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Tag: First Indian

  • SPE inks first Indian co-production deal with Bhansali

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is making an entry into Hindi films. The company today announced that it had inked a deal with noted film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali (of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Black fame) to co- produce Saawariya (Beloved).

    “India has a rich and a prolific film history and we at Sony Pictures recognise the potential and importance of the Indian market and welcome the opportunity to team up with the film industry in India. This is a defining moment for us as a company and for filmmakers, artists and audiences in India as well,” said SPE chairman and CEO Michael Lynton.

    “Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s body of work has been in a class of its own. From his very first endeavour, Khamoshi, through Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam to Devdas, and his most recent critically acclaimed film, Black, his films have epitomised sensitivity and embodied visual splendour. We are indeed proud to associate with one of India’s most revered directors,” said SPE vice chairman and Sony Motion Picture Group chairman Amy Pascal.

    “It marks the dawn of a new and exciting chapter in the life of Sony Pictures Releasing India as it presents a wonderful opportunity to extend our horizons beyond motion picture distribution and interact with the enormous creativity that the Indian film industry has to offer,” said Sony Pictures Releasing of India Ltd general manager Uday Singh.

    With Devdas, Bhansali set industry benchmarks by winning several awards at home, the most prominent being India’s official entry to the Oscars. International recognition for Bhansali came when Devdas won the ‘Asian Film Award’ at the MTV Asia Award, received a nomination in the ‘Best Film not in the English Language’ category at the BAFTA, and was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

    The greenlighting of a Hindi film by a major Hollywood studio is a landmark for the Indian motion picture business. This co-production encourages the integration of Hollywood and Bollywood.

    As the market for Indian cinema continues to grow internationally, SPE’s vast global network will allow Indian film producers to showcase their work outside the home market and acquire greater exposure for their films.
     

  • First Indian outdoor advertising meet in June

    MUMBAI: The great outdoors just got more exciting. Outdoor Today, which claims to be India’s only magazine on outdoor advertising, has announced the launch of an annual convention for the outdoor advertising community in the country.

     
     
    The two-day event, Outdoor Advertising Convention (OAC 2005) on 10 and 11 June 2005 in Mumbai will bring together experts from the industry in India and abroad.

    The aim is to address issues of relevance. The event will end in an awards ceremony.

     
     
    Outdoor Today publisher Vasant Jante says, “Outdoor Advertising is no longer just a ‘brush and paint’ medium. In fact, the medium has seen resurgence the world over and is also being touted as the last broadcast medium.

    “When we launched Outdoor Today in 2002, the objective was to provide a forum for the Outdoor industry that is growing at a healthy 10 per cent. OAC 2005 is the next logical step in that direction.”

    OAC 2005 will comprise a series of interactive seminars addressed by thought leaders from India and abroad.

    The delegates would comprise all interest groups in the industry including media planning and buying agencies, advertising agencies, outdoor specialists, outdoor concessionaires, regulatory authorities, research agencies etc.

     
     
    The speakers will address the entire range of issues that are of relevance to the industry, including research, regulation, innovation, technology, creativity etc.

    The two-day event would culminate in an awards ceremony to recognise exceptional creative executions on the outdoor medium – another first for the industry.

    The event is being supported by the recently constituted Indian Outdoor Advertising Agencies’ Association (IOAAA), an association of all specialist agencies in the country.

    Outdoor Today states that specialist agencies currently account for over 60 per cent of the outdoor spends in the country and have been largely instrumental in bringing a semblance of order to a medium considered disorganised for long