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Category: Movies

  • Planet Marathi announces Marathi-Hollywood title ‘Chhatrapati Tararani’

    Planet Marathi announces Marathi-Hollywood title ‘Chhatrapati Tararani’

    Mumbai: Akshay Bardapurkar’s Planet Marathi and Piiyush Singh’s Golden Ratio Films have collaborated with UK-based independent production house Black Hangar Studios for a first-ever Marathi-Hollywood film “Moghul Mardini Chhatrapati Tararani.” Directed by Rahul Jadhav, the film will be produced in Marathi and English and it will feature Sonalee Kulkarni in the lead role. The makers are planning a Diwali 2022 release in India and overseas.

    Based on the life of the warrior queen Chhatrapati Tararani who fought against the Mughals, Nizamshahi, Aadilshahi, Qutubshahi, Dutch, British, Portuguese, and Siddis, the story of the greatness of Maratha women, Marathi pride, and Swarajya, said the statement.

    “Chhatrapati Tararani is going to be a golden page in the history of Marathi cinema. Planet Marathi and Golden Ratio are proud to take the story of the Maratha warrior queen to the world. This will be the first and one of the biggest Marathi-Hollywood films to go on floors with an international film studio,” said Planet Marathi CMD Akshay Bardapurkar. “It is too soon to reveal more details about the film but we have a talented blend of filmmakers, musicians, and artists that are working hard to bring this beautiful presentation to our Marathi audiences. I strongly believe this film has the potential to take Marathi cinema at a newer height,” he added.

    Black Hangar Studios has to its credit Hollywood productions such as “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Dark Tide,” “The Grand Tour,” and “24: Live Another Day,” as well as the Indian superhero film “Ra.One,” released in 2011. “After working with the Indian Sci-fi genre we are excited to create the experience for a historical period drama,” stated Black Hangar Studios CEO Jake Seal. “The story itself moves us and with the promise that Planet Marathi brings in filmmaking we are thrilled to see where this journey leads us. We aim to make films more engaging for global audiences irrespective of the language and medium and we are committed to making this story come alive.”

     “We are excited for the first-ever Marathi Hollywood historical film which will definitely be the most awaited one for 2022. The title itself comes with a huge responsibility to us and the entire team is working to bring out the best for the viewers,” commented Golden Ratio Films co-founder Piiyush Singh.

  • Glimmers of hope for box office recovery

    Glimmers of hope for box office recovery

    Los Angeles: The global box office is accelerating. Revenues in 2021 could hit 21.6 billion, according to a revised forecast from the research firm Gower Street Analytics. The estimate has been revised from a previous estimate of $20.2 billion with a potential additional upside that could see the current year finish closer to $22 billion globally.

    “The $1.4 billion gain to the global prediction since our previous estimate, which was based on eight months of actuals and estimates for the final four months of the year, is primarily due to the blockbuster boost brought about by October,” said the firm.

    The reason for the shift is driven primarily by the strong performance of October titles including China’s ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’ ($845 million through the past Sunday), MGM/Eon/Universal’s “No Time To Die” ($605.7 million) and Sony’s “Venom: Let there Be Carnage” ($395.8M). Warner Bros/Legendary’s “Dune” is also coming out of a strong, expanded release frame with a global total of $296.4 million.

    The $21.6 billion estimates would put 2021, 80 per cent ahead of 2020, but still 49 per cent behind 2019’s record global tally. This is the final estimate the firm plans to publish for 2021 before actuals are announced in early January.

    According to Gower Street, the market share of global box office represented by North America (aka the domestic US) held relatively unchanged, down from 21.8 per cent to 21.6 per cent. Likewise, Latin America held steady, down from 4.9 per cent to 4.6 per cent. These markets are expected to remain relatively unchanged between 2020 and 2021. The Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) dropped from 23.1% to 21.6 per cent.

    In contrast, the Asian-Pacific (APAC) market is expected to expand its share from just over 50 per cent in 2020 to 52.2 per cent in 2021. However, the APAC gain is entirely due to China, which has made its own further encroachment within the APAC region, with a reduced market share of the worldwide box office in the region’s other key markets: Japan, South Korea, and Australia. China is expected to represent nearly 34 per cent of the global box office in 2021, compared to just over 28 per cent in 2020. Japan, meanwhile, sees its market share halve from 12.2 per cent to just six per cent. Korea drops from 4.1 per cent to 2.4 per cent, and Australia from 2.7 per cent to 2.1 per cent.

    Hollywood, in general, is still feeling the fallout from the pandemic. Despite US theatres being mostly back in full operations, there has been hesitation on the part of audiences to return to filling seats to full capacity. However, Hollywood studios and theatre owners are beginning to entice a return to the big screen with persuasive marketing campaigns and exclusive in-theatre movie releases.

    Likewise, the Indian Box Office took a hard hit due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bollywood had a banner year in 2019 and heading into 2020, according to Statista, the box office revenue for the Indian film industry was valued at about Rs 139 billion. This figure was estimated to drop to only Rs 30 billion a year later due to the pandemic impact. However, hope remains high as theatres begin to reopen. Movie theatres in the entertainment capital of Mumbai reopened on 22 October after 18 months of closure due to Covid-19.

    Overall, the global estimate for October has risen nearly 30 per cent from an original estimate of $2.5 billion to $3.2 billion. This would put October business just 4 per cent behind the average of the three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019) for the month. No previous month in 2021 has performed better than 40 per cent behind the three-year average.

    “The Battle at Lake Changjin” tops the 2021 worldwide box office chart with more than $845 million in ticket sales to date. China’s blockbuster “Hi, Mom” which was released in February, follows at number two with $822 million. Universal carries the number three spot with “F9: The Fast Saga” with $721.1 million. China’s “Detective Chinatown 3” is number four worldwide ($686.3 million).

  • As theatres reopen, PVR Pictures set to rekindle India’s romance with cinema

    As theatres reopen, PVR Pictures set to rekindle India’s romance with cinema

    Mumbai: The pandemic had rendered entertainment to become a largely indoor affair, with content consumption confined to household spaces. However, as the world begins to open up, cinema can be enjoyed on the big screen again and PVR Pictures is leaving no stone unturned to make sure audiences are spoiled for choice when they return to theatres.

    Celebrating cinema’s homecoming in grand style, PVR Pictures is slated to release big-ticket Hollywood flicks like “The Contractor,” “Spencer,” “Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre,” “Moonfall,” “C’mon C’mon,” and “The 355” are also set to hit theatres via PVR Pictures.

    Amongst this list, some of the notable names are:

    The 355

    The edge of the seat spy saga features some of the best female talents from Hollywood with “Zero Dark Thirty” fame Jessica Chastain, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, as well as Penélope Cruz and Diane Kruger headlining the star-studded cast.

    Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre

    The action extravaganza sees Jason Statham play a daring and elite secret agent who is forced to recruit a Hollywood superstar (Josh Hartnett) in order to save the world. The film marks Jason’s fifth collaboration with Guy Ritchie. Known for his quirky and out-of-the-box directorial style, Richie might just reinvent the action genre with this adrenaline-filled ride.

    Moonfall

    Roland Emmerich is renowned for helming epic disaster spectacles right from “Independence Day” and “Godzilla” to 2012. The filmmaker turns to space for his next adventure, and if the buzz is anything to go by, this will be his biggest one yet.

    C’mon C’mon

    Mike Mills has brought together a brilliant cast of Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffman, and Woody Norman in a story of how a man and his young nephew forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together.

    “Our upcoming arrays of big-ticket films are targeted towards making sure the audiences fall in love with the magic of movies again,” stated PVR Ltd joint MD Sanjeev K Bijli. “As a brand, PVR is known to back content that is intriguing, and our latest releases imbibe the same philosophy. The importance of content that is impactful is greater now than ever to breathe back life into the cinemas.” 

    With their firm commitment to world cinema, PVR Pictures will also bring films from other parts of Asia to Indian shores. While “Blackpink: The Movie” chronicles the journey of South Korea’s most beloved musical girl band, Japanese productions like “My Hero Academia: Movie 3”, “Kimetsu Orchestra Concert” and “Fate/Grand Order – Final Singularity” shall serve as a unique treat for anime fans.

    “As a company, we always believe in giving audiences an exciting array of films to choose from. Our upcoming lineup of releases ensures that there is everything for someone and something for everyone when they return to the movies after a long wait,” said PVR Pictures Ltd CEO Kamal Gianchandani

  • Cinema is not going to be an easy sell: Inox’s Anand Vishal on advertisers returning

    Cinema is not going to be an easy sell: Inox’s Anand Vishal on advertisers returning

    Mumbai: After nearly 18 months of strict lockdowns and intermittent breathers, the opening of theatres in Maharashtra signals the much-awaited revival of the industry that was hit hardest among all entertainment media. With an estimated 146 million people returning to the theatres, advertiser interest in the medium is also witnessing healthy revival, albeit slowly.

    For the next three months starting Diwali, an impressive line-up of movies including ‘Sooryavanshi’, ‘Bunty aur Babli 2’, ‘Satyamev Jayate 2’, ‘83 The Film’, ‘Jersey’, ‘Tadap’, ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’, ‘No Means No’, ‘Annaatthe’, ‘777 Charlie’, ‘Pushpa : The Rise’, ‘Antim: The Final Truth’ and ‘Bhavai’ awaits the audiences in 2021 alone.

    Inox Leisure Ltd chief sales and revenue officer Anand Vishal tells us that the continuous flow of content from Diwali will ensure the return of advertisers to the cinema, however, it could take anywhere between three to six months for the volumes and rates to reach pre-covid levels.

    In-cinema advertising contributes around 11-12 per cent to the overall revenue pie for Inox. Vishal is expecting a 25-30 per cent drop in rates from what he was operating at earlier. As regards volumes, in a typical week like ‘Sooryavanshi’, there used to be nearly 100-125 advertisers on board, nationally. He anticipates 75-80 per cent of them to return for the big Diwali release on 5 November.

    Even as the situation plays out, Vishal says that numbers are not his primary concern at present. The focus is on bringing advertisers who have been away from the medium due to the lack of either content or a proper timing of the release, back to it.

    “The strength of Cinema as an advertising medium is that it offers a large and relevant audience for brands across categories. Unlike TV where there is a lot of refraction or variance happening, the definite and premium price-points at which we operate are what get brands interested in us. It’s just a matter of time until advertisers taste the success of this medium once again. In the meanwhile, though, Cinema is not going to be an easy sell,” he avers.

    Given the uncertainty that prevails around the number of footfalls in theatres, brands, even though enthusiastic about the reopening, are treading with caution. While all sorts of pricing negotiations continue to happen, Vishal informs that Inox is encouraging marketers to opt for the CPC or Cost Per Contact model wherein the advertiser pays for the number of admits at a fixed rate per person.

    “The numbers of the audience may have gone done, but the quality hasn’t, and therefore we believe this model is best suited and fair for both parties. The approach is working well with the premium, regular clients who are well-acquainted with the medium, but a lot of small and medium budget clients do not understand this model, and that’s where rate negotiations come into the picture. That being said, we are carefully judging where we need to stop. In the process of making informed decisions, we might have to let people go, but we are definitely not selling ourselves short,” he asserts.

    Among the brands that are proactively returning are the likes of Manyavar, Siyaram’s, Allen Solly, Lux, and OnePlus that share a long association with Cinemas, being present on all screens throughout the year. Others that advertise five-six times in a year are the ones that the multiplex brand is making an effort to reach out to for the volumes.

    For ‘No Time to Die’ Inox roped in two new luxury clients, namely, Tata CLiQ and NDC (Natural Diamond Council). The rise of new-age, online/tech advertisers that was fuelled by the pandemic has been media agnostic. Vishal shares that he is “looking forward to a good 15-20 per cent advertisers from this space, which includes e-commerce, edtech, and cryptocurrency brands, pushing revenues for Inox”. 

  • Six-screen multiplex PVR Maison opens at Jio World Drive

    Six-screen multiplex PVR Maison opens at Jio World Drive

    Mumbai: Film exhibition company PVR Ltd, through its luxury arm The Luxury Collection announced the launch of a luxury boutique property PVR Maison at Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, here.

    The six-screen multiplex has a seating capacity of 882 audiences and will be opened in strict compliance with SOPs issued by the Maharashtra government, said PVR in a statement.

    The new property has been inspired by the French Grand Maison and features majestic entrance foyers, luxurious lounges, libraries with art and curiosities, grand living rooms, open kitchens with premium food concepts, and private screening options. It is equipped with a 4K RGB laser projection system with Atmos surround sound system and state-of-the-art high-resolution screens.

    “Innovation and improvisation are in the DNA of our business which has echoed through our every offering,” said PVR Ltd chairman and managing director Ajay Bijli. “PVR Maison is inspired by the French archetype and was born out of the quest to explore deeper and newer facets of luxury. It had a global creative team working on each aspect intricately to bring the best for our India patrons.”

    He further said, “The effects of the pandemic will linger but we are hopeful that 2021 will bring back the theatre-going audience and with the change in the scenario.”

  • Inox onboards Nissan as official sponsor for World Cup Screening

    Inox onboards Nissan as official sponsor for World Cup Screening

    Mumbai: Multiplex chain Inox Leisure Ltd on Thursday announced the onboarding of Nissan India as official sponsor of the World Cup screening at Inox.

    The partnership will see Nissan India and Inox working across various digital media platforms including on-screen and video wall advertisements, as well as hosting live match screening sessions for their exclusive clientele and dealer partners. Nissan is the official sponsor of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and Nissan Magnite is the official car of the tournament.

    “The initiative presents a great opportunity for the fans who wish to experience the ‘stadium energy’ in a carnival-like, safe and hygienic setting, while enjoying Inox’s food-combos and gourmet options served at the multiplexes,” read an official statement by Inox.

    Inox Leisure Ltd chief sales and revenue officer Anand Vishal said, “With an aim to provide a holistic experience to our patrons, we have constantly been working on our alliances to help us elevate their cinema-going experience. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is one of the much-awaited cricketing events across the globe, and it is a privilege for us to screen the matches LIVE at our cinemas. The partnership with Nissan India adds a new dimension and further strengthens our brand offering.”

    The seventh edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hosted by BCCI in UAE and Oman began on 17 October and the final match is scheduled on 14 November. Inox will showcase all matches played by team India, along with marquee league matches, the semi-finals and the final in all major cities in India, said the statement.

    “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is one of the greatest cricket events India looks forward to. Nissan is happy to associate with a dynamic brand like Inox to bring world-class viewing experience to cricket fans. The #BreakBoundaries theme that embodies the spirit of cricket as a sport is echoed by cricket fans in their day to day lives as they strive to move ahead in life,” stated Nissan Motor India MD Rakesh Srivastava.

  • Jay Pandya joins Legend Global Studio as CEO

    Jay Pandya joins Legend Global Studio as CEO

    Mumbai: Jay Pandya has joined media company Legend Global Studio as chief executive officer, according to his LinkedIn profile.

    Prior to this, Pandya was associated with OTT platform Zee5 where he was head of content acquisition and partnership for more than five years. He previously worked with TAM Media Research as director of clients acquisition for over 10 years.

    Pandya commands over 16 years of experience in content strategy, content acquisition, content creation, business planning, digital strategy, research, new business development, budgeting, P&L management, and client servicing to the media industry as a whole.

    Established in 2015, Legend Global Studio is producer Sandeep Singh’s independent media production company that bankrolled films like “Sarbjit,” “Bhoomi,” and “PM Narendra Modi.”

  • Siddharth Roy Kapur re-elected as president of Producers Guild of India

    Siddharth Roy Kapur re-elected as president of Producers Guild of India

    Mumbai: Roy Kapur Films founder and MD Siddharth Roy Kapur has been re-elected as president of Producers Guild of India at the 67th annual general meeting (AGM) of the association held virtually on 29 September. Reliance Entertainment’s Shibasish Sarkar was named as vice president of the industry body.

    Another key development was the expansion in ranks of women producers in leadership roles. Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures LLP’s Madhu Bhojwani and Netflix India’s Ambika Khurana joined incumbents Apoorva Mehta, Manish Goswami and Sunjoy Waddhwa as vice presidents of the guild while Sol Productions’ Fazila Allana joined incumbent Ashim Samanta as treasurer.

    Kapur, who has been serving for six consecutive years as the president of the guild, announced that he would not be making himself available for re-election next year. With Kapur at the helm, the guild has spearheaded multiple industry initiatives to increase the market size and reach of Indian content and include advocacy of producers interests on matters like legislation, taxation and ease of doing business.

    The ongoing pandemic has thrown unprecedented challenges at the production industry. At the AGM, members were apprised of the key activities and developments during the year, including formulating rigorous SOPs for safe shooting, advocating for shooting resumption, organising vaccination camps for members and facilitating financial assistance to daily wage workers through donations by guild members.

  • ITC Kitchens of India to feature on Inox’s menu

    ITC Kitchens of India to feature on Inox’s menu

    Mumbai: Multiplex chain Inox Leisure Ltd on Wednesday announced its partnership with ITC Ltd’s Ready-to-Eat gourmet brand Kitchens of India to introduce a redefined, innovative F&B experience across all multiplexes of Inox in India.

    With this partnership, Inox aims to add a new experience in the cinema halls through a trusted range of 100 per cent natural, Indian gastronomical delights. The new additions to the menu will provide more options to Inox customers, whether ordering at cinemas or from the comfort of their homes through food-ordering apps, said the statement.

    Effective 29 September, customers across the country can have access to authentic Indian cuisine including Vegetable Pulao, Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani, Dal Makhani, Rajma Masala, Pindi Chana and Steamed Basmati Rice as part of the service, it added.

    “With the addition of Kitchens of India range we are expanding the choices for our patrons by offering an aromatic and flavourful dining experience with their loved ones while watching the movie,” said Inox Leisure Ltd vice president food & beverages operations Dinesh Hariharan. “Consumers will greatly benefit from this collaboration by receiving an array of authentic local culinary delights across the country, served in premium spill and leak proof packaging.  This collaboration is a critical stepping stone in our endeavors to strengthen Inox’s F&B service brand as well as our bond with our patrons, by offering them newer preferred choices.”

    Inox’s new F&B roadmap also includes introducing new processes and innovations including making their food available on online food ordering platforms Swiggy and Zomato. Recently, Inox became the first cinema chain in India to get listed on the table reservation and food discovery platform EazyDiner. Inox sells food under three brands – Café Unwind, Insignia and Delights. Intending to extend the hospitality to new audiences, Inox plans to position these into full-service restaurant brands to target non-cinema consumers.

    “Through this partnership with Inox, Kitchens of India will aim to help redefine and shape a new horizon of cinema and food experience for movie-goers,” said ITC Ltd VP of marketing services (foods division) Shuvadip Banerjee. “As citizens gradually resume out-of-home leisure, entertainment experiences and activities, food safety and hygiene continue to be of paramount importance to consumers. With Kitchens of India featuring on Inox’s menu hereon, consumers will not only enjoy the benefits of convenient indulgences in regal Indian delicacies while enjoying their movie, but will do so with a safe, hygienic and a reliable brand.”

  • Cinema halls, drama theatres to reopen in Maharashtra from 22 Oct

    Cinema halls, drama theatres to reopen in Maharashtra from 22 Oct

    Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced that cinema halls and drama theatres in the state will be allowed to operate starting from 22 October. Theatres will have to adhere to the norms set by the government to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

    The state government is going to issue a standard operating procedure for theatre owners soon.

    Thackeray convened a meeting of Covid-19 task force attended by Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and filmmakers Rohit Shetty and Kunal Kapoor. Theatre personality Makarand Deshpande and Marathi actors Subodh Bhave, Aadesh Bandekar among others were also present.

    Theatre owners and associations such as the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) have been actively campaigning, urging the Maharashtra government to relax restrictions on theatres. According to the association, Maharashtra cinema exhibition industry was staring at a monthly loss of Rs 400 crore and were suffering mounting losses with the prolonged shutdown of theatres. Theatres have been shut since mid-March 2020. Restrictions were relaxed briefly in the months of October and November only to be tightened once again with the onset of the second wave.

    Meanwhile, Karnataka has also announced its decision to operate cinema halls and auditoriums at full capacity from 1 October, months after being run at half capacity due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government guidelines mandate a minimum of one dose of vaccine along with other social distancing norms.

    Maharashtra recorded 3,286 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, out of which 446 were from Mumbai. As many as 51 people lost their lives to the disease in the last 24 hours. The total number of total active cases in the state stand at 38, 491, at the time of filing this report.