ITV

Tag: Ajit Andhare

  • TV producer Colosceum’s new drive

    TV producer Colosceum’s new drive

    MUMBAI: Lalit Sharma has one ambition that keeps him up all night, it’s the drive to take his production house Colosceum Media into new vistas. The smiling soft-spoken bearded CEO whose charge has built up its reputation as a top notch producer of non-fiction and reality shows would like to balance out its portfolio by diversifying increasingly into TV dramas and series for Hindi GECs, shows for international TV channels, and digital content.

    For the first, he has a challenge – albeit not un-surmountable – on his hands. For a large part programmers in Hindi GECs are a cautious bunch – they put producers in defined boxes and are loathe to give opportunities to untried and untested producers, even though they have experience in other genres. “Oh! He is into non-fiction; he does not have the requisite fiction production experience,” is oft heard in programming circles in channels.

    The production house has found a way out of this Catch22 situation. Over the years, it has partnered with fiction producers or creators by pumping in funds and looking after the production aspects of each show. For example for its latest endeavor, Dehleez, which came to a close in June 2016, Sharma found a willing listener in Star Content Studios boss Gaurav Banerji who allowed him to partner and co-produce it with Farhan Salaruddin’s Fortune Productions for Star Plus. A romantic courtroom drama it ran for 104 episodes at 10:30 pm, and pulled in consistent ratings for the channel.

    But Lalit wants more of fiction. “We were heartened by the success of Dahleez and would like to produce more shows in the fiction genre. We have a few concepts for which we are currently in conversation with a couple of Hindi GECs,” he says.

    The Rs 45.55 crore (year ended 31 March 2015) turnover TV production studio has made its reputation as the producer of flagship shows such as MTV Roadies, Splitsvilla and Masterchef which are almost iconic. But unknown to many it has almost been churning out ad films, documentaries, regional content and even mythological shows.

    Its ride into television started way back in 2007 when founder Ajit Andhare armed with little but a dream to get into production drew up a business plan and approached TV18 promoter Raghav Bahl and got him to provide him with seed capital. Ajit had little TV production experience. A 10 year veteran of marketing behemoth Hindustan Lever, he had risen up the ranks to become regional brand activation director APAC for its parent Unilever. Through the years, he had worked on brands like Sunsilk Clear, Dove, Lifebuoy, Lux, among many others.

    While at Hindustan Lever, he had creatively brainstormed and conceptualized a concept that would end up on television as a TV show Wheel Smart Srimati on Doordarshan.

    Ajit utilized the seed capital Raghav provided him for his project well. He roped in in Rajiv Lakshman (yes, he of Roadies fame and the other half of the twin brothers) as chief creative officer. He then brought in Lalit, (who had close to nine years experience and was working in Star India as AVP operations) as his COO.

    “Even though Colosceum was funded by Network 18, we were adamant on not making it a network production house, which turned out to be the biggest challenge,” shares Rajiv who has since parted ways from Colosceum, and today runs another outfit with his brother Raghu.

    Team in place, Ajit and Rajiv decided to approach Hindustan Lever with a pitch to produce Wheel Smart Srimati. The well-established Miditech and Endemol Colosceum were also in the running, but finally Levers decided to opt for Colosceum. The production house went on to make a success of it.

    But even then its big challenge was to get a show on private satellite TV. “The break came when we made Splitsvilla for MTV, the first romance reality show,” expresses Sharma.

    And then there was no looking back. Within seven months of inception, Colosceum had five shows on air Wheel Smart Srimati and Duniya on DD, Jai Sri Krishna and Bandhan Saat Janmon Ka (on Colors), and of course Splitsvilla. For its fiction, mythologicals and drama forays, Colosceum partnered with other creative boutiques such as Moti and Meenakshi Sagar, and Shakuntalam Telefilms – a tack it follows to this day.

    But the next big break at the company came when it was commissioned by Star to produce a top global format franchise – Masterchef India for Star Plus. Over the years, other shows followed on which it was a co-producer such as Jamunia and Meera on NDTV Imagine, Shakuntala on Star One, now Like Ok, and Bani Ishq Da Kalma on Colors.

    It was in 2013 when Ajit decided to head out and venture into film making under the banner of Viacom18 Motion Pictures. By then, most of the shareholding was in the hands of private equity funds.

    And the mantle to run the shop fell on Lalit. Rajiv also moved on to his joint venture with twin brother Raghu Ram. “I love experimenting with my career, Colosceum had attained stability and it was time to move on,” says Rajiv.

    Lalit brought in Jayesh Gokulgandhi as CFO, Girish Balan as VP-productions & operations and Kaveri Mehrotra as creative head. Today, a core team of 28 employees is responsible for the 200-250 hours of non-fiction content that it churns out. while the crew is hired according to the projects. The company’s rolls swell depending on the number of projects it has on the floors. For each non- fiction production, it recruits between 200-300 crew and for fiction between 60-100. For shows like Roadies which it has been producing since Season 8, it has partners and line producers nationally and internationally who are available for it on call.

    According to Lalit, the company has an appetite to produce three non-fiction, two or three regional fiction, two to three niche content and three to four fiction shows in the Hindi GEC space annually.

    “We work like a family, the entire team has dedication and passion at its core.” shares Lalit. ”Our co-productions are like collaborations where we come together to create the and produce the show. We have different revenue share models with our co-production partners,” explains Lalit.

    The Colosceum team has got plaudits from all and sundry. Its shows have won awards. But more than that is the praise that its broadcast partners shower on it. Says MTV India creative and content director Deborah Polycarp: “They produce Splitsvilla and Roadies for MTV from season 8 and have proved to be a passionate team. Colosceum puts in determined efforts behind every show that they produce. Evidence of that is the fact that Splitsvilla is amongst the top rated shows.”

    Lalit, on his part, is looking forward to the next season of Roadies which is slated to come on air in January next year.

    And taking Colosceum into the digital content space. Says Lalit: “We are pulling up our sleeves to create some path breaking content online, with the same impact as our shows on television.”

    Adds Kaveri: “We create youth content for any space, be it digital or broadcasting keeping their environment in mind. It has be out of the box and something which will have a creative hook.”

    Additionally, what’s exciting the team is a project, which is being drawn up on for an international broadcaster. “We can’t talk about it right now,” says Lalit. “But it will be a show that will take Colosceum to the next level.”

  • TV producer Colosceum’s new drive

    TV producer Colosceum’s new drive

    MUMBAI: Lalit Sharma has one ambition that keeps him up all night, it’s the drive to take his production house Colosceum Media into new vistas. The smiling soft-spoken bearded CEO whose charge has built up its reputation as a top notch producer of non-fiction and reality shows would like to balance out its portfolio by diversifying increasingly into TV dramas and series for Hindi GECs, shows for international TV channels, and digital content.

    For the first, he has a challenge – albeit not un-surmountable – on his hands. For a large part programmers in Hindi GECs are a cautious bunch – they put producers in defined boxes and are loathe to give opportunities to untried and untested producers, even though they have experience in other genres. “Oh! He is into non-fiction; he does not have the requisite fiction production experience,” is oft heard in programming circles in channels.

    The production house has found a way out of this Catch22 situation. Over the years, it has partnered with fiction producers or creators by pumping in funds and looking after the production aspects of each show. For example for its latest endeavor, Dehleez, which came to a close in June 2016, Sharma found a willing listener in Star Content Studios boss Gaurav Banerji who allowed him to partner and co-produce it with Farhan Salaruddin’s Fortune Productions for Star Plus. A romantic courtroom drama it ran for 104 episodes at 10:30 pm, and pulled in consistent ratings for the channel.

    But Lalit wants more of fiction. “We were heartened by the success of Dahleez and would like to produce more shows in the fiction genre. We have a few concepts for which we are currently in conversation with a couple of Hindi GECs,” he says.

    The Rs 45.55 crore (year ended 31 March 2015) turnover TV production studio has made its reputation as the producer of flagship shows such as MTV Roadies, Splitsvilla and Masterchef which are almost iconic. But unknown to many it has almost been churning out ad films, documentaries, regional content and even mythological shows.

    Its ride into television started way back in 2007 when founder Ajit Andhare armed with little but a dream to get into production drew up a business plan and approached TV18 promoter Raghav Bahl and got him to provide him with seed capital. Ajit had little TV production experience. A 10 year veteran of marketing behemoth Hindustan Lever, he had risen up the ranks to become regional brand activation director APAC for its parent Unilever. Through the years, he had worked on brands like Sunsilk Clear, Dove, Lifebuoy, Lux, among many others.

    While at Hindustan Lever, he had creatively brainstormed and conceptualized a concept that would end up on television as a TV show Wheel Smart Srimati on Doordarshan.

    Ajit utilized the seed capital Raghav provided him for his project well. He roped in in Rajiv Lakshman (yes, he of Roadies fame and the other half of the twin brothers) as chief creative officer. He then brought in Lalit, (who had close to nine years experience and was working in Star India as AVP operations) as his COO.

    “Even though Colosceum was funded by Network 18, we were adamant on not making it a network production house, which turned out to be the biggest challenge,” shares Rajiv who has since parted ways from Colosceum, and today runs another outfit with his brother Raghu.

    Team in place, Ajit and Rajiv decided to approach Hindustan Lever with a pitch to produce Wheel Smart Srimati. The well-established Miditech and Endemol Colosceum were also in the running, but finally Levers decided to opt for Colosceum. The production house went on to make a success of it.

    But even then its big challenge was to get a show on private satellite TV. “The break came when we made Splitsvilla for MTV, the first romance reality show,” expresses Sharma.

    And then there was no looking back. Within seven months of inception, Colosceum had five shows on air Wheel Smart Srimati and Duniya on DD, Jai Sri Krishna and Bandhan Saat Janmon Ka (on Colors), and of course Splitsvilla. For its fiction, mythologicals and drama forays, Colosceum partnered with other creative boutiques such as Moti and Meenakshi Sagar, and Shakuntalam Telefilms – a tack it follows to this day.

    But the next big break at the company came when it was commissioned by Star to produce a top global format franchise – Masterchef India for Star Plus. Over the years, other shows followed on which it was a co-producer such as Jamunia and Meera on NDTV Imagine, Shakuntala on Star One, now Like Ok, and Bani Ishq Da Kalma on Colors.

    It was in 2013 when Ajit decided to head out and venture into film making under the banner of Viacom18 Motion Pictures. By then, most of the shareholding was in the hands of private equity funds.

    And the mantle to run the shop fell on Lalit. Rajiv also moved on to his joint venture with twin brother Raghu Ram. “I love experimenting with my career, Colosceum had attained stability and it was time to move on,” says Rajiv.

    Lalit brought in Jayesh Gokulgandhi as CFO, Girish Balan as VP-productions & operations and Kaveri Mehrotra as creative head. Today, a core team of 28 employees is responsible for the 200-250 hours of non-fiction content that it churns out. while the crew is hired according to the projects. The company’s rolls swell depending on the number of projects it has on the floors. For each non- fiction production, it recruits between 200-300 crew and for fiction between 60-100. For shows like Roadies which it has been producing since Season 8, it has partners and line producers nationally and internationally who are available for it on call.

    According to Lalit, the company has an appetite to produce three non-fiction, two or three regional fiction, two to three niche content and three to four fiction shows in the Hindi GEC space annually.

    “We work like a family, the entire team has dedication and passion at its core.” shares Lalit. ”Our co-productions are like collaborations where we come together to create the and produce the show. We have different revenue share models with our co-production partners,” explains Lalit.

    The Colosceum team has got plaudits from all and sundry. Its shows have won awards. But more than that is the praise that its broadcast partners shower on it. Says MTV India creative and content director Deborah Polycarp: “They produce Splitsvilla and Roadies for MTV from season 8 and have proved to be a passionate team. Colosceum puts in determined efforts behind every show that they produce. Evidence of that is the fact that Splitsvilla is amongst the top rated shows.”

    Lalit, on his part, is looking forward to the next season of Roadies which is slated to come on air in January next year.

    And taking Colosceum into the digital content space. Says Lalit: “We are pulling up our sleeves to create some path breaking content online, with the same impact as our shows on television.”

    Adds Kaveri: “We create youth content for any space, be it digital or broadcasting keeping their environment in mind. It has be out of the box and something which will have a creative hook.”

    Additionally, what’s exciting the team is a project, which is being drawn up on for an international broadcaster. “We can’t talk about it right now,” says Lalit. “But it will be a show that will take Colosceum to the next level.”

  • Viacom18 Motion Pictures ‘unconventional Indian cinema’ journey

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures ‘unconventional Indian cinema’ journey

    MUMBAI: Just five years old in the Indian film industry and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has successfully changed the dimensions of tried and tested formulas. It has challenged the conventional norms of film making and produced a variety of movies for Indian audiences. Viacom18 Motion Pictures was started in 2010 with an aim to disrupt the tried and tested formulas, to challenge the norms and to ensure that content stood out to be the true winner. With movies like Tanu Weds Manu, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, OMG:Oh My God, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Queen, Mary Kom, Gabbar is Back and Margarita with a Straw, Viacom MP has proved that it has the ability to choose the right kind of script based on insights combined with instincts.

    This multi-faceted studio backs rare concept based cinema that appeals to the masses, distributes and markets larger-than-life English films that become mega blockbusters in India and has even ventured into regional markets like Marathi, Bengali and South Indian languages. Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has over 100 awards in its kitty.

    On completing five successful years of storytelling across 80 films, Viacom18 Media group CEO Sudhanshu Vats said, “Viacom18 Motion Pictures is an integral part of the value proposition of Viacom18 as a media network. Over the last 5 years we have built a distinctive identity for our movie studio that is built around our strong focus on stories. This ‘content-first’ approach is in synergy with our broadcast and digital business lines and together films, broadcast and digital complete the ecosystem of entertainment that Viacom18 offers its consumers.”

    Elaborating further Vats revealed, “Today we have a library of films and lines of businesses that I feel proud of. With each new project we are increasingly integrating a scientific approach based on data mining and analysis, enabling us to incrementally maximize business value for the studio as a whole. We have some interesting projects lined up for the years ahead and I look forward to an exciting future.”

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said,“Viacom18 Motion Pictures has stood for a distinctive kind of cinema and consistent delivery best reflected not in one film or another but in the collective body of work built over these 5years. A conscious and calibrated business approach of focusing on innovation in films and rooting them in strong viable economics has been our hallmark.”

    “At the core of Viacom 18, the approach to film making is —  what can we do differently?  What can we do that is not conventional? That approach has been at the heart of a whole lot of things we do. The kind of film universe we have created, the kind of grammar we have created for film making and the kind of films we have stood for have started to occupy the centre stage in the Indian movie industry,” added Andhare.

    Further, sharing insights on how Viacom monetizes and markets films, Andhare said, “As a studio we are not just a film making outfit, we are part of a larger media network. Besides box office, the second largest revenue comes from satellite and now the new emerging market is digital. There will be a natural synergy in the group that will make a lot sense. In the broadcasting revenue model where a lot of output will be captive consumed by both of our platforms, some of those things clearly help in monetization.”  

    On marketing of the unconventional films, Andhare explained, “Traditional films are led by stars and it is the stars that are marketed, but if you take an unconventional film like Maajhi, it was marketed as an inspirational story. It is difficult to give a specific answer as to how we market films as it all depends on the kind of film we are working on and the content. For each film we have a different marketing strategy.”

    “Viacom18 Motion Pictures has consistently stood out for its distinctive kind of cinema delivery, best reflected not in one film or another but in the collective body of work built over these 5 years. A conscious and calibrated business approach of focusing on innovation in films and rooting them in strong viable economics has been our hallmark,” Andhare added.

    Before giving a green light to a story there are a few points that the studio keeps in mind in the initial stages he revealed.

    “We look at two to three aspects. Firstly, it’s the script. We also have an advisory council which does not work for Viacom, but are independent directors, films enthusiasts, film journalists who share their views on the script and we get the sense from that. Besides that, we also have someone who technically looks after the script. The script is just one layer, apart from that there are performances and there are many parameters that are involved in the judgment,”   said Andhare.

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures will relive its blockbusters through a weeklong festival between 11 June and 17 June 2016 that will showcase some of the most successful and loved films from its library. Launched in collaboration with Cinepolis, this festival will be a multi-city treat for movie lovers across Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Bangalore showcasing hits like Kahaani, Manjhi – The Mountain Man, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Queen and Gangs of Wasseypur I & II.

    “We will continue to be unconventional in our films and conventional in our business approach that focuses on return on capital. As we complete five years we feel inspired from what we have achieved and are spurred on to play a central role in shaping Indian cinema in our journey ahead,” asserted Andhare in conclusion. 
     

  • Viacom18 Motion Pictures ‘unconventional Indian cinema’ journey

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures ‘unconventional Indian cinema’ journey

    MUMBAI: Just five years old in the Indian film industry and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has successfully changed the dimensions of tried and tested formulas. It has challenged the conventional norms of film making and produced a variety of movies for Indian audiences. Viacom18 Motion Pictures was started in 2010 with an aim to disrupt the tried and tested formulas, to challenge the norms and to ensure that content stood out to be the true winner. With movies like Tanu Weds Manu, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, OMG:Oh My God, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Queen, Mary Kom, Gabbar is Back and Margarita with a Straw, Viacom MP has proved that it has the ability to choose the right kind of script based on insights combined with instincts.

    This multi-faceted studio backs rare concept based cinema that appeals to the masses, distributes and markets larger-than-life English films that become mega blockbusters in India and has even ventured into regional markets like Marathi, Bengali and South Indian languages. Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has over 100 awards in its kitty.

    On completing five successful years of storytelling across 80 films, Viacom18 Media group CEO Sudhanshu Vats said, “Viacom18 Motion Pictures is an integral part of the value proposition of Viacom18 as a media network. Over the last 5 years we have built a distinctive identity for our movie studio that is built around our strong focus on stories. This ‘content-first’ approach is in synergy with our broadcast and digital business lines and together films, broadcast and digital complete the ecosystem of entertainment that Viacom18 offers its consumers.”

    Elaborating further Vats revealed, “Today we have a library of films and lines of businesses that I feel proud of. With each new project we are increasingly integrating a scientific approach based on data mining and analysis, enabling us to incrementally maximize business value for the studio as a whole. We have some interesting projects lined up for the years ahead and I look forward to an exciting future.”

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said,“Viacom18 Motion Pictures has stood for a distinctive kind of cinema and consistent delivery best reflected not in one film or another but in the collective body of work built over these 5years. A conscious and calibrated business approach of focusing on innovation in films and rooting them in strong viable economics has been our hallmark.”

    “At the core of Viacom 18, the approach to film making is —  what can we do differently?  What can we do that is not conventional? That approach has been at the heart of a whole lot of things we do. The kind of film universe we have created, the kind of grammar we have created for film making and the kind of films we have stood for have started to occupy the centre stage in the Indian movie industry,” added Andhare.

    Further, sharing insights on how Viacom monetizes and markets films, Andhare said, “As a studio we are not just a film making outfit, we are part of a larger media network. Besides box office, the second largest revenue comes from satellite and now the new emerging market is digital. There will be a natural synergy in the group that will make a lot sense. In the broadcasting revenue model where a lot of output will be captive consumed by both of our platforms, some of those things clearly help in monetization.”  

    On marketing of the unconventional films, Andhare explained, “Traditional films are led by stars and it is the stars that are marketed, but if you take an unconventional film like Maajhi, it was marketed as an inspirational story. It is difficult to give a specific answer as to how we market films as it all depends on the kind of film we are working on and the content. For each film we have a different marketing strategy.”

    “Viacom18 Motion Pictures has consistently stood out for its distinctive kind of cinema delivery, best reflected not in one film or another but in the collective body of work built over these 5 years. A conscious and calibrated business approach of focusing on innovation in films and rooting them in strong viable economics has been our hallmark,” Andhare added.

    Before giving a green light to a story there are a few points that the studio keeps in mind in the initial stages he revealed.

    “We look at two to three aspects. Firstly, it’s the script. We also have an advisory council which does not work for Viacom, but are independent directors, films enthusiasts, film journalists who share their views on the script and we get the sense from that. Besides that, we also have someone who technically looks after the script. The script is just one layer, apart from that there are performances and there are many parameters that are involved in the judgment,”   said Andhare.

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures will relive its blockbusters through a weeklong festival between 11 June and 17 June 2016 that will showcase some of the most successful and loved films from its library. Launched in collaboration with Cinepolis, this festival will be a multi-city treat for movie lovers across Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Bangalore showcasing hits like Kahaani, Manjhi – The Mountain Man, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Queen and Gangs of Wasseypur I & II.

    “We will continue to be unconventional in our films and conventional in our business approach that focuses on return on capital. As we complete five years we feel inspired from what we have achieved and are spurred on to play a central role in shaping Indian cinema in our journey ahead,” asserted Andhare in conclusion. 
     

  • Viacom18 Motion Pictures to release ‘Gods of Egypt’ on 26 February

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures to release ‘Gods of Egypt’ on 26 February

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 Motion Pictures will be releasing the fantasy movie Gods of Egypt from Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label in India on 26 February, 2016.

    The film will be released in four languages namely English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    The deal was negotiated by Wendy Reeds and Christian Perala from Lionsgate International’s UK office.

    The studio will market and distribute the movie, which recreates the ancient Egyptian kingdom depicting armour clad, sword swinging Gerard Butler as the Egyptian God of Darkness Set and Brendon Thwaites as mortal hero Bek. This mega action adventure follows Bek’s quest to retrieve magic objects with thrilling chase sequences followed by breathtaking high octane action scenes for the survival of mankind that is hanging in the balance.  

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Lionsgate on Gods of Egypt. We have been keen to expand our English film slate with the growing Hollywood contribution to the Indian box office. Film viewers who appreciate scale and larger than life canvases of Hollywood films are going to love this film.”

    “Viacom18 is a terrific partner with a wonderful track record of marketing and distributing popular action films and we are very pleased to be working with them on the local release of Gods of Egypt. This is the type of big-action film that audiences will want to see in the theatre,” added Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group EVP for international sales Wendy Reeds.

  • Viacom18 Motion Pictures to release ‘Gods of Egypt’ on 26 February

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures to release ‘Gods of Egypt’ on 26 February

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 Motion Pictures will be releasing the fantasy movie Gods of Egypt from Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label in India on 26 February, 2016.

    The film will be released in four languages namely English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    The deal was negotiated by Wendy Reeds and Christian Perala from Lionsgate International’s UK office.

    The studio will market and distribute the movie, which recreates the ancient Egyptian kingdom depicting armour clad, sword swinging Gerard Butler as the Egyptian God of Darkness Set and Brendon Thwaites as mortal hero Bek. This mega action adventure follows Bek’s quest to retrieve magic objects with thrilling chase sequences followed by breathtaking high octane action scenes for the survival of mankind that is hanging in the balance.  

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Lionsgate on Gods of Egypt. We have been keen to expand our English film slate with the growing Hollywood contribution to the Indian box office. Film viewers who appreciate scale and larger than life canvases of Hollywood films are going to love this film.”

    “Viacom18 is a terrific partner with a wonderful track record of marketing and distributing popular action films and we are very pleased to be working with them on the local release of Gods of Egypt. This is the type of big-action film that audiences will want to see in the theatre,” added Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group EVP for international sales Wendy Reeds.

  • Viacom 18’s Cine Shorts returns with season 2

    Viacom 18’s Cine Shorts returns with season 2

    MUMBAI: With an aim to provide a platform to budding filmmakers with an opportunity to showcase their talent through a five-minute short film, Viacom 18 has launched the second season of Cine Shorts on 7 September.

     

    Viacom 18 has also brought on board Inox as a partner on the Cine Shorts initiative.

     

    The jury comprising director-producer David Dhawan, director Sriram Raghavan, Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare and cinematographer Ayananka Bose amongst others, will be evaluating the entries.

     

    Andhare said, “This is an initiative that we at Viacom 18 Motion Picture (VMP) are very proud of. Our studio has been known to work with fresh talent and this endeavour allows us to add to the talent pool of the Indian film industry.”

     

    Raghavan added, “We have a platform for singers on television and we have several dance reality shows – CineShorts is a platform for film makers. This is a stage for youngsters to showcase their talent, which may or may not have seen the light of day otherwise and I am glad to be a part of such an initiative.”

     

    Expressing his views on the same, Dhawan said, “Comedy, especially romantic comedy is a tough genre to work on and I am looking forward to some exceptional short films that will not only strike a chord but also leave you in splits.”

     

    Inox Leisure CEO Alok Tandon opined, “We are happy to be associated with Cine Shorts for the second year in a row. In a country, which is passionately excited about movies, this festival is an ideal platform for budding filmmakers to display their talent and be recognised. It also gives these filmmakers a stage to unleash their potential and creativity and showcase their filmmaking flair to the world.”

     

    While the first season had the theme of ‘Fighting the Odds,’ the second season will now challenge participants to make a short film on the concept of ‘Falling in Love’ but with a twist.

  • “The Rs 100 crore Bollywood film club is bullshit:” Mukesh Bhatt

    “The Rs 100 crore Bollywood film club is bullshit:” Mukesh Bhatt

    MUMBAI: The year 2014 will go down in history as one of the worst years for Indian cinema in recent times with poor box office collections. Movie economics were also adversely affected by dramatic reduction in demand for satellite rights by broadcasters.

     

    In an endeavour to produce bigger and larger movies, is the emphasis on quality declining? Are studios misreading audience tastes? Are movie budgets bloated beyond control? These questions were raised in a session of FICCI Frames 2015 moderated by Sikhya Entertainment founder Guneet Mongia with Viacom 18 Motion Pictures CEO Ajit Andhare, Eros International MD and group CEO Jyoti Deshpande, film distributer Anil Thadani, PVR Pictures president Kamal Gianchandani, Fox Star CEO Vijay Singh and Film and TV Producer Guild president Mukesh Bhatt.

     

    With a mere growth of 0.9 per cent, the film industry has reached its abysmal low. The panelists citied the major reason behind that as filmmakers getting carried away by big names and not sticking to the budget drawn.

     

    Deshpande opened up the discussion by aggressively protesting over budgeting. “We should immediately stop chasing big names and stick to quality content in order to make the industry prosper. Before green lighting content, we need to tackle a number of issues and better research can help the industry grow. Simultaneously, we also need to ensure that the number of screens increases as more screens mean more money.”

     

    Speaking on the shrinking number of screens, Gianchandani said, “While we are growing in some parts of the country, the fact is that there is stagnancy in some areas. The growth of multiplex depends on numerous factors, government and content being the two vital ones. We need to ensure that we have content that rejuvenates consumers and they reach the theatres.”

     

    It should be noted that in China a new screen starts in every three days and the industry is growing bigger and faster, whereas India is witnessing the exact opposite. Addressing the issue, veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt asserted, “In this business, if you don’t have the temperament to take a risk then you are on the wrong ship and you will certainly drown. Playing safe is not possible in the film industry and the perception that only the Khans can earn you money is ruining the industry. The Khans are good but they are 50 now and people won’t accept them singing romantic songs anymore. We have to discover new stars and new directors. All studios need to back raw and new talent. Moreover, multiplexes should have different pricing for movies that star newcomers. My father advised me that all my spending should reflect in the frame. However, nowadays our spends hardly reflects in the frame but satisfies the ego and arrogance of big names. The media given Rs 100 crore club is absolute bullshit and make no sense. I thank Viacom for green-lighting films like Mary Kom and Bhag Milkha Bhag and hope they keep it up.”

     

    Viacom CEO Ajit Andhare added, “I don’t recall when the film industry made profit or grew larger. The biggest challenge is to make people believe that spending more is not the key to success and one has to pay more attention to content and not green-light a movie going by the actor or director’s name.”

     

    Great content like Aankhon Dekhi, Dr Prakash Baba Amte and Chatuskone find it difficult to stay in theatres where glamour and big names keep knocking. Similarly, the scenario where a common man finds it difficult to afford a ticket needs to change in order to ensure growth of the film industry.

  • Bombay High Court clears release of ‘Rahasya’

    Bombay High Court clears release of ‘Rahasya’

    MUMBAI: After multiple release dates were pushed due to an impending court case, Rahasya – presented by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and UVI Film Production, will finally hit theatres on 30 January, 2015. 

     

    The Bombay High Court found no substance in the petition filed by the parents of Aarushi Talwar, a Noida teenager, who was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in May 2008. The Talwars had blocked the release alleging that Rahasya was based on the life of their slain daughter and was unfit for public screening with the case being sub judice.

     

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said, “We are glad that the film will be released after the Hon’ble Court’s verdict. Rahasya makes for the ultimate suspense thriller that is backed by a strong script and great performances. The film deserves this release opportunity and we are grateful to the Court for the same.”

     

    After the court’s verdict, director Manish Gupta said, “I am thankful that the film is finally releasing this Friday. Rahasya is inspired by the grey shades in human nature. The plot involves a father accused of killing his eighteen-year old daughter. An investigative thriller, Rahasya questions societal norms – unraveling the secrets of a seemingly ordinary family. I hope that the audiences will be enthralled by Rahasya.”

     

    The film’s story involves an urban couple living in Mumbai whose only child, an 18 year old teenager named Ayesha Mahajan has been murdered inside their large duplex apartment. The initial police investigations point at the girl’s father as the prime accused for the murder. But as the case is taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (C.B.I.), further evidence reveals ulterior motives of near and dear ones in Ayesha’s life who could have committed this heinous crime.

  • ‘Main Gabbar’ to hit theatres on 1 May, 2015

    ‘Main Gabbar’ to hit theatres on 1 May, 2015

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 Motion Pictures (VMP) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) will be releasing their multi-starrer action thriller, Main Gabbar this summer. The film is slated for release on 1 May, 2015 and stars Akshay Kumar in the lead.

     

    Shruti Hassan, Sunil Grover and Suman Talwar essay pivotal roles in this movie along with a special guest appearance by Kareena Kapoor Khan.

     

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said, “Main Gabbar has the makings of a potential blockbuster film that is the perfect amalgamation of an ensemble cast and an engaging narrative. Hoping to leverage the May Day holiday for an extended opening, we have slated the film for release on 1 May.”

     

    Bhansali added, “Main Gabbar is a film I truly find entertaining both as a film-maker and as an audience, Bhansali Productions is happy to associate with Viacom18 Motion Pictures on Main Gabbar. I am also excited to partner with my friend Shabinaa Khan after Rowdy Rathore.”

     

    An action thriller, the film showcases a villain who is really a hero… cornered. With larger than life action sequences and a gripping storyline, the film will witness Akshay Kumar in a never seen before avatar.