US-based CAA forms JV with KWAN Entertainment for India foray

JV to represent local talent in India & SAARC nations, and create global opportunities for clients in motion pictures, TV, music, commercials, live events

Los Angeles-headquartered entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is entering Indian market in partnership with KWAN Entertainment & Marketing Solutions. The two companies have formed a 50:50 joint venture – CAA KWAN.

The JV will represent local talent in India and the SAARC nations and create global opportunities for clients in the areas of motion pictures and television (including packaging and sales), music, commercial endorsements, sports consulting, licensing and merchandising, live events, and business development.

CAA, which has offices in New York, Chicago, Nashville, London, Beijing, and other locations in the US and worldwide had signed Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra in February this year. It also works with director Shekhar Kapur apart from over 2,000 celebrities from the world of entertainment and sports.

This is not the first time that an international agency has come to India. Recently, another American agency Platinum Rye Entertainment had picked up 50 per cent stake in Mahesh Bhupathi-promoted Globosport's Brand Advisory Business. Incidentally, Blah had co-founded Globosport and was CEO of the company till 2009, when he started KWAN.

Earlier, New York-based fashion, sports and talent management company IMG Worldwide had entered into a 50:50 joint-venture with Reliance Industries to form IMG Reliance.

CAA’s David Taghioff and Caleb Franklin, along with KWAN’s CEO and MD Anirban Das Blah and COO Indranil Das Blah, will combine their expertise to jointly lead CAA KWAN.  The new company, with more than 60 employees, will be based in Mumbai, with offices in Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.

“India’s robust entertainment industry offers CAA KWAN tremendous opportunities for talent across multiple platforms,” said Richard Lovett, President of CAA. “In a very short period of time, KWAN has intelligently scaled and diversified their business to maximize this thriving marketplace for their clients. KWAN’s deep network of relationships, local-market knowledge, and collaborative business philosophy make them a powerful partner in furthering CAA’s existing business in India and providing our clients with more opportunities.”

“We believe that the combination of CAA’s experience, influence, and expertise, with KWAN’s extensive knowledge of the Indian entertainment industry, will enable us to provide an unmatched spectrum of services for our clients,” added Anirban Das Blah.