In what is amongst the first focused fund in the space, India Media Entertainment Fund (IMEF) is raising Rs 500 crore, which will provide both equity as well as instruments like non-convertible debentures (NCD) to companies in the content, distribution platform and services areas. The private equity fund has appointed a high-profile advisory body which includes ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, managing director of Red Chillies Entertainment and cricket team KKR Sports, actress and entrepreneur Raadhika Sarathkumar, who has starred in Malayalam, Hindi and Kannada films and runs Radaan Mediaworks. It also includes Ramnath Pradeep, former chairman and managing director of Corporation Bank, and Rajesh Gupta, senior partner of law firm SNG Partners.
'Around the same time, I watched Rock On!! where those guys have that midlife crisis.' 'They are busy with their corporate jobs and then they want to start singing again.' 'Seeing that, I got a boost.' 'I felt if I don't give acting a full chance again, I will regret it.' 'So I decided to quit my job and pursue acting full time.'
'Amitabh Bachchan Sir said some nice and encouraging things about the trailer, the way I directed it and, of course, about Abhishek's performance.'
While the investment amount could not be immediately ascertained, a report pegged it at about $2 billion.
'I am not a part of any group or politics.' 'I work with everyone.' 'I have worked with Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn.' 'None of the Khans have ever taken me in their films.'
For reasons that are not known clearly the two actors have shared cold vibes for years, notes Subhash K Jha.
ZEE5 has launched a short film festival. Joginder Tuteja tells you what's on offer.
'I don't know what my potential is.' 'This is not some sports where you can measure your speed and strength.' 'This is a continuous journey, where you discover yourself through theatre, cinema and acting.'
'The idea was to show the simultaneity and coexistence of life in the city.'
'I knew one day I will explode if I don't get some sanity with making music.'
'If you put me into a daily soap where things invariably go wrong in the family and people are crying, I can't be a part of that set up.'
Mani Ratnam is experimenting with a real-life historical in Ponniyin Selvan, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
'Trust me, I don't even enjoy the company of friends who live in regret.' 'You either own your decisions or just let it go and work harder to get something better.'
'There are a lot of women out there in abusive marriages.'
'Somewhere, I have to be true to myself. At this point in life, I am more interested in human drama.'
'There is a part of me that says it is a great time to tell stories from my own land.' 'But then opportunities are coming my way from all over the world.' 'So one foot is here and one foot is in the West.'
If Indian storytelling can deliver, it can make the entertainment industry an engine of economic growth and a substantial contributor to GDP, says Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
Its trajectory in telecom is well known but now it is pushing for a similar leap into the ranks of the top players in its other businesses: media and entertainment, e-commerce, a series of online businesses ranging from health to education, and retail.
A shorter tournament will mean a smaller share from the shrunken central pool of revenues for the eight IPL franchises, not to mention a reduction in gate receipts. Cricket Australia stands to lose some A$300 million ($174 million) should the coronavirus outbreak derail their high-profile home test series against India later this year.
The New York Film Festival served an amazing plate of films. Aseem Chhabra picks the best ones.
"You have an MBA from IIM-Ahmedabad. You worked in a bank in New York. What made you give up all that and pursue acting?" 'A little bit of courage and a lot of stupidity.'
