MUMBAI: Moser Baer Entertainment has acquired UTV Motion Pictures’ Hindi home video catalogue comprising 25 released and yet to release movies.
As per the deal, Moser Baer will have the domestic home video rights including rental rights to 25 UTV films, which include nine films under production namely – Delhi 6, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Kaminey, Yahoo!, Johnny Mastana, What’s Your Raashee? and Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge amongst others. Moser Baer will release six recently released films like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, A Wednesday, Mumbai Meri Jaan, Welcome To Sajjanpur, Fashion and Kismat Konnection over the next two months.
Movies like Race, Swades, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Life in A Metro and Aamir are also included in this deal. On the other hand, UTV Motion Pictures’ Jodhaa Akbar is not a part of this deal as the home video rights of the movie were sold to BIG Music and Home Entertainment earlier this year.
As was first reported by Businessofcinema.com, UTV has been in talks with leading home video companies to sell its home video library, which houses approximately 30 English films from the Miramax library and 11 Hindi movies produced by UTV Motion Pictures. However, Moser Baer has acquired only the Hindi library. (Read: UTV considers sale of its home video division)
Moser Baer Entertainment CEO Harish Dayani says, "’Moser Baer’s entertainment business is working towards the consolidation of the home video space in India. Our strategy is based on the twin pillars of affordable prices to curb piracy and everywhere distribution to drive mass consumption. UTV has emerged in recent times as one of the leading studios in the country and its home video titles add lustre to our product line. In less than two years, we have emerged as the leading player in the home video business with over 10,000 titles in all Indian languages. The objective is to provide Indian consumers new and premium content at regular intervals at delightful prices. We want our consumers to watch original and quality films rather than pirated products."
UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur added, "The home video business in India is growing significantly and with the kind of revenue potential it has, it can no longer be seen as just another ancillary revenue stream. It makes strategic sense for us to license home video rights of our films to a company like Moser Baer Entertainment, which has particular expertise in this area and is instrumental in growing the home video market in the country. This gives our movies unparalleled access to millions of potential new viewers."
