After wrapping up #MatkaKing, #KritikaKamra completes shoot for #AnushaRizvi's female led drama

 

 

After recently finishing work on Matka, actor Kritika Kamra has now wrapped up shooting for her next feature film, a dramedy directed by acclaimed filmmaker Anusha Rizvi. The film, which stars Kritika in the lead role, also features Farida Jalal, Juhi Babbar and Shreya Dhanwanthary in prominent parts.

 

Shot entirely in Delhi, the film brings together a compelling cast under the sharp and distinctive direction of Rizvi, known for her critically acclaimed Peepli Live. The project marks a significant milestone for Kritika as she headlines this unique completely female dominant narrative laced with touches of comedy.

 

“Shooting in Delhi brought an authenticity to the film that would have been hard to replicate elsewhere. Kritika, Juhi, and Shreya brought incredible energy to the set, and Anusha’s vision for this project is both bold and refreshing,” says a source close to the production. “This film is a female led drama and has elements of comedy in it and Kritika is at the very heart of it.”

 

With filming now complete, the project moves into post-production.

Zee Studios to present superstars Sudeep & Suniel Shetty’s action drama Pehlwaan

      

      Widest release for a Kannada film in non-South Indian markets

Zee Studios has joined hands with RRR Motion Pictures to present the upcoming highly-anticipated action drama Pehlwaan headlined by Kannada superstar Sudeep and Bollywood star Suniel Shetty, who marks his debut in Kannada films.

A desi family entertainer with super-stylized action, bouts of comedy and hi-octane drama brings back the superhit actor-director duo of Sudeep and S Krishna together for the second time after their blockbuster success of Hebbuli. Directed by S Krishna, the much ambitious action drama is a universal story of a wrestler who fights for pride, love and his sport, the film also stars Sushant Singh, Aakanksha Singh among others.

Zee Studios will release dubbed-versions of the action drama in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam along with the original Kannada version in over 1000 screens in non-South Indian markets and the film will release in over 2500 screens across India.

Kannada superstar Sudeep shared, “A good collaboration is always a reward. When it comes in the name of Zee Studios, it isn't just a collaboration, it's a strength as well. It's unseen hands around the team, saying, ‘we are with you’. Thank you, Zee Studios, for joining us in this Journey.”

Actor Suniel Shetty commented, “It is great news! Of course, it ensures a huge release for Pehlwaan even in Hindi. Zee Studios is by far one of the biggest production and distribution houses. So excited and looking forward to a fantastic release. 5 languages itself I think is big and 2500+ screens across India, that is a huge release."

Director S Krishna commented on the announcement, “Pehlwaan has a universal theme which will connect with everyone. It is a sports action drama with a lot of heart in it. I am glad that Zee Studios liked the content and releasing it across North India.”

Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios added, “It’s exciting to partner with director Krishna and the amazing cast on this powerful film that has the perfect mix of action, comedy and drama—a complete entertainer that you can watch with your family. We want to expand into the South Indian film industry, and bringing this universal, aspirational and powerful story, Pehlwaan, to a wide-base audience is the first step towards that. We will showcase the film on a huge scale by giving it the widest release for any Kannada film in non-South Indian markets.” 

Producer Swapna Krishna added, “We are overwhelmed to have Zee Studios on board as our partner for theatrical release of Pehlwaan. We are also excited & looking forward to take Pehlwaan across North India, Nepal & Bhutan in all 5 languages through Zee studios.” 

The studio will also release the film in Nepal and Bhutan. Makers will announce the release date soon.

Andhadhun to release in China as Piano Player

 

Andhadhun, a film that got the audiences, industry and even the critics raving, can easily be called the ‘Best Film of the year 2018. After winning accolades in India, the film is now set for a big opening in China soon. Produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures & Matchbox Pictures, Andhadhun is directed by India’s king of neo noir cinema, Sriram Raghavan. The film has been distributed internationally by Eros International.

Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios, says, “I am happy to announce that Viacom18 Studios has secured its maiden release in China and that too with our favourite film Andhadhun. I am very excited about our film's prospect at the China box office and celebrating what is a major first for the studio.”

The film titled ‘Piano Player’ for the Chinese audiences is also the first China release for maverick director, Sriram Raghavan. He says, “I am super thrilled that Andhadhun is releasing in China. Ten years back, on a visit to China, I walked into a Beijing Cafe and was zapped to see Nasir Husain’s CARAVAN playing on a big screen. Dubbed in Chinese except for the songs. I was told the film was the favourite Indian film of that generation. I am curious how the Chinese audience responds to our musical thriller.”

Viacom18 Studios along with Eros International has now partnered with Tang Media Partners to release this quirky thriller in China.

Kumar Ahuja, President - Business Development, Eros International says, “Eros is a pioneer in releasing the biggest hits of Bollywood in significant markets across the globe. China being a home to many Bollywood lovers, has made Andhadhun one of the most anticipated release. Fans in the country can now witness the magic of Andhadhun unfold in theatres across the country.”

Kevin Tang, CEO, Tang Media Partners adds, “I am honoured to bring this highly rated film into China.  This film will be the first India movie of its genre that is released in China.  We will do our best job in its marketing and distribution campaign.”

Andhadhun starring Tabu, Ayushmann Khurrana and Radhika Apte opened to rave reviews in India on October 5th, 2019. The film has been lauded for its writing and a delicious end that kept the audiences guessing. 

ABOUT VIACOM18 MOTION PICTURES 

Viacom18 Motion Pictures is India's finest fully integrated motion pictures studio that has emerged as a force to reckon with by delivering a stream of critically and commercially successful films. Offering differentiated and meaningful cinema, some of its iconic releases include Padmaavat (2018), Toilet – Ek Prem Katha (2017), Lucknow Central (2017), Drishyam (2015), Gabbar is Back (2015), Margarita with a Straw (2015), Manjhi – The Mountain Man (2015), Mary Kom (2014), Queen (2014), Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Madras Café (2013), to name a few. Viacom18 Motion Pictures is also one of the few studios to have successfully ventured into regional films across languages like Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi and from the South. The Studio has also backed path-breaking and much-appreciated creative work in the form of hits like Bombay Talkies, Gangs of Wasseypur I and II, OMG - Oh My God! amongst others. 

The strategic alliance with Paramount Pictures to market and distribute PPI line-up in the Indian sub-continent has seen blockbusters like Transformers: The Last Knight, Baywatch, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Allied, Rings, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Star Trey Beyond, Ben-Hur, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Paranormal Activity, Terminator Genisys and Hercules to name a few. 

ABOUT VIACOM18 

Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. is one of India's fastest growing entertainment networks and a house of iconic brands that offers multi-platform, multi-generational and multicultural brand experiences. A joint venture of TV18, which owns 51%, and Viacom Inc., with a 49% stake, Viacom18 defines entertainment in India by touching the lives of people through its properties on air, online, on ground, in shop and through cinema.

Eros International signs four film co-production deal with Drishyam Films Kaamyaab starring Sanjay Mishra goes on floor

Eros International Media Ltd (Eros International), a leading global film company in the Indian film entertainment industry, has announced a four-film co-production deal with leading production house, Drishyam Films.Drishyam has over the years made a mark by producing content driven films that have received worldwide acclaim including Masaan, Rukh, Kadvi Hawa and India’s entry to the Oscars in the Foreign Film category this year, the highly celebrated Newton. In 2018, Eros and Drishyam will jointly produce four films to pave way for presenting a new wave of cinema that the companies have come to stand for.The first of the four projects, titled Kaamyaab starring Sanjay Mishra along with Deepak Dobriyal and directed by National-Award winning filmmaker Hardik Mehta has already gone on floor and commenced shooting on November 25.  The human drama is based on an interesting premise of a seasoned character actor who decides to come out of retirement and begin a quest for a record of some sorts, that elusive 500th role, the one for which he shall be remembered forever. 

Speaking on the alliance, Jyoti Deshpande, Group CEO, Eros International said, “We feel the kind of cinema Drishyam makes and the agenda we have for the next five years at Eros perfectly match. At Eros, we believe that our future slate should have a mix of blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Bajirao Mastani as well as beautiful stories made on smaller budgets like Aligarh, Nil Battey Sannata and Newton. We’ve already started our relationship with Drishyam by distributing Newton, Rukh and Kadvi Hawa and with this new co-production slate, we are hoping to present some very compelling stories to our audiences worldwide”. 

Manish Mundra, founder of Drishyam Films added, “We are very excited to associate with a leading studio like Eros who are backing our kind of content-driven cinema, and happy that our stories have found a home here. It’s heartening that they have come forward to not only distribute our films but also create a vision to tell stories together. We at Drishyam have built a brand of cinema that we are very proud of and we hope the association with Eros will take our films to a much wider audience”. 

About Eros International Media Ltd

Eros International Media Ltd. (BSE Script Code: 533261; NSE Script Code: EROSMEDIA) is a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry that acquires, co-produces and distributes Indian films across all available formats such as cinema, television and digital new media. Eros International is part of Eros International Plc, which became the first Indian media Company to raise capital and be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Eros International has experience of over three decades in establishing a global platform for Indian cinema. The company has a competitive advantage through its extensive and growing movie library comprising of over 2,000 films, which include Hindi, Tamil, and other regional language films. Eros International has built a dynamic business model by combining the release of new films every year with the exploitation of its film library. For more information please visit: www.erosintl.com 

About Drishyam Films 

A company born out of love for cinema, Drishyam Films aims to build a platform for unique voices of Indian independent cinema and create global content with rich Indian flavours. Our filmmaking journey started with the award-winning film Ankhon Dekhi directed by Rajat Kapoor. Its success was followed by Umrika directed by Prashant Nair, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2015 and bagged the Audience Choice Award. Soon after, Dhanak directed by Nagesh Kukunoor won the Grand Jury prize at Berlinale 2015, and Masaan directed by Neeraj Ghaywan picked up two big awards at Cannes 2015. Waiting directed by Anu Menon, premiered at the prestigious Dubai International Film Festival 2015. 

Their biggest hit this year is the critically and commercially acclaimed Newton directed by Amit Masurkar, starring Rajkummar Rao which was also selected as India's entry to the Oscars 2018. It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival winning the CICAE Art Cinema Award followed by the Hong Kong International Film Festival where it won the Jury Prize for Best film. The film also had its North American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. The success of Newton was followed by Atanu Mukherjee's Rukh, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Adarsh Gourav in the lead roles. Their latest film Kadvi Hawa is by National Award Winning director Nila Madhab Panda. It won the Special Mention at National Awards this year and is the only Indian film on climate change.They have an array of films in production, including Kamyaab to be directed by National Award-winning director Hardik Mehta, starring Sanjay Mishra and Deepak Dobriyal in the lead roles. For more information please visit: www.drishyamfilms.com

Siddharth Roy Kapur signs on director Vinil Mathew and writer Sudip Sharma for a dramatic thriller inspired by true events

Siddharth Roy Kapur has signed director Vinil Mathew and screenwriter Sudip Sharma for his next film to be produced under the Roy Kapur Films banner.

Vinil Mathew is a renowned ad filmmaker who made his feature film debut with the acclaimed new-age romance, Hasee Toh Phasee. Sudip Sharma is the acclaimed writer of NH10 and Udta Punjab, and is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost screenwriters in the country.

Siddharth Roy Kapur confirmed the news, “Yes, we will be collaborating with Vinil and Sudip on a unique and exciting subject that our team has been developing for many months. The film is based on true events involving piracy on the Somalian high seas and is told through the eyes of a young Indian merchant navy officer, who has to navigate through unimaginably perilous circumstances, while dealing with huge personal challenges. It is a thrilling, dramatic and emotional journey, and we couldn’t have asked for a better director than Vinil Mathew to tell this story. Vinil’s work in advertising is amongst the most accomplished I have ever seen. He has a unique ability to move you emotionally and to draw you into a narrative within the span of less than a minute. To have Sudip on board as screenwriter for the film is a huge advantage, as he unfailingly creates memorable characters, inhabits them in authentic worlds, and in the process creates strong conflicts and riveting drama.”

When Siddharth first heard the true story of merchant navy officer Audumbar Bhoi whose ship and crew was attacked by Somalian pirates, he was gripped and immediately felt that this was an incredibly unique and above all, an inspiring human story that needed to be told on the big screen.

Vinil said, “I have immense respect for Siddharth and his creative vision which is evident in the films he has produced over the past decade. I have been looking forward to working with him and when Siddharth shared this story with me, I instinctively knew I had to be associated with the film as it had all the right ingredients of emotion, drama and thrill. I am thrilled about our collaboration and I’m sure it will be a great experience. We hope to give the audiences a truly special film."

Sudip said “I am normally wary of writing commissioned scripts for producers, but Sid gives you a lot of creative freedom and lets you do your thing. I developed a film for Disney when Sid was there, and thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with him creatively. We’ve been meaning to work again with each other since, and when he pitched this story to me, I just jumped at it because it has the potential to be a tense hostage drama cum survival story, and lets you explore Somalia and maritime piracy, a world hitherto unseen in Hindi films.” 

Over the past few months, Vinil and Sudip have conducted intensive research on the Indian merchant navy life, as well as on the Somali piracy problem and its impact on the many Indian families that have been affected by it.

It is anticipated that the film will go on the floors in the second half of 2018.

Roy Kapur Films has various other noteworthy film projects in the pipeline, including a biopic on Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, written by Anjum Rajabali and to be directed by Mahesh Mathai; Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari’s next film, based on the book “How I Braved Anu Aunty and Co-Founded a Million Dollar Company", Shubh Mangal Savdhaan director RS Prasanna’s next film, and a film based on the true story of Vijendra Singh Rathore, the heroic Alwar-based truck driver who found his wife after a 19 month-long search in the aftermath of the Uttarakhand flash floods.

In addition to producing films, Roy Kapur Films has marked its foray into digital media by entering into a landmark multi-year partnership with Reliance Jio to produce original video content including digital series and Made-for-Jio films for millions of Jio subscribers across India.

Siddharth Roy Kapur is the eminent producer of several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films like Dangal, ABCD2, Haider, Barfi and Kai Po Che. He believes in setting new benchmarks with every project he backs. He has founded his own production company Roy Kapur Films earlier this year after a long and successful stint at Disney and UTV.  He is also the President of the Producers Guild of India and was recently named as one of Variety’s Top 500 influential people in entertainment globally, amongst only 12 Indians to feature on this list. 

नवाजुद्दून सिद्दीकी की बाबुमोशाय बंदूकबाज ने लोगों का दिल जीत लिया

कुशान नंदी के निर्देशन में बनी नवाजुद्दीन सिद्दीकी स्टारर फिल्म बाबुमोशाय बंदुकबाज इस शुक्रवार देशभर के सिनेमाघरों में रिलीज हुई हैं। रिलीज हुए दिन से ही फिल्म ने बॉक्स ऑफिस पर अच्छी कमाई करना शुरू किया हैं।  इस क्राइम थ्रिलर फिल्म में नवाजुद्दीन सिद्दीकी के अभिनय को समीक्षकों व्दारा तो तारीफ मिली ही । लेकिन साथ ही, दर्शकों ने भी नवाजुद्दीन के परफॉर्मन्स को सराहते हुए, फिल्म को अच्छा प्रतिसाद दिया हैं। ट्रेड के अनुसार, इस विकेन्ड से बाबुमोशाय बॉक्स ऑफिस पर अच्छा प्रदर्शन करेंगी। देश की मिट्टी की खुशबू रही, इस भारतीय डकैत फिल्म का बजेट हैं केवल 5 करोड रूपये। शूटिंग से लेकर पब्लिसिटी तक कम बजट में बनी इस फिल्म ने अपने बजट के अनुसार तो बॉक्स ऑफिस कमाई कर ली हैं।. और फिल्म हिट ठहरी हैं। नवाजुद्दीन इस वक्त सफलता के शिखर पर होने के बावजूद फिल्म के इस कम बजट के साथ विनम्रता से चलते हुए उन्होंने इस फिल्म को दर्शकों तक पहूँचाने में मदद की हैं। ट्रेड पंडितों के अनुसार, “इस विकेन्ड के खत्म होते होते बाबुमोशाय बंदीकबाज अपने फिल्ममेकिंग का पैसा वसूल करके बॉक्स ऑफिस पर अच्छी कमाई करेंगीं। यह फिल्म केवल 3 करोड में बनी हैं। जिसमें से 2 करोड फिल्म के पब्लिसिटी पर खर्च हुए हैं। पहले दिन के बॉक्स ऑफिस रिपोर्ट अच्छे हैं। और इससे लग रहा हैं, की यह कुछ समय बॉक्स ऑफिस पर अपनी पारी जारी रखेंगीं। नवाजुद्दिन अपने परफॉर्मन्स से दर्शकों को सिनेमाघरों में खिंचने में कामयाब रहें हैं। वह फिल्म इंडस्ट्री के कुछ चुनिंदा कलाकारों में से हैं, जो बडी कमर्शिअल फिल्म हो या छोटी कन्टेटड्रिवन फिल्म, अपने परफ़ॉर्मन्स से लोगों को सिनेमाघरों तक खिंच ला पाते हैं।“

Eros & Windows’ Bengali film Posto creates history collecting 1 CRORE in 4 days in Bengal

Eros International, India’s leading studio and Windows’ latest family drama Posto starring Padma Bhushan awardee Soumitra Chatterjee, Lily Chakraborty, Jisshu Sengupta, Mimi Chakraborty, Paran Bandopadhyay among others, has witnessed a historic opening collecting Rs 1 CR in just 4 days since its release in Bengal on May 12. 

Following consecutive successes of their previous films—Belaseshe and Praktan—director duo Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Ray continue the legacy of creating blockbuster films known for their mass appeal. The film has opened to packed theatres and continues to receive accolades from audiences. 

Eros is releasing the film in an approximate 100 screen release nationally (outside of Kolkata), including newer markets, on May 19 which marks the biggest Bengali film release till date. Commenting on the pan India release, Nandu Ahuja, Senior VP, India Theatrical, Eros International Media Ltd. commented, “History repeats itself as Posto, our third film with Shiboprosad and Nandita, is well on its way to become another blockbuster after Belaseshe and Praktan. We are happy with the response the film has received in Kolkata and hope the film will similarly woo audiences across the country”. 

Director Shiboprosad Mukherjee added, “'We are overwhelmed by the response we have received from our audience in Bengal. We are glad that people are being able to relate to the story as their own and hope that the national audience will also like the film as much”.

Zubin Dubash joins Shemaroo Entertainment as COO – New Media Business

Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. appointed Zubin Dubash as COO - New Media Business. He will be responsible for driving the New Media business and scaling it up.

Zubin Dubash is a Senior leader with 20+ years of success in managing businesses in mobile applications, telecom, and digital domains. Before joining Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, he was working in the core team of Apps Daily Solutions, as Chief Product & Strategy Officer and played an active role in product creation/innovation, strategy and Strategic partnerships. Prior to this he was at Tata Docomo as Vice President/Group Head- New Businesses. He has also worked with companies like Vodafone etc earlier.

Jai Maroo, Director, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd said, “We are excited to have Zubin Dubash on board with us. He has handled both revenue and new business development roles earlier in businesses of scale. He has also been through the entrepreneurial journey as part of the core team of a startup of taking it from idea to execution. We are sure his outlook and experience will add value to the company and pave ways for great business years ahead.”

Zubin Dubhash shares his thoughts on the occasion, “I am delighted to be a part of Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. We are at an exciting juncture in the evolution of digital content consumption, and with Shemaroo’s rich spread of content there are a lot of opportunities that will emerge.”

‎New CEO for Omung Kumar's Legend Studios

Omung Kumar and Sandeep Singh of Legend Studios have made a few critical appointments ahead of a hectic 2017. Manish Singh who has closely worked with ‎the duo for the past five years has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer for the boutique production house.Manish Singh has been associated with the industry for the past 15 years and was supervising producer for Legend Studios' 'Sarbjit'. He earlier managed several celebrities under the banner - Green Light Entertainment.         

Zafar Mehdi has been promoted to the position of Associate producer. Zafar Mehdi was the Excutive producer on several big budget productions like Mary Kom, Aligarh and Sarbjit. He also worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for 4 years on films like Ramleela and Shirin Farhad Ki Tu Nikal Padi.

'Manish and Zafar bring the right experience and expertise. We have several projects going on the floors and it was the right time to do this,' added Sandeep Singh.

Legend Studios ‎has a slew of films planned for 2017 and with the new appointees the studio is putting a strong structure in place.

Eros International and Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment & Films Ltd align for the theatrical release of Dishoom & Banjo in India

Following their strategic alliance announced recently, Eros International Media Limited (Eros International), a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry and veteran producer Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment & Films Ltd, will jointly distribute the highly anticipated films, Dishoomand Banjo in India. 

Sajid Nadiadwala’s action drama Dishoom, directed by Rohit Dhawan, starring John Abraham, Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez is all set to release this Friday, July 29 while the musical drama Banjo, directed by Ravi Jadhav, starring Riteish Deshmukh and Nargis Fakhri will release on September 23.

Eros and Vashu Bhagnani announced their collaboration last month to jointly remake and distribute films including Vashu Bhagnani’s blockbuster hits of the 90s such as Hero No 1, Coolie No 1 and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.

‘Junooniyat’ already in profit for the makers before release

Vivek Agnihotri’s love story is all set to release this Friday, June 24th, 2016. Interestingly the film that is being produced by Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd. brings back the hit jodi of Pulkit Samrat and Yami Gautam and has hit music is already in profit before even its release. 

Economics of the films:

Costs:

Cost of Production of the film: Rs 8 crores

P&A: Rs 6 crores

Total Cost: 14 crores

Revenues:

Satellite sold: Rs 7.5 crores

India Theatrical sold: Rs 8 crores

Music Rights: Rs 3.5 crores

Total Revenues: Rs 19 crores

The film has already made profit for the makers and is all set for release this Friday.

WHITE BALLS ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCING 2 FILMS

WHITE BALLS ENTERTAINMENT
ANNOUNCING 2 FILMS
Shooting start in November At Dubai and Abu Dhabi Rolls 
PRODUCER: - Bhola Ram, F Malivya, Subhra Shukla Goel, Naseer Gadi, Karthi Selvam

Eros International to co-produce Pawan Kalyan’s Sardaar GabbarSingh

Eros International Media Limited (Eros International), a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry has announced its association with Pawan Kalyan Creative Works and Northstar Entertainment for Telugu Power Star Pawan Kalyan’s upcoming film, Sardaar GabbarSingh.  Directed by K. S. Ravindra, the action film features Telugu superstar and action hero, Pawan Kalyan in the lead role. The film is currently being shot across Hyderabad, Malshej Ghats, parts of Gujarat and will feature the South Superstar in a brand new look.

Commenting on the association, Mr. Sunil Lulla, Managing Director, Eros International Media Ltd said, “We are very excited to partner with one of the biggest stars of Telugu cinema, Pawan Kalyan ji along with Sharrath ji. Sardaar GabbarSingh promises to be bigger and better with more action and entertainment, an absolute treat for Pawan Kalyan fans. The Telugu film industry is going through a remarkable phase with some of the biggest recent hits in Indian cinema like Baahubali and Srimanthudu to its credit and we are very happy to be a part of this exciting phase. We hope to continue setting new trends with Sardaar GabbarSingh along with our partners”.

Mr. Sharrath Marar, Producer, Northstar Entertainment, added, “Sardaar GabbarSingh is shaping out to be one of the most exciting & entertaining films. We are truly delighted to be associated with a leading studio like Eros International, who undisputedly have the best global marketing and distribution infrastructure. Aligning with them will only strengthen our position by producing and releasing Telugu cinema on a global platform”.

Eros International announces two new Tamil projects Perai Thedia Natkal & Enkitta Mothathe Expands South strategy for content driven cinema

Eros International, a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry recently announced the launch of two new Tamil films to be co-produced with RV Films, namely Perai Thedia Natkal and Enkitta Mothathe which will release by end of the year.

With a move to further enhance its presence in the south through a mix of big ticket releases combined with a strong content driven slate, Eros is looking at encouraging new talent through these ventures. Having previously worked as a writer and creative associate of the critically acclaimedVidiyum Munn and co-director of the forthcoming Yagavarayinum Naa Kakka, Abraham Prabhu will make his directorial debut with Perai Thedia Natkal, a romantic drama starring Ashok Selvan. The remaining cast of the film would be announced soon.

Enkitta Mothanthe is an action drama starring Natarajan Subramaniyam Rajaji, Vijay Murugan and Radha Ravi and will be directed by Ramu Chellappa who has previously worked as assistant director on projects such as Kedi Billa Killadi Renga, Mayakkam Enna and Pasanga etc. WithEnkitta Mothanthe, he makes his debut as director amassing his nine years of experience as an AD. The film was flagged off on 22^nd May 2015 in the presence of the entire cast namely Natraj, Sanchitha Shetty, Radha Ravi and Rajaji along with the director Ramu Chellapa at Velco theatre in Anakaputhur.

Commenting on the development, Sagar Sadhwani, Sr. VP – Business Development, Eros International said, “These films are in line with our strategy to promote rightly priced, strong content driven films. With plans to expand in the southern markets, apart from our marquee releases, we want to back projects with fresh concepts and scripts that help recognize promising talent in the industry.  By supporting such cinema, we want to encourage emerging talent to align with our vision of presenting quality cinema’.

For more information and fresh updates on new projects, log on to www.erosnow.com

Dolly Ki Doli faring well in Pakistan !

Kinesis Films & Arbaaz Khan Productions’ Dolly Ki Doli starring Sonam Kapoor, Pulkit Samrat, Rajkummar Rao and Varun Sharma proved to be a wholesome family entertainer that not only did encouraging business on home turf but also overseas. 

While the film did great business in UAE centers, it also continues to do well in Pakistan.

The much-awaited 'Dolly Ki Doli' made its way to the big screens in Pakistan, earning Rs 5 million on the opening day.The hilarious comedy, was screened at 35 cinemas , on 65 plus screens (68-70 screens approximately in total including e-print and DCP) in cinemas nationwide. 

The film has been a success also because it comes on the heels of Sonam’s last feel-good film Khoobsurat which also went on to do great business in Pakistan.

The success of the film in Pakistan could owe to its popularity in the country, the wholesome family entertainment quotient, the song "Mere Naina Kafir Ho Gaye" by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan- a hightlight in the film. Malaika Arora Khan's item number and Saif Ali Khan's guest appearance all add to the Bollywood masala the film has to offer.

Says Samir Gupta , Kinesis Films  “The film has performed very well in Pakistan in week 2 despite the other releases and is continuing in 30 cinema’s even in week 3. While Khoobsurat had the advantage of the popular Pakistani actor Fawad Khan this has been a super effort by Sonam and the rest of the cast to bring in family audiences and keep them entertained.”

Rentrak Will Collect Information on all Eros films across India, including newly-released ‘Tevar’

Rentrak (NASDAQ: RENT), the leader in precisely measuring movies and TV everywhere, today announced that it has partnered with Eros International, a leading global film company in the Indian film entertainment industry to collect box office information of Eros’ films across India. The first Eros film Rentrak will collect data on is “Tevar”, which releases on January 9.

“We are thrilled to work with Eros as we continue to grow our International coverage, which now includes the operation and collection of theatre-level attendance and box office information from 36 countries. The inclusion of Eros to our service is a powerful addition to our clients in India," said Ron Giambra, president of Rentrak’s worldwide movie measurement business.  "Rentrak is thrilled to continue help India make its film production more transparent with our global box office reporting capabilities."

Speaking on the development, Jyoti Deshpande, Group CEO, Eros International said ‘We are delighted to partner with Rentrak for box office measurement in India. I believe this tie up will help accelerate positive change and herald a new era of transparency in the Indian movie industry’. 

Rentrak's Box Office Essentials^® and International Box Office Essentials™ are the movie industry's source for comprehensive global box office intelligence and are used as the currency by every studio in the United States as well as distribution entities around the world. Boasting a global footprint of the worldwide movie market, Rentrak is able to provide its clients with real-time box office intelligence, through one unique system, which allows users to view real-time online reports from anywhere around the world.

Eros is a leading Indian Bollywood studio that has produced several blockbuster movies with the biggest of Bollywood stars. In recent times, Eros has also entered into Indian Regional Cinema with a very strong line up of Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam releases this year. Eros is also the biggest international distributor for Bollywood with penetration in over 50 countries.

India with 3.5 billion admissions per annum is already the largest consumer of movies in the world. As studies suggest, with seamless digitization in the movies business, proliferation of multiplexes across the length and breadth of the country, Indian movies increasingly capturing the imagination of world markets, the Indian movie industry is set to make giant strides in terms of box office revenues and compete with the fastest growing markets in the world in near future.

The Eros-Rentrak tie-up assumes greater significance in this transformative phase and will provide a positive thrust towards making the rapidly growing, vastly potent yet complex Indian movie industry, transparent.  

The latest offering from Eros - Tevar stars one of the most popular young Bollywood stars Arjun Kapoor with Sonakshi Sinha in the lead. Eros' upcoming films include Shamitabh, a film by R. Balki and starring India's biggest super star Amitabh Bachchan.

About Eros International Media Ltd (Eros International)

Eros International Media Ltd. (BSE Script Code: 533261; NSE Script Code: EROSMEDIA) is a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry that acquires, co-produces and distributes Indian films across all available formats such as cinema, television and digital new media. Eros International is part of Eros International Plc, which became the first Indian media Company to raise capital and be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Eros International has experience of over three decades in establishing a global platform for Indian cinema. The Company has a competitive advantage through its extensive and growing movie library comprising of over 1,100 films, which include Hindi, Tamil, and other regional language films for home entertainment distribution. Eros International has built a dynamic business model by combining the release of new films every year with the exploitation of its film library. For further information please visit: www.erosintl.com

About Rentrak  

Rentrak (NASDAQ: RENT) is the entertainment and marketing industries' premier provider of worldwide consumer viewership information, precisely measuring actual viewing behavior of movies and TV everywhere. Using our proprietary intelligence and technology, combined with Advanced Demographics, only Rentrak is the census currency for VOD and movies. Rentrak provides the stable and robust audience measurement services that movie, television and advertising professionals across the globe have come to rely on to better deliver their business goals and more precisely target advertising across numerous platforms including box office, multiscreen television and home video. For more information on Rentrak, please visit www.rentrak.com.

RENTB

Contact for Rentrak:
Antoine Ibrahim
Office: +1 (646) 722-1561
E-mail: aibrahim@rentrak.com 

Contact for Eros:

Amita Naidu - amita.naidu@erosintl.com

Zee Music Pvt Ltd. Acquires Music Rights of the Film “Mumbai Can Dance Saalaa” set to release on 2nd January, 2015

Mumbai Can Dance Saalaa 

Cast & Crew:

Presenters: Rakesh & Rajesh Jain

Banner: Ashima Films

Status: Complete

Release Date: 2nd January, 2015

Genre: Drama

Producer: Ranjeet Sharma

Star Cast: Introducing Ashima Sharma & Paddy in Special Appearance , Rakhi Sawant, Prashant Narayan, Aditya Pancholi, Mukesh Tiwari, Comedian VIP , Shakti Kapoor, Gargi Patel, Raj Premi, Pankaj Berry,Usman Khan, Latish Jha

Story / Writers: Sachindra Sharma

Choreographer: Ganesh Achariya, Lollypop,

Media Consultant: Picture N Kraft (Parul Chawla)

Music Director: Bappi Lahiri

Director: Sachindra Sharma

Cinematographer: Shitaram, Badshah lal

Singers: Bappi Lahiri, Mamta Sharma, Sunidhi Chauhan, Alka Yagnik, Shaan, Ritu Pathak & Vinod Rathod

Lyricist: Dr. Deepak Sneh, Shabir Ahemad

Action: Prem Sharma

Art Director: Asad Khan

Sound: Sushil Malik

Bhansali Productions all set for a roaring year ahead !

Creative maverick ,director/ producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali who was celebrated last year thanks to the unprecedented success of his magnum opus Ram Leela has an exciting year ahead with his production ventures under his home banner Bhansali Productions.

Mary Kom produced by Bhansali that marks the directorial debut of Omung Kumar starring Priyanka Chopra in and as Mary Kom will release 5^thSeptember 2014 , followed by Gabbar starring Akshay Kumar which went on floors earlier this year and is scheduled to release in the first half of 2015.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali will then don the director’s hat for his ambitious next Bajirao Mastani starring Ranveer Singh , Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra which will go on floors this October and is already the most sought after film of next year.

After the riveting success of Rowdy Rathore which roared at the B/O and entered the 100 crore club, Bhansali Productions will soon start work on Rowdy Rathore 2 which will roll by the mid of next year with Akshay Kumar toplining the cast .

Says a reliable trade analyst, “Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali turned producer in the year 1999 and has ever since put his money where his heart heart is, producing films under the Bhansali Productions banner that has over the years come to be synonymous with larger-than-life grandeur, stunning visuals and stories that have had audiences leaving the theaters with a tear and a smile.” 

Says Sanjay Leela Bhansali, "I enjoy producing to an extent that it is the joy of creating .There are several films in the pipeline and we are also going to roll with Rowdy Rathore 2 shortly ,but its too soon to divulge details”.

Parle Products launches new TVC campaign for Parle Marie directed by Imtiaz Ali

Parle Products, India’s largest biscuit, confectionery and snacks manufacturer has launched an Ad campaign for Parle Marie. Titled ‘Apna Circle’, the campaign consists of TV commercials that have been directed by Indian Film Director Imtiaz Ali. The campaign captures the essence of spending time with a close knit circle of friends.

Set in various situations, the TVCs revolve around the brand idea - ‘Baatcheet bakbak aur Parle Marie’. The TVCs highlight the meeting of friends and conversations that follow; be it the camaraderie amongst youngsters while discussing love interests, gossip sessions about husbands and mothers-in-law. All this while munching on a pack of Parle Marie, a conversation companion.

Mr. Pravin Kulkarnii, General Manager – Marketing, Parle Products said, “Chit-chatting with friends is an integral part of Indian culture. The East zone is a very big market for Parle Marie and the films have been influenced by the Bengali concept - ‘Adda’. Everyone can relate to this concept of circles because all of us belong to one circle or another, be it college buddies, friends at the Gym or those we meet at Clubs. Through ‘slice of life’ situations, Parle Marie aims to connect with these special circles.”

Director of the TVCs Imtiaz Ali said, “I seem to have known & have been consuming Parle Marie forever.  The four TVCs are simple and straightforward. We have kept the films simple and realistic but at the same time there is brightness in them, not only in the look but also in behavior. All the scripts had a spark and were interesting. The biggest point, I think, is the atmosphere we have created through all TVCs – circles of different age groups; each circle sits with chai & having Parle Marie while chatting & laughing and is the perky part of every day. Personally, my circle is the school circle which is the Jamshedpur circle. Then the other one is the college circle, having moved from city to city I have many circles.”

Mr. Mayank Shah, Group Product Manager, Parle Products said, “The campaign captures regular casual situations perfectly. Moments that are spent with a close group of friends should always be fun and relaxed and our aim was to associate Parle Marie with comfort, amusement and a part of every friend circle.”             

The campaign has a total of four TVCs that have been conceptualized by Everest Brand Solutions. The ads are currently on – air.         

About Parle Products: Parle Products has been India’s largest manufacturer of biscuits and confectionery for over 80 years. Makers of the world’s largest selling biscuit, Parle-G, and a host of other very popular brands, the Parle name symbolizes quality, nutrition and great taste. With a reach spanning even to the remotest villages of India, the company has definitely come a very long way since its inception. Many of the Parle products – biscuits or confectioneries, are market leaders in their category and have won acclaim at the Monde Selection, since 1971. With a 40% share of the total biscuit market and a 15% share of the total confectionary market in India, Parle has grown to become a multi-million dollar company.

TVC Credits

Client: Parle Products

Client : Pravin Kulkarnii, Mayank Shah and Shruthi Sudevan

Creative Agency: Everest Brand Solutions

Creative Team: Rahul Jauhari (National Creative Director), Pramod Sharma (Executive Creative Director)

Account Management: Umesh Barve, Jay Thaker

Film Director: Imtiaz Ali

Production House: Magik Lantern Film