MUMBAI: Eros International has acquired the global distribution rights of Vinod Chopra Films’ forthcoming movie, Eklavya – The Royal Guard.

Eros will manage the worldwide release of Eklavya, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, on 16 February 2007.

Set in the state of Rajasthan, Eklavya is an action epic starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jackie Shroff, Boman Irani, Jimmy Shergill, Raima Sen and Sharmila Tagore.

Eros International CEO and chairman Kishore Lulla says, “This is the next production from Vinod Chopra Films to be distributed by Eros, following the success of Lage Raho Munnabhai released in 2006. Eklavya has all the ingredients to become Bollywood’s answer to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

Chopra has already begun pre-production work on his first Hollywood project, 64 Squares, a psychological thriller. Also in the pipeline are two films to be directed by Rajkumar Hirani; the third venture in the Munnabhai series (after Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai), and a satire on the education system of India.

This year, Chopra will also introduce another director, Ram Madhvani, one of India’s successful ad filmmakers. Madhvani, who has been Chopra’s associate in the past, has won many national and international awards for his work in advertising, including a bronze at Cannes.