MUMBAI: Pyramid Saimira Theatre Chain will be pumping in Rs 125 million (Malaysian Ringgit 10 million) to digitalize about 50 theatre screens in Malaysia, in the next 60 days.
The company has joined hands with Asian Integrated Industries, Sdn.Bhd.Co., Malaysia and formed a joint venture company in Malaysia called Pyramid Saimira Theatre Chain (M) Sdn. Bhd.
The company also plans to produce their first ever Malay language film Berikan Hatimu, which will feature leading Malaysian film personalities. This romantic comedy movie will hit the theatres by September 2007. The production of this movie will begin by June 2007. The company also announced that they will be producing first Tamil film fully in Malaysia for international release.
Additionally, the company has also bagged the exclusive distribution rights in Malaysia for the Tamil blockbuster movie Shivaji starring Rajnikanth. The film is directed by Shankar and is scheduled to release during the second week of May 2007.
Pyramid Saimira Theatre India chairman V Natrajan said, “We are all set to create history as we have finalized to produce the first Tamil movie to be fully produced in Malaysia. In this movie only the hero will be from India whereas the rest of the film crew would be Malaysians. This movie would be released simultaneously in Malaysia and the rest of the world. The work on this film will begin in the month of June 2007.”
Pyramid Saimira Theatre India managing director and Pyramid Saimira Malaysia director P S Saminathan added that this step creates a paradigm shift in the way entertainment industry structure will be viewed in Malaysia and this is the first time an Indian business model and modus operandi is being taken outside India at such a large scale for films and entertainment sector.
“We believe that this company shall focus on the whole gamut of the entertainment including local content development. Further digital cinema will take films to all neighborhood regions thereby improve the collection of local Malay and Chinese language films. This move will also drastically reduce the piracy, which is very prevalent and is eating away lot of revenues,” said Saminathan.
