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Prime Focus to pump in Rs 700 mn for international expansion
MUMBAI: This may well be the first time that an Indian post production house is setting up shop overseas. Mumbai-based Prime Focus is planning to invest Rs 700 million to set up studio facilities in the UK, US and Dubai, reversing the trend where some of the production houses like Yash Raj Films (YRF) have created hi-tech facilities in India as an outsourcing model to service Hollywood and other external clients.
“We are setting up specific studio infrastructure in these three centres. The idea is to diversify our risks and tap overseas markets,” Prime Focus managing director Namit Malhotra tells Indiantelevision.com.
Prime Focus aims to raise Rs 1 billion through an initial public offering (IPO). The company has filed its draft red herring prospectus with the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
The balance Rs 300 million from the IPO proceeds will be used to beef up infrastructure in India, says Malhotra. “We are starting our Chennai operations within a month. There is a big local film industry which we can tap. This will be our first studio outside Mumbai,” he adds.
Prime Focus is creating another post production facility in Mumbai. “This will be specifically to service advertising clients,” says Malhotra.
The promoters hold around 70 per cent stake in the company. Anil Ambani’s Reliance Capital and Adlabs Films together hold about 21 per cent.
ICICI Securities and Centrum Capital are lead managers to the issue. For the year ended 31 March 2005, Prime Focus posted a net profit of Rs 83 million on a turnover of 300 million. The company’s income was Rs 190 million for the first half of this fiscal while the net profit stood at Rs 73 million, says Malhotra.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
