Film Production
Eros numbers up in second quarter
BENGALURU: The Sunil Lulla-led Indian film and media company Eros International Media Ltd (Eros) reported a 9.2 per cent jump in operating revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2018 (Q2 2019, period or quarter under review) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter (y-o-y comparison). Profit after tax (PAT) and total comprehensive income (TCI) for the period under review jumped 34.4 per cent and 109.3 per cent (more than doubled) respectively y-o-y. Total income increased 17 per cent y-o-y in Q2 2019.
Eros reported operating revenue of Rs 292.88 crore for Q2 2019 as compared to Rs 268.26 crore. Total revenue during the quarter under review was Rs 320.56 crore as compared to Rs 273.93 crore in Q2 2018. PAT in Q2 2019 was Rs 77.31 crore as compared to Rs 57.51 crore in Q2 2018. TCI in Q 2019 was Rs 131.33 crore as compared to Rs 62.76 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter.
The company released 17 films and one digital series in Q2 2019 as compared to 14 films in the previous quarter (Q1 2019). Contribution by overseas revenue to operating revenue almost doubled to 23.7 per cent during the period under review as compared to 12.6 per cent of operating revenues in Q2 2018. Theatrical revenues contributed 28.1 per cent to overall revenues in Q2 2019 as compared to 30.7 per cent in Q2 2018. Contribution to total revenue from television and others in Q 2019 was 48.2 per cent as compared to 56.7 per cent in the corresponding year ago quarter.
Eros reported 10.9 per cent y-o-y increase in total expenditure in Q2 2019 at Rs 7231.36 crore from Rs 208.54 crore in Q2 2018. Films rights costs including amortisation costs increased 25.2 per cet y-o-y to Rs 148.87 crore from Rs 118.95 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. Employee benefits expense in Q2 2019 declined 12.4 per cent y-o-y to Rs 13.18 crore from Rs 15.04 crore in Q2 2018.
Finance costs reduced 17.8 per cent y-o-y in Q2 2019 to Rs 21.36 crore from Rs 54.22 crore in the previous year. Other expenses increase 1 per cent y-o-y in Q2 2019 to Rs 51.22 crore from Rs 50.71 crore in Q2 2018.
Company speak
Eros executive chairman and managing director Lulla said, “We are happy to report a strong performance during the Q2 and H1 FY2019 which has been a result of our continuous focus on building a portfolio of content driven films that appeal to a wide cross-section of audiences, produced at optimum costs and marketed around the world across diverse entertainment platforms. During Q2
FY2019, we released a total of 17 films & 1 Digital series, comprising of the hit franchise Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, the critically acclaimed Manmarziyan, Vishal Bharadwaj directed Patakhaa, Saakshyam (Telugu), Tc.Gn – Take Care Good Night (Marathi) amongst others. Overseas releases of Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) and Nawabzaade (Hindi) further supported performance during the quarter.”
“With our strategy of being a leading producer in digital content, we released an ErosNow1 8-episode original series directed by Rohan Sippy, Side Hero which was received very well by the global audiences. Going forward, we have a refreshing slate of high-potential ErosNow originals with crime drama Smoke releasing today. We believe with the roll-out of our original series we will be able to capture the attention of the fast growing millennial and post-millennial audiences,” said Lulla.
“H2 FY19 has begun well for us with the successful release of Boyz 2 (Marathi), Tummbad as well as Andhadhun (overseas), Helicopter Eela (overseas) and Namaste England (overseas) at the box office. Further, we have a growing and compelling line-up for the remainder of FY 2019 and FY2020. As we look forward, our proven content acquisition and co-production model, our strong partnerships with Colour Yellow Production, Reliance Industries and the latest partnership V. Vijayendra Prasad as well as our Indo-China collaborations will be the key differentiator in the forthcoming quarters”
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
