MUMBAI: AIM listed company DQ Entertainment has acquired the rights to some of Satyajit Ray’s works, which will be made into features and series for television and the big screen.
The first of the lot is the iconic detective series penned by Ray called Mysteries of Pheluda. This will be remade into three 2D and 3D television features as well as television series. The target group is kids between the age of 8 – 13 years.
Speaking exclusively to Businessofcinema.com, DQ Entertainment chairman and CEO Tapaas Chakravarti says, "We are in talks with an international distribution company for this series. We have acquired the necessary rights from Satyajit Ray’s family for the same. We are also in talks with them to make this into a feature film at a later stage."
The television features will start releasing from February onwards on major international broadcasters.
Incidentally, Ray’s son Sandip Ray’s made a film called Kailashe Kelenkari last year, which is based on Pheluda’s adventures.
The other rights that DQ Entertainment has acquired is that of Ray’s 1974 Bengali film called Sonar Kella (The Fortress), which was based on a novel by him of the same name. DQ has acquired the permission from the government of West Bengal to remake this into an animation film. "We are looking at taking this brilliant piece of art on various audio-visual formats. We are also in talks with Mr Ray’s family to remake Sonar Kella into a live-action Bollywood film."
DQ Entertainment is in advanced stages of talks with three international companies for the movie on Sonar Kella.
Additionally, DQ Entertainment will also making an animation film on Ray’s Bengali film called Hirak Rajar Deshe (Kingdom of Diamonds), which was released in 1980. Talks are on with Ray’s family for the live action version of this film too.
Chakravarti says, "I personally respect the family’s sentiment that Mr Ray’s work be presented correctly to audiences. We want to present his works in a modern way to the 21st century Indians and showcase it beyond West Bengal."
Ray’s Sonar Kella and Hirak Rajar Deshe were produced by the government of West Bengal.
