Adhikari brothers make foray into Bollywood with Grand Masti sequel
7:47 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 5, 2015)
Having made a mark in
television, brothers Adhikari and Markand
Gautam Adhikari are now making a foray into Bollywood. Their company Sri
Adhikari Brothers Television Network Ltd. will jointly
produce the sequel to Grand Masti with Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria.
They will also produce the sequel to Dhamaal along with them.
That apart, the Adhikari brothers plan to make another six to eight films this year. Says Markand Adhikari, vice-chairman and managing director of Sri Adhikari Brothers, “While we were the pioneers in improving viewership for television in the '80s and '90s, with the corporatisation of Bollywood, we thought it's time to invest in films. The way films are being made today is totally different compared to what it was 20 years back. Digitisation and special techniques are making their way in cinema and films are shot in international locales and the business is transparent now.“
When asked about the stiff competition in Bollywood, he says, “The more people enter the market, the better will be the business.“
Talking about the kind of movies they'll make, Markand says, “We plan to produce one-two big star films while the rest would be medium-budget films. The masses want fun and entertainment and we want to give that in our films. We are not trying to educate the viewers. At the end of the day, there should be a smile on their faces.“
He adds, “While we have produced many TV shows, handling production for films will be different. But I do feel that you can be creatively involved in film production too.“
The brothers, who started their business with a small ad agency in the 80s, were the forerunners in the broadcasting sector, when they started their television channel. With five channels on air, Mastiii being popular, the company is also looking to start four regional and a general entertainment channel soon. They are also aiming at production and broadcasting tie-ups internationally.
Meanwhile, they are are building two state-of-the-art studios in Mumbai. “One is at Charkop (Kandivali West) and another one in Marol near the airport. We wanted to come a full circle as far as our business is concerned,“ sums up Markand.
That apart, the Adhikari brothers plan to make another six to eight films this year. Says Markand Adhikari, vice-chairman and managing director of Sri Adhikari Brothers, “While we were the pioneers in improving viewership for television in the '80s and '90s, with the corporatisation of Bollywood, we thought it's time to invest in films. The way films are being made today is totally different compared to what it was 20 years back. Digitisation and special techniques are making their way in cinema and films are shot in international locales and the business is transparent now.“
When asked about the stiff competition in Bollywood, he says, “The more people enter the market, the better will be the business.“
Talking about the kind of movies they'll make, Markand says, “We plan to produce one-two big star films while the rest would be medium-budget films. The masses want fun and entertainment and we want to give that in our films. We are not trying to educate the viewers. At the end of the day, there should be a smile on their faces.“
He adds, “While we have produced many TV shows, handling production for films will be different. But I do feel that you can be creatively involved in film production too.“
The brothers, who started their business with a small ad agency in the 80s, were the forerunners in the broadcasting sector, when they started their television channel. With five channels on air, Mastiii being popular, the company is also looking to start four regional and a general entertainment channel soon. They are also aiming at production and broadcasting tie-ups internationally.
Meanwhile, they are are building two state-of-the-art studios in Mumbai. “One is at Charkop (Kandivali West) and another one in Marol near the airport. We wanted to come a full circle as far as our business is concerned,“ sums up Markand.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Post a Comment