Hindi
UTV earmarks Rs 9 billion for movies over 2 years
MUMBAI: UTV Software Communications plans to pump in Rs 9 billion for a mix of Hollywood and Bollywood movies spread over two years while warning that its margins will be under some pressure.
Indian language movies will take away Rs 4.2 billion while the Hollywood slate will consume Rs 2.3 billion. Additionally, UTV will be investing Rs 2.5 billion in inventories/debtors of released movies plus unexploited rights of recent releases like TV rights and VoD/PPV rights of its 2008-2009 releases.
A roster of 35 movies are on the floors or nearing release or in production. The slate includes Kaminey, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Agyat, What‘s your Rashee, Wake Up Sid, Hook Ya Crook, Delhi Belly, Jihaad, A Wednesday (remake in Tamil and Telugu), Yahoo, Film City, Arjun, Alibaba & 41 Thieves, Ex-Terminators, Rajniti, Hawai Dada, Five movies of UTV SpotBoy (Aage Se Right, Pan Singh Tomar, Seasons Greetings, Peter Gaya Kaam Se and Chillar Party), Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s next with Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, Anuraag Basu‘s next and Annees Bazmee directed comedy.
UTV believes that it has bought the production cost under control. “We do admit that cost for producing movies had risen only due to market conditions and free flow of equity money and that hiked cost has also put pressure on our margins. UTV has not been immune to this industry-wide hike in costs but we believe we have brought this under control,” UTV said in a release.
The benefits of total cost rationalization to pre 2007 days would, however, only be partly felt in 09-10 as many of its productions were already on the floor. But it said that they “fully realized and corrected from 10-11 onwards.”
UTV will capture revenues of Namesake from the first quarter of 2009-10. “On The Happening, even though the theatrical release was only nine months back on 13 June‘08, since it did well theatrically worldwide we have recognized part of the revenues in Q4 of 08-09 to the tune of Rs 306 million. We estimate that approximately 40 per cent of the cost invested in The Happening will flow in pre and of 09-10 and the balance in ensuing years,” UTV said.
On The Happening, UTV estimates that on investments of approximately $34 million, the revenue flowing back to the company in its first cycle of exploitation would be between $39-42 million. Of course, a lot would depend on the TV exploitation which has just begun (for this year and may be into the next year there is a slowdown on TV syndication worldwide). The State of Pennsylvania has also given a tax rebate to The Happening of a little over $10 million.
“We believe co-owning the IPR and Negative Rights in perpetuity for 3 Hollywood Movies in our Balance Sheet will be a valuable asset and a source of regular annuity income, post its first exploitation cycle,” UTV said.
Hindi
Marico founder Harsh Mariwala’s book Harsh Realities set for film adaptation
Almighty Motion Picture taps Karan Vyas to script Marico story
MUMBAI: Almighty Motion Picture is turning its lens on India Inc., with plans to adapt Harsh Realities: The Making of Marico into a screen project. The story charts the rise of Harsh Mariwala, the chairman and founder of Marico, and is currently in early development, according to a report by Variety.
Writer Karan Vyas, known for his work on Scam 1992, Scoop and Made in India – A Titan Story, is attached to pen the screenplay. The project continues the studio’s growing interest in real-life Indian narratives that blend business with human drama.
At the heart of the story lies a defining moment in 1987, when Mariwala chose to step away from the family-run Bombay Oil Industries and strike out on his own. What followed was not just the creation of a company, but the reinvention of a legacy. Marico would go on to become a global FMCG player, with brands like Parachute, Saffola, Set Wet and Livon becoming household names, reaching nearly one in three Indians.
The source material, co-authored by Mariwala and renowned business strategist Ram Charan, offers more than a boardroom chronicle. It captures the grit behind the growth, the risks behind the rewards and the leadership lessons forged along the way.
The adaptation aims to move beyond balance sheets and brand milestones, focusing instead on the person behind the enterprise. Expect a narrative that leans into the emotional stakes of entrepreneurship, where decisions are as personal as they are professional.
Today, Marico draws about a quarter of its revenue from international markets across Asia and Africa, reflecting its steady transformation from a domestic player into a multinational force. Yet, if the makers have their way, the screen version will remind audiences that every global success story begins with a leap of faith.
With development set to begin soon, this is one business story that may just trade spreadsheets for storytelling, and profit margins for moments that linger
