Category: Movies

MUMBAI: When Priyanka Chopra chose to romance the superhero in Krrish (India‘s answer to Superman and Batman) it was a risk well-taken. Now she has gone a step further by agreeing to play the superheroine in the animated version of Virgin comics.

A relatively new entrant in the business of publishing, Virgin Comics is redefining comics and animation using India-themed content. Based in Bangalore, it is a creative collaboration of writer Deepak Chopra, Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Richard Branson. Aimed at creating a new wave of global comic entertainment, Virgin has titles like Ramayan 3392 AD, Devi, The Sadhu and now Priyanka‘s untitled version.

Priyanka‘s story will launch as a comic book first and then in animation and games. What is interesting is the trend reversal. Earlier comic books turned into movies (Superman, Batman, Robin) whereas now celluloid actors become comic book heroes. Incidentally, Hollywood folklore has it that screen appearances of Superman jinxes the actors associated with it. Christopher Lee was paralyzed, George Reeves shot himself.

It was way back in the eighties when many comic books took inspiration from the then reigning superhero Amitabh Bachchan. He was the first pink-clad Supremo in Indrajaal comics. This was then more driven by reader needs than by content. The series flopped though it had writer Gulzar as content consultant.

On television there was Shaktiman played by Mukesh Khanna. The TV serial CID‘s timeless characters had also come alive on the comic books as well. But the superhero who hit big time was Hrithik in Krrish, our homegrown superhero.

Back home, post Hum Tum, which had comic characters in their own animated sequences in the film, the comic book hero is making his presence felt. With Roadside Romeo, the forthcoming animated film where Saif and Kareena have lent their voices to dogs for the first time, the trend continues.

Written and directed by Jugal Hansraj, who is an actor himself, the film is co-produced by Yash Raj films and Walt Disney Studios. The Indian comic book industry is poised for a transformation and as it goes in for a global outlook it bids adieu to the traditional comic book heroes. The smarter, yuppier avatar of the new-age comic book superhero is hip and more reader-friendly. Geared at attracting the right target audience, the new superheroes may soon garner a strong fan base. And as Bollywood actors are moving in for the kill, the market will soon be flooded with more.

Move over Catwoman, Supergirl as our desi wonder woman makes her entry. And she may do much better than her Hollywood counterpart – because she can also sing and dance.

MUMBAI: The recent blockbuster from Eros International, Heyy Babyy, can now be downloaded on your PC for $ 9.99 (to own) and $ 2.99 for a 48-hour rental.

MUMBAI: Percept Picture Company (PPC), producer of the successful animation film Hanuman, is making a new live-action cum animation feature film Jumbo.

The concept is developed by Walt Disney and Percept has acquired its exploitative rights, says PPC CEO Preet Bedi.

The project will involve live action cum animation and is slated to go on floors in March 2008. “Jumbo is a story about a baby elephant. Disney has taken the concept to various countries and we have acquired its exploitative rights. We are looking to release it sometime in 2010,” Bedi said.

PPC, meanwhile, has finalised a release date for Hanuman Returns, the sequel to Hanuman. “We are releasing it on 27 December. The film is ready and we are currently putting into place the marketing activity for the same,” said Bedi, while showcasing a preview of the film at Nasscom Animation and Gaming 2007.

“The budget of the sequel is about Rs 220-230 million and the marketing spends are about 15-20 times of what we spent on the original. Hanuman has become a brand and we are leveraging its popularity on multiple platforms of which merchandising forms a significant proportion,” he said.

For Hanuman Returns, Percept Picture Company has tied up with Pantaloons for branded apparel and stationery, Jump Games for mobile and Microsoft XBox 360 for console gaming.

MUMBAI: Anil Ambani-controlled Adlabs Films Ltd. is planning to pump in Rs 3.7 billion to expand its theatre chain, studio and digital post production businesses.

MUMBAI: The film sections at the festival include Spectrum Asia (Contemporary Asian films), First/ Second Film Competition (for Asian directors), Best Short film festival (for new talent), The Award Winners (award-winning Asian films that bagged the top honours at Global film festivals), Focus on One Asian Country, Retro (Retrospectives of Indian and Asian directors).

MUMBAI: Animation and Gaming major DQ Entertainment plans to foray into Bollywood Live Action feature film and animated TV series production in the country and abroad.

DQ Entertainment‘s feature film production will be based on cricket with international and Indian actors playing the lead roles, a company release states.

The animated TV series will be exclusively for the Indian TV industry, targeting children and teens. The company plans to produce a live action feature film every year, starting from 2008 along with an animated TV series every 18 months.

While DQ has two concepts for a full length feature film and animation on Indian content under development, it is also looking to work on a live action TV series for the UK market.

DQ Entertainment is also planning to consolidate its position in the gaming segment, covering the gamut of 3-dimension console games, mobile games and online, web-based interactive games.

MUMBAI: NRI businessman Raj Kundra, who had launched S2 perfume in London, has launched himself as a producer in Bollywood with his film ‘Strangers‘.

Kundra is more remembered for his alleged affair with Shilpa Shetty, who hit international headlines after she won UK’s Celebrity Big Brother. The actress had even threatened to take legal action against Kundra’s wife for tarnishing her image.

The Rs 20 million budget ‘Strangers’ is directed by Aanand L.Raj and stars Jimmy Shergil, Kay Kay Menon, Nandana Sen and Sonali Kulkarni . The film is presented by Sahara One Motion Pictures.

‘Strangers’ is scheduled for an end of November release.

Kundra’s first real involvement with Bollywood started way back in 2004 with Karisma Kapoor’s last film Mere Jeevan Saathi, which he financed. His (now-estranged) wife Kavita was the producer of the Naseerudin- Kirron Kher starrer, It could be you.

MUMBAI: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has extended its patronage to the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) Film Festival 2007.

MUMBAI: Marathi film Tingya, produced by Ravi Rai‘s Small Town Boy Productions and directed by Mangesh Hadawale, has been selected for screening in the category for Director‘s First/Second for the Asian Film Festival.

The film will be screened as part of the festival which commences from 1 November at Mumbai and Pune. At Mumbai, screening locations include Plaza and YB Chavan Auditorium Churchgate.

The jury members from India included filmmaker Amol Palekar along with three other judges from abroad, who will choose the winner out of 14 films for this category.

Tingya is an emotional story about a small boy and his bull. The star cast includes Sharad Goekar as Tingya, Tarnnum Pathan, Ajit Gwande, Inesh chauhan, Sunil Deo, Madhavi Juvekar, Chitra Nawathe and Vitthal Umap.

MUMBAI: With the clock ticking over and time running out, studios are stockpiling projects to avoid suspension of work.Hollywood writers are poised to strike work by 31 October if their list of demands are not met with.

Their existing 3-year contract with producers ends 31 October, so 1 November could be day one of the strike.

The Writers Guild Of America (WGA) is demanding a doubling of the pay they receive from the sales of DVD, raising minimum pay for writers and in addition a share of income from programmes streamlined on Internet by TV networks.

The strike could have a major impact as a municipal study indicates a loss of $6.9 billion to the economy of Los Angeles city alone.

Closer home, the film writers in India are also a discontented lot and are in complete support of their Hollywood counterparts.

Here, there are two bodies representing the fraternity – the Film Writers Association (FWA) was formed in 1954 while the Writers Society of India (WSI) has been in existence since the last five years.

The WSI was a body formed to protect writers‘ interests on the issue of royalties, something which the FWA, being governed by the Trade Union Act, could not address.

Till 1950, in every film producing company, a director and writer were permanent employees. That‘s why till then, there didn‘t arise any need for an association of either directors or writers.
Soon after the contract system was introduced with directors and writers, the old relationships between writers and directors began to crack, leading ultimately to disputes between producers and directors as well as between directors and writers.

The director could no longer work with the writer of his choice nor could a writer offer his creation to the director of his liking.

Writer cum director Anurag Basu says, “Indian writers are underpaid and not respected within the film fraternity. Very few writers get their due. The whole community of producers spends time and energy on actors not writers. This thought process is very warped. First they find the actors, then directors and then writers. One can get a good script only if one finds a good writer. If a writer is better paid he will have a sense of security. This in turn will give the industry good scripts.

“Even when one goes to any film awards function it is noticeable that writers are neglected and they are not included in the prime category. I surely support the demands of the Hollywood writers and am looking forward to the day Indian film writers get their due respect.”

Writers in the film industry are keenly watching the on-going battle in Hollywood as they feel that the outcome could in a way affect their future.

Ved Rahi, Secretary of the Film Writers Association is in total support of the strike and says, “We are aware of the strike and are in complete support of their demands. Though we are not actively doing anything about it, we are in solidarity with them. Alas, if we too could go on a similar strike here.”

Ved Rahi, who has penned nearly 30 film scripts, adds that the biggest issue for writers is that of Royalty. “At any given point of time I see at least one of my films being telecast. And I am not paid a rupee by way of Royalty. When we can‘t get Royalty, forget demanding for rights from sales of DVDs. Even the law is not on our side. We need a strong voice to make a representation in Parliament. Unfortunately, this has been our weakness. The FWA has over 7,000 members. Every year we resolve many disputes. In fact, very recently, when both the story and dialogue writers of Nanhe Jaisalmer were not paid, we intervened and they were paid Rs 2.5 lakhs (Rs 2,50,000) by the producer though there was no written contract.”

To protect the rights of the writer is the first directive in the FWA Constitution. The members are seeking an amendment in order to include rights by way of Royalty. Rahi says, “We are not organized enough to opt for written contracts which would protect our rights. Moreover with the corporate culture coming in, some writers are being paid astronomical fees but without receiving any credits. And in addition they are made to sign a contract relinquishing all their rights. In fact the time has come for us to learn a lesson from Hollywood.

A minimum wage structure does exist even for film writers in India but it can be brought into force only in a dispute. If it is proved that a producer has not paid the writer, then he is made to pay according to the minimum wages stipulated in the Act.

It is only a matter of a day before the fate of writers in Hollywood is to be decided, but the murmurs of discontent amongst their Indian counterparts may soon turn into a roar.