Category: Movies

MUMBAI: Mauj Mobile has acquired the exclusive worldwide mobile rights for Drona. Mauj Mobile has created mobile content for Goldie Behl’s upcoming film.

Mauj will provide customised games, ring tones, wallpapers, animations and themes of the Abhishek Bachchan starrer super-hero flick.

People Infocom (Mauj Mobile) content and international business head Dippak Khurana said, “Concepts developed around super-hero icons usually do well with consumers, given their sheer novelty. Drona as a concept has been a pleasure to design mobile content and we have attempted to bring the refreshing feel of this film onto the mobile platform.”

Mauj Mobile‘s offerings also includes a voice portal, which will enable users to get audio experience of the film through songs, star interviews and movie-based trivia.

MUMBAI: Pyramid Saimira Group is investing Rs 2 billion in the next 18 months. The fund infusion will be to renovate and modernise 250 theatres in four states of South India.

Pyramid Saimira Group chairman P S Saminathan said, “Till now, we have been focusing on expanding our network and increasing our points of presence. Today, we enjoy significant penetration geographically and our focus will henceforth be on enhancing the quality of experience that we offer our customers and branding. Our objective is to have close to 250 model theatres in the next 18 months. We are looking to invest Rs 2 billion in this infrastructure programme.”

The four states where it will renovate theatres are Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Pyramid Saimira will put in around Rs 750 million to renovate 100 theatres in Tamil Nadu. The company will start the renovation from Jyothi Theatre in Tamil Nadu.

“We will extend this renovation initiative to the other states alos, with Kerala in November, Andhra Pradesh in December and Karnataka in January,” he added.

As part of the renovation plan, all the theatres will have computerised ticketing facilities and seat selections kiosks. Along with digital projection and DTS sound technology, the theatres will be equipped with an in-built mobile zone enabled with bluetooth, video booth for live TV, radio and overhead projection facilities.

The theatres will also have modern security facilities with fire retardants, safety lighting and metal detectors. Facility for newsgathering mechanism with broadband and video conferencing will also be available. The theatres will also have merchandising centres, gaming arcades, music zones and food courts.

MUMBAI: The multiplex chain operator Cinemax India has announced that it is launching a three screen multiplex at Iscon Mega mall in Rajkot.

The new property has a total seating capacity of 760 seats including 35 recliners.

The multiples will open with movies, Welcom To Sajjanpur, A Wednesday, and 1920.

“The multiplex will offer out of the world experience – “Cinemaxperience” to the movie buffs,” Cinemax said in a statement.

With this addition, Cinemax has a total of 22 properties with 65 screens and 17,538 seats across India.

MUMBAI: Producer Laurence Mark has been tapped to produce and writer-director Bill Condon to executive produce the 81st Annual Academy Awards telecast.This was anniounced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Sid Ganis. It will be their first involvement in the production of an Oscar show.

Oscar nominations will be announced on 22 January, 2009. The 81st Academy Awards presentation will take place on 22 February 22, 2009. In India, the show will air on Star Movies.

Ganis says, “Larry and Bill are fresh thinkers who will bring a unique perspective to the Oscar show. That fact, joined with their enormous collective talent and enthusiasm, will serve the 81st Awards proceedings perfectly.”

In 2006, Mark produced and Condon wrote and directed Dreamgirls. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two Oscars , including one for Jennifer Hudson for Actress in a Supporting Role.

Mark said, “What a thrill to produce the Oscar show. I’m excited about this opportunity and look forward to the challenge of a live television show that celebrates the very best in film.”

Condon said, “The Oscars are the ultimate recognition of excellent work in movies, and I’m so pleased to be part of putting the show together”.

Mark is currently in post-production on Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams and written and directed by Nora Ephron for release next year. His other credits include I, Robot, The Lookout, Finding Forrester nd Jerry Maguire for which he received a Best Picture Oscar nomination. He also served as executive producer on As Good As It Gets and Working Girl.

Condon won an Oscar for writing Gods And Monsters.

MUMBAI: Percept Picture Company’s (PPC) Ramchand Pakistani, second Pakistani film after Khuda Kay Liye, is set to release in India on 2 October. Directed by young Pakistani women film-maker Mehreen Jabbar, the film was earlier slated for 22 August release.

The film stars Bollywood actress Nandita Das, along with Pakistani actors Rashid Farooqui, Noman Ijaz, Maria Wasti, Navaid Jabbar and child actor Syed Fazal Hussain.

PPC joint MD Shailendra Singh said, “This film can’t be counted as a conventional Pakistani film just because it has been made in Pakistan. This is a distinctive film with broad appeal. This film reflects the tragedy of hundreds of innocent persons of either country who languish in jails of the other and the devastation for all their families.”

“We at Percept Picture Company are looking forward to the release of Ramchand Pakistani with loads of anticipation, as with the consecutive releases from across the boarder will lead to a much positive atmosphere amidst both the countries,” added Singh.

The plot of the movie is derived from a true story concerning the accidental crossing of the Pakistan-Indian border during a period of extreme, war-like tension between the two countries by two members of a Pakistani Hindu family belonging to the ‘untouchable‘ caste. It revolves around the boy and his father who accidentally cross the border into India from their village in Pakistan.

They end up spending five years in an Indian prison while the mother is left wondering about her husband‘s and son‘s whereabouts. The story aims to capture the plight of an eight-year old child who learns to cope with the trauma of forced separation from his mother while being held prisoner.

The film was selected for the narrative section of the Tribeca Film Festival 2008, New York and was also screened at the Seattle International Film Festival, June 2008 and 10th Osian Film Festival, New Delhi this July. It was selected for the Rhode August 2008 Island International Film Festival, USA as well.

The music of the film has been composed by Debajyoti Mishra and lyrics are by Anwar Maqsood. Shubha Mudgal and Shafqat Amanat Ali have given their voices to the music tracks and the film is written by Javed Jabbar.

MUMBAI: Deutsche Bank AG has taken a 10.55 per cent stake in The Indian Film Company (IFC), a specialist film investment firm listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.

Deutsche Bank has purchased 5.80 million equity shares. Earlier on 17 September IFC had said in a press release that it had received an interest from Deutsche Bank for a 10.55 per cent stake.

Raghav Bahl, a director and substantial shareholder of both Network18 Fincap Ltd and BK Media Mauritius, continues to hold 21.64 per cent in IFC.

Deutsche Bank would have paid around $4.64 million for the stake at the current market price. The shares of IFC are currently trading at 43.50 pence as against the listing price of 100 pence.

Last year, HSBC Investments (Singapore) Ltd. increased its stake to 9.10 per cent in The Indian Film Company.

The Indian Film Company raised ?55 million (Rs 4.4 billion) through an initial public offering (IPO) in Hune 2007. The company seeks to invest in films where it retains full ownership of all Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), although ownership may be shared with co-producers, directors and actors if necessary.

IFC has released successful Bollywood films like Jab We Met, Welcome and Singh is Kinng.

MUMBAI: Big Music and Home Entertainment, the Reliance ADAG company, has entered into a licensing agreement with Paramount Home Entertainment.

The deal provides Big Music and Home Entertainment, the exclusive home video distribution rights for Paramount Home Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc and DreamWorks Pictures in India and Sri Lanka.

BIG Music and Home Entertainment will market and distribute home video products from the libraries of Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount Vantage, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies.

Paramount’s library consists of titles such as The Godfather films, The Ten Commandments, Roman Holiday, the Mission Impossible series and Transformers.

DreamWorks Animation’s titles include the Shrek series, Shark Tale and Madagascar while DreamWorks Pictures’ catalogue includes A Beautiful Mind, American Beauty and Munich.

BIG Music and Home Entertainment CEO Kulmeet Makkar said, “Paramount Home Entertainment Global is one of the largest home entertainment brands in the world. BIG Music and Home Entertainment, with its expertise, focus and resources, will work toward tapping into the huge potential that Paramount’s library offers in India and Sri Lanka.”

Paramount Home Entertainment Asia Pacific regional director Zubair Hassan added, “We recognise the developments taking place in the Indian marketplace and the opportunity they provide for our titles. Given the breadth and quality of our film slate, Paramount is confident that Big Music and Home Entertainment will help to ensure that our titles are made available to our Indian and Sri Lankan consumers.”

Big Music and Home Entertainment has already announced licensing agreements with Warner Home Video and Universal Pictures, to market and distribute their home video products.

BANGALORE: Inox Leisure Ltd. (Inox) will launch on 29 September its second multiplex in the Garden city, at the Sri Garuda Swagath Mall in Jayanagar.

Inox Jayanagar is Jayanagar‘s first multiplex and has 3 screens and 793 seats.

Says Inox COO Alok Tandon, “Inox was amongst the first few national multiplex chains to open in Bangalore and the city has grown by leaps and bounds since then. Our new cinema is strategically located in the midst of the premium residential locality of Jayanagar. This will ensure that more and more Bangaloreans choose Inox to watch their movies.”

Tandon also took the opportunity to announce Inox‘s expansion plans in Karnataka. “By the end of 2010, Inox will have approximately 9 multiplexes in Karnataka with 47 screens. We will open 4 more multiplexes in Bangalore city and 1 each in Mangalore, Hubli & Belgaum.”

In Bangalore, Inox already has a 5-screen multiplex at Garuda Mall, Magrath Road whixh is now an important landmark in the city and is at a short distance from MG Road, Bangalore‘s key commercial artery.

Nationally, Inox has 26 multiplexes and 90 screens in 18 cities across India.

MUMBAI: Relativity Media and Universal Pictures in the US recently extended and expanded their co-finance partnership through 2015, which will cover the majority of Universal‘s slate up until that time.

Building on the success of their already established equity partnership, which has funded recent films such as Mamma Mia!, The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor and Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the expanded partnership is expected to fund 10-15 films per year and will provide billions of dollars of financing during the term.

Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh says, “We‘ve had tremendous success with Universal. Our deal has been very profitable to date and the Universal creative, marketing and distribution team is unparalleled. They are true partners.”

The agreement represents a significant long-term commitment by Relativity Media to Universal Pictures, as its financing entity Relativity Capital Holdings will co-finance approximately 75 per cent of Universal‘s upcoming releases.

Universal Pictures executive VP Michael Joe says, “Universal is pleased to further expand its existing relationship with Relativity. We have had a genuine collaborative partnership to date, and we look forward to expanding on our ambitions together in the future. Their commitment to us means that we can continue to do what we do best: Develop quality movies that appeal to filmgoers across the globe.”

MUMBAI: Online movie rental service Seventymm will offer movies that can take one far and wide on the occasion of World Tourism Day (27 September).

These include movies like Yojimbo (Japan), Two English girls (France), Fallen Angel (China), Seven Samurai (Japan), Shoot the Piano Player (France) and The Soft Skin (France).

Seventymm is also offering English movies like Around the World in 80 Days and The Mummy.

One can also take the quizzes on movies, while others can update their knowledge on travel and movies by watching the videos on www.seventymm.com.