Showing posts with label Banijay Asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Banijay Asia. Show all posts
End of the road for BBC Studios in India?
4:52 PM
Sources say BBC Studios, which backed Criminal Justice and The Broken News, to fold operations in the country; no new project greenlit
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 11, 2025)
Last month, there was chatter in the industry that BBC Studios, the production arm of the British broadcaster, was reviewing its operations in India. Now, mid-day has learnt that the studio has decided to make an exit from the country. This comes despite its strong portfolio that includes Criminal Justice India, The Broken News, and School Of Lies (2023).
Insiders suggest that the decision is part of a restructuring strategy by the company’s global leadership, which is reassessing its investments in international markets. Sources say that with rising production costs, competition from local studios, and an evolving OTT market, BBC Studios was finding it tough to maintain a sustainable business model despite its success in adapting international shows and formats for the Indian audience.
A senior executive, who requested anonymity, confirmed the development, stating, “The OTT landscape in India is shifting rapidly, and global studios are finding it challenging to sustain operations amid changing economic and regulatory conditions. The decision will impact BBC India’s workforce of about 100.”
In its eight-year run, the studio collaborated with platforms Disney+ Hotstar, Sony LIV and many more. It not only adapted several successful British shows to tell Indian stories such as Out Of Love and The Office, but also created original IPs.
An insider says, “The fourth season of Criminal Justice and a few other projects are in the works. Some ongoing projects may be transferred to local production houses. No new work is being taken up. India remains an important market, and the company will explore alternative ways to bring their content to the Indian audience.”
BBC Studios responded a day later, saying, "As a company, BBC Studios will not be exiting India. We have a successful Content Sales and Channels and Streaming business, led by Stanley Fernandes in Mumbai. Our clients include: Discovery, Discovery Plus, Amazon Prime Video/ Channels, Lionsgate Play, Sony Liv. Our channels are: BBC News, CBeebies and joint venture channel Sony BBC Earth, as well as SVOD platform BBC Player on Amazon Prime. The number of roles affected are less than 100 – there are 4 staff members and 30 FTC."
Meanwhile, it has been announced after the story appeared that BBC Studios will cease its local production operations in India and has entered into an exclusive multi-year partnership with Banijay Asia to adapt its formats for the Indian market.
Under this deal, Banijay Asia gains exclusive rights to BBC Studios’ catalog of scripted and unscripted formats in India. The agreement will come into effect once BBC Studios fulfills its ongoing production commitments in the region.
Banijay Asia, Sajid Nadiadwala to invest Rs 100 crore in films, shows
8:15 AM
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; August 12, 2024)
Content powerhouse Banijay Asia, the company behind shows such as Bigg Boss and The Kapil Sharma Show, has teamed up with film producer Sajid Nadiadwala's Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment (NGE) to co-produce films and shows.
The two companies are set to create a diverse range of entertainment content across screens like over-the-top (OTT), television and theatres. They aim to create original intellectual properties (IPs), including international formats, that will be adapted for Indian audiences.
While both companies declined to comment on investments, people familiar with the partnership said the two companies have set aside more than Rs 100 crore for content investments.
Nadiadwala, known for franchises like Housefull, Baaghi and Heropanti, believes the collaboration will combine NGE's theatrical business experience with Banijay's understanding of TV and streaming media.
“We thought it was time that we both came together to unlock a fresh perspective on storytelling. We will be delivering content across genres, across screens and across boundaries," he added.
Banijay Asia CEO Deepak Dhar noted that the companies are yet to decide on the number of projects that they will undertake, but they plan to produce content that caters to audience tastes.
"Our focus will be on creating compelling content for multiple screens, and it’ll be a combination of bringing some of the biggest international adaptations to India combined with a robust slate of original IPs," he said.
According to Dhar, each project's concept will determine whether it will be released in cinemas or over-the-top (OTT).
This is Banijay's second significant collaboration in 2024, following a partnership with Ravi Shastri's Sporting Beyond to develop non-fiction cricket content and live event IPs
Iulia Vantur in talks to host web show about Bollywood stars?
8:34 AM
Sources say Iulia Vantur in talks to host web show about Bollywood stars, Salman Khan to open series
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 16, 2020)
If Salman Khan is busy making music videos during the lockdown, his rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur has been quietly working on her own gig. According to industry sources, the Romanian actor-model, who has had little luck with her singing and acting endeavours, is now curating a web show. She has been approached by the production house, Banijay Asia, to host a chat show that focuses on what goes into the making of a Bollywood superstar.
A source reveals, "Each episode will be dedicated to a celebrity, with their frequent collaborators and trusted staff members decoding the person behind the star and revealing interesting anecdotes about them. The final list of personalities for the first season is currently being worked upon by the production house. The team is keen to open the show with Salman. The project will go on floors later this year, after the shoots resume, and will be shot across film studios, star homes and the management agencies who handle the talent."
The production house remained unavailable for comment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)