| MUMBAI:
The Dutch government, in an effort to build ties with the Indian media and entertainment
industry, has launched an initiative called ME-India. The
initiative's primary focus is to create a structural hub, which will facilitate
partnership between the Dutch and Indian media and entertainment industries. ME-India
intends to stimulate existing initiatives and to create new ones, so as to create
a structural business relationship with India.
ME-India
is a collaboration of 14 companies of the Dutch media and entertainment industry
and Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. These
companies have varied expertise in the Dutch media and entertainment segment and
through ME-India; they will look to collectively approach the Indian media and
entertainment industry for strategic partnerships and hence build a symbiotic
relationship with them. ME-India
programme aims to build awareness of the various strengths of the Dutch media
and entertainment sector. In this effort, ME-India, has partnered with Ficci for
the Frames 2010 convention, to be held in Mumbai next year. Moreover, ME-India
will also look to facilitate greater participation of Dutch Films in various Indian
film festivals starting with the Global Cinema festival, to be held in Indore
this month. According
to market research conducted by the Dutch Ministry of Economic affairs, the turnover
of the Dutch M&E sector is €15 billion. It is expected to grow to €18
billion in the next three years. Holland is only second in exporting syndicated
TV formats in the world. Formats like Big Brother (created as Big Boss
on Colors), Love Letters, Wedden dat (Will you bet me), Deal or
no Deal, Fear Factor (Shown as Khatron Ke Khiladi also on Colors), Model
in a day, One vs.100. Through ME-India, many companies hope to adapt
more of such formats and develop future formats too keeping the Indian audiences
taste in mind. However,
very little has been known about the Dutch film Industry in India. Film directors
like Paul Verhoeven (Robocop; Total Recall; Basic Instinct),
Jan De Bont (Tomb Raider; Speed, Twister), Menno Meyjes (credits
include The Color Purple and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
have made films in Holland before they migrated to Hollywood. Moreover,
Dutch actors and actresses have been seen in Hollywood films. They include Famke
Jansen (Goldeneye, X-Men), Carice van Houten (Valkyrie) and
Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner, Sin City). | 
