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Category: Hindi

  • UAE is the Next Go-To Destination For Bollywood Lovers in 2023

    UAE is the Next Go-To Destination For Bollywood Lovers in 2023

    Both Bollywood and the UAE are synonymous with glitz and glamour. There is no better place than the UAE that embodies the dazzling, flamboyant film industry, with desi undertones and unique attractions. With a strong Indian community around and a never ending appetite for flair, it’s little surprise that the Emirates is emerging as the top destination for Bollywood fans across the globe, here is why.

    Hotspot for Bollywood Stars

    The rich and the renowned love sharing their experiences visiting the UAE. With ultra-luxurious hotels and accommodations, towering skyscrapers between the clouds, colourful souks and markets, it is no secret that the UAE is a hotspot for Bollywood stars and is one of their favourite holiday destinations. Be it actors, singers or rappers, the city’s pomp has always drawn more stars into the country to pamper themselves and catch a break from their star-studded lives. While you are here in the UAE, you may stumble across celebrities vacationing in style and exploring the city.

    The King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan himself refers to Dubai as his second home, often vacationing in his beachfront villa overlooking the picturesque Palm Jumeirah. B-town’s favourite Bhai Salman Khan also calls Dubai his favourite city in the world, joining the list of several A-listers, such as Shilpa Shetty, Abhishek and Aishwarya Bhachan, Anil Kapoor and many more owning homes in Dubai, preferring to call the UAE as home, away from home.

    Bollywood Parks Dubai

    Did you know that Dubai has its very own Bollywood-themed park? Bollywood Parks Dubai is a one-of-a-kind entertainment park comprising 6 vibrant zones inspired by Bollywood blockbusters, nailing the perfect desi vibe the moment you step into this complex. Start your trip strolling across the colourful buildings of Bollywood Boulevard, complete with cafes and live entertainment embodying the different cultures of India.

    The very essence of Bollywood is contained within Mumbai Chowk, the bustling gullies with overflowing people, and plenty of streetside stalls selling delicious chats. Head over to Rustic Ravine to watch your favourite movies come to life and be part of the real-life action played out in Lagaan and Sholay. Hop onto the tallest swing ride in the world, the Bollywood Skyflyer here, and explore the majestic Rajmahal Theatre, which hosted the very first Broadway-style Bollywood musical in the region.

    Louvre Abu Dhabi

    The Louvre Abu Dhabi, which arose out of a partnership between the  United Arab Emirates and France, is a cultural institution perfect for art aficionados. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is currently gearing up to launch ‘Bollywood Superstars: A Short Story of Indian Cinema” to celebrate the regional film industry. From the commercial Hindi films produced in ‘Bollywood’ to ‘Kollywood’s’ Tamil-language movies and the more socially engaged Bengali cinema, Indian cinema reflects the subcontinent’s diversity and acts as a vessel for public opinion where current social and cultural issues are reenacted and debated out.

    The exhibition will be open from 24 January to 24 June this year. Fans and history buffs may want to start browsing for cheap flights to Abu Dhabi now!

    Featuring extracts from over 80 artworks from 40 films, Bollywood Superstars investigates the diverse roots of Indian cinema. Be it 19th-century traditional shadow theatre and early silent movies to the 21st-century gods of the screen, the exhibition presents the richness of India’s image-making traditions alongside the influence of popular arts such as storytelling, dance, and theatre and its close relationship with mythology and religion.

    Organised by the France Museums, Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Bollywood Superstars is co-curated by Julien Rousseau– Jacques Chirac with Hélène Kessous, Anthropologist, and specialist of South Asian cinema. The exhibition includes a wide range of shadow puppets, photography, Mughal armours, daggers, and mythological and religious lithographs.

    Catch the IIFA!

    The International Indian Film Academy Awards, or the IIFA, is the annual awards ceremony for Bollywood, attended by everyone in the industry, from artists, performers, singers, directors and more. This year’s mega-event is all set to be held in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi in Yas Island. To be held on 10 February and 11 February, this will be a fun-filled weekend of music, cinema, fashion, and culture with the very best of the Indian cinema and film fraternity.

    Enjoy a weekend full of glamour in style and see the stars hit the green carpet yourself at the Etihad Arena. Tickets are already on sale on Yas Island Abu Dhabi’s official website. The fees breakdown is as follows:

    Lower Tier A–AED 1,350

    Lower Tier B–AED 1,000

    Lower Tier C–AED 750

    Middle Tier A–AED 550

    Middle Tier B–AED 440

    Lower & Middle Tier C–AED 330

    Upper Tier A–AED 220

    Upper Tier B–AED 110

    Accessible Seating–AED 440

    You can also buy packages starting from AED 1208, including a 1-night stay with breakfast at one of Yas Island’s hotels and an event ticket for 2 adults.

  • Dilraj Singh Nandha on the unsettling legacy of the rapper’s Moose Wala changed the music industry of Punjab?

    Dilraj Singh Nandha on the unsettling legacy of the rapper’s Moose Wala changed the music industry of Punjab?

    Dilraj Nandha, Music Head, Desi Melodies, has seen the industry experience remarkable progress in production quality and growth of distribution network in recent years, as a result, the regressive price system is strengthened. The death of Punjabi musician Sidhu Moosewala has placed a pall over the Punjabi music business. Except for a few Moosewala tribute songs (295,So High, These Days, The Last Ride, etc), film songs, and a few melodies from new artists, not much has been released since the horrific tragedy. While Sidhu’s death is being described as the culmination of an inter-gang feud, it does expose the dark underbelly of one of the country’s largest music industries by bringing to light, once again, its link to the world of gangsters.”

    Moose Wala retained a distinct hip-hop lexicon, from clothing to style, which helped him become an instant global smash. His music was also typically macho at the time, as rap music often is, and swaggered on the verge of violence. He was unapologetically confrontational, singing about his love of guns, bragging about his caste, and detailing a put-down of his opponents. He wrote some striking lyrics that covered the past and contemporary status of Punjab throughout a four-year career. His fondness for firearms and attempts to drive listeners into complicated and often even uncomfortable conversations – such as SYL – earned him a lot of criticism.

    Dilraj says,“The Punjabi music industry is one of India’s fastest-growing, but there is also an allegedly unavoidable contact between artists and gangsters, which frequently leads in similar tragedies. Because of the incident, shooting schedules have been affected. New artists who thought they would become public figures by singing songs and releasing their album will now be considering other career options. Big music labels are no more interested to invest in Punjabi music because of the fear of their security due to the this incidence.

    When an artist writes songs and educates local females. Their tracks have 500-600 million views. They improve their local community. As a result, when such a powerful individual dies, it affects the livelihoods of many people. This industry provides not just entertainment but also a living for thousands of individuals. We forget that an artiste’s job, like that of any other employee, is to create. It is entertainment for the masses, but it is also work for the artists and those in the entertainment industry.“

    Punjabis are a strong community and this situation will come under control soon, now that the matter has come to light.

     

  • ‘Rudra: The Edge of Darkness’ was most watched show in 2022: Ormax Media

    ‘Rudra: The Edge of Darkness’ was most watched show in 2022: Ormax Media

    Mumbai: Ormax Media has recently released a report, “Streaming Originals in India-The 2022 Story.” This report looks at the top original shows and films released in 2022, in Hindi & international languages, in three parameters: viewership, marketing buzz & content strength.

    This report focuses only on original content and does not cover other ‘non-original’ content on streaming, such as theatrical films, catch-up television, sports, etc.

    Most watched

    The category of most-watched Hindi shows is led by Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, which has an estimated viewership of 35.2 million. Disney+ Hotstar takes seven positions in the top 15, followed by Prime Video and MX Player (four shows each).

    In the category of most-watched Hindi films, three films—A Thursday, Cuttputlli, and Govinda Naam Mera—all on Disney+ Hotstar—crossed the 24 million Indian viewership mark in 2022. Disney+ Hotstar (seven films), Prime Video, & Netflix (four films each) share the top 15 spots.

    Franchise shows, including those from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, dominate the international list, taking each of the top eight positions. Most-watched international shows lead by House Of The Dragon with 28.2 million views.

    Most buzzing

    Buzz, a score on a 0–100 scale that measures the per cent of the audience who recalled the show or film unaided when asked to recall upcoming or recently-launched streaming shows or films.

    In the most-buzzing Hindi show, Panchayat season two (on Prime Video) generated the maximum buzz with 34 per cent, followed by Rudra (on Disney+ Hotstar). Franchise shows take nine out of the top 15 positions on the list.

    Most-buzzing Hindi films featuring theatrical stars dominate the list.

    Geheraiyaan was the most-buzzing direct-to-OTT Hindi film of 2022, with 25 per cent, by a wide margin.

    Most-buzzing international show Stranger Things season four leads the list with a score, recording a higher buzz (26 per cent) than all Hindi series except Panchayat season two and Rudra.

    Ormax power rating

    Ormax Power Rating (OPR), a score on a 0-100 scale that represents how much a show or a film is liked by its viewers.

    In most-liked Hindi shows, Panchayat season two was adored by the audience, with its high OPR of 75 placing it number six on the all-time list, on which The Family Man season two, another Prime Video show, holds the top spot (OPR 85). Sony LIV’s Rocket Boys and Netflix’s Delhi Crime season two take the next two spots.

    In the most-liked Hindi film category, A Thursday was loved by the audience with 66 OPR, while Disney+ Hotstar takes three of the top four spots. Netflix dominates the top ten list, with five out of the six positions from number five to number ten.

    In terms of most-liked international shows, Stranger Things season four is the second most-liked international show to date (since the start of tracking in 2020) after Money Heist (seasons four & five).

    The top 10 list features shows from a variety of genres and languages but is primarily franchise-led.

    In the most-liked international films category, The Gray Man, featuring Dhanush in a key role, was the only international direct-to-OTT film to touch the 70 OPR mark in 2022.

  • Sudhanshu Rai’s next feature film to be a sci-fi thriller

    Sudhanshu Rai’s next feature film to be a sci-fi thriller

    Mumbai: Sudhanshu Rai and Puneet Sharma have once again joined hands to bring a never-seen-before storyline starring some popular faces from Indian cinema in pivotal roles.

    To be directed by Sharma, the film is expected to be a sci-fi thriller, wherein storyteller-actor Sudhanshu Rai will be seen sharing the screen space with Sourabh Raaj Jain, who shot to fame with an unforgettable portrayal of Lord Krishna in the latest edition of the TV show Mahabharat. He is also known for his notable roles in Chandragupta Maurya, Uttaran, and Patiala Babes. Recently appreciated for his role in Jogi and a lot more to his credit, Hiten Tejwani will also be playing a pivotal character in the said film.

    “The most crucial part of our intensive pre-production exercise was to onboard actors who can bring the characters alive and do justice with the script, for the plot of the film thrives strongly on powerful portrayals that weave an off-the-wall story. The movie would undoubtedly be groundbreaking when it comes to contemporary genres of filmmaking,” said Sharma, adding that Rai’s character defines the underlining context of the story while Jain would be seen as a fascinating larger-than-life character bound to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

    The cast also includes Shobhit Sujay and Manisha Sharma, who have earlier portrayed intriguing characters in previous Saints Art Originals. Announcing that the shooting will commence from 27 January near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, the director further said that the shoot schedule too had been finalised after much due diligence and deliberation, pointing out that the weather in the region during this period would complement the storyline of the film.

    Sourabh Raaj Jain took to Instagram to share the news with his fans. Posting a picture from the script reading session, the actor said that the New Year 2023 has begun on a ‘good note,’ adding that something interesting is cooking with unique ingredients. His Instagram post read, “New year has started on a good note, something is cooking…..something interesting with unique ingredients……”

     

  • &pictures HD! to air world HD premiere of ‘The Last Color’ starring Neena Gupta

    &pictures HD! to air world HD premiere of ‘The Last Color’ starring Neena Gupta

    Mumbai: &picturesHD is set to bring to audiences the world HD premiere of the award-winning film, The Last Color, on 12 January, 8 p.m.

    Produced by FilmKaravan and directed by Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna, The Last Color promises us a gleam of hope and light in today’s fast-paced world. The film is set to pave its way into your hearts and leave you full of emotions and zeal.

    Set in Banaras, the film addresses an age-old taboo surrounding widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi, India. The Last Color traces the journey of a widow, Noor (Neena Gupta), and her bond with a lovely young girl, Chhoti (Aqsa Siddiqui), and brings to light how Chhoti adds a punch of love, joy, and colour to Noor’s life. The supremely versatile and elegant Gupta slips into the role of Noor with ease, power, and a strong screen presence. Known for immersing herself into any character and making it her own, Gupta, fondly known as ‘Neena ji’ is loved by audiences of all age groups. Her relatability, her natural approach to life, and her immense passion for her characters leave us wanting for more.

    Talking about the world HD premiere, Khanna said, “The Last Color is a film that is very close to my heart and my childhood. The film is meant to be savoured like one’s favourite dish and is like an experience that takes you on a journey like never before. To showcase these sorts of emotions and a strong character was indeed challenging, and who better than Neena Gupta to sink into this character and make it her own. She was extremely supportive and helped me with many inputs while we were shooting. Each scene of this film is crafted with great thought and eventually the goal is to nudge the audiences and somewhere unfold the entire experience of a widow through the festival of colors, Holi. It was my heartfelt desire that the film reaches maximum audiences, and I am delighted that my distribution partner FilmKaravan made this happen. Moreover, I am looking forward to the premiere of the film on &pictures HD and hope that audiences love it.”

    “When I heard the script of the film, I was left with a rush of emotions and wanted the world to see this story. I am glad that Khanna has brought such a beautiful vision to the audience, and working with him was indeed a refreshing and creatively satisfying experience. Every sequence was challenging in its own way and helped me explore deeper aspects of my vulnerabilities as an actor. The film was shot on the ghats of Banaras, which was supremely enjoyable. Moreover, at its core, the film showcases a beautiful friendship between my character Noor and a nine-year-old girl, played by Aqsa Siddiqui. I hope audiences enjoy watching the film,” said Gupta.

  • India can be the post-production hub of the world: I&B minister Anurag Thakur

    India can be the post-production hub of the world: I&B minister Anurag Thakur

    Mumbai: “International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has become a platform for film directors from all over the world to showcase their work. I am sure that India will become a hub for co-production, post-production, film shooting, content, and also for the technology partners,” said the union minister for information & broadcasting and youth affairs & sports Anurag Thakur, during the inauguration ceremony of the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India at Panaji, Goa.

    Thakur added that his vision is to make India the most sought-after destination for film shoots and post-production, backed by the talent of our people and the innovation of our industry leaders.

    The minister went on to say that his vision for IFFI isn’t limited to a single event, but rather what IFFI should be when India celebrates its 100th year of independence, when we switch from Amrit Mahotsav to Amrit Kaal. “We aim to make India a powerhouse of content creation, especially regional cinema, by scaling up regional festivals. India can be the post-production hub of the world by leveraging the immense tech talent amongst our skilled youth,” he added.

    “For the first time, gala premieres of Indian, global, and OTT films will be held at IFFI, including the premiere of the fourth season of the globally acclaimed series Fauda, which features some of the biggest Israeli stars in the world today. I would also like to share that the next season of this show will also be launched at IFFI,” Thakur added.

    The minister further congratulated celebrated Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura for winning the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award this year. He also announced that the Indian Film Personality of the Year award will be conferred to South Indian actor Chiranjeevi.

    While sharing the achievements, Thakur pinpointed the importance of the Film Bazaar, which is being organised on the sidelines of IFFI. “For the first time, IFFI has augmented the scope of the ‘Film Bazaar’ by introducing ‘Country Pavilions,’” he added.

  • NFDC announces Satyajit Ray poster design contest winners

    NFDC announces Satyajit Ray poster design contest winners

    Mumbai: National Film Development Corporation Limited (NFDC) held an online film poster design contest in honour of the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, who will be honoured at the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa from 20 to 28 November. The contest’s theme was The One and Only Ray.

    Information & Broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur expressed his appreciation and said, “I extend my congratulations to the three winners whose posters were selected out of hundreds of entries and the 75 top poster designers who meticulously created such imaginative film poster designs for the ‘One & Only Ray’ contest. I further extend my appreciation to the jury for their time and thoughtful selections. This 53rd IFFI is set to bring in a whole new experience for movie lovers from around the world, the excitement is catching on!”

    Artist Sayak Das was the winner of the contest while Varad Godbole was the first runner up and Aniruddha Chatterjee was the second runner up

    NFDC India managing director Ravinder Bhakar informed, “In honour of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and the 100th anniversary of Ray and 39th birth anniversary, we held this contest for creative professionals with knowledge of art, visual communication, graphic design, and illustrative skills. Everything came together, and we now have our top 75 winners. We hope the general public will praise the film poster designs that will be on display at the 53rd IFFI.”

    The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) aims to provide a common platform for filmmakers from around the world to showcase their talent and the best of cinema from around the world. As the country commemorates the 75th anniversary of its hard-won independence with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav flags swaying in every state, 75 film poster designs from across the country have been chosen to be displayed for audiences in a unique exhibition of the legendary Satyajit Ray at the 53rd International Film Festival of India 2022.

    The jury, composed of renowned artists from the fields of art, cinema, and painting, selected the 75 best film posters from a total of 635 submissions. The entire process, including the jury and evaluation, was conducted online. The top three winners will receive cash prizes, as well as a souvenir created from the winning film poster designs, which will be presented to dignitaries during the 53rd IFFI.

    Filmmaker Shyam Benegal said, “The One and Only Ray film poster design contest at the 53rd IFFI honours Ray’s legacy both as a filmmaker as well as his considerable work as a typographer, and graphic designer-the last but not the least of the great masters of the Bengal Renaissance.”

    Indian painter & muralist Anjolie Ela Menon said, “I am obliged to be a member of the jury for the ‘One and Only Ray’ contest, the applicants and the innovative work reflected their sharp efforts. It is a proud moment for India; since we have a wealth of talent. I hope that applicants will hone their creative abilities and wish their earnest efforts will all be recognized in future. Adulation for the winners of the contest.”

    Veteran artist and animation film designer  Dhimant Vyas shared his views, “Overwhelmed by the calibre of the applicants, NFDC has done an outstanding job toward its objective of providing a platform for emerging film poster creative artists and designers and paying homage to the renowned Ray. I wish success to everyone who took part, the creatives were remarkable.”

    The jury, which included renowned artists from the fields of art, film, and painting, chose the 75 best film posters from 635 submissions. The entire process, including the jury and evaluation, was conducted online. The top three winners will receive monetary prizes, with the winner receiving Rs 1,000,000/-, the first and second runners up receiving Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively, as well as a souvenir created from these three winning film poster designs, which will be presented to dignitaries and eminent personalities attending the 53rd IFFI.

    Each jury panelist was given a unique login and password, and a scoring criteria was used to determine the winners: creativity and originality, theme relevance, visual contest, and visual impact.

    Imafoundation.com founder, artist and curator Radha Binod Sharma stated, “I am honoured and privileged to serve and conduct national duty for the NFDC organisation. This is a great initiative which has helped to bring prominence to the present and past cultural riches that exist in India. I come from a rich, and derp culture in the North-East of India, namely Manipur and Tripura and beyond my artistic work I am committed to identifying talented artists in India and worldwide. I appreciated and enjoyed viewing the exceptional works from the varied regions of our culturally diverse country and I was uplifted by how the applicants rose to the challenge of the contest and theme. As a result, I saw a lot of emerging talent with some impressive film poster designs which filled me with immense pride. Vande Mataram.”

    Artist Prakash Bal Joshi told, “Was joyous to be part of the esteemed jury & glad to adjudicate commendable artworks of the film poster designs inspired by Ray. Gratitude to all the efforts from the applicants as well as the team NFDC for this unique contest and ease of evaluation process.”

    Multi-media visual artist and academic Shukla Sawant said, “I had the opportunity to view the artists and creations while reviewing entries for this movie poster design contest, which was an absolutely wonderful experience. I am hoping that the audiences will find them equally appealing during the display. I congratulate the organizers of the 53rd IFFI for their unwavering support to the creative community.”

    The festival promotes understanding of various social and cultural ethos, as well as appreciation for world cinema, by bringing film cultures together. The NFDC received an overwhelming response to the contest, and the applicants’ level of creativity was exceptional, adhering to the contest’s theme. NFDC encourages everyone to be inspired by Ray’s work and legacy. During the 53rd IFFI 2022, the film poster designs will be on display at the Festival Mile.

  • Biopic to be released on Vijay Sankeshwar titled “Vijayanand”

    Biopic to be released on Vijay Sankeshwar titled “Vijayanand”

    Mumbai:  A biopic about Padma Shri awardee, Vijay Sankeshwar, the owner of the commercial vehicles fleet VRL Group of companies, is set to be released.

    The film  ‘Vijayanand’, directed by Rishika Sharma, stars Nihal R, Bharath Bopanna, Anant Nag, Ravi Chandran, Prakash Belawadi, Siri Prahalad, Vinaya Prasad, Archana Kottige and Anish Kuruvilla, among others.

    Sharma previously directed the film Trunk,’ which starred Nihal. The film, which was made on a shoestring budget, performed exceptionally well at the box office, making it one of the most beneficial films of 2018.

    ‘Vijayanand’ will also be VRL Film Productions’ debut production venture, and the Kannada film will have a pan-India release with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

    Sharma said, “Nihal came up with the idea of making a film on Vijay sir’s life and once we started doing our research, we understood it is a huge responsibility to bring out his story for the world. His journey is truly inspiring and we are truly grateful that Anand sir (Anand Sankeshwar) understood our vision and not only gave permission but also is backing the film as a producer.”

    Vijay Sankeshwar began his entrepreneurial journey in Hubli, Karnataka, and now owns the VRL Group of companies. He co-founded the company with his son, Anand Sankeshwar. He is also the owner of the Kannada newspaper Vijaya Vani and the Dighvijaya 24×7 news channel.

    The government of India awarded Vijay Sankeshwar the Padma Shri in 2020.

    Music composer Gopi Sundar, has composed music for Vijayanand. Keertan Poojary did the cinematography and Hemanth did the editing. Sharma created the artwork and costumes herself.

  • Anand Gandhi create stunning storyboard with artificial intelligence

    Anand Gandhi create stunning storyboard with artificial intelligence

    Mumbai: Anand Gandhi, known for pushing the boundaries of ideas and possibilities in cinema, games or tech, has taken to Instagram to share something cutting-edge – images from a film storyboard that he created purely using AI technology.

    These gorgeous images are from a hard science-fiction film that he announced in 2019 called Emergence. Since 2015, he has been speculating about a pandemic that brings the world to a halt. Ironically, the film was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    In the post, Gandhi shared, “My exposure to text to image AI happened when I visited MIT Media Lab a decade ago. Computer vision is going to inform our futures in ways I can only vaguely speculate, limited by the ceiling of my imagination.”

    His audiences and industry peers couldn’t contain their excitement at these images. Actor Vijay Verma commented, “This looks extraordinary, Anand.” Many other users also begged, “Please make this happen!”

    Whether Anand Gandhi actually intends to make this now is anybody’s guess. Regardless, we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

  • Inox reports 2Q loss of Rs 22 crore

    Inox reports 2Q loss of Rs 22 crore

    Mumbai: Hit by the poor performance of Bollywood, multiplex operator Inox Leisure has reported a second quarter 2023 fiscal loss of Rs 22 crore compared with a profit after tax of Rs 51 crore in the same period of the 2020 fiscal. When compared to the same period in the 2020 fiscal, Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) fell by 97 percent to three crore rupees.

    Revenue dropped by 27 per cent to Rs 381 crore. While the spending per head went up by 29 per cent, the number of footfalls went down by 39 per cent. Occupancy was down by 13 per cent. The average ticket price rose by 10 per cent. Inox said that the 2021 and 2022 fiscals were hit by the pandemic, and therefore it has taken the 2020 fiscal as a comparison.

    Inox had a net profit of Rs 57.09 crore in the first quarter of the 2023 fiscal. Revenue from operations was Rs 582.26 crore in the first quarter of the 2023 fiscal.

    For the first half of the 2023 fiscal, profit after tax declined by 43 per cent to Rs 53 crore compared to the same period in the 2020 fiscal. Ebitda fell by 33 per cent to Rs 134 crore. Revenue fell marginally by five per cent to Rs 970 crore.

    The company said that it expects a great turnaround in the business going forward thanks to a content lineup in the upcoming quarters with releases like Ram Setu, Thank God, Drishyam 2, Bhedia, Phone Bhoot, Cirkus, Black Adam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Avatar: The Way of Water, complimented with consumer-centric innovations. The company added 30 screens in the first half of the fiscal, which it said was the highest screen addition in the industry. The company added two new properties with 13 screens in the second quarter; a 10-screen Inox Megaplex at Emerald Mall, Lucknow and a three-screen multiplex in Srinagar. Inox revived cinema in Kashmir after a gap of 32 years with the launch of the first multiplex in Srinagar. The three-screen cinema brings the contemporary giant-screen movie watching experience back to the region.

    Furthermore, the company plans to add 11 properties and 47 screens in FY23.

    The company reported its best ever quarterly SPH, which was largely driven by the rigorous efforts around F&B. Critical additions to the menu, introduction of seasonal specialties, timely and result-oriented marketing initiatives, interactive culinary sessions and workshops and numerous process innovations have led to a solid recovery on the F&B revenues.

    Inox Leisure director Siddharth Jain said, “Pandemic has taught us to remain battle-fit and come up with answers to difficult situations. The second quarter of FY23 was impacted by the inconsistency in the content value chain, proving the importance of great quality content yet again. We are delighted with our promising performance on the F&B front, with our highest ever quarterly spend per head. Our foray into Kashmir with the region’s first multiplex marked the revival of cinemas in the valley, and we are quite upbeat about this historic launch, which underlines our desire to entertain India across its length and breadth. The spectacular content pipeline, the festive fervour and our consistent rigour will certainly mark a celebratory third quarter for us.”