Pickle wishes a happy and prospersous New Year
From theindianentertainment.com ● Volume No: I-12&13 pickle● Dec 16-Jan 05, 2007 ● New Delhi ● India COMPANY OF THEYEAR
UTV's biggest strength in the motion pictures business is in spotting new opportunities and executing them to perfection
BY N VIDYASAGAR to back Rang De Basanti, the project was rejected by more than five entities. But, UTV could see the e picked UTV Motion Pictures as the potential of the film and so benefited by the proj- company of the year 2006 for its ect. Another prime example is UTV's betting on accomplishments to set new trends Khosla Ka Ghosla. It had a strong story. Innovative and take the Indian filmed enter- marketing by the UTV got the best ROI from the tainment story to the rest of the movie. We doubt if any other production house Wworld. The two magic words that UTV blended would have decided to back Khosla Ka Ghosala. well to emerge as a successful motion picture Another film Don produced by the company, company are creativity and commerce. In a cor- released in 28 countries in five languages, added RONNIE poratised set up, hardly any Indian showbiz profit to its bottom line. SCREWVALA company in recent times has been able to suc- Among the corporatised entities in the filmed UTV Chairman cessfully synergise commerce and content. UTV's entertainment, UTV has all the ingredients to biggest strength is their belief in the directors they attract attention from Hollywood studios. Rang De work with and focus on the core skill of market- Basanti is distributed in the US by Twentieth ing movies. Century Fox. This year, UTV also struck co-pro- The While other leading players have carved a duction deals with Sony Pictures Entertainment challenge space over many years of hits and runs, UTV and Fox Searchlight Pictures. It has co-production managed to achieve success in the film business and animation outsourcing deals with Porchlight for UTV is to from the lessons they had learnt and mistakes Entertainment and Mike Young Prods. tackle they committed in the last one decade. Walt Disney Co acquired a 14.9% stake in the attrition, Anchored by Ronnie Screwvala (UTV Chairman UTV Software Communications for $14 million and president of the Film & TV Producers Guild of while acquiring 100% of UTV's kids channel protect India) and ably assisted by his team of 50 knowl- Hungama TV for $30.5 million. This year UTV intellectual edge workers, UTV's biggest strength in the acquired controlling stake in UK-based gaming property, motion picture business is in spotting opportuni- company Ignition Entertainment for $13 million ties and executing them to perfection. and a 51% controlling stake in Indiagames for continue to Today, Rang De Basanti (directed by Rakyesh $15 million. UTV is building itself as a Hollywood innovate and Mehra) is an icon image of modern India. The studio with an Indian model. UTV has 12 movie expand in movie is also the country's nomination for the projects in 2007 (Metro, The Name Sake, I think I new global best foreign language film this year at the 79th love my Wife, Jodha Akbar...) and will continue to Oscar Academy Award. But, before UTV decided create a niche in globalising Indian cinema. territories
1 pickle ● December 16-January 05, 2007 ● New Delhi● India 2006 Pickle Picks: Variety, new ideas and fresh themes
2006’s most successful and OMKARA innovative movie It has the best story, best actor LAGE RAHO... It lured more youth audience DHOOM 2 and has the best trailer
THE BEST MOVIE Our choice is pre- Basanti. Everyone in the industry dictable. The top three Hindi films has virtually dismissed him as in 2006 are Lage Rago Munnabhai, another ad film maker unsuccess- Rang De Basanti and Omkara. They fully trying to make films after Aks. are trend setters and have done well in the domestic and overseas Best Debut Director: market. Nagesh Cucknoor's Dor is SAKET CHAUDHARY in Pyar Ke also commendable. Side Effects
Actor of the Year: SANJAY DUTT in Best Hollywood Film in India: Lage Rago Munnabhai. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD DHOOM 2 MAN'S CHEST Villain: Undoubtedly SAIF ALI Best Opening Line of a movie: KHAN in Omkara. OMKARA The movie which drew new and
Best Action chase sequence: OMKARA KRISHH
Super Title: LAGHE RAHO MUNNABHAI
Poster: RANG DE BASANTI
Best Family Drama: VIVAH LAGE RAGO MUNNABHAI young audience: DHOOM 2 Best Emerging Actor: SHINEY Not so good family drama: AHUJA. He has got a good screen BAABUL Best Movie Decision to have been presence and an actor with talent. made by a producer: UTVs Worst sex scene: We did not have KHOSLA KA GHOSLA Actress: PRIYANKA CHOPRA any best sex scene this year. But top in the radar of the worst sex Highest grosser outside India: Actress to look forward to in 2007: scene is picturised is in OMKARA. Karan Johar's KABHI ALVIDA NA DEEPIKA PADUKONE. KEHNA is the highest grosser in the Biggest comeback of the year: international circuit with box office Producer of the Year: VIDHU RAKEYSH MEHRA with Rang De collections of over Rs 68 crore. VINODH CHOPRA KANK surpassed overseas collec- KRISHH tions of Sholay and Dilwale Dulhania Comedy film: PHIR HERA PHERI Le Jayenge.
Romantic film: Best Trailer: Dhoom 2 PYAR KE SIDE EFFECTS Best Multiplex Chain: ADLABS Most depressing movie: BAS EK PAL Innovation in a Multiplex theatre: PVR-Spice
KHOSLA KA GHOSLA
KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA
2 pickle ● December 16-January 05 2007● New Delhi● India
2007 IS HEADED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS IN 2006 THE TOP OF 2007 Many Indian stars will be seen in Hollywood productions. What will really get your attention this year? WHAT ARE THE BIG HINDI FILMS IN 2007 ● Maniratnam’s GURU ● Nikhil Advani's 'Salaam-E-Ishq ● Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya -- The Royal Guard ● Madhur Bhandarkar’s Traffic Signal ● Firoz Nadiadwala’s ‘Fool N Final’ ● Abbas and Mustan Burmawall’s Mr. Fraud ● Ram Gopal Varma’s Nishabd ● Shahrukh Khan’s Om Shaanti Om ● Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen CITY OF TORONTO TO HOST PREMIERE OF GURU Par MANIRATNAM’S GURU action of India in global AVM Productions will ● Adguru Balakrishnan’s Guru is not just the story cinema. Aishwarya Rai’s release Rajnikant starring Cheeni Kam ● of India’s most successful The Last Legion with Ben Sivaji, The Hero in April Meghna Gulzar’s Just Married industrialist, it is the story Kingsley and Colin Firth, 2007. The film is made at ● Vipul Shah’s Namaste of India’s success. This is Salman Khan’s Williard an estimated budget of London the first Indian film to be Caroll-directed Marigold, $15 million (Highest in ● Suneel Darshan’s Shakalaka distributed by a Canadian Sushmita Sen’s Karma, India). This will be one of Boom Boom distributor Roger Nair Confession and Holi and the big release from India ● Planman’s London Summer productions. This marks Tabu’s Mira Nair-directed and Rajnikant movies are ● Rumy Jaffrey’s God Tussi the emergence of The Namesake are all set a craze in Japan, Turkey, Great Ho Canada as a separate dis- for international releases Germany. Overseas buy- ● Muktha Art’s Good Boy Bad tribution territory for in 2007. There will also ers will get to see this Boy, Cyclekick, Black & Indian cinema. So far, it be an Indian Focus at the movie at Cannes market. White, Khanna & Iyer, was just appended to Cannes Film Festival on ● Yashraj Films’ Tara Rum North America. May 19, 2007. Five films FILMS ON RAMANUJAM Pum, Jhoom Barabar Premiered on January 11, made by young Indian Two big Hollywood film Jhoom, Chak De India, 2007. film directors are set to projects on Chudiyan (working title). ● be screened. Mathematician UTV’s Jodha Akbar, Metro, Blue Umbrella,The INDIA IN HOLLYWOOD Ramanujam are envis- Namesake, Goal, Haatrick, There is quite a lot of $15 MILLION MOVIE aged to take off this year. Fashion
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3 pickle ● December 16-January 05 2007 ● New Delhi● India
The usual Hollywood recipes will not change in 2007 YEAR OF CARTOONS Spiderman-3, Shrek the third, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End will be released in May NINE MAJOR WHAT ARE THE MAJOR HOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD RELEASES Arthur and the Hostel: Part II SEQUELS WILL Invisibles Ocean's 13 Miss Potter Surf's Up HIT THEATRES Stomp the Yard Evening God Grew Tired of Us Fantastic Four: Rise of IN 2007 The Hitcher The Silver Surfer The Italian (NY, LA Nancy Drew SEQUELS&CARTOONS Only) Evan Almighty Over nine major sequels The Invisible Slow Burn will be hitting theaters in Because I Said So Ratatouille 2007. June will witness The Messengers License to Wed "Live Free or Die Hard" Hannibal Rising Are We Done Yet? Live Free or Die Hard and July's sequel is Norbit Grindhouse Skinwalkers "Harry Potter and the The Astronaut Farmer Disturbia Transformers Order of the Phoenix." Black Snake Moan Hot Fuzz Harry Potter and the In the cartoon films The Nannie Diaries Perfect Stranger Order of the Phoenix March will witness Reign Over Me Spring Breakdown I Now Pronounce You "TMNT," the first The Namesake Year of the Dog Chuck and Larry "Teenage Mutant Ninja Red Road The Abandoned No Reservations Turtles" movie since Severance In the Land of Women The Simpsons Movie 1993, and July's "The The Wind That Kickin It Old Skool Stardust Transformers," about l Shakes the Barley The Kingdom The Bourne robots from everyday Lucky You Vacancy Ultimatum objects. "The Simpsons The Pleasure of Your Balls of Fury Underdog Company Movie," adapted from the The Condemned Rush Hour 3 Premonition TV series, comes out in Death at a Funeral Fanboys Shooter July from the stable of Fracture The Invasion Sunshine Twentieth Century Fox The Last Legion Super Bad The Comebacks studios. Pathfinder Virgin Territory First Snow Spider-Man 3 One Missed Call Mimzy COMPETITION IN MAY 28 Weeks Later The Brothers Solomon Pride The war for box office col- Delta Farce College TMNT lections can be witnessed Mr. Brooks Feast of Love Air Guitar Nation in May. Three big high 1408 HMichael Clayton Angel-A profile releases of they Shrek the Third The Brave One Blades of Glory year will be released back Pirates of the The Dark Is Rising to back in the month of Meet the Robinsons Caribbean: Worlds Mr. Bean's Holiday May. Spiderman-3 will be The Reaping End 10,000 B.C. released on May 3, Shrek Rescue Dawn Gracie Alien vs. Predator: the third on May 18 and Charlie Bartlett Hot Rod Survival of the Fittest Pirates on May 25. The Hoax Knocked Up Charlie Wilson's War
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4 pickle ● December 16-January 05, 2007 ● New Delhi● India PICKLE IS BROUGHT BY THEINDIANENTERTAINMENT.COM
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5 pickle ● December 16-January 05 2007 ● New Delhi● India MARKET INDICATORS PICKLE DIGEST Media & Entertainment Companies traded in the Bonbay Stock Exchange (value in Rs and crore)
Company Dec 29 P/E Ratio Marketcap (in cr) Adlabs Films 433.65 68.83 1723.34 Balaji Telefilm 126.85 15.25 827.06 Cinevista Ltd 22.45 -16.04 22.67 Crest Animation 134.70 141.79 258.62 Cyber Media 120.00 23.67 120.00 AISHWARYA RAI in Jagmohan Mundhra’s Deccan Chronicle 768.00 46.55 3171.84 Provoked. The movie opens to the worldwide ETC Networks 53.25 10.87 79.87 audience on February 23, 2007. The film explores a ENT Network India 263.70 66.09 1255.21 landmark case in domestic violence in Britain Galaxy Entertainment 206.90 197.05 262.76 HT Media 164.40 13.84 769.39 Inox Leisure 144.15 49.20 864.90 JagranPrakashan 309.25 44.75 1552.43 K Sera Sera 26.05 — 50.80 Mukta Arts 50.95 -21.23 115.14 NDTV 230.25 -215.19 1409.13 Prime Focus 343.30 27.31 436.00 PVR 227.35 99.71 520.63 Pritish Nandy 42.90 11.17 45.05 FFI gets a new team Sahara One 401.00 93.26 866.16 here is change of guard at the Film Federation of Saregama India 209.45 34.62 307.89 TIndia. Delhi-based distributor G.S. Mayawala has Shringar Cinema 53.00 -58.24 167.48 been elected president. Well-known filmmaker K.C. Sun TV 1429.50 70.49 9849.25 Bokadia VP (North), L Suresh VP (South) Bijoy TV 18 577.65 61.58 1213.06 Khemka VP (East), Kishinchand Janiani VP (Central) TV Today Network 77.15 15.62 447.47 will assist Mayawala in the regions. Hirachand Dand TIPS Industries 26.00 44.07 38.48 has been selected as Hon general secretary of FFI. UTV Software 275.65 13782.50 631.24 Zee Telefilms 293.35 175.66 12,484.98 Workshop with
CONTACT INFORMATION Syd Field he much awaited Send your letters, views, suggestions to TUTV’s scripting work- The Editor shop by Syd Field will take place at Mumbai on PICKLE January 5 and 6, 2007. email: [email protected] Syd, the guru of all Designed by screenwriters will focus [email protected] on what is a screenplay and how does it differ from every other medium like novel, play. He is also working on an adventure story with Rakeysh Mehra Make your ad on a UTV film. more powerful than the The Legend of Buddha Edit in the Pickle hemaroo Video has released animation movie The SLegend of Buddha. Produced by Pentamedia Block this space for 52 weeks Graphics in collaboration with The Economic Size: 8cm X 5cm Development Board of Singapore, the film takes the viewer through the life of the Buddha. Shemaoo’s other animated titles include Sinbad-Beyond the Veil Write to: [email protected] of Mists, Son of Aladdin, Alibaba, Pandavas among others. BY THE NUMBERS 473 films were released in the UK in 2006. 66 films or 14% are from India. Box office collections of Indian films in the UK stand at $ 27.5 mn compared to the overall collections of $1.46 bn. Peter Almodovar's Volver was the No 1 grosser with $5.4mn, followed by KANK $4mn
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