ITV

Category: Regional

  • FoxStar India opens cuckoo to solid start

    FoxStar India opens cuckoo to solid start

    MUMBAI: FoxStar Studios’ Cuckoo has opened strong in its opening weekend making it the highest grossing opening for a Tamil film without a big star cast in the last five years. Co-produced with The Next Big Film, Cuckoo is the fourth hit for Fox Star in the Tamil market. 

     

    Previous hits include Raja Rani, Vathikuchi and Engaeyum Eppothum (US grosses waiting for Dmitry). Cuckoo is a heartwarming love story between a blind couple.  

     

    Director Raju Murugan said: “I am grateful to the fraternity and the audiences for such a warm reception to the film. I could have never imagined this love and affection and such a huge success at the box office, for a film that was being directed by a debutant and did not boast of any big star power. I am thankful to Fox Star Studios and Next Big Films for showing faith in me and in my two powerhouse performers – Dinesh and Malavika, for coming up one of with the most memorable performances of 2014!” 

     

    Cuckoo is also Fox Star Studios first film post its successful three film deal with A R Murugadoss. And Murugadoss will be directing a Hindi film – Holiday – for the studio next. 

     

    Fox Star Studios CEO Vijay Singh added: “With Cuckoo, we, along with our co producers, The Next Big Film, have been able to demonstrate that content really is the king at the box office. With Raja Rani and now Cuckoo, we have given the industry two new talented directors, Atlee and Raju. With four back to back hits under our belt, three of which were in joint production with one of the giants of Tamil cinema, A R Murugadoss, we are now looking forward to some exciting times ahead, as our next Mundasuppati, in partnership with Thirukumaran Entertainment, gets ready for a release soon.” 

     

    Next up for Fox Star is its Hindi release Hawaa Hawaai directed by Amole Gupte (post Stanley Ka Dabba’s criticial and commercial success) slated for a release on 9 May.   

     

    Having considerably scaled up in the Hindi film market, Fox Star recently announced a four film deal with Vishesh films (on the back of Raaz 3, Jannat 2 and Murder 3‘s success) and has forged alliances with Pooja Entertainment and Films, Phantom Films, Illuminati Films and Endemol India.   

     

    Fox International Productions president Sanford Panitch said: “Fox Star India continues to use its strength in choosing projects, distribution and marketing of both Hollywood and Indian films, and in sustaining lasting partnerships to great results.”

  • Kochadaiiyaan to release globally on 11 April

    Kochadaiiyaan to release globally on 11 April

    MUMBAI: Eros International  Media Ltd (Eros International),  a   leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry will release the eagerly awaited futuristic fantasy  event   of   the   year   ‘KOCHADAIIYAAN  – The   Legend,   a   Mediaone   Global Entertainment  Limited production, directed by Soundarya  Rajnikanth  Ashwin,   worldwide in cinemas on April 11, 2014.

    Kochadaiiyaan  features the unique visual mastery of Photorealistic Performance Capture technology for the very first time in the history of an Indian film. This technology has been previously seen in Hollywood masterpieces as Avatar, Tin Tin and Beowulf.

    Kochadaiiyaan  is an epic dramatization of good versus evil starring South Indian megastar Rajinikanth in a double role in a larger than life depiction. Also starring in the grand production is leading lady  Deepika Padukone  together with South India’s leading stars R. Sharath kumar, Nazar, Aadi, Shobana and Rukmini.

    Providing the musical score is Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman, whose list of credits includes a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards for his outstanding musical contribution for the multi-Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

    Announcing the release of the film, Ms.Soundarya Rajnikanth Ashwin, the Director of the film said, “Following last year’s celebrations of India’s film making centenary we view the release of Kochadaiiyaan as part of the next steps of Indian cinema. For the first time a full length feature has been made using performance capture technology  in India and I truly hope this creates a whole alternate film making avenue apart from live action films in our country”.

     

    Mr. Sunil Lulla, Managing  Director, Eros International  Media Ltd added, “Eros is proud to present this magnum opus with Rajinikanth, which will take the Indian film industry to the next level. We are confident that this will be a landmark film in world cinema as a result of the ground breaking technology used. The film will be released in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Bengali and Punjabi in India and overseas in more than 6,000 screens. We will be releasing an English version internationally as well”.
     

    In a major brand tie-up, Eros International and Mediaone have also tied up with Karbonn Mobile to launch 1 million Kochadaiiyaan branded mobile phones to celebrate the release of the film. The exclusive Karbonn ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ mobile phones will have screen savers and must-have images from the film along with the trailer and the signature tune of the film. These special Kochadaiiyaan mobile phones are intended to launch in February 2014, during the audio launch of the film.

    Kochadaiiyaan  was shot extensively at Pinewood Studios in the UK with a team of world-class technical experts including the London based Centroid Studios,  a state of the art facility for Full Body Motion Capture, which has worked on various Hollywood productions including the recent Brad Pitt starrer World War Z as we// as Pirates of the Caribbean,  lronman  2 and Harry Potter, and Counter  Punch  Studios from Los Angeles, who have been behind successes such as Beverly  Hills  Chihuahua.  They worked in collaboration with Faceware  Technologies, United Kingdom, who have worked on The Mummy 3 and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for the Facial Capturing technology. A team of technical experts from South India and China have worked on this technology, with the best production facilities in London, for the overall completion of the project.

  • Marathi film Narbachi Waadi to compete at the 12th PIFF

    Marathi film Narbachi Waadi to compete at the 12th PIFF

    Mumbai: Marathi film Narbachi Waadi produced by Film Farm that received enormous critical acclaim and was a box office success, has been officially selected to compete at the upcoming 12th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF).

     

    The film is an adaption of the famous play, Shajjano Bagan by Manoj Mitra. The movie stars Dilip Prabhavalkar, Manoj Joshi, Kishori Shahane and is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar. The movie will be screened under the Marathi Feature Film competition section. Only seven movies have been selected in the Marathi feature competition.

     

    Talking about the selection of the movie at PIFF an elated Film Farm co-founder Kalyan Guha, said, “It’s a great honour for us as our first major Marathi feature film has been selected for screening at the prestigious Pune International Film Festival. It has been our endeavour to offer world class content in various fields of media and we will continue to do so.”

     

    The movie Narbachi Waadi, narrates the story of Narba, a simple man living in his wadi in Konkan and his struggle to reclaim his beloved piece of property. A gift from his ancestors, Narba nurtures this grove with love. One day a greedy landlord Rangarao eyes it and wants the wadi by hook or crook. But circumstances ensure that the Zamindar doesn’t get the land and he dies out of disappointment. Years later, his son tries fulfilling his late father’s wish of owning Narbachi Wadi.

  • Carnival cinemas has big expansion plans in South

    Carnival cinemas has big expansion plans in South

    MUMBAI: After introducing Angamaly in Kerala to the multiplex culture, Carnival Cinemas opened its five- screen multiplex in Dindigul (nearly 50 km away from Madurai) on Thursday kick- starting its multiplex business in Tamil Nadu.

    Carnival Cinemas, a part of a Mumbai-based business group claims to lead south Indian cinema exhibition by 2014, with a holding of 87 screens. Considering the number of film releases in Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil Carnival Cinemas is focused to spread its roots in the smaller cities in south.
    Talking about the expansion plans Carnival Group chairman Shrikant Bhasi said, “We have signed 50 screens in 11 districts of Kerala. By end of 2014 Carnival Cinemas will become the largest holder of screens in Kerala.”

    Apart from this it has also signed 20 screens which would be operational in TN in the next six months and about 17 screens in Karnataka with further expansion plans in Andhra Pradesh bringing world class movie experience to most of the towns in the southern states.

    Further, about 50 screens are slated to be opened in Madhya Pradesh. Carnival Cinemas plans to become a holder of 300 screens across India by 2018 and be a big player in the multiplex business segment in the country. It has adopted both organic and inorganic mode of expansion to speed up the growth.
    Currently, its multiplex in Angamaly is the hottest entertainment destination for people from all walks of life, across a wide age group and user profile. It features regional, national and international movies.

    “Carnival Cinemas tapped the secondary market and the tier 2 and tier 3 cities in south at the time when no one dared to explore these markets or to provide metropolitan cinema experience to the audiences there,” said Bhasi adding that they had also pioneered in playing National Anthem Jana Gana Mana in its theatres in Kerala and the idea was later adopted by several others.

    With a planned tie- up with a firm from Hollywood in Los Angeles, Carnival Cinemas would bring updated technology available in the world.

     “Our aim is to provide quality movie watching experience to the movie goers of smaller cities and town in the country. Carnival group with its own chain of food court and recreation facilities is aiming at wholesome family entertainment zones in most of the places where it sets up multiplexes,” added Bhasi who is confident about ruling the secondary market in the southern states.

     

  • Regional film makers make forays into contemporary themes

    Regional film makers make forays into contemporary themes

    MUMBAI: Cast and crew of Indian Panorama Films of three languages interacted with the media at the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Director of Marathi Film, Astu, Sumitra Bhave informed that her film is about what’s happening to and around us now. “May be an old man who has lost his memory understands this. It is a story about an old man suffering from dementia and is following an elephant and his daughter him. This is a story about a life-changing experience”, she said.

    The lead actor and co-producer of the film Dr. Mohan Agashe said that the issues in the film are very relevant. “It’s about a family coping with problems in today’s world, which we are likely to experience ourselves or among our relatives. On one hand because of medical advances and technological revolution, we may have very long span of life, wherein degenerative diseases crop up”, he added.

     

    The Kannada film Bharath Stores director P. Sheshadri said that his film explores the socio-cultural implication of FDI in multi brand retail pushing out the small retailers.

    Lead cast of Bengali Film Ajana Batas (Mystic Wind) Paoli Dam talked about her film in which she is playing the role of a copywriter in an advertisement firm, suffering from loneliness. She said, the fight of the girl against this solitude and depression has been depicted in a poetic manner as the film is based on Joy Goswami’s novel.

  • Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors’ Association imposed penalty by CCI

    Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors’ Association imposed penalty by CCI

    NEW DELHI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 41,393 on the Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors’ Association (TNFEA) (now known as Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners’ Association).

    The penalty has been imposed in respect of information filed by Reliance Big Entertainment (RBE) alleging contravention of the provisions of Section 3 and 4 of the Competition Act. 

    RBE alleged that it was entitled to distribute a film titled Osthe in Tamil language that was a remake of Hindi film Dabbang. However, TNFEA boycotted this film with an effort to secure a claim of its members against a third party Sun TV. 

     

    CCI in its investigation concluded that the decisions and conduct of TNFEA in respect of the boycott against the film Osthe and other films dealt by Sun TV were in contravention of the provisions of Section 3 (3) (b). 

    The penalty of Rs 41,393 has been imposed at 10 per cent of the average turnover of the Association for the relevant last three years. This penalty is to be deposited within 60 days of receipt of this order.

     

    The CCI has also directed TNFEA to cease and desist from indulging in such anti-competitive conduct in future.

  • Satyajit Ray’s work to be exhibited in UK

    Satyajit Ray’s work to be exhibited in UK

    NEW DELHI: The British Film Institute (BFI) is hosting a special two-month festival of selected films of Satyajit Ray in London and will also put up an exhibition of Ray’s design works.

    The exhibition, the first to be held in the United Kingdom, will take place at the BFI Southbank from 14 August until mid-October.

    Before Ray directed Pather Panchali in 1955, he worked as a graphic designer for an advertising agency in Kolkata. In addition to creating over 30 films throughout his career he also designed many of their sets, costumes, credit sequences and posters.

    A selection of the director’s poster designs will be on show in the Atrium at the BFI Southbank. It will include both original and facsimile posters, showcasing the best of Ray’s creations.

    The BFI website said: “Ray’s unique graphic style owed as much to Indian art and indigenous folklore as it did to Western traditions. His wide-ranging poster designs encompass surreal photographic collages, ornate portraits as well as bold, typographic experiments, their imagery and lettering borrowing from scenes and motifs in his cinema. Far more than just a beautiful, eye-catching advertisement, each poster offers Ray’s own interpretation of his film as he distilled it into one image.”

    The exhibition has been organised by Isabel Stevens, Maggi Hurt and Claire Smith. The posters have been sourced from the BFI National Archive and the Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives and Ray Estate, Kolkata.

    The films to be screened as part of Ray season in association with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in August are Pather Panchali, Aparajito,Jalsaghar, Apur Sansar, Devi, TeenKanya, Charulata, Kanchenjungha, Nayak,Kapurush, Chiriakhana, Abhijan and Parash Pathar. Mahanagar is also being screened to mark the 50th anniversary of the film.

    Two documentaries directed by Ray- commemorating writer, artist and composer Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray’s father Sukumar Ray will also be screened.

    A Masterclass on Pather Panchali by filmmaker and teacher Mamoun Hassan who headed the BFI in 1970s is also a part of the programme.

  • Marathi cinema in high gear

    The Marathi movie market is set to enter into a new phase of growth as Star, Reliance ADAG and the Sakaal Group plan to launch general entertainment channels in this langauge space.

    Marathi film producers suddenly see a fresh demand for their content, which was being consumed largely by Zee Marathi and to a lesser extent by ETV Marathi.

    Satellite TV telecast rights for Marathi movies have surged, encouraging producers to increase their production pipeline. “The average purchase of these rights for the popular movies have more than doubled,” says a trade expert who is involved in such transactions.

    There are also more outright purchase of movies and at higher prices. Zee Marathi is said to have spent Rs 4.6 million for the perpetual rights of Tingya, much more than a hit Marathi movie would have cost two years back.

    Some movie rights holders are hanging on to their library with the expectation that prices will further escalate. Says Video Palace owner Nanu Bhai, “I have some 30 Marathi superhit movie rights along with Everest Video. But we are in no hurry to sell them. Let prices further increase.”

    Top five grosser of 2007-08
    Films Total Collections
    De Dhakka RS 60 million
    Saade Maade Teen RS 45 million
    Valu RS 30-35 million
    Tingya RS 15 million
    Aamhi Satpute RS 12.5 million

    It is only after 2004, when Shwaas (which literally means breathe) gave a fresh lease of life to Marathi cinema. Even though Shwaas was sent to Academy awards, the producers had to hunt for money through charity shows to present the film there.

    Post Shwaas, however, the market started expanding. The awareness about Marathi cinema increased considerably with creativity in subject, promotion, distribution and technical advancements. Also in Maharashtra, the state government’s rule that every multiplex has to run Marathi movies has changed the fate of this market.

    But what has fuelled the growth is the entry of corporates into the market. The roster includes Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd (Zeel), Reliance and Mukta Arts.

    Zee has been the most aggressive player. Zeel director of regional channels Nitin Vaidya had earlier told Indiantelevision.com that it would be investing RS 300 million for a slate of 15 Marathi movies in two years.

    Mukta Arts has also chalked out its production plans. The Subhash Ghai promoted company released Sanai Choughade on 20 June; another flick Prarambh is slated for August release.

    With the pumping in of more money, the industry is going to see more movies being made. In 2006, around 45 movies were released in theaters while the number rose to 67 in 2007. In 2008, more then 80 movies are expected to hit the theatres.

    The size of the market is expanding. Says Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal president Ajay Sarpotdar, “The Marathi movie market (theatrical) was not more than RS 50 million in 2006. It managed to touch RS 160 million last year with the government‘s screening rule for multiplexes. In the first six months of this year, we have already crossed RS 220 million and expect to over Rs 350 million by the end of the year.”

    The major problem with Marathi cinema was its promotion and distribution wherein a lot depended on word of mouth publicity. Even though a Marathi movie costs not more than RS 6-7 million, producers did not have enough cash to put in money for promotions.

    That game is fast changing. As per market estimates, Zee Talkies has invested over RS 15 million in promotion of De Dhakka, a budget earlier unheard of. The movie has reaped over RS 60 million in collections so far.

    “With the kind of publicity we can do through our network, we already have an advantage over our rivals. We are bullish about the Marathi movie market,” says a senior executive in Zee Talkies.

    Mukta Arts is also planning to invest in scripts, marketing and promotion. “We are in search for good scripts as content is what drives the audience,” says Mukta Arts CEO Ravi Gupta.

    Adds senior Marathi producer Mahesh Kothare, “With the right kind of money, promotions and marketing, the Marathi movie market is growing very fast. Corporatisation is an added boon as they can easily spend over Rs 10 million in promotions.”

    Being made on as low as Rs 6-7 million budgets, the business dynamics has turned favourable as Marathi general entertainment channels grow in number and are keen to lap up movie content.

    Sums up Galgale Nighale‘s director Kedar Shinde: “We are currently in the first gear. Very soon, we will be driving in high gear.”

  • Warner Bros India forays into regional film production, sews deal with Soundarya Rajnikanth

    Warner Bros India forays into regional film production, sews deal with Soundarya Rajnikanth

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros Pictures India is set to foray into regional film production. The Hollywood major has stitched an exclusive multi-movie deal with Soundarya Rajnikanth’s Ocher Studios to get a footprint across the four southern languages.

     

    According to the terms of the deal, Warner Bros will be involved in funding the film projects. The pact covers the production and distribution of Live-Action South Indian language films to be released by Warner Bros.

     

    Soundarya Rajnikant, the daughter of superstar Rajnikant, said that it is a great privilege for her company to associate with a world leader in the entertainment industry. “Ocher Studios has always strived towards achieving high standards in quality content creation, and with Warner’s expertise in the marketing and distribution space this association will definitely create an impact in the film industry,” she added.

     

    While Warner Bros specializes in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses, Ocher Studios offers its services ranging from VFX, digital film lab, non-linear editing, CGI, and pre-production.

     

    “We are thrilled with this opportunity to expand our local production business across all four southern languages by getting into a strategic alliance with Soundarya Rajnikant of Ocher Studios. As is our practice, we will work closely with our partners to impart our experiences and expertise in a collaborative way,” said EVP Warner Bros International Richard J Fox.

     

    Added Warner Bros. Pictures India country head Blaise Fernandes: “We are excited and proud to be working with Soundarya Rajnikant who is extremely talented, has good insight into film making and knows the pulse of the southern market. Given Soundarya and Ocher Studios’ creative skills combined with our marketing and distribution network, this is a perfect synergy between the two companies to come together.”