NEW DELHI -- Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures has promoted Siddharth Roy Kapur to chief operating officer from executive vp of marketing, distribution and syndication, and announced an 18-film slate for 2008, executives said Friday.
"As we move to the next level in our operations, we are happy to streamline the structure to ensure the same pace in decision-making and creative judgment that has served us well in the past," said Ronnie Screwvala, CEO of parent company UTV Software Communications. "I am confident that Siddharth and his team will help lead the company well in this new phase of growth."
UTVMP also said it has lined up an 18-film slate for 2008, including such mainstream titles as director Rakeysh Mehra's "Delhi 6" and the 20th Century Fox co-production of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening", which is slated for August. Four animated features also are in production.
UTVMP additionally promoted Alpana Mishra to COO of production from head of production. Meanwhile, UTV affiliate banner Spotboy Motion Pictures promoted Vikas Bahl to COO from senior creative director.
"As we move to the next level in our operations, we are happy to streamline the structure to ensure the same pace in decision-making and creative judgment that has served us well in the past," said Ronnie Screwvala, CEO of parent company UTV Software Communications. "I am confident that Siddharth and his team will help lead the company well in this new phase of growth."
UTVMP also said it has lined up an 18-film slate for 2008, including such mainstream titles as director Rakeysh Mehra's "Delhi 6" and the 20th Century Fox co-production of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening", which is slated for August. Four animated features also are in production.
UTVMP additionally promoted Alpana Mishra to COO of production from head of production. Meanwhile, UTV affiliate banner Spotboy Motion Pictures promoted Vikas Bahl to COO from senior creative director.
NEW DELHI -- The $10 million romantic epic "Jodhaa Akbar" will open on more than 1,500 screens worldwide when it bows Feb. 15 in 26 countries, with the U.S. playing host to about 125 prints.
Major 2007 release "Om Shanti Om", which screened out of competition at this year's Berlin festival, saw about 120 prints released in the U.S., with a worldwide screen count of roughly 1,500, according to its London-based distributor Eros.
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker (Academy Award-nominated "Lagaan"), "Jodhaa Akbar" revolves around the story of 16th century Mughal emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan) and his Hindu wife Jodhaa Bai (Aishwarya Rai). It was produced by Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures, whose parent company UTV listed on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market last year.
On Tuesday, UTVMP, which is handling worldwide distribution, said that the film will open on more than 1,300 screens in India including 500 digital screens.
In an interview, UTVMP director Siddharth Roy Kapur said that special preview screenings, sponsored by Citibank, will take place Feb.
Major 2007 release "Om Shanti Om", which screened out of competition at this year's Berlin festival, saw about 120 prints released in the U.S., with a worldwide screen count of roughly 1,500, according to its London-based distributor Eros.
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker (Academy Award-nominated "Lagaan"), "Jodhaa Akbar" revolves around the story of 16th century Mughal emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan) and his Hindu wife Jodhaa Bai (Aishwarya Rai). It was produced by Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures, whose parent company UTV listed on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market last year.
On Tuesday, UTVMP, which is handling worldwide distribution, said that the film will open on more than 1,300 screens in India including 500 digital screens.
In an interview, UTVMP director Siddharth Roy Kapur said that special preview screenings, sponsored by Citibank, will take place Feb.
- 2/13/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW DELHI -- An Indian film will be released officially Friday in Pakistan, a first for two countries that have banned each other's films for over three decades.
Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures' football drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, starring top actor John Abraham and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, received clearance from the Pakistan Censor Board, making it the first Indian film to get a day-and-date release in that country. The film opens with 12 prints in seven cities including Karachi and Lahore. The film premiered in Dubai Wednesday.
"We got the permission because 'Goal' is technically a U.K. production which was funded via a specially set up London-based banner, Aim Films. The Pakistan distribution deal with Lahore-based Eveready Pictures was worked out via our Dubai-based distributor Al Mansoor Films. Expectedly, there is a lot of excitement in Pakistan given the huge popularity of Bollywood stars there," UTVMP chief operating officer Siddharth Roy Kapur said in an interview.
Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures' football drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, starring top actor John Abraham and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, received clearance from the Pakistan Censor Board, making it the first Indian film to get a day-and-date release in that country. The film opens with 12 prints in seven cities including Karachi and Lahore. The film premiered in Dubai Wednesday.
"We got the permission because 'Goal' is technically a U.K. production which was funded via a specially set up London-based banner, Aim Films. The Pakistan distribution deal with Lahore-based Eveready Pictures was worked out via our Dubai-based distributor Al Mansoor Films. Expectedly, there is a lot of excitement in Pakistan given the huge popularity of Bollywood stars there," UTVMP chief operating officer Siddharth Roy Kapur said in an interview.
- 11/24/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW DELHI -- Mumbai-based film company UTV Motion Pictures has signed a raft of deals signaling the company's foray into the potentially lucrative southern India film industry.
UTV has signed on Telegu-anguage superstar Mahesh Babu for two films, while acquiring distribution rights for his upcoming release "Atithi" (Guest) for the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, home to 2,700 theaters, the most in any Indian state.
Telegu has about 76 million native speakers and is the official language of Andhra Pradesh.
UTV also has entered into two movie co-production deals with Indira Prods., which will include one project with Mahesh Babu, whose 2006 film "Pokiri" is the highest grosser in Telegu film history.
"After our foray into the Tamil-language film industry with our first Tamil production due for release in September, we are happy to be making inroads into the Telegu film industry with these production, distribution and artist deals," UTV Motion Pictures chief operating officer Siddharth Roy Kapur said Thursday.
UTV has signed on Telegu-anguage superstar Mahesh Babu for two films, while acquiring distribution rights for his upcoming release "Atithi" (Guest) for the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, home to 2,700 theaters, the most in any Indian state.
Telegu has about 76 million native speakers and is the official language of Andhra Pradesh.
UTV also has entered into two movie co-production deals with Indira Prods., which will include one project with Mahesh Babu, whose 2006 film "Pokiri" is the highest grosser in Telegu film history.
"After our foray into the Tamil-language film industry with our first Tamil production due for release in September, we are happy to be making inroads into the Telegu film industry with these production, distribution and artist deals," UTV Motion Pictures chief operating officer Siddharth Roy Kapur said Thursday.
NEW DELHI -- Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures Plc. has announced an agreement with U.S.-based DVD on-demand service TitleMatch Entertainment Group for distribution of its film library to retailers and e-tailers in North America.
The TitleMatch system allows movie studios and retailers to burn video content directly in stores and at Web site distribution centers at the time orders are placed.
TitleMatch inked a similar dea with London-based Eros Entertainment to distribute Eros' 1,500-title Bollywood catalog (HR 7/4). TitleMatch is a subsidiary of Protocall Technologies Inc.
"We think TitleMatch is at the forefront of a very exciting new distribution model that can substantially increase availability of our movies in the US retail market," said Siddharth Roy Kapur, UTV's executive vp marketing, distribution and syndication. "Major retailers can use the TitleMatch service to tailor product selection by region or even by individual store location, which is ideal for us."
Meanwhile, UTV Motion Pictures -- which recently listed on London's Alternative Investment Market, raising $77.3 million -- also is co-producing such international projects as 20th Century Fox's upcoming "The Happening" by director M.
The TitleMatch system allows movie studios and retailers to burn video content directly in stores and at Web site distribution centers at the time orders are placed.
TitleMatch inked a similar dea with London-based Eros Entertainment to distribute Eros' 1,500-title Bollywood catalog (HR 7/4). TitleMatch is a subsidiary of Protocall Technologies Inc.
"We think TitleMatch is at the forefront of a very exciting new distribution model that can substantially increase availability of our movies in the US retail market," said Siddharth Roy Kapur, UTV's executive vp marketing, distribution and syndication. "Major retailers can use the TitleMatch service to tailor product selection by region or even by individual store location, which is ideal for us."
Meanwhile, UTV Motion Pictures -- which recently listed on London's Alternative Investment Market, raising $77.3 million -- also is co-producing such international projects as 20th Century Fox's upcoming "The Happening" by director M.
- 8/28/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW DELHI -- UTV Motion Pictures will skip a theatrical release for "Fear", the upcoming supernatural thriller by Vikram Bhatt, making the film part of its expanding online distribution experiment, the company said Friday.
The move marks the latest sign that Bollywood's presence on legitimate online platforms is on the rise.
UTV COO Siddharth Roy Kapur said that "Fear", produced by veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, will be released in August on DVD and "across multiple Web sites including Rajshri.com."
"The film will not be released theatrically," Kapur said in an interview.
UTV's March release of the cricket film "Hattrick" was its first experiment with an online premiere on Rajshri.com, the film download portal launched early this year by veteran Bollywood production house Rajshri Films.
In May, UTV partnered with Rajshri again, this time for the release of "Life in a Metro".
Both these films had a day-and-date online release alongside their theatrical rollout. In August, a regular download of "Fear" will cost $9.99 and a high-definition download $19.99.
The move marks the latest sign that Bollywood's presence on legitimate online platforms is on the rise.
UTV COO Siddharth Roy Kapur said that "Fear", produced by veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, will be released in August on DVD and "across multiple Web sites including Rajshri.com."
"The film will not be released theatrically," Kapur said in an interview.
UTV's March release of the cricket film "Hattrick" was its first experiment with an online premiere on Rajshri.com, the film download portal launched early this year by veteran Bollywood production house Rajshri Films.
In May, UTV partnered with Rajshri again, this time for the release of "Life in a Metro".
Both these films had a day-and-date online release alongside their theatrical rollout. In August, a regular download of "Fear" will cost $9.99 and a high-definition download $19.99.
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