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MUMBAI:
Multi Screen Media (MSM), Sony Pictures Television's India
subsidiary, has identified film production and distribution
business as the company's new growth area.
The
plan is to first co-produce films before getting into projects
independently. As part of this strategy, MSM has entered into
a strategic tie-up with Eros International Media, India's
biggest movie production company.
MSM
will co-produce and co-invest Shashant Shah’s Bhajathe
Raho with Eros. The film currently under production is looking
at a mid-year release. It will feature Tusshar Kapoor, Ranveer
Shorey, Vinay Pathak, Ravi Kissen, Dolly Alhuwalia and others.
MSM
CEO Man Jit Singh said that the film production business will
be a separate line of business but housed under MSM. The film
production business will be overseen by him and NP Singh initially,
he added.
"We
have been looking to enter the film production business in
India for some time. We will produce a combination of big
as well as medium budget films which are commercially successful
at the box office," Singh told Indiantelevision.com.
Without
divulging details about the investment plan for the film production
business, Singh said that the satellite rights of movies produced
by MSM will be open for sale to any broadcaster and will not
necessarily be aired on the company's Hindi movie channel,
Max.
MSM
COO NP Singh added, "As a major Indian television network,
we are very happy to enter into this agreement with a leading
Indian studio like Eros to develop and release high quality
original Indian content to fans of Indian cinema across the
world."
It
needs to be noted here that Sony Pictures Entertainment had
in 2007 entered into a film production and distribution deal
with Eros.
Globally,
MSM's parent company Sony Pictures is a big player in movie
production and distribution. Columbia TriStar Motion Picture
Group (CTMPG), the motion picture arm of Sony, boasts of a
library of with more than 3,500 titles.
Eros
International Media MD Sunil Lulla said, "We are looking
forward to the potential benefits that both entities will
bring to the film with their combined strengths. By extending
together our established networks to distribute Bhajathe Raho
in India and international markets, we hope to give the film
the best release platform."
Eros
has off late been entering into various strategic tie-ups.
It had recently entered into an agreement with HBO Asia to
launch two ad free bi-lingual movie channels, HBO Defined
and HBO Hits, in India.
On
Tuesday, Eros announced that it had entered into an alliance
with Endemol to co-produce three feature films as well as
get into original programming for television.
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