Hindi
New releases fail to contend with IPL
MUMBAI: New movie releases are facing tough competition from the Indian Premier League. The preference to stay at home and watch IPL matches rather than go out to the theaters to watch the week‘s weak releases like Well Done Abba, Hum Tum Aur Ghost, Prem Kaa Game, Mittal vs Mittal and My Friend Ganesha 3 suggest that the IPL is a much stronger brand than films in the current scenario.
While Well Done Abba and Hum Tum Aur Ghost had an average opening with around 25 to 30 per cent occupancy, industry sources say the former drew in Rs 3 million and the latter garnered anywhere between Rs 6.5-7 million on the opening day.
The week‘s other three releases fared poorly at the box-office. Said Fun Cinemas CEO Vikas Kapur, “‘While both Hum Tum Aur Ghost and Well Done Abba have had average openings, the collections of Well Done Abba has picked up slightly after positive reviews.”
Surprisingly Ekta Kapoor‘s Love Sex Aur Dokha is doing moderate business in its second week and has so far registered a net business of approximately Rs 62.5 million.
Multiplexes are now looking forward to the semi-finals and finals when they will screen IPL matches in 3D format. Says UFO Moviez‘s founder and managing director Sanjay Gaikwad, “The IPL matches in 3D will be an amazing experience for all cricket fans. We would be soon starting with pilot projects in select theatres and then go ahead to show the semi-finals and finals in 3D. We are tying up with 3ality, a California based company, for 3D production of these matches. Our ultimate aim is to up the excitement and fun quotient of cricket and entertainment.”
Hope this strategy revives box-office gains for the multiplexes.
This week‘s releases include Sadiyaan that marks the debut of Shatrughan Sinha‘s son Luv and features veterans Rishi Kapoor, Rekha and Hema Malini. Tum Milo To Sahi brings together Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia after more than a decade.
Another highlight of the week is the release of Warner Bos.‘ Clash Of The Titans in 3D.
Hindi
Hansa Entertainment launched to produce across OTT, TV and film
New venture from R K Swamy Hansa Group eyes multi-language stories for digital-first audiences.
MUMBAI: Hansa Entertainment has just stepped into the spotlight because when a legacy media house decides to script its next act, even the credits get excited. Hansa Entertainment Private Limited has been incorporated to develop and produce original programming across digital, television, OTT platforms and theatrical features. The company will create short-running series, long-running series and original films for OTT, alongside standout theatrical ventures. It will also launch a podcast platform called Hansa Spotlight and produce content for the fast-growing vertical drama format. Stories are initially planned in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada.
The venture is founded by Sruti Swamy and Siddharth Swamy, drawing on the rich legacy of Hansa Vision and the broader R K Swamy Hansa Group. Sruti brings creative expertise with a master’s in architecture, interiors and design from Milan and a postgraduate degree in business management from the Indian School of Business. Siddharth contributes a data-driven perspective, having studied data science at Imperial College London.
Sujatha Narayanan has been appointed CEO of Hansa Entertainment. With over two decades of experience in creative content curation and production across film and OTT, she is also a well-known film columnist and media entrepreneur.
R K Swamy Hansa Group executive chairman Srinivasan Swamy said, “The launch of Hansa Entertainment marks an exciting new chapter. The new entity is the brainchild of the next generation and will be independently managed by Sruti Swamy, who is the Director and the newly appointed CEO.”
Hansa Entertainment director Sruti Swamy added, “I am very optimistic about the future of Hansa Entertainment, given the content explosion and the opportunities offered by new technologies for production.”
Hansa Entertainment director Siddharth Swamy noted, “The idea is to grow a contemporary production house that creates compelling stories for today’s multi-platform audiences while drawing inspiration from the rich storytelling traditions that audiences have appreciated over the years.”
Hansa Entertainment CEO Sujatha Narayanan said, “Hansa Entertainment will evolve as a story-first, IP-driven entity. We have already put together a smart team of interesting and dynamic creators who will helm our vertical dramas, shows and films.”
In the ever-evolving world of Indian entertainment, where stories now travel faster than the scripts that birth them, Hansa Entertainment is stepping onto the stage with fresh ink and big ambitions proving that even the best legacies know when it’s time for a compelling sequel.
