Category: Movies

MUMBAI: Delhi-based multiplex major PVR has reported a first-quarter net profit of Rs 50.7 million compared to a net loss of Rs 128.5 million a year ago that was hit by a row between plexes and film producers over revenue share arrangements.

Total income jumped 131 per cent to Rs 1.03 billion, from Rs 445.6 million in the year ago period, as the premium multiplex operator hiked average ticket prices by 29 per cent. PVR‘s earlier-year quarter was badly bruised by the absence of fresh content as film producers choked supply to represent their bargaining power.

“The average ticket prices across the comparable properties in the quarter under review grew by Rs 38 (29 per cent growth) over the corresponding period of the previous year due to increase in ticket pricing across various properties across our cinema circuit,” the company said.

The company said that it entertained approximately 5.1 million patrons during the quarter under review, higher by 122 per cent over Q1 FY’10. Occupancies witnessed an increase from 19.9 per cent in Q1 FY10 to 29.3 per cent in the quarter under review.

Meanwhile, total expenditure of the company rose 63 per cent to Rs 876.3 million, as against Rs 538.9 million a year ago.

The cost on account of film distributor share went up by 183 per cent (from Rs 96.7 million to Rs 274.2 million). “During the quarter film distributor share under review increased to 28.9 per cent of operating revenue, higher by 450 bps as compared to 24.4 per cent of operating revenues during the quarter ended June 2009. This has increased partly on account of lower film hire payouts due to older films being played at cinemas in quarter ended June 09 and partly due to higher payouts to distributors on account on new revenue sharing arrangement signed between the producers/distributors and multiplex operators in Jun 2009,” the company said.

The movie exhibition segment saw a net profit of Rs 45.2 million in the quarter as compared to a net loss of Rs 130.3 million in the earlier year. The revenue from the segment was Rs 948.4 million (from Rs 395.7 million).

During the quarter under review, the company has added a total of 13 screens with 3,143 seats. As of date, PVR operates 136 screens across 32 properties and 17 cities. A total of 47 screens enjoy tax exemption.

The company is expected to commence operations in 44 new screens over the next nine months.
 

MUMBAI: Buoyed by releases such as My Name is Khan and Knight & Day in the first half of the year, Fox Star Studios India has unveiled its movie slate for the next six months.

Come 6 August, audiences will witness director Nimrod Antal’s extravagant offering Predators. The film, starring Oscar-winner Adrien Brody (King Kong fame) along with Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace Alice Braga and Walton Goggins, is also being dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

On 27 August, Fox Star Studios will re-release James Cameron’s Avatar in Digital 3D and IMAX 3D.

24 September will have the release of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, an American drama film directed by Oliver Stone. The film is a sequel to the 1987 Academy Award-winning film Wall Street. Up next would be Tony Scott’s Unstoppable, an action film that will release on 12 November.

December will mark the return of one of the popular franchises, The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader. The third part of this blockbuster series will release on 10 December in 3D. The release would be one of the biggest Hollywood releases ever in India with around 1000 prints across multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, Fox Star Studios India CEO Vijay Singh said.

Finally, ending the year would be Gulliver’s Travels, a film based on the 18th century novel of the same name by Jonathan Swift. This 3D live-action family adventure film, directed by Rob Letterman, will release on 31 December.

“We have a very exciting line up ahead and hope to increase the appeal for Hollywood content in India,” said Singh.

MUMBAI: Deepti Naval, better known for her roles in Junoon, Ek Baar Phir and Holi will now act in a Bengali film titled Asamapt (Incomplete), to be directed by debut director Sanjay Nag.

The film has Naval playing the centrifugal role of a mother who comes down to Kolkata to gather the belongings of her dead son.

While director Rituparno Ghosh stars in the film as an actor, Raima Sen stars in the film as Naval‘s dead son‘s associate.

The film is being produced by Sri Venkatesh Films.

MUMBAI: Inox Leisure has posted a first-quarter net profit of Rs 35.2 million, reversing the earlier-year‘s net loss of Rs 40.1 million, as movie supplies have improved though box office successes are still a rare commodity.

Inox reported a 132 per cent jump in revenue to Rs 803.6 million, from Rs 345.1 million a year ago. The comparison would not be accurate as the first quarter of the previous fiscal was hit by a prolonged row with film producers who froze fresh content during this period.

The company‘s expenses stood at Rs 727.7 million, from Rs 400.5 million in the year-ago period.

Inox Leisure director Deepak Asher said, “The first quarter results reinstate Inox’s firm ability to sustain a robust growth momentum and a profit leadership position in the multiplex industry. Going forward in the quarters ahead, with some interesting content lined-up and with our focus to create India’s largest network of state-of-the-art multiplexes across the country, we hope to maintain the growth momentum, deliver a world class film viewing experience to our patrons, and enhance value to our stakeholders.”

The Ebitda for the quarter was at Rs 130.1 million, from a negative of Rs 16.7 million a year ago.

During the quarter under review, Inox had 35 properties under its brand with 132 screens.

The multiplex business segment had an operating profit of Rs 74.2 million, compared to an operating loss of Rs 55.8 million in the first quarter of FY‘10. Revenue from this segment was Rs 803.9 million, up from Rs 344.4 million. The capital deployed in the segment is Rs 3.65 billion.
 

MUMBAI: B4U Pictures will release Balaji Telefilms‘ latest film Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai in the United Kingdom on 30 July with 23 prints.

Balaji Films will keep the Mumbai territory including Maharashtra.

The film, which is based on actual happenings in Mumbai in the 1970s, covers the growth of the Mumbai underworld, from crime and smuggling in its early stages through to its connection with international terrorism in recent times.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai follows the rise of Sultan (Ajay Devgan) and his differences with protégé Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi) who challenges his supremacy and usurps power to rule the murky underbelly of Mumbai.

Avers B4U Network Head of Film Division Sunil Shah, “B4U Pictures is proud to release Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai.”
 

MUMBAI: Music label Venus has acquired the Hindi audio rights of the Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai starrer Endhiran from Sun Pictures, a division of Sun TV Network.

Touted as one of the most expensive films with a heavy dose of special effects, the film‘s melodious music and sensational songs will take fans by storm. “Venus is synonymous with good music and this prestigious project is a feather in our cap,” said Venus Records & Tapes VP – Music Champak Jain.

The audio launch of the trilingual science fiction film that is expected to release in the last week of August will take place on 31 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On the occasion, music maestro AR Rahman will give a special performance. Amitabh Bachchan is expected to attend the function.
 

MUMBAI: Fresh from the hit status he got for his film I Hate Luv Storys, Anurag Kashyap is on course to premiere his new English film titled That Girl in Yellow Boots at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that would be held from 9 to 19 September.

The film tells the story of Ruth (Kalki Koechlin), who is on a search of her father, a man she hardly knew but cannot forget. Desperation drives her to work without a permit at a massage parlour. Torn between several schisms, Mumbai becomes the backdrop for Ruth‘s quest as she struggles to find her independence and space even as she is sucked into the labyrinthine politics of the city‘s underbelly.

The film stars Kalki Koechlin, Naseeruddin Shah, Gulshan Devaiya, Shivkumar Subramaniam, Divya Jagdale, Kumud Mishra and Kartik Krishnan.

The film has been written by Kashyap along with Koechlin.

MUMBAI: Multiplex chain operator Fame India Ltd (Fame), which is in the news for a corporate battle between Reliance MediaWorks and Inox Leisure, has curtailed its first-quarter net loss as its revenue jumped 139.4 per cent.

The net loss for the three months ended June 2010 stood at Rs 36.62 million, as against a net loss of Rs 95.34 million a year ago.

The company noted that “figures for the quarter are not strictly comparable with the corresponding three-months in the previous period, on account of business interruption due to strike called by the united producers and distributors forum in the June quarter and on account of the service tax on rentals.”

Total income was at Rs 389.03 million, compared to Rs 162.51 million in the earlier year as movies were unavailable for release.

Meanwhile, total expenditure of the company increased to Rs 405.02 million, as against Rs 246.54 million in the previous fiscal.

The theatrical exhibition segment suffered an operating loss of Rs 4.05 million in the quarter as against an operating loss of Rs 74.53 million. Revenue from the segment was Rs 377.52 million, up from Rs 157.15 million a year ago.