Pritish Nandy firm, UK's High Point tie up for global distribution

Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) has inked a deal with London-based High Point Media Group for distributing and promoting its films in international markets. PNC’s upcoming film, Ek Tho Chance, will be the first from PNC that High Point Media will market internationally.

A medium budget movie, Ek Tho Chance has cost PNC a little less than Rs 10 crore. The company is hopeful of maximising returns by reaching out to the Indian diaspora through High Point Media. KPMG-Ficci’s latest report on the media and entertainment industry claims that “crossover” and “drama” movies are the most preferred by overseas audiences.

Film producer and founder of PNC, Pritish Nandy, said based on the success of Ek Tho Chance, High Point Media would distribute up to five films by PNC scheduled for release this year.

High Point will invest in the films’ worldwide distribution (except India), packaging, marketing and sales for both theatrical and ancillary markets. “Ek Tho Chance will be releasing in the next two months and we hope to distribute it as far as we can since awareness about Indian cinema is at an all-time high,” said Nandy.

Bollywood producers allocate around 15 per cent of their budget for marketing, while international production houses invest up to 30 per cent.

“We will share revenues from international markets with High Point Group while retaining the rights to distribute the film in India,” said Nandy, without giving further details.

Ek Tho Chance has been directed by Saeed Akhtar Mirza, who won international plaudits with his last film, Naseem, and is making a comeback with PNC. The film takes a kaleidoscopic look at 24 hours in the Indian metropolis of Mumbai. Nandy said, “This movie can be the other side of Mumbai after Slumdog Millionaire.”

The film follows the fortunes of varied characters who populate the city. From a lowly thief to a fashion hotshot, the characters cover a wide spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds