Category: Movies

MUMBAI: Excel Home Videos has partnered with NDTV Lumeire to launch Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-Duk‘s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003) and Time (2006) on DVD. The DVDs are priced at Rs 499 each.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring depicts a Buddhist monk‘s journey from childhood to old age. The critically acclaimed movie was nominated in the best foreign film category at the European Academy Awards.

Time is the thirteenth feature film by Kim Ki-duk. The film premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The film‘s story revolves around a woman who undergoes plastic surgery in order to refresh her relationship. She feels that her boyfriend is getting bored with her and thinks a new face will help. Unlike other recent films by the director, it contains a large amount of dialogue.

MUMBAI: Close on the heels of the producers and distributors deciding not to screen films in multiplexes from 4 April, multiplex owners have stated that they are ready to agree upon a performance-based revenue sharing model.

The performance-linked model will be based on benchmarks such as box office collections of a film, budget of the film and star cast, multiplex exhibitors told reporters here today.

“If the movie is a super hit, we would share higher revenue. But if a movie like Chandni Chowk To China fails at the box office, then be ready to suffer the losses,” said Fame India MD Shravan Shroff.

On an average, a multiplex earns 70-75 per cent from box office, 20 per cent from concessions, and 5-10 per cent from advertisements.

Multiplex exhibitors believe that unlike yesteryear, when rent to the theatre owner was fixed irrespective of collections, today there is a clear revenue sharing where theatre owners also bear part of the risk.

“Also, with the advent of computerised ticketing, the multiplex industry has offered a major impetus in actual revenue delivery to various stakeholders,” elaborated Big Cinemas COO Tushar Dhingra.

The exhibitors point out that multiplex penetration in the smaller cities has brought patrons back to cinema and that all kinds of movies are being released which were not viable few years ago.

In 2005-06, 45 to 50 per cent of the box office was contributed by multiplexes while in 2007-08, the figure rose from 65 to 70 per cent and is likely to go up further in the coming years.

For 2005-06, distributors took 42 per cent of the box office returns. This has gone up to 43 per cent in 2007-08, the multiplex exhibitors clarified.

Meanwhile, when quizzed why multiplexes in India do not follow a revenue sharing model based on global standards, Dhingra noted that the hospitality services offered in India are quite different from international markets standards.

Also, there is a different tax structure overseas with US paying about 8.5 per cent tax and UK paying around 15-17 per cent.

Today there are approximately 225 multiplexes and 850 screens in India. The projected multiplex screen count will be 1500 screens by the end of 2010 and 2500 screens by the end of 2011, Dhingra said.

MUMBAI: The Hollywood Reporter will endorse Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra with the Nielsen Box Office Award at the third Annual Asian Film Awards on 23 March.

The Asian Film Awards, which recognizes professionals for their achievements in the field of Asian cinema, will be held as part of the 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“Priyanka Chopra has received numerous awards and accolades for her outstanding work since she began acting just a few years ago. It is truly amazing to acknowledge the breadth of her success, and we are honored to bestow the Nielsen Box Office Award on one who has done so incredibly much in so little time,” said Hollywood Reporter publisher and Nielsen Media and Entertainment Group Vice President Eric Mika.

Chopra is only the second recipient to receive the Nielsen Box Office Award. She joins Andy Lau, who received the inaugural award at the 2007 ceremony.

The Asian Film Awards will be telecast on Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) in approximately 30 countries. It will also be screened in Star World, reaching out to about 79 million homes worldwide.

MUMBAI: Producers and distributors have decided to suspend the screening of all new movies in multiplexes from 4 April until the business model shifts to an equal revenue share.

The movement is supported by Yash Chopra, Ramesh Sippy, Mukesh Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt, amongst others.

Producers and distributors have long been demanding an equal share in revenue for films that hit multiplexes on a weekly basis. The demand also stands regardless of the star cast and the budget that a film supports.

“We spent millions of rupees for making and distributing a movie. The risk is also humungous. Multiplexes just have to release the film and they earn revenue from various sources like canteen, parking, and advertisers among others. Even then, they have been demanding more revenue share,” Mukesh Bhatt told reporters.

If a film holds a good star cast and stands on a big budget, distributors get a 48 per cent share in revenue across all regions in India. In Gujarat, however, distributors receive a 45 per cent share.

MUMBAI: Singh may have grabbed the Bollywood limelight quite a few times, courtesy his proximity with close friend Amitabh Bachchan. This time, however, the tinsel town attention would be wholly self-earned as Singh decides to foray into some Bollywood acting with ace actor Dev Anand‘s next directorial venture Chargesheet. He will play the role of the country‘s Home Minister.

“When the film‘s offer came to me and I was asked to play the Home Minister‘s role, I could not refuse it. Moreover, the offer came from Dev Anand, whom I respect a lot,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, since Singh‘s schedule will remain tight due to the upcoming elections, the film will be shot at his New Delhi residence.

“As soon as I am in Delhi, the date and time of shoot will be fixed,” added Singh.

NEW DELHI: Deepa Mehta‘s Heaven on Earth, a woman-centric movie that was nominated at the 24th Genie Awards, is set to hit the Indian theatres on 27 March under the title, Videsh – Heaven On Earth. In a bid to reach out to a greater audience set, the film will be released in Hindi.

Co-produced by BR Films and Hamilton Films, Videsh – Heaven On Earth stars Preity Zinta as the lead protagonist and revolves around the theme of women empowerment.

Written by Mehta, the cinematography of the film was handled by Giles Nuttgens. The music is composed by Mychael Danna. Videsh also stars Balinder Johal, Ramanjit Kaur, Gourrav Sihan, Rajinder Singh Cheema, Orville Maciel, Geetika Sharma, and Yanna McIntosh and marks the debut of Vansh Bhardwaj.

Videsh revolves around the life of a young girl from rural hinterland of Punjab who migrates to Canada, post marriage. The film deals with the issue of domestic violence that a young bride undergoes at the hands of her expatriate husband.

Videsh was originally released in Punjabi and English. It won the best actress award for Preity Zinta in Chicago.

MUMBAI: PVR Pictures has taken the India distribution rights of Aloo Chaat, a movie produced by Mirchi Movies and Maverick Productions.

Aloo Chaat, a complete masala movie, will release on 20 March across 200 screens in India. PVR will distribute the movie across the Mumbai circuit (Mumbai, Pune, and Gujarat), Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, eastern Punjab, central India, Nizam and Mysore.

Says PVR Pictures head distribution (all India) Gaurav Verma, “Going by Robby Grewal‘s track record and backing provided by Mirchi Movies and Maverick Productions, we decided to distribute Aloo Chaat. The movie will be distributed on a commission basis.”

When asked if PVR would be handling the movie‘s overseas distribution, Verma replies, “We are not aware about the movie‘s release overseas or its overseas distribution rights. We are only managing the Indian distribution of the movie.”

On being queried about the other projects for distribution, Verma says, “We are not distributing any other movie as of now. We are following a very cautious step and plan to distribute only select content.”

Aloo Chaat is directed by Robby Grewal and stars Aftab Shivdasani and Aamna Shariff in title roles.

MUMBAI: After striking a two-film distribution deal with Karan Johar‘s Dharma Productions, UTV Motion Pictures is set to release Dharma‘s next venture Wake Up Sid on 2 October.

Produced by Karan Johar, Wake Up Sid will be distributed by UTV Motion Pictures both in the domestic market as well as internationally.

Directed by Ayaan Mukerji, the mid-budget film stars Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma as the lead protagonists. The music of the film has been scored by the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Apart from Wake Up Sid, UTV Motion Pictures will also be distributing Rensil D‘Silva untitled film, another Dharma Production venture, staring Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Vivek Oberoi.

MUMBAI: The 66th Venice International Film Festival is set to be held from 2 September to 12 September in Italy this year.

To be eligible for entry in the six-day fest, films should be produced during the 12 months preceding the festival and should be offered as world premieres.

Venice Film Festival director Marco Muller and Venice Film Festival director – Indian Cinema Programmer Cecilia Cossio will screen films at the NFDC in Mumbai wherein the shortlisted films will be carried to the fest.

MUMBAI: Excel Home Videos has partnered with NDTV Lumiere to release Chinese film-maker Jia Zhang Ke‘s Unknown Pleasure and Platform on DVD.

Priced at Rs 499, the DVDs also includes additional features such as ‘about the director/ movie‘, ‘filmography‘ and ‘awards‘.

Platform, a 2000 release,examines the transition of China from Mao-inspired collectivism to commercialism,westernisation, and popular culture. The film follows a group of performing artists in the state-run Fenyang Peasant Culture Group who change with the cultural, economic and political changes in China.

Unknown Pleasure, nominated for the Palme d‘Or at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, gives an account of disillusioned youth living in China. The story ruminates on the boredom, longing and helplessness of two teenage Chinese boys stuck in the province with nothing to do but dream of a better future that evades them.