MUMBAI: After UTV, Shemaroo Entertainment will soon launch a world cinema label targeting hardcore world cinema lovers. The company has acquired close to 100 titles, including works of legendary directors such as Akira Kurosawa, Jean Luc Godard, Roman Polanski, and Claude Chabrol among a host of others.
A variety of French, Japanese, Spanish and Iranian films have been acquired for the label.
“We are in the process of forming the plan and branding strategy. The market itself is very niche and experimental level but we’ve tried our best to look at the top movies from the World Cinema categories,” informs Shemaroo Entertainment vice president Hiren Gada.
The world cinema market in India is still nascent and came into prominence with the launch of the UTV Palador initiative earlier this year. However it later ran into troubled waters with UTV working independently on its Olive brand. A few films like Baran, City of God and 13 Tzameti released in theatres under this initiative. So will Shemaroo Entertainment exhibit the films theatrically?
“Theatrical may only be at an experimental level, or more of an exhibition level. We intend to tie up with few multiplexes, but nothing is decided. We are extremely passionate about this initiative but it takes time to develop the whole market,” says Gada.
The problem of censorship for these films is also being worked upon. “We are trying to see that how these films can release with no or minimum number of cuts. With cuts on some of these works, the essence of the film is lost. We are trying to figure out what best can be done,” he adds.
While the UTV world cinema DVDs under the Olive brand name are priced at Rs 799, it remains to be seen, what Shemaroo will price its products at.
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UTV launches new biz vertical UTV Palador
