Hindi
Eros in strategic alliance with EMI Music Publishing
MUMBAI: Eros Music Publishing, part of Eros International, and the world’s leading publisher of popular music, EMI Music Publishing, have entered into a strategic alliance to create new opportunities for songwriters of both the companies.
By way of a new and exclusive set of sub-publishing deals, EMI Music Publishing will represent Eros’ catalogue of Bollywood and South Asian composers on a worldwide basis while Eros will represent EMI Music Publishing’s extensive catalogue of 1.3 million songs in India.
The synergy between both the companies will allow both parties to maximise distribution opportunities for their songs and songwriters and extend their reach into new markets by tapping into each other’s distribution networks.
The companies first worked together last year in South America to secure a synch license for Beedi (written by Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar) as the title theme for Caminho Das Indias, a telenovela that attracted up to 60 per cent audience shares when it was aired in Brazil.
Avers Eros Music Publishing Executive Director Andrew Heffernan, “Apart from the terrific administration resources at EMI, an extremely important part of this relationship is the emphasis on working closely to develop new markets for our songwriters, new licensing opportunities for our songs and the creative exploitation of our copyrights. Local music currently dominates the Indian market but changes in consumption and new technologies mean that the opportunity for EMI’s catalogue in India is growing. With our local presence we hope to develop new monetisation models as well as expand the creative exploitation.”
Adds EMI Music Publishing Chief Operating Officer Leo Corbett, “EMI Music Publishing is honoured to be representing the Eros catalogue, which features some of the best Bollywood music around. This is an exciting time in the development and growth of South Asian music, and we are thrilled to be part of it through a global player in the Indian entertainment and media sector like Eros. As an integrated Indian film and media company the ongoing film release schedule ensures a strong flow of new songs, and we’re looking forward to introducing their catalogue to a much wider audience. Working with them will also allow us to create new opportunities for our own catalogue in the growing market for non-local music in India, and provide our writers with valuable new revenue opportunities.”
Hindi
Jio Studios, Sanjay Dutt team up to revive Khal Nayak
Rights acquired for new version, format under wraps as remake plans take shape.
MUMBAI: The villain is back and this time, he’s rewriting his own script. Jio Studios has partnered with Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Aspect Entertainment to revive the 1993 cult classic Khal Nayak, marking a fresh chapter for one of Bollywood’s most iconic anti-hero stories. The original film, directed by Subhash Ghai under Mukta Arts, was a commercial and cultural milestone, with Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Ballu becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable performances.
Dutt, along with Aksha Kamboj, has now acquired the rights from the original creators, bringing on board Jio Studios and its President Jyoti Deshpande to steer the project creatively.
While the exact format whether remake, sequel, prequel, or a completely new narrative remains undisclosed, the collaboration aims to reinterpret the story for contemporary audiences while retaining the essence that made the original a defining film of the 1990s.
The move taps into a broader industry trend of reviving legacy intellectual property, particularly characters with strong recall value. “Khal Nayak” was notable for pushing mainstream Hindi cinema into morally grey territory at a time when heroes were largely one-dimensional, making Ballu’s character a standout.
The project also marks the film production debut of Aspect Entertainment, signalling a push towards more technology-led storytelling frameworks. Meanwhile, Jio Studios continues to expand its slate, having built a library of over 200 films and series, with more than 60 titles collectively winning 500-plus awards.
For Dutt, the revival is as much personal as it is strategic, a return to a role that reshaped his career. For the industry, it is another sign that nostalgia, when paired with scale, remains a powerful box-office proposition.
Because in Bollywood, some villains never fade, they just wait for the perfect comeback.
