UTV signs three film deal with Anurag Basu

MUMBAI: UTV Motion Pictures, which recently listed on London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), has signed Life in a… Metro director Anurag Basu for a three film deal.

The announcement was made in Mumbai at a party to celebrate the success of Life in a… Metro, which starred Irffan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Shilpa Shetty, Shiney Ahuja, Kay Kay Menon, Kangana Ranaut and Sharman Joshi. “The movie has till date grossed Rs 400 million (Rs 40 crores) worldwide in box office revenues,” informs UTV Motion Pictures senior vice president creative and projects Ram Mirchandani.

The three films with Basu will be made over a period of four years and one of them will be the sequel of Life in a… Metro, which is currently in its scripting stage. The star cast in the sequel will remain the same as that of Life in a… Metro. The music in the sequel will be provided by Pritam and the ‘Metro Band’ will also be an integral part of the movie.

Basu says that Metro 2 will not be made on a large canvas. “The city will be the hero and villain of the movie. The initial idea of the sequel to Metro is in place. However, the full story is yet to be developed and until that doesn’t turn out well, we won’t go ahead with the film,” informs Basu.

Incidentally, the first movie to go on floors will not be Metro 2 but another one for which the scripting is almost done. However, Basu refused to divulge any details regarding the same. The script idea for the third film in the deal is still being worked upon.

Apart from the three films with UTV, Basu is also be directing a film for Mahesh Bhatt for the Vishesh Films’ banner. The film is titled Suicide Bomber. “The story for Suicide Bomber was conceptualised by Mahesh Bhatt and he gave it to me to futher develop it. However, it was difficult for me to write it and hence it is being written by another writer. Once the script is ready, I will direct the film,” says Basu.

Recently, UTV Motion Pictures has also signed on actors Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapur for a three and two film deal respectively.

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