As a Co-Producer Or Co-Financier, Our Roles Are Very Well Defined. We Read a Script and Let the Creative Team Do the Rest. Bu

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business challenges are there, of course. But those are healthy. As long as the flow PVR'S BOX OFFICE RECORDS of content is good and regular, footfall is not a worry.” With the idea of becoming India's pre- The landscape was different, ten years mium retail entertainment company, PVR ago, he recalls. The retail boom hadn’t has set up a joint venture with Thailand’s begun and the food-and-movie culture of film exhibition and retail entertainment shopping malls was nowhere on the hori- firm Major Cineplex Group, to bring life- zon. Converting existing cinemas was the style entertainment concepts to India. The only option, Bijli explains. ambitious venture will establish bowling “Obtaining permissions was tough. The alleys, karaoke centres, ice skating rinks authorities found it ludicrous that when and gaming zones across the country to cinemas were closing down, we wanted enhance the out-of-home entertainment to take one and make four of them in its experience for Indian consumers. place,” says Bijli. Bye laws and legislations were tricky to manage because they weren’t geared for such developments. Convinc- ing consumers to pay substantially higher Contract and Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye. business. It requires a lot more effort than ticket prices also took time. “Many thought It also distributed big releases like Ghajini, what we are doing right now. As a co- a single ticket entitled them to watch all the Golmaal Returns, Dasvidaniya, Sarkar Raj producer or co-financier, our roles are very movies at the multiplex,” he adds, laughing. and most recently, the Twilight series. Its well defined. We limit our role to reading Many of those issues fade into insignifi- latest release, Aisha,netted a little less than the script, liking it and letting the creative cance now as PVR notches up a turnover of US$8 million domestically and another team do it. But, we enjoy the process, mar- US$125 million this year. In the next three million overseas. keting, publicity, promotions a lot,” Bijli years, it wants to be twice as big—a US$250 “As an entrepreneur, you want to grow elaborates. million integrated entertainment lifestyle with the business and get into other ver- “Three films are under production right company. “The idea is not to scale up in ticals. Distribution was a logical move now and another dozen are lined up for the cinema space alone. We want to be a ahead. Producing movies has been amaz- distribution. The story is fairly good. We complete retail entertainment provider,” ing,” says Bijli of their expanded focus. expect five-fold growth in our content busi- explains Sood. The content business will bring in ness. The Indian cinema industry provides PVR Cinemas has already branched out almost 30 per cent of this year’s revenue. a good environment for that,” adds Sood. in many verticals including distributing Bijli says they are just hitting base camp. PVR is looking forward to its next two and producing films. PVR Pictures, a “The potential of content is much more. releases this fiscal. Directed by ace direc- company subsidiary held by PVR Ltd, JP The production business can hit US$125 tor Ashutosh Gowariker, Khelenge Hum Morgan and ICICI Ventures, has co-pro- million much faster than an exhibition Jee Jaan Se, stars Abhishek Bachchan and duced movies like the critically acclaimed company can. PVR Pictures will be a size- Deepika Padukone, and should release in Taare Zameen Par, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, able company, as large as our exhibition December. It will be followed by Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra Productions’ Mad Madder Maddest in January, next year. But, what the company is most excited about is introducing Indian consumers to “As a co-producer or unique entertainment concepts. To do that, co-financier, our roles are very it has set up a joint venture with Major Cineplex Group, a leading retail entertain- well defined. We read a script ment company based in Thailand. Togeth- er, they want to set up bowling alleys, kara- and let the creative team oke centres, ice skating rinks and gaming zones across the country. do the rest. But, we enjoy Even as they import concepts, PVR is confident about growth abroad. “We are the process of marketing, already operating in the multiplex cinema space in neighbouring countries,” says publicity.” Nitin Sood. “But, India is a very great —Sanjeev Bijli, Joint Manging Director, PVR opportunity. It offers tremendous scope. We want to stay focussed.”