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Tag: Sarhad Paar

  • Nimbus’ Khurana to target C&S channels, films for growth

    Nimbus’ Khurana to target C&S channels, films for growth

    MUMBAI: The newly appointed Nimbus MD and CEO Dr Akash Khurana has already starting initiating the process of making Nimbus a “creative powerhouse” as well as “lean, mean and keen” – the new Nimbus mantra.
     

    Buoyed with the success that Nimbus achieved in the last financial year – a turnover of Rs 1.5 billion that was partly due to the World Cup cricket deals – the company has plans to replicate the “successful sports marketing” model to other areas of operations.

    Dr Khurana has created the road map for the next two or three years wherein growth will be driven by expanding the presence in the television sphere – especially in cable and satellite (C&S) channels in addition to Doordarshan’s affiliate channels; expanding off-shore presence in international TV sales by leveraging the Nimbus catalogue and outsourcing other content from independent producers; and feature films involving collaborations with foreign partners. Sports will still remain a major area of focus.

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Dr Khurana says: “It is critical that we expand our presence in the C&S space. I have plans to create a separate cell within Nimbus and bring in a lot of talent on board.”

    The mandate clearly is to convert novel ideals into content offerings that would be lapped by the audiences. However, Dr Khurana adds that he would ensure that every new project is backed by substantial research.

    Dr Khurana is also bullish about the movie entertainment business. He has ambitious plans to tie-up with foreign production houses and make films that would have a global audience. Nimbus already has some projects on the floor – Sarhad Paar starring Sanjay Dutt, another Hindi film and a Telugu film starring Venkatesh. “We are aiming to emerge as a strong player in the motion picture business in the global arena. Already, we have a foothold in two of the most lucrative domestic film markets – Hindi films and Telugu films. The success that we have obtained in the field of sports, or rather cricket, will be replicated in the feature film arena.”

    Nimbus also has plans to set up satellite offices in several metros (apart from it’s traditional strongholds in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai).

    “The vision is to consolidate our existing operations and develop revenues from new opportunities. We plan to grow exponentially. But, success isn’t merely a graph on the wall that depicts growth and profits. Success has to create wealth that will make a useful contribution to the company even in the future,” says Dr Khurana.

    It looks as if the man in the driver’s seat is seriously planning to carry on the good work of his predecessor. And to prove the point he was wearing a “Nimbuster” T-shirt while working in his office on a Saturday.

  • Nimbus puts film production plans in overdrive

    Nimbus puts film production plans in overdrive

    Motion pictures seem to be the only new Nimbus venture that has taken off with a measure of success in the last couple of years.

    While plans to launch TV channels and portals have been stuck for various reasons, movies may well be the next ace up the company’s sleeve as it unleashes six Hindi, regional and international film productions in the next two years.

    The company reportedly sunk in approximately Rs 79 million in the motion picture business as in initial investment.

    The Sanjay Dutt starrer Sarhad Paar, announced in late 1999, is finally taking shape. To be launched on 20 February, the film is to be directed by Raman Kumar and is co-scripted by Akash Khurana, Nimbus chief operating officer, movies and music.

    According to Khurana, Nimbus Motion Pictures will encompass multi-genre, multi-budget and multi-language movies. As with its television content, which Nimbus produces in eight Indian languages, the movie division too has adopted a portfolio approach with films being made in six different languages.

    The company has firmed up plans for six Hindi and regional language films to be released within two years. Also on the cards is an international production, an English film that will boast a foreign crew and cast. To be launched by September 2002, it will be an erotic thriller and is to be shot entirely in Goa. Khurana says Nimbus is tying up with a major production house in the US for this venture, which is slated as an independent film and will not be shot in studio format.

    The motion picture division that was activated in early 2000 with the launch of a Marathi film, Ek Hoti Waadi, is looking towards an annual turnover of Rs 200 million. Nimbus, says Khurana, is also planning to enter the telefilm arena, but is waiting for “the economic climate to improve, and projects get more affordable for channels.”

    Even as Sarhad Paar takes shape, a Telugu film to be directed by Suresh Krishnan will be kicked off by July 2002. Also in the pipeline are a Bengali and an Oriya film, which will be launched later this year.

    Ek Hoti Waadi, the small budget Marathi film that marked Nimbus’ entry into film production, was released in Pune on 8 February and will be released later this month in suburban Mumbai. The film is slated for release in the state interiors from April onwards. The film, which Khurana claims has received a good response in Pune, bagged six awards (picture, actor, actress, story, music and lyrics) at the recently held Alpha Gaurav Puraskar in Mumbai.

    In late 1999 when the company declared its intention to go public, it had issued a propectus in which Nimbus chairman Harish Thawani said that the company had taken a policy decision that not more than five per cent of the company’s investible funds at any time will have an exposure in the motion picture content industry.

    The company had also planned on launching a community portal, a movie related vortal, entering the FM radio fray and launching two TV channels, one of them to be christened showbiz TV, apart from starting a motion picture division. The others are yet to take off, however.