Category: Hindi

MUMBAI: Tips Industries is open to the idea of floating a new joint venture company with an investor as partner for scaling up its movie production business.

Tips is also exploring opportunities to enter into joint venture arrangements with different companies on a project basis. The investment will be done by the partner while Tips will focus on its expertise in filmmaking.

“We are not looking at diluting stake to raise money and scale up. The best route is to do joint ventures on a project basis where we get funding from our partners. The other option is to open a new joint venture company and raise money from the partner to scale up the movie production business,” Tips Kumar chairman and managing director Kumar S Taurani tells Indiantelevision.com.

Tips‘ focus will be to make two good movies a year. “We will scale up only if the other routes open up,” adds Taurani.

Prince, Tips‘ latest release, has clocked Rs 200 million gross in the opening weekend. “The movie is getting a good response at the box-office. We plan to release Hari Om, an international movie, this fiscal. We will do one-to-two movies more during the year if we get to distribute them,” avers Taurani.

Tips is likely to end FY‘10 on a revenue of Rs 800-900 million with Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani accounting for Rs 600 million.

The satellite telecast rights of Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani have been syndicated to Colors and Imagine TV. “We are in talks with other broadcasters for syndicating the rights,” says Taurani.

On the music front, Tips will release the repertoire of titles that had stayed idle with it ever since it had acquired music companies like Weston, Time, Oriental and Vatsa years back.

“The bottom line is stabilised because of our music revenues. Digital is far to take off in India. But we get good revenues from radio, public performance and mobile,” says Taurani.

MUMBAI: Zee Cinema has walked on board to sponsor the eighth edition of the annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA). The festival will be held from 20 to 25 April.

This year, IFFLA will showcase 33 films from five countries, including four world premieres and seven US premieres.

Says Zee TV‘s country head for the Americas Subroto Bhattacharya, “We are thrilled to align ourselves with the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. With our long-standing commitment to bring viewers the best entertainment that Bollywood has to offer, the film festival enables us to strengthen and expand our relationship with not only our existing South Asian customer base, but also the growing number of young South Asians around the country.”
 

MUMBAI: Having served Warner Bros. India as its national sales director for three and a half years, Neeraj Goswami has stepped down from his post.

Having put in his papers, Goswami will be in service till 15 April, his last day in office.

Speaking to indiantelevision.com about his decision to quit, Goswami avers, “Three and a half years ago, the market conditions were different and my priorities were different too. Now there is a big change in market conditions and my priorities have changed too.”

When asked about his future course of action Goswami says, “Post my leaving Warner, I am proceeding on a family vacation and only after I come back, will I seek various options available. But I will remain in the entertainment industry.”
 

NEW DELHI: Even as Assocham is expected to set up a free pavilion as the instance of the Government, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has drawn up a detailed plan to offer services to filmmakers and studios during this year’s edition of Cannes Film Festival from 12 May to 21.

The CII is coordinating the B2B meeting place for sales agents, film and TV production companies, content sellers, line producers, studios, technology service providers to have an exclusive meeting place at Palais during the Cannes Film Market to maximise the potential and do focused meetings. CII is also offering Special packages at the Exhibition space near the Cafeteria.

In the first package of Rs 25,000 plus service tax, CII is offering a one page ad in Pickle Magazine (otherwise costing Rs. 16,000 plus Service Tax), screening of up to five Trailers/ Promos of upcoming projects (otherwise costing Rs 5,000 plus service tax), and up to ten trailers (costing for Rs 10,000 plus service tax) and Indian Showbiz directory with company profile and a film project profile (costing Rs. 5,000 plus service tax).

The promos will be played during all ten days of the Cannes Film Market at the CII B2B market place. At the end of each promo, the screen will read the company name, sales contact, phone and email address. All the trailers / promos are required in a format of quicktime / MPEG 4 in DVD. The DVDs with trailers will be distributed along with Pickle magazine.

In the second package, there will be poster space for Rs 25,000 (inclusive of service tax/per poster) for all ten days in CII B2B meeting place. The CII Pavilion is situated at the heart of Palais near the cafeteria.

The third package has facility for displaying brochure for Rs 15,000 (inclusive of service tax/per company) for delegate pick up for all ten days. The brochure has to be delivered at Cannes (the address will be provided upon receipt of your confirmation).

The fourth package is a meeting table space for shorter period Rs 15,000 inclusive of service tax/per day) for five days or lesser period. A table and two chairs will be provided. A brochure can also be kept for the period booked for the Meeting Table and a promotional DVD can be played.

In another package, the CII is offering branding on Wall Space at the CII B2B Meeting place for Rs. 100,000 to Rs 150,000 for marketing of upcoming projects. This package also includes three market badges for the company taking a wall space of Rs. 500,000. The wall space is right in front of Cafeteria and the brand will be visible from the all sides. In addition, brochures can be kept and trailers can be played.

In another package, the B2B Meeting Space can be booked for the entire duration of the Cannes Film Market (May 12 to 21, 2010) for Rs. 100,000 plus Service Tax with One table space with two chairs; One poster space; One Market Badge; Common Receptionist; and Name in the Cannes Film Market Directory / Guide.

At the end of the market, in the first week of June, a comprehensive list of e-mail addresses of potential business associates, enquiries of co-production, shooting locale, service providers etc. generated at CII B2B market place and a trend report of Cannes Film Market will be sent to people who have participated or bought any one of the packages.

NEW DELHI: In a decision that will help boost regional cinema in the state, the West Bengal government has reduced entertainment tax to just two per cent of the value of each ticket for films in Bengali, Santhali and Nepali language.

In the notification which came into force on 9 April, the state government said it was being issued under section 3 of the Bengal Amusements Act 1922.

While benefiting the regional cinema, this notification may hit the exhibition of Hindi and English cinema in the state of West Bengal.

The present rate of Entertaiment Tax in Cinemas in West Bengal is 30 per cent on the value of the ticket for all films. But Bengali, Nepali and Santhali films were being charged 10 per cent on the admission charge. Theatres collect another Rs 3 for air conditioned hall, Rs 2.50 for Blower cooled hall, and Rs 2 for all other ordinary halls as service charge.

MUMBAI: Delhi-based cinema major PVR Ltd has approved the merger of Leisure World Pvt Ltd (LWPL) with itself.

The board has also approved issue of 152 equity shares of PVR against every 100 equity shares held by the members in LWPL.

LWPL, the promoter‘s closely held company, owns PVR Anupam multiplex, a prime property at Saket area in New Delhi.

The merger will be effective from 1 April 2010.

PVR had appointed PriceWaterhouse (PWC) to get the valuation of PVR and Leisure World and to suggest the swap ratio. PWC had recommended issue of 171 equity shares of PVR against every 100 equity shares of LWPL.

MUMBAI: Gurinder Chadha‘s It‘s a Wonderful Afterlife will have its premiere in London today at the Odeon West End.

Hosted by the film‘s UK distributors ICON, the event will see the presence of the film‘s lead couple Golday Notay and Sendhil Ramamurthy.

Joining them will be the film‘s director Chadha along with the cast comprising Sanjeev Bhaskar, Zoe Wanamaker and Jimi Mistry, to name a few.

The premiere is expected to be attended by London‘s glitterati including Camilla Rutherford, the Grewal Family, Lisa Butcher, Liz McClarnon, Mica Paris, Nitin Ganatra, and the Andrew Lloyd Webber find Preeya Kalidas.

The premiere will be followed by the Birmingham premiere on 14 April, making It‘s A Wonderful Afterlife among the few films to have two UK premieres.

The film releases in the UK on 21 April and in India on 7 May. It‘s A Wonderful Afterlife is a Studio18 production along with The Indian Film Company (TIFC) and Bend It Films.

MUMBAI: Director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan‘s Lahore that won many international awards much before its release is now set to create a history.

Lahore will be the first ever Indian film to have its remake in Hollywood. Hollywood Gang, successful producers of films like Gerard Butler starrer 300 and the Robert De Niro and Drew Barrymore starrer Everybody‘s Fine, has approached Chauhan in its bid to acquire the rights for remake of the film.

There is also a probability that Chauhan himself might direct the English film with an all new cast from Hollywood. It is said that the film will have some big names in it.

Comments Chauhan, “Yes it is true that we have been approached by Scott Carr, Director of Development of Hollywood Gang Production House. I would say it is an honour for me and my film that after having so much of accolades from all over will now be remade in Hollywood.”

Produced by Sai Om Film, Lahore was released in India by Warner Bros.
 

MUMBAI: Movie production is catching the eye of soap opera queen Ekta Kapoor. Buoyed by the success of Love, Sex Aur Dhoka, Balaji Telefilms plans to pump in Rs 1.2 billion towards churning out movies over the next 18-month period.

“We plan to invest Rs 1.2 billion in the film production business over the next 18 months. The two that are set for a July-August release are being built on Rs 500 million,” Balaji Telefilms Group CEO Puneet Kinra tells Indiantelevision.com.
Balaji Telefilms will be investing Rs 500 million in two movies that are set for release in the second quarter of this fiscal.

Once Upon A Time in Mumbai stars Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda. It is a movie based on Haji Mastan and the Mumbai underworld evolving from its early phase in the 60s and 70s to its connection with international terrorism.

Shor, on the other hand, is a fast-paced, edgy take on the grey area between right and wrong in the overcrowded city of Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Love, Sex Aur Dhoka, which is still running on the screens, has already garnered a net gross of Rs 100 million. Balaji Telefilms will take away close to 50 per cent of this as its share. The movie was made on a budget of Rs 70 million.

“We will make money from this movie. After its theatrical run, we will have satellite telecast rights to exploit,” says Kinra.

MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has invited the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham to organise the India Pavilion at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival scheduled to be held from 13 to 24 May.

The ministry has also asked Assocham to mobilise the Indian film and media industry for its whole hearted support to ensure the success of India Pavilion 2010. 

Assocham members, the Hinduja Group and the UB Group have already confirmed to host two exclusive networking dinners during the festival.

More then 100 countries participate by exhibiting their creations and products. Thousands of representatives from the film, media, entertainment, animation, technology and software sector from across the world make their presence felt at the Cannes Film Festival every year.