ITV

Category: Movies

  • Mel Gibson expecting child from girlfriend Oksana

    MUMBAI: The soon to be divorced Mel Gibson is expecting a child with girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva it is understood.
    Apparently Gibson shared the news with pal Jay Leno during a recent Tonight Show taping for an episode that will air this week-Leno‘s last at the helm of the NBC chatfest.

    Not that this is the first we‘ve heard of a possible Gibson-Grigorieva baby. Such a news has been rampant for several weeks, ever since the two stepped out publicly as a couple last month at the X-Men Origins: Wolverine premiere in Los Angeles.

  • Cinemax plans Rs 1 billion push for 50 screens in FY’10

    MUMBAI: Cinemax India plans to invest between Rs 800 million and Rs 1 billion to roll out 50 screens in the current fiscal as it paces up to create a footprint across India.

    The company‘s ambitious three-year plan is to add 300 screens over a period of three years, up from its current 74 screens across 25 properties. The company will need to raise funds for its expansion, the process of which will start in the second quarter of this fiscal.


    Says Cinemax senior vice president Devang Sampat, “The screens will be launched on a pan India basis and will include places like Pune, Baroda, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. While 28 screens are already set out, 22 will be set up very soon.”


    The ongoing producer-multiplex tussle has had its effect on the revenue earnings of various multiplex operators. Cinemax, however, will be somewhat cushioned as most of its screens are scattered across Maharashtra where it could showcase successful Marathi films like Mi Shivajiraje Bhonsale Boltoi, Tu Maza Jeev, Bokya Satbande and Gallit Gondhal Dillit Mujra at a time when multiplexes were choked of Bollywood content.


    Cinemax expects to touch a turnover of Rs 2 billion in FY‘10 despite a possible weak first quarter. The company posted a revenue of Rs 1.45 billion and a net profit of Rs 110.5 million for the fiscal ended 31 March 2009.

  • It‘s curtains at Cannes 2009

    MUMBAI: Curtains were drawn down on the 2009 Cannes Film Festival after Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky were showcased.

    Judges of the festival deliberated on this year‘s awards winners and finally came to the conclusion after which veritable newcomers the Austrians came out on the top.


    The coveted Palme d‘Or-Cannes‘s top prize-went to Austria‘s Michael Haneke‘s The White Ribbon that centers on impending World War I guilt and tragedy.


    Acting honours were shared between Austrian Christoph Waltz, star of Quentin Tarantino‘s World War II flick Inglourious Basterds, and fellow Charlotte Gainsbourg of Lars von Trier‘s Antichrist. Gainsbourg stars opposite veteran actor Willem Dafoe in Antichrist.


    Among the surprises at this year‘s Festival were past Palm d‘Or winners Jane Campion and Ken Loach and Oscar winners Ang Lee and Pedro Almodóvar.

  • Moore to Tackle the Economy

    MUMBAI: After attacking gun users in Bowling for Columbine, George W. Bush in Fahrenheit 9/11, and the healthcare system in Sicko, Moore is now turning his attention to the mega-rich who brought the world‘s economies to their knees.

    Moore — who won an Oscar for Bowling for Columbine — avers, “The wealthy, at some point, decided they didn‘t have enough wealth. They wanted more — a lot more. So they systematically set about to fleece the American people out of their hard-earned money. Now, why would they do this? That is what I seek to discover in this movie


    .” The new documentary is due for release in October.

  • Anupam Kher to father Freida Pinto in Woody Allen film

    MUMBAI: Anupam Kher couldn‘t have asked for a better silver-jubilee gift.

    Kher who celebrated 25 years in films on May 25 received a mail from his international agent a day earlier giving him the news that he would be part of the new Woody Allen film to be shot in London later this year.

    “To be in a Woody Allen film is a dream-come-true for me. Last year, I had the privilege of working with Ang Lee and now Woody Allen. What more could any actor ask for in his 25th year in business,” Kher asks.

    Kher will be playing Freida Pinto‘s father in the film. “Even if it is just one shot I‘d be more than happy. I‘ve grown up watching Woody Allen‘s cinema. And look at my luck,” he wonders.

    The film features famed actors like Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Antonio Banderas.

    “I had kept the news away from the media. But it was Mahesh Bhatt saab who got on stage at the end of the Saaransh screening yesterday and announced that I had received a Woody Allen film as gift for 25 years in films,” Kher exclaims.

  • Big Cinemas forays into Netherlands

    MUMBAI: India‘s largest multiplex chain Big Cinemas with 202 screens across the country has partnered with Dutch firm Pathé Theatres in its bid to set up three screens in the Netherlands.

    Pathé Theatres B.V. operates a chain of 12 megaplexes in the Netherlands with a total of 102 screens.

    In the Netherlands, the company will roll out three Big Cinemas screens in Pathé Theatres‘ existing plexes in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hague.

    According to Adlabs Films CEO Anil Arjun, “In our global strategy, Pathé is a perfect fit to bring Indian movies to Europe and other continents. After the Netherlands, we hope to explore other countries in Europe as well.”


    To cash in on the 7 lakh plus Hindi film buffs of Indian, Pakistani, Afghani, Turkish and Moroccan origin, Indian distribution houses prefer Pathé for exhibiting their films.


    Hindi films like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Singh is Kinng, Jodhaa Akbar, Dostana and Om Shanti Om have grossed $130,000-200,000 in the Netherlands. “We believe that the admissions could be over 4 lakh annually. We are confident of breaking even within a year of initiating our operations in the country,” adds Mr Arjun.


    It may be interesting to note that in the last few years the R-ADAG company has acquired movie theatres in the US, Malaysia, Mauritius and Kathmandu.



  • Father Pays Tribute to Gordon

    MUMBAI: The father of British actress Lucy Gordon has paid tribute to his tragic daughter after her suicide at an apartment in Paris last Wednesday.

    Richard Gordon described the Spider-Man 3 star as the “light” of her family and told of his pride over her blossoming Hollywood career.

    He said, “The whole family is so proud of Lucy, and we always have been… We loved her so much throughout her life. She was the light of mine, her mum‘s, and her sister‘s lives.

    The devastated dad also put an end to speculation over the circumstances of 28-year-old Gordon‘s death by confirming that two suicide notes had been found at her Paris home — one written to her parents and the other outlining her wishes for the disposal of her estate.

  • McCartney demands to remove his mansion from Google Maps

    MUMBAI: Paul McCartney has demanded that photos of his London mansion be removed from Google‘s online Street Map feature. The star was concerned for his safety after learning his home had been photographed for inclusion on the interactive site, which gives users panoramic views of city and residential streets around the world.

    Security heads for the Beatles legend complained to bosses at Google — and now images of the star‘s townhouse in St. John‘s Wood in North London have been wiped off the Internet map.

  • FIAP grants accredition to MAMI Film Fest

    NEW DELHI: While electing three representatives of India‘s apex film chamber Film Federation of India to its executive committee, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) granted accreditation to yet Indian fest – the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI) Film Festival.

    While noted filmmaker and media magnate P V Gangadharan was elected first Vice President senior FFI member L Suresh and FFI Secretary General Supran Sen were elected to the Executive Committee. The elections were held at the Annual General Assembly of FIAPF in Cannes on 17 May.



    In a telephonic interview from Cannes, Sen said “this is not only a feather in FFI’s cap but also reaffirms India burgeoning presence in the world entertainment firmament. It is a reflection of the changing order in the international filmed oeuvre.”


    Sen also said that the main discussion of the Assembly related to copyright issues and the Indian delegates drew attention to its representation to the Indian Human Resource Development Ministry suggestions amendments in the Copyright Act and calling for stringent implementation of these laws.


    MAMI which is normally held in March will be held this year from 29 October in the western metropolis. This follows the change of guard at the top. The principal sponsor will now be Anil Dirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Group.

    Apart from being the apex body of Film Producers in the World, FIAPF is also the regulatory body for International Film Festivals and has so far accredited 50 major International Film Festivals including Cannes, Berlin and Karlovy Vary apart from the International Film Festival of India held in Goa every year.

  • Cinemax Q4 net slumps 56% to Rs 9.8 million

    MUMBAI: Multiplex operator Cinemax India Ltd has posted a steep fall of 55.66 per cent in its net profit for the quarter ended 31 March 2009, standing at Rs 9.8 million as compared to Rs 22.1 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

    Revenue rose 34.92 per cent to Rs 334.2 million during the quarter under review, compared to Rs 247.7 millon a year ago. Total expenditure surged 61.5 per cent to Rs 350.3 million, as against Rs 216.9 million. Profit before tax (PBT) came down to Rs 2.1 million, as against Rs 37 million from the year ago period.


    Commenting on the results, Cinemax CFO Jeetendra Mehta said, “The company is pleased by the results and sees tremendous growth opportunities in the coming fiscal as the industry movements are in our favour. In spite of depression and tough times, we have done well and are able to offer dividends to our shareholders. As the ongoing strike is likely to end in the coming days, we will have better content and better profitability.”


    For the whole fiscal, the company has posted a net profit of Rs 110.5 million, a dip of 19.52 per cent, as compared to Rs 137.3 million in the previous fiscal. Net income from operations stood at Rs 1.45 billion as against Rs 1.02 billion in the year ago period , while total expenses rose to Rs 1.33 billion from Rs 826.8 million.


    The company has announced that it has 50 movies to launch within 30 weeks. At present, Cinemax has 25 properties with 74 screens while it claims that there are 300 more screens in the making.


    In the segment-wise results, the company earned a revenue of Rs 341.2 million from theatrical exhibition and entertainment in the fourth quarter of FY2009, as compared to Rs 229.8 million a year ago. The company suffered an operating loss of Rs 37.1 million from this segment in the quarter.


    Cinemax has also posted an operating loss of Rs 15.2 million in the distribution and production segment during the quarter under review.