MUMBAI: Studio18 has partnered with Ram Gopal Varma‘s keenly awaited drama-thriller Rann to distribute the film is the US, UK and UAE.
Rann is slated for a 29 January release and stars Amitabh Bachchan along with Paresh Rawal, Riteish Deshmukh, Rajat Kapoor and Mohnish Bahl.
In Rann, Bachchan plays an upright media baron whose channel is sinking with the rapid emergence of a rival channel that creates sensationalised news.
MUMBAI: Raj Television Network has announced its entry into the movie distribution business.
The company, which already has a presence in the broadcasting and film production space, has acquired the exclusive distribution rights of an upcoming Tamil movie Kutty, starring Tamil star Dhanus, for some specified areas in Tamil Nadu.
The move is part of Raj TV‘s potential external growth strategy.
The company feels that it can manage to recover its investments in the few weeks of release of the movie. There is also substantial scope to grow further as the Tamil movie market is expanding both geographically and economically across the world.
Shares of Raj TV closed on the BSE at Rs 63.05 on Wednesday, up 0.75 per cent from the previous day‘s close.
MUMBAI: Warner Bros Pictures India has elevated George John to director – marketing (theatrical).
Says John, “I am honoured to accept this new role and challenge with Warner Bros. I look forward to continue working on the exciting lineup of both Hollywood and Bollywood films and developing 360 degree marketing solutions for each of our products.”
Adds Warner Bros. Pictures Deputy Managing Director (theatrical) Denzil Dias, “Over the years that George John has worked at Warner Bros, he has shown an unparalleled ability to assess demanding situations, understand market dynamics and communicate and implement the marketing strategies of our films.”
John has been with the motion pictures studio in India for the last 15 years. He was earlier senior marketing manager at the company.
MUMBAI: Eros International Media, a subsidiary of Aim-listed Eros International Plc, is planning to raise Rs 3.5 billion via an initial public offering (IPO).
The company is also considering a pre-IPO placement of up to Rs 200 million with certain investors.
Eros, which has filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said that the issue is for less than 25 per cent of the post-issue capital of the company.
At present, of a total of 71.41 million equity shares, Eros Worldwide holds 69.60 per cent stake while Indian company Eros Digital Private Limited holds 30.39 per cent. The remaining is with the individual promoters.
The company will use Rs 2.8 billion from the proceeds of the issue to acquire and co-produce Indian film rights, primarily Hindi films, as also Tamil and other regional language films. The surplus amount will be used towards general corporate purposes including meeting future growth requirements.
In FY ‘10, the company released 19 Hindi and 75 regional language films.
For the year ended 31 March 2009, Eros International reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 733.01 million on a total income of Rs 6.28 billion. For the six-month period ended September 2009, Eros posted a net profit of Rs 471.07 million on a turnover of Rs 3.39 billion. The company has a debt of Rs 2.10 billion.
Enam Securities, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Morgan Stanley India and RBS Equities (India) Limited are the book-running lead managers, while Link Intimate India is registrar to the proposed offer.
MUMBAI: Reliance Big Pictures will release Rituparno Ghosh‘s Abohomaan on 22 January.This would be the first Bengali release coming from the Big Pictures stable in 2010.
Says Reliance Big Pictures‘ CEO Sanjeev Lamba, “After Shob Charitro Kalponik, we are extremely glad to extend our relationship with Rituparno Ghosh to release Abohomaan. The film‘s response across various festivals is a testimony to the maestro‘s craftsmanship brilliantly with the most talented actors in Bengal.”
The film that has travelled extensively in the international festival circuit will be the production house‘s second dealing with Ghosh. It has been well received at various international film festivals including Montreal World Film Festival 09, Pusan International Film Festival 09, Mumbai Film Festival 09 and Morocco Film Festival 09.
Says director Ghosh, “Abohomaan has garnered a very heartening response from film festivals all across the world and is finally set for a theatrical release in Bengal. I am very eager to know how the cineastes in our home territory will respond to the film.”
Abohomaan explores the nuances of relationships as a married Aniket, one of Bengal‘s finest directors, falls in love with Shikha, an actress as young as his son. Shikha bears an uncanny resemblance to Deepti, Aniket‘s wife as she was in her younger days. And thus begin the trials and tribulations of what was till then a picture perfect family with a father, mother and son.
The film has Deepankar De, Mamata Shankar and Jishu Sengupta essaying stellar roles. It also has Ananya Chatterjee and Riya Sen who makes her debut in Bengali films with Abohomaan.
MUMBAI: Delhi-based cinema exhibition major PVR board has approved the proposed allotment of equity shares to Major Cineplex Group Plc of Thailand on a preferential basis.
The company will allot a total of 2,557,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each, amounting to 10 per cent of the equity, at a price of Rs 165 per share, including a premium of Rs 155 per share.
“With this, the Major Cineplex Group will hold a 10 per cent stake in PVR,” said PVR CFO Nitin Sood.
Major Cineplex Group is Thailand‘s leading lifestyle entertainment company with core business in multiplexes, film distribution, lifestyle neighbourhood malls, bowling and karaoke, ice skating rink, fitness clubs and advertising media.
Major Group, listed on the stock exchange of Thailand, currently operates about 350 multiplex screens, 500 bowling lanes, 300 karaoke rooms and 2 ice skating rinks in the country.
Major Group is also a joint venture partner with PVR in PVR bluO Entertainment Ltd.
Meanwhile, the board also approved the allotment of 11.40 per cent, 290 secured redeemable non-convertible debentures of Rs 1 million each to be issued in the form of separately transferable redeemable principal parts (STRPPs) of Rs 100,000 each.
However, PVR said Monday that allotment to DT Cinemas Ltd, DLF Group‘s cinema business, has been deferred for certain pending compliances with regards to handover of properties to the company.
“There are certain clarifications forthcoming from DT Cinemas‘ end and as soon as things are clarified we will go ahead with the acquisition,” adds Sood.
MUMBAI: The seven-day Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) that goes underway on 7 January will be inaugurated by Dev Anand in the presence of State Ministers Sunil Tatkare and Ramesh Bagwe at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir.
Chairman of the PIFF, Suresh Kalmadi said that the film festival would be the official film festival of the Government of Maharashtra from this year, as 2010 is also the golden jubilee year of the state.
This year, PIFF will confer lifetime achievement awards to Rajesh Khanna and Dr Shriram Lagoo for their outstanding contribution towards Indian cinema and theatre.
Starting this year, PIFF will introduce ‘Sachin Dev Burman international award for creative music and sound‘ for individuals who make a significant contribution in the field of music.
The first recipient of this honour would be music composer Pyarelal of the famous Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo.
This year, more than 150 films from 42 countries would be screened at six venues that include E-Square on University Road, Inox on Bund Garden Road, Fame at Fatima Nagar, City Pride in Kothrud, NFAI on Law College Road and NFAI on Paud Road.
Apart from the State Government, the festival is also being supported by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Archives of India (NFAI), Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Alliance de Francais and Whistling Woods.
MUMBAI: With a string of blockbusters in 2009, starting with Danny Boyle‘s Slumdog Millionaire and ending with James Cameron‘s Avatar, Fox Star Studios has raked in Rs 1.5 billion through its releases in India.
Just into its second year, Fox Star Studios has overtaken other Hollywood studios to sit atop in India.
While the first release Australia created waves at the box-office with the sizzling chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, the success of
8-Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire put the studio ahead of its contemporaries in 2009.
Sequels like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Night at the Museum 2 performed well, beating their simultaneous Bollywood releases at the box-office.
Ice Age 3 released in 3D was a huge hit with kids and adults alike. Grossing
Rs 90 million, the film became one of the the highest-grossing Hollywood animated film in India.
While Marley & Me touched the hearts of Indian audiences with its heart-rending tale, Bride Wars found an instant connect with the female audiences.
Fox‘s foray into Indian cinema with Quick Gun Murugan, however, did not pay off with the movie bombing at the box-office.
Finally, it was James Cameron‘s Avatar that did the magic by smashing all records at the Indian and international box-offices. The film has already crossed a collection of Rs 5.5 million in India, beating Titanic as the biggest ever Fox film in India.
Says Fox Star Studios India CEO Vijay Singh, “Through our Hollywood releases round the year, we have garnered Rs 1.5 billion. We promise an even more entertaining 2010 beginning with My Name is Khan!”
Fox Star Studios‘ slate in 2010 includes Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief in February, Amelia in March, Date Night, Wall Street 2 in April, Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel in May, The ‘A‘ Team in June, Knight & Day, Predators in July and Chronicles of Narnia 3 in December.
MUMBAI: Fun Multiplex Pvt Ltd (FMPL), the Essel Group company that runs a chain of theatres under the Fun Cinemas brand, is in talks to raise around Rs 400 million from private equity investors to part-fund its expansion plans.
FMPL has an investment plan of Rs 750 million as it aims to launch nine multiplexes during the 12-month run ended 31 March 2011.
“We plan to raise around Rs 400 million and are in talks with private equity investors. We will be investing Rs 750 million in FY‘11 and adding nine multiplexes,” says Fun Multiplex chief operating officer Vishal Kapur.
The new multiplexes will be in Kolkata, Bhopal, Kochi, Raipur, Bhatinda, Ranchi, Mangalore, Patiala and Chennai.
FMPL currently has 77 screens in 24 multiplexes. “We are going into those kinds of markets where we think our venture would be profitable. We are taking a cautious approach while continuing with our expansion,” says Kapur.
MUMBAI: The Indian film industry has aggressively stepped up its fight against film piracy both at home and overseas.
Reliance Big Pictures has filed a FIR in Gaziabad against Galaxy Cinema for allegedly aiding piracy on DVD of 3 Idiots. The theatre is based in Kaushambi, on the outskirts of Delhi.
DVDs of 3 Idiots were traced in Delhi. Based on a technical information of ‘cap code marking‘ on each print, it was found out that the film was pirated at the Galaxy Cinema.
Said Reliance Big Pictures COO distribution Kamal Gianchandani, “Film piracy is not a victimless crime. Not only does piracy have a financial impact on Reliance Big Pictures, it negatively impacts jobs of people in the film industry and related businesses.
“We are committed to take a strong, proactive position in protecting copyrights, and are hopeful that our support of strong anti-piracy efforts will be instrumental in developing a growing and vibrant marketplace for Indian films.”
Reliance Big Pictures has been aggressively involved in curbing piracy for their earlier films like Paa whereby they proactively conducted online, physical raids across key areas in association with the concerned authorities to secure and smoothen functioning of its both print and online rights. This helped curb piracy of the film in a big way.