ITV

Category: Movies

  • Home video rental market in an upswing

    MUMBAI: The fracas between multiplexes and film producers over revenue sharing has not left cinemagoers without any source of entertainment, though there is an anxiety concerning the release of new films. Viewers are now turning to home video in a big way. Not only are pirated films selling like hot cakes, original CDs/DVDs are going off the shelf of video rental libraries far too frequently.”We have been witnessing a 15 per cent growth over and above our regular growth of 15- 20 per cent on a month-on-month, since a month and a half. On an average movies watched by a member increased from 8-10 DVDs to 12 DVDs per month which very much more than the number of movies watched usually. Also, to make the most of these times, we have introduced a couple of offers so as to induce more people to watch movies at home with BIGFlix and are getting great response so far,” says bigflix.com chief lead online DVD rental business Pankaj Chandra.

    There has also been an increase in the demand for alternative content. Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd director Hiren Gada avers, “Due to the lack of new releases, our CD/ DVD sales have increased and are placed anywhere between 30 to 40 per cent. Another noticeable effect is that sports content is also in huge demand, thanks to the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.”Movie rental



    service Seventymm has claimed that the demand for films has shot up by almost 25 per cent. The stoppage of new releases has seen a surge of new customers. Earlier its clients would rent up to three films a week but now they would hire almost five films every day, says a source in the organisation. The company has a market share of 60 per cent with 1, 20, 000 customers pan India.

    However, Moser Baer COO G Dhananjayan begs to differ. He says, “Old films are not being asked for. Yes, fresh titles are always in the askance. We are of course keeping ourselves abreast of the current situation. A few days earlier, we released Dev D and today we are releasing Dilli 6. All said and done these are fresh films and will attract considerable attention. Besides, there is no such news that sales or hiring of films have gone up. From the vast market we have around the country, from nowhere have we heard that CD/DVD sales are on the rise. In fact people are depressed because the inflow of new films has stopped.”

  • Feroz Khan succumbs to cancer

    MUMBAI: Legendary actor Feroz Khan is no more. He died of cancer this morning at the age of 69 in Bangalore, leaving behind his daughter Laila and son Fardeen, brothers Sanjay, Sameer and Akbar Khan. Fardeen and his wife Natasha were with him in his last moments, but the others reached after the news of his demise. His funeral will take place later in the day in Bangalore.

    Coming from Bangalore, Feroz Khan made his debut as second lead in Didi (1960). Initially, Khan appeared in several low-budget thrillers. He also appeared in an English-language film titled Tarzan Goes to India in 1962 opposite Simi Garewal.

    His first big hit was in 1965 with the release of Oonche Log. Khan is known for his roles in Arzoo, Geeta Mera Naam, Raat Aur Din, Aadmi Aur Insaan and Mela in which he starred opposite brother Sanjay.

    Khan soon turned producer and director, his first venture being Dharmatma that was supposedly inspired by the Marlon Brando‘s The Godfather. Qurbani (1980), which launched the singing career of Nazia Hassan, was the biggest hit of his career. In 1986 he directed and starred in Janbaaz, a box-office hit while in 1988 he directed and starred in Dayavan which was a remake of Tamil film


    Nayagan.


  • Jackie Chan reaches milestone, bags 100th film

    MUMBAI: Hong Kong-based action hero Jackie Chan will soon star and co-direct Chinese Zodiac, an action caper with a budget set at 250 million yuan ($37 million). In addition to the 100-picture milestone, the film marks Chan‘s return to direction since Who Am I? in 1998.

    Produced by Emperor Dragon Movies, a subsidiary of Emperor Motion Pictures, the film will have Chan on a series of treasure hunts across the globe, linked intricately with one of the major events in Chinese history.


    The idea for Zodiac came to Chan six years ago but his busy schedule did not allow him to work on the story until this year. Chan will co-direct the film with five-time collaborator Stanley Tong who helmed such Chan starrers as Rumble in the Bronx, The Myth and the third and fourth part of the Police Story series.


    The film will be shot on location in France, Vienna, Hong Kong, Beijing and Kazakhstan.


    Before Chinese Zodiac, Chan will begin shooting for Kung Fu Kid (inspired by The Karate Kid) that co-stars Jaden Smith, (son of Will Smith) who is also the producer of the film.

  • Producers re-release hit films at single screens in Mumbai

    MUMBAI: After lying low for two weeks, in the period of which there was no headway in solving the crisis, some big producers like Yash Raj Films, Studio 18 and UTV have announced the release of some of their old films in Mumbai‘s select single-screen theatres.

    While Studio 18 has re-released Ghajini with approximately 20 prints in Mumbai, Yash Raj Films has released Dhoom:2 in two Mumbai single-screen theatres along with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in an equal number of single-screens.


    On the other hand, UTV Motion Pictures is in plans to re-release at least five of its films like Jodhaa Akbar, Race, A Wednesday, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Fashion, Goal, Aamir, Kismat Konnection and Welcome to Sajjanpur in the weeks to come.


    “We have decided to release these movies in Mumbai as a testing ground since it is a lucrative market. We will extend it to the other cities if the revenue-share issue is not settled with the multiplex owners. With this move, we producers have shown multiplex owners that if need arises we will go ahead and release our new films in single screens,” noted film producer Mukesh Bhatt told Indiantelevision.com.


    Interestingly, the movies are kept away from the multiplex operators who also own single-screen theatres in Mumbai. Fame India Ltd. and Fun Cinemas, who run a chain of multiplexes across the country, also own a single-screen theatre each in Mumbai.


    “Since we are multiplex owners, film producers wouldn‘t approach us anyway since we are at loggerheads,” says Fun Cinemas COO Vishal Kapur.


    What is the logic behind such releases? “Big producers have released their films in single-screen theatres because they don‘t want viewers to be disheartened and at the same time making it amply clear to multiplex owners that there are other outlets too,” replies former IMPPA (Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association) general secretary Anil Nagrath.


    Does the re-release of films that have been shown multiple times on TV make any sense? “Absolutely not,” replies trade analyst NP Yadav. “All this is the ploy of big-time producers to show multiplex owners that they can do business without them and nothing else. It is a matter of pressure tactics,” he states.


    Meanwhile, the two parties are slated to meet middle of next week. “We are meeting next week to resolve the crisis. If we arrive at a settlement, films will start releasing by May,” informs Bhatt.


    What does he foresee would be the result of the meeting? “Look I am a producer and not an astrologer,” quips Bhatt.

  • Warner Home Video offers Blu-Ray loyalty programme

    MUMBAI:The US-based Warner Home Video (WHV) has announced the launch of two new programmes.

    This is the Studio‘s first Blu-ray Disc customer loyalty programme and an HD-DVD trade up programme. Then there is Red2Blu, which offers HD-DVD owners the opportunity to upgrade their Warner Home Video releases on HD-DVD for a Blu-ray Disc of the same film.


    For those who have chosen to watch films at home, the best way possible is to watch them on Blu-ray Disc. The new Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free programme offers consumers one free Blu-ray film for every five participating titles purchased till 6 April, 2010 (shipping and handling not included). This scheme is open to residents in the US and Canada.


    To join, consumers can register at Warnerblu.com/rewards. After joining, members earn one credit for each subsequent WHV Blu-ray title they purchase. Once their Blu-ray title is registered, their Warnerblu account is credited and when they reach five Blu-ray titles, they will be able to select a free WHV Blu-ray Disc (plus shipping and handling). The first participating Blu-ray release is Yes Man.


    Red2Blu is for those who want to upgrade titles they currently own on HD-DVD to Blu-ray. By visiting Red2Blu.com, consumers can trade up virtually any of their WHV HD-DVD titles (up to 25) for the same title on Blu-ray for a small fee plus shipping and handling.


    Also, to promote the launch of Warnerblu Buy 5 Get 1 Free, WHV is launching the Blu-ray Today sweepstakes, featuring a prize of $5,000. Once they enter the sweepstakes, customers can return to the website every day for additional entries.

  • Mukta Arts in first-time deal with Times Music

    MUMBAI: For the first time since its inception, Times Music has struck a deal with Mukta Music, a division of Mukta Arts, to manufacture and distribute the audio track of Mukta Art Entertainment‘s forthcoming release Paying Guests.

    The deal includes physical as well as non-physical rights of the film‘s audio.


    Says Times Music CEO Adarsh Gupta, “We are proud to be associated with Mukta Arts Ltd with our first audio track of Paying Guests. I hope that our first outing with Mukta Music would be a smash hit that would pave way for more such ventures.”


    Founder and creative head Mukta Arts Subhash Ghai avers, “We have entered a deal with Times Music for the first time with full faith and confidence and together we are planning a unique strategy for marketing the music of the film by sending a justified number of paid TV promos just before the release of the film.”


    Paying Guest stars Shreyas Talpade, Aashish Choudhary, Jaaved Jafferi and Vatsal Sheth along with Celina Jaitley, Neha Dhupia, Riya Sen, Sayali Bhagat, Chunky Pandey, Asrani and Paintal. The film, written and directed by Paritosh Painter, is being produced by Mukta Arts Entertainment.

  • Tamil, kannada feature films win accolades overseas

    NEW DELHI: Tamil Film Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai has won the best drama feature award in the Feature film (International ) category at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.

    The film is based on director Krishnan Seshadri Gomatam‘s own original story and marks Gomatan‘s foray into film direction.



    The cast comprises C P Satyajit, Anuja Iyer, E Kumaravel and Charan. While the cinematography is by Fowzia Fathima, the film has been edited by B Lenin. Also, the art direction has been handled by Thotaa Tharrani while the music has been composed by Aslam Mustafa. Audiography is by AS Lakshmi Narayanan.


    Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai is about the making of the movie – a cinematic metaphor for the ancient Hindu belief that life and death is a continuous process. Set in contemporary India, the narrative follows the obsessive filmmaker Huggy desperately trying to make his first feature film. He has a great sense of humour. The different nuances and incidents he sees in life appear like passages out of a movie script to him. Time is running out for him because his girl friend Sindhu suffers from a terminal illness. He wants to marry her but she will marry him only after he has completed his first film.


    Meanwhile, Naanu Gandhi, a Kannada children’s film, has won international recognition for the manner in which it has used a contemporary story to keep alive the relevance of the peace message from Mahatma Gandhi.


    Directed by N R Nanjunde Gowda, the film has won several accolades including the best film award for propagating educational values at the Columbia International film festival in Carthagena, the first for any children’s film from India. It has also been shown successfully in film festivals in Italy (Giffoni), Tunisia (Sousse), and Canada (Toronto).

  • Shemaroo partners with Acentic for B’wood content on hotel TV platform

    MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has inked an agreement with Acentic, supplier of digital interactive TV (iTV) systems, to provide South Asian content, including Bollywood, through video on demand (VOD) on Acentic’s in-room hotel entertainment platforms across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As part of the agreement, guests in more than 1,300 hotels using Acentic’s in-room entertainment services will have access to a content library of the latest movies from South Asia. The content will also include other activities such as instructional fitness videos.

    Said Shemaroo Entertainment director Jai Maroo, “Through this partnership for the first time travelers across Europe will have access to Bollywood and other South Asian content offered by Shemaroo. Our content will be made accessible in hotel rooms through the VoD platform offered by Acentic. We are certain that with Acentic’s state-of-the-art platform, customers will get a quality experience.”


    For successful and profitable in-room entertainment, hotels need to put content and services at the heart of the guest experience. “Because of our partnership with content providers such as Shemaroo, Acentic is able to deliver an entertainment service that ensures high take-up rates, guest satisfaction and a return on investment for hoteliers,” said Acentic CEO Alistair Forbes.

  • No Bollywood masala this week on multiplexes

    MUMBAI: Multiplexes will have no Bollywood film release this week, the first time since the row broke out between producers and the plex owners three weeks ago.

    A ray of hope will come from a Hollywood movie, My Mom‘s New Boyfriend, that stars Antinio Banderas, Meg Ryan, Colon Hanks and Selma Blair.


    Multiplexes are also continuing with Dashavtar, Fast and Furious and Monster vs Aliens. In Maharashtra, multiplexes are fortunate to have the biggest Marathi box office grosser, Mee Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy, at this hour of scant content.


    Fame Adlabs has increased drama



    content in its Mumbai chain of multiplexes. “Besides continuing with our exercise of staging Vagina Monologues every day from Friday to Sunday in one of our screens at Fame Adlabs, we will be staging the same at Fame Vashi and Fame Malad also,” says a senior official in Fame Cinemas.


    Fame and Cinemax are also releasing a Sindhi film Vaaesar Ee Gum this week. Fame will release the film at Fame Adlabs and Fame Vashi while Cinemax will be releasing the film at its Sion property in Mumbai. In Kolkata, Fame is releasing Rongeen Godhooli.


    According to an Indiantelevision.com estimate, multiplexes would take a Rs 850-900 million hit if the fracas between producers and plex owners continues for a month.

  • Sebi stops Pyramid Saimira promoters from trading


    MUMBAI: Alleging that Pyramid Saimira had forged a Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) letter allowing it to make an open offer, the market regulator has barred Pyramid Saimira Theatre promoters Nirmal N Kotecha and P S Saminathan from trading in securities till further notice.


    As part of its interim order, Sebi has further debarred another 228 people and entities for trading in the securities market including the IPO in lieu of participating in this forgery.


    The order from Sebi has been issued in regards to reports in December last year stating that PSTL promoter, chairman and MD Saminathan had received a letter from Sebi, asking to make an open offer to buy 20 per cent in the company at Rs 250 per share within 14 days.


    However, Sebi later clarified that no such order or letter had been issued.