Category: Movies

MUMBAI: In 2007, Universal Pictures set a new box-office record in the nearly 100-year history of the studio with global theatrical grosses totalling $2.133 billion for the year.This worldwide box-office total indicates an increase of 23 per cent over 2006‘s $1.7 billion.

Universal achieved its best-ever year in the US with $1.099 billion, and its best performance since 2001 at the international box office with $1.034 billion.

Combined with best-ever fiscal performances from its domestic home entertainment and international television operations, Universal Pictures achieved its most profitable year of all
time. Universal Pictures chairman Marc Shmuger and co-chairman David Linde said, “2007 was a real turnaround year for Universal. Our studio ended this year at a level of success that exceeds even what we had imagined. What‘s especially fulfilling is this record didn‘t result from one or two home runs that saved the bottom line, but from a diversity of successes, and that‘s emblematic of how Universal works.

“We made hits from a mix of established action franchises, original comedies and challenging dramas; we succeeded with filmmakers with whom we have long histories and new talents with whom we are just starting relationships; we created movies that captivated audiences around the world and ones that represented the best in artistic quality — and in some cases, did both of those at once.”

Five Universal films that crossed more than $100 million in the US were Knocked Up, Evan Almighty, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, The Bourne Ultimatum and American Gangster. 2007‘s annual tally represents a significant uptick from 2006, when the studio‘s domestic gross was $799 million.

Abroad Universal Pictures International (UPI) was officially launched in January 2007, as an independent distribution entity and enjoyed a successful first year, crossing the $1 billion threshold earlier than ever before (when it was part of the joint venture UIP) and reaching a year-end international gross of more than $1.034 billion, its best in six years.

UPI‘s buoyant year at the box office was galvanised by global blockbusters like The Bourne Ultimatum, which earned more than $213 million at the international box office, and international successes like Mr. Bean‘s Holiday ($192 million), Hot Fuzz ($56.8 million) and The Holiday.

Focus Features also had a strong year with Atonement becoming one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year. Other critically acclaimed films were Eastern Promises, which releases this weekend in India, and Lust, Caution.

Universal‘s home video division generated nearly $2.7 billion in consumer spend in the US alone. The success was fuelled in large part by the performances of The Bourne Ultimatum and Knocked Up which were the two highest-selling DVDs of the year.

Universal adds that its slate for this year continues to represent a diverse blend of genres, star vehicles, franchise event fims, comedies and stories of personal empowerment, including Leatherheads, directed by George Clooney and starring Clooney, Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski; producer Judd Apatow‘s romantic disaster comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall; Marvel Studios‘ The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and William Hurt; director Timur Bekmambetov‘s thriller Wanted starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie; Mamma Mia!, the film adaptation of the stage musical starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Amanda Seyfried; director Clint Eastwood‘s thriller Changeling, produced by Brian Grazer and starring Angelina Jolie.

MUMBAI: The Aneez Bazmee-directed comic caper Welcome has grossed more than $4.5 million (Rs 180 million) at the international box-office in just two weeks and is going strong in its third week as well. Welcome was promoted, marketed and distributed overseas by the international arm of Indian Films-Studio 18.

The movie has recorded pathbreaking collections internationally, emerging as the no. 1 film of Christmas 2007. With no comparable tent-pole release in the weeks to come, Welcome is poised to create even bigger milestones in film history.

Of the total international two-week gross, $3.5 million has been mopped up from the three key markets alone – the US, UK/Ireland & the UAE, and the remaining from other European and Asia-Pacific markets.

In the US, Welcome crossed $1 million on 63 prints at the end of its second week, much the same as the Gulf, where collections touched $1 million on 29 prints at the end of the second week and have held strong over the weekdays as well. Welcome is reported to have beaten some of the biggest Hindi blockbusters in the UAE, including Namaste London, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, making it the highest grossing film ever for Akshay Kumar in this territory.

In the UK/Ireland, Welcome grossed $1.5 million on 51 prints at the end of its second week, making it the highest fortnight gross for an Akshay Kumar title in this market. It was alongisde Hollywood biggies at no. 8 in the coveted “UK Top 10” in its opening weekend and bagged the second highest opening in 2007 after Om Shanti Om. The box-office of Welcome in two weeks in the UK/Ireland has overtaken that of films like Guru, Chak De! India, Ta Ra Rum Pum, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

MUMBAI: The Sixth Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), which will kick off on 10 January, will showcase over 170 films.

The weeklong festival will be inaugurated by minister of Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and the Mayor of Pune Rajlaxmi Bhosle.

The jury has shortlisted 15 international films out of 145 from over 43 countries. Eight Marathi films have also been shortlisted.

PIFF has the distinction of being the only Indian film festival that awards cash prizes in its competition section of world cinema. This year Rs 3.2 million will be given away as cash award.

PIFF director Jabbar Patel said, “Film director Subhash Ghai‘s Whistling Woods International has announced four cash awards for winners in the students‘ film competition section and animated films.”

Sharmila Tagore and Shammi Kapoor will receive the PIFF lifetime achievement awards. Their films will also be screened during the festival.

There will be a Hindi-mainstream section with the six best movies of 2007. The country focus will have 11 films from Germany, three from Italy, five from Hungary and 12 from France.

The Indian panorama will showcase 15 regional language films. Besides, the National Film Archives of India will screen seven of its comic movies.

The retro section of PIFF will have five films directed by Shyam Benegal, seven films from the German director Alexander Kloog and 11 of Pedro Almodóvar of Spain.

MUMBAI: Tangerine Digital Entertainment marks its entry into the motion picture space by acquiring the worldwide rights of Mithya, the latest production from Planman Motion Pictures. It is set for release on 8 February 2008.

Mithya, a comic thriller based on the underworld and directed by noted actor-director Rajat Kapoor, has a star cast that includes Ranvir Shorey, Naseerudin Shah, Vinay Pathak and Saurabh Shukla. Rajat has directed Mixed Doubles, and the last venture that Rajat, Ranvir and Vinay collaborated on was Bheja Fry.

Speaking on the occasion, Planman Motion Pictures CEO Shubho Shekhar Bhattacharjee said, “Planman Motion Pictures has produced a number of quality movies in the recent past. We are happy to partner with Tangerine Digital Entertainment and are quite sure that Mithya will be loved by the audience.”

Tangerine Digital Entertainment MD Puneet Johar further added, “Mithya is a film, wherein the cast and director have lately endeared themselves to the audience. This is our first major film foray into the Hindi film industry, and we are indeed proud to be associated with a film like Mithya and Planman Motion Pictures. With this venture, we complete the convergence story as the company now has interests in media services, digital media, television production and films.”

MUMBAI: Aamir Khan‘s directorial debut Taare Zameen Par (TZP) being distributed by UTV Motion Pictures in the overseas market, has opened to standing ovations and great reviews by critics and audiences worldwide. TZP has collected more than USD 1.45 million alone in the US & Middle East at the end of second weekend, giving TZP a bigger opening than Chak De India in the US market.

In the Gulf, TZP received great accolades and at the end of second week collections having crossed USD 600,000 on just 25 prints. What was highlighted in this market was the way the film‘s collections have held strong over the weekdays as well. In the USA the film has raked in USD 850,000 opening with 71 prints on 66 screens in week 1 and has now expanded to 69 screens on 74 prints in week 2. The word of mouth is extremely strong on this film, which has sustained it during the weekdays showings.

There have also been reports of standing ovations all across North America. “Looking at the response of the film we certain that it will be one of the top 4 Hindi films from India in the US.” quotes Siddharth Roy Kapur, EVP Marketing, Syndicate and Distribution, UTV Motion Picture. “Every once in a while you are taken aback by a movie. It is a rare experience, especially coming from Bollywood. Taare zameen par is a different experience altogether. The movie is one of the best ones to come out of the Bollywood factory.”Quotes Shariq Hamid who runs Funasia, a multiplex chain with 27 screens across 4 cities in the US.”

MUMBAI: Adlabs Films has allotted 1.6 million equity shares to convert Zero Coupon Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCB) aggregating 1, 62, 50,000 euros (or Rs 881.7 million) in value. The equity shares are of face vale Rs five each at a price Rs 543.42 (including a premium of Rs 538.42) per share.

“Pursuant to the allotment, the total paid up share capital of the Company shall be 22,35,84,040 divided into 4,47,16,808 equity shares of Rs five each fully paid up,” says a press release.

However the company has said that further pursuant to the allotment, the net worth of the company shall be Rs 5.78 billion.

The outstanding amount of zero coupon FCCB is now 3,47,65,000 euros in value (or Rs 2012476320).

In December, Adlabs Films had allotted 703,933 equity shares of value Rs five each on conversion of zero coupon FCCB worth Euro 7.05 million (about Rs 382.53 million).

Earlier it had allotted 948,565 equity shares of face value Rs five each for cash at a price of Rs 543.42 (including a premium of Rs 538.42) a share, pursuant to the conversion notices received in respect of conversion of zero coupon FCCB aggregating to Euro 9,500,000 (or Rs 515.4 million) in value.

NEW DELHI: A feature film is to be produced on the freedom struggle centered round the character of legendary freedom fighter Tatya Tope by the government in collaboration with eminent filmmaker Firoze Nadiadwala.

To be named Tatya, the film will be produced at a cost of Rs. 500 million with 50:50 contribution from the Government and the private film production house.

Announcing this, Information and Broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said the film will be directed by Vinay Shukla and is expected to be ready by next Indepdendence Day( 15 August, 2008).

Earlier, the minister released the official wall as well as desk calendar for the year 2008 brought out by Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity. The six sheeter wall calendar titled “India @ 60” is a pictorial depiction of the nation’s progress in the last 60 years. The desk calendar commemorates 150 years of the first war of independence and the country’s freedom struggle. The 12-sheeter desk calendar is a tribute to national heroes of India’s freedom struggle.

The minister also released the annual reference book “India-2008” and “Bharat-2008” in English and Hindi respectively, brought out by the Publications Division. The minister said these publications were popular and sought after even by the private sector.

This is the 52nd edition of the Reference Annual providing comprehensive and authentic information on varied activities, and achievements of various government departments.

India-2008 and Bharat-2008 have been uploaded on the Division‘s official website www.publicationsdivision.nic.in and are available online, free of cost.

Publications Division is among the largest publishing houses in India having published around 8000 titles so far in English, Hindi and other regional languages.

I&B secretary Asha Swarup, DAVP Director-General U. K. Mishra and Publications Division Additional Director-General Veena Jain also spoke on the occasion.

MUMBAI: Jason Spivak has joined Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) in the US as senior VP, strategic development. Additionally, Noam Meppen has been promoted to VP, retail promotions and merchandising and Jamie Glinsky to executive director, strategic development.

Spivak will head the strategic group for the division. He will be instrumental in growing SPHE’s revenue at traditional retail channels through creative distribution and space deals, as well as guiding the company’s presence within the expanding home entertainment marketplace. He will report to SPHE US‘s senior executive VP Marshall Forster.

Meppen will manage and develop SPHE’s retail marketing and merchandising departments. He and his respective teams will work with SPHE sales, marketing and operations groups in addition to theatrical marketing, consumer products and third-party partners, to ensure the effective execution of all sales programmes and strategies at retail.

Meppen previously managed the Target account for SPHE where he drove revenues and created successful, large-scale catalogue promotional holiday events that increased SPHE’s share of Target’s home entertainment business.

Glinsky will continue to play an instrumental role in the development of the manufacturing on demand (MOD) business and will work closely with Spivak on the expansion of SPHE’s presence through traditional and emerging home entertainment channels.

SPHE senior executive VP US Marshall Forster says, “With their proven expertise, I am confident Jason, Noam and Jamie will tackle the challenges the marketplace presents and implement smart business practices that will achieve our company’s strategic goals.”

MUMBAI: In a victory for the major Hollywood studios, a federal judge in Los Angeles terminated an ongoing lawsuit against the operators of TorrentSpy.com in favour of all six of the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) member companies.

The MPAA maintained that the site TorrentSpy blatantly contributes to, profits from and induces massive infringement of copyrighted content including movies, music and games. The court imposed the harshest sanction against the TorrentSpy defendants because of their destruction of evidence and subversion of the judicial process. The ruling means that TorrentSpy operators are liable for copyright infringement.

MPAA executive VP and director worldwide anti-piracy operations John Malcolm says, “The court’s decision is a significant victory for MPAA member companies and sends a potent message to future defendants that this egregious behavior will not be tolerated by the judicial system.”

“TorrentSpy is a one-stop shop for copyright infringement and we will continue to aggressively enforce our members’ rights to stop such infringement,” Malcolm adds.

In its decision, the court ruled that “although termination of a case is a harsh sanction appropriate only in extraordinary circumstance, the circumstances of this case are sufficiently extraordinary to merit such a sanction.” The court found that the evidence was “not deleted or modified negligently, but intentionally in direct response to the institution of this lawsuit.”

Observing that the defendants “already had been subjected to lesser sanctions in this case,” including a fine of $30,000 for violation of a court order, the court concluded that the “harsh sanction” of terminating the defendants’ case was the only appropriate remedy.

The evidence defendants destroyed included forum postings with references to copyright infringement and other incriminating statements; site directories referencing copyrighted works and subcategories clearly referring to pirated content; and user IP addresses.

The worldwide motion picture industry, including foreign and domestic producers, distributors, theatres, video stores and pay-per-view operators lose more than $18 billion annually as a result of movie theft. More than $7 billion in losses are attributed to illegal Internet distributions, while $11 billion is the result of illegal copying and bootlegging.