(23 August 2008 7:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is getting aggressive with the movie production and distribution business. Its subsidiary Zee Entertainment Studios (ZES) has signed on five directors for three years to direct 15 films in the Marathi language.

The five directors will make three movies each in the three-year period under the banner of Zee Motion Pictures. Apart from producing them, ZES also intends acquiring Marathi movies. It plans a theatrical release of 30 Marathi films in three years of which first two have already been released and the third is to be launched soon.

“We have finalised 10 Marathi film projects that will be released by the end of this fiscal,” Zeel director of regional channels Nitin Vaidya told Indiantelevision.com.

Among the five directors are – Sanjay Jadhav, cinematographer of the recently launched Mumbai Meri Jaan, Ankush Chaudhari, director of Saade Maade Teen, Rajeev Patil, director of Mukta Arts’ Marathi film Sanai Chaughade, Satish Rajwade, director of Mrugjal and Zee Marathi’s daily show Asambhav and Chandrakant Kulkarni, director of movies like Kadachit, Meerabai Not Out, Kay Dyache Bola, Bindhaast.

“There is a crying need for high-quality Marathi movies. Our last film De Dhakka has garnered Rs 90 million as box-office collections," said Vaidya. This number should grow with two more GECs (general entertainment channels) set to join the five currently on air.