have the largest cinemas chain in India.

Adlabs has been awarded a letter of intent from the state government of Maharashtra for setting up the studios in Film City, Shetty says. The capex requirement for this project is Rs 1.2 billion, he adds. Incidentally, Shetty has resigned from Adlabs and this will come into effect from 30 November.

The setting up of digital lab will help Adlabs expand into special effects, further integrating the company‘s activities encompassing film exhibition, production, distribution and processing and allied services.

Adlabs will also foray into Telugu and Tamil feature film production, Shetty says.