Drona insured for Rs 50 crores
Abhishek Bachchan starrer, Drona, has been insured for a whopping sum of Rs. 50 crore. This has made Drona the biggest insured film of Bollywood till date. Directed by Goldie Behl and produced under Behl’s home banner Rose Movies, Drona stars Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra and Kay Kay Menon. The makers of the film have insured the film with the United India Insurance (UII). The reason for the large insurance policy comes from the mega budget of this superhero film. The budget of the film is placed at around Rs. 50 crores with what a majority of it devoted to some spectacular special effects. Under the insurance policy, the insurer shall be covering the expenses incurred by the producer due to the death or injury of actors, the damage to the sets, costumes, its film equipments as well as theft. Subhash Ghai’s Taal (1999) was the first Bollywood film to be insured and films like Jodhaa Akbar, Love Story 2050 and Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na were insured earlier this year.
Zee eyes distribution starting with Reliance’s Rock On!!
Zee Motion Pictures is cementing its presence in the film distribution sector by looking to distribute the much-awaited release Rock On. Zee is reported to be in negotiations with Reliance’s Big Pictures for the domestic distribution of the film that has been directed by Abhishek Kapoor and features Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny. The stake of the deal will be close to Rs 12 crores. Zee has also acquired the worldwide rights of Bobby Deol and Priyanka Chopra’s Chamku. Rock On and Chamku are slated to release on August 29.
Zee Motion Pictures also has as many as 24 under production movies lined up and will also be handling the distribution of these movies. Zee has already setup regional offices for distribution in Mumbai, Delhi, and areas of South India. The company also distributed Sunny Deol’s Kaafila last year and was actively distributing E-City Venture’s English movies.
Eros acquires worldwide rights of Heroes
Eros International has acquired the worldwide distribution rights of Heroes. Reportedly, the rights have been acquired for an approximate sum of Rs 35 crores. The film, which was earlier titled Mera Bharat Mahaan, is directed by Samir Karnik and stars Salman Khan, Preity Zinta, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Sohail Khan, Mithun Chakraborty, Amrita Arora, Riya Sen, Dino Morea and Vatsal Sheth. Heroes that has been produced by Vikas Kapoor has music by Sajid-Wajid and Monty Sharma. The music of the film will be out later this month. The film is slated for a release on October 24.
T-Series to release Karzzzz on October 17
Himesh Reshammiya’s second film as hero after the very successful Aap Ka Surroor, Karzzzz that directed by Satish Kaushik is all set for release on October 17. The promos of the film have started airing on all major channels starting from August 15. Produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar , Karzzzz is the remake of Subhash Ghai’s 1980 film Karz. Noted filmmaker Indra Kumar’s daughter Shweta makes her debut with Karzzzz and plays the lead role previously essayed by Tina Munim. The film also stars Urmila Matondkar, Gulshan Grover, Danny Denzongpa, Rohini Hattangadi and Raj Babbar. Reliance’s Big Pictures is releasing the film worldwide.
Ketan Mehta’s Rang Rasiya at BFI London Film Fest
Ketan Mehta’s forthcoming directorial venture Rang Rasiya will be screened at BFI London Film Festival. The Festival is scheduled to take place from October 15 - 30 will screen over 300 films from more than 50 countries. Rang Rasiya offers a look in to the life of 19th century Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma. The movie stars Nandana Sen, Randeep Hooda, Vipin Sharma, Jim Boeven and Rachna. It has been co-produced by Aanand Mahendroo and Ketan Mehta.
Mehta acquired the rights for the novel Raja Ravi Varma by Marathi author Ranjit Desai and is also planning an English version that is titled Colours Of Passion. The movie is said to be made with a budget of Rs 12 crores and will be released in September.
TZP to release in Telugu and Tamil: Pyramid Saimira
Pyramid Saimira Entertainment Limited, Singapore, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Pyramid Saimira Group, has bagged the worldwide distribution rights of the Tamil and Telugu versions of Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par. The movie, dubbed into Tamil and Telugu, will be released in September. The Tamil version of the movie will be called Val Natchattiram and the Telugu version of the movie will be called Nelameedi Tharalu. Noted South Actor Surya has finished dubbing for Aamir Khan in the Tamil version.
Pyramid Saimira distribution head Mukesh Metha said, “Taare Zameen Par is one of the most sensitively made films in recent times. Barring a few, not many children-oriented films have done very well in India. TZP has addressed the subject in a very scientific manner.”