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Get SET go -- Sony
to produce Hindi movies, distribute globally
Sony Entertainment
Television is getting into production and international theatrical
distribution of Hindi movies as part of its move to expand
from its core television business.
Sony is producing a Hindi movie with Mahesh Manjrekar and
has Sonali Bendre playing as the leading actress. The film,
which was recently shot in London, is slated for completion
by March, 2001. "We are expanding our role in the entertainment
area. Theatrical distribution and film production are the
new businesses we are looking at seriously," said Sony
Entertainment Television COO Rajesh Pant.
Sony’s foray into theatrical distribution will start
with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir, starring Hrithik
Roshan. The movie will premier in London on October 26 and
in New York on October 27. It will also be shown on Sony’s
entertainment channel across the globe. "We are doing
international theatrical distribution for the movie. Depending
on the outcome of this, we will take the next step,"
Pant said.
Mission Kashmir will go to the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, West
Asia and the Far East. The movie will have sub-title prints
in different languages. Sony, Pant said, plans to distribute
a movie a month. Film production will also be a part of the
company’s extended business. Though Sony has a small
team looking into the movie business, a new division will
be created once the size of the operations grow.
Sources said Raveena Kohli was offered to head the movie team,
apart from heading the channel’s programming. But she
moved out to join as Chief Executive Officer of Channel Nine.
Sony plans to rake up big money from its Hindi movie business,
though Pant refused to divulge the targets the company has
set for in the first year of operations.
Besides generating additional revenue, the company will have
movie software exclusively for its entertainment channels.
The company has already invested heavily on acquiring telecast
rights of big movies for Sony TV and Set Max which is a mix
of films, events and cricket.
To integrate between programming and marketing, Sony has set
up strategic business units. Each day will have a separate
programming marketing unit (PMU) to look into the success
of the shows.
Monday’s shows, for instance, are handled by a PMU different
from the other days. Weekend TV (Saturdays and Sundays), though,
has a separate PMU team. Though the day parts and shows like
Movers & Shakers had different PMUs, the team has been
disbanded and merged into the daily team of PMUs. The PMUs
report to Prashant Sanwal, head of marketing, Sony Entertainment
Television.
The concept of strategic business units will help Sony to
integrate between marketing, programming and promos. Each
PMU will be responsible for studying concepts, casting, storyline,
ratings, advertising and also life of the show. It combines
the varied skills of each team. "Strategic business units
is a unique weapon we have," said Pant.
SD
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