The Hindu Business Line : Rajshri to scale up film production

"We are planning to scale up film production as well as distribution during 2004 as we see there is a lot of action happening," Mr Rajjat A. Barjatya, Director, Rajshri Group, said. The group is readying a number of scripts in order to scale up film production.

For its domestic distribution, Rajshri Pictures Ltd has entered into a tie-up with Zee Telefilms Ltd for distribution of Hindi and other language films throughout the country. The tie-up does not involve equity participation. Zee-Rajshri Film Distribution will distribute films produced, co-produced and acquired by both companies through more than 20 distribution offices all over India.

In this case, Zee will acquire the films while the Rajshri Group's role will be more advisory in nature.

"We get a commission for this, therefore we de-risk our business," Mr Barjatya said. The current network of Rajshri will be modernised and linked for easy and transparent flow of box office information.

In the international arena, Rajshri plans to get into distribution of films and has set up an office in the US.

Mr Barjatya ruled out plans for an initial public offering at this juncture; but would consider it 3-5 years later once the business has been scaled up.

The Rajshri Group, which has been in the film industry for over 50 years, is in the process of changing itself from being an occasional player to a pro-active participant in film-making.

The Group's first foray was into distribution way back in 1947.

It entered film-making in 1962 with the film Aarti starring Ashok Kumar and Meena Kumari. Some of the well-known films from the Rajshri firm include Geet Gaata Chal, Chitchor, Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun.

The Group is in the midst of a Rs 15-crore film project, Uuf Kya Jadoo Mohabbat Hai, which is slated for release on May 21. "We have worked for three years on this project; we want to be doubly careful of the quality of the film," Mr Barjatya said. In this particular project the cast is completely new. Sony has already acquired the music rights.

The Group has been able to rope in pianist Richard Clayderman to compose the title track of the film.

Rajshri has gone in for a combination of internal accruals and debt from Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) to fund this project.

The release of this film is being done in a phased manner, however, to prevent piracy. "We will not release this film overseas, where the bulk of the piracy takes place. In the Indian market we will release prints to our known exhibitors so that we can have a control on piracy," said Mr Barjatya. The film is being released in the big cities.

According to Mr Barjatya, piracy is one of the main ills of the film industry as 50 per cent of the revenues are lost to pirates.

Piracy has affected the music industry severely, therefore the film producer has also lost out on the music market.

He believes that Indian appetite for big projects is very much alive, notwithstanding the big rush for small films.

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