Gujarat-based Cineman & Phantom Films announce tie-up for three films

Ties up with Gujarati production house Cineman

Phantom Films, a joint movie production house owned by Vikas Bahl, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, announced its foray into regional language films through its tie-up with Ahmedabad-based Cineman Productions Ltd for Gujarati film production.

As part of the tie-up with Phantom Films, Cineman Productions would be making three Gujarati movies this year, it said.

"This is our first regional foray. We are open to experimenting. Hopefully, there will be more to come. Through this tie-up, Phantom Films will bring its knowledge of distribution and marketing to Gujarati films. The Gujarati film industry market is just opening up and is still challenging, which is why we are attracted to it. It is a starting of a market and Phantom Films wants to be part of it right from the beginning," said Vikas Bahl, director of Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Queen'.

Speaking about the tie-up, Abhishek Jain of Cineman Productions Ltd and director of Gujarati movies like 'Kevi Rite Jaish' and 'Bey Yaar' said: "The intention of this tie- up is to give Gujarati films a national level projection. The experience and the expertise that Phantom Films come with will surely help us achieve this and also with them joining hands with us, we have got access to a lot of good talent which in turn will add a lot of value to the film".

The collaboration is likely to see a larger pan-India release of Gujarati films under its banner. The first film of the tie-up, which goes on floor within a week, is a thriller drama to be directed by debutant director Mikhil Musale starring Pratik Gandhi, Asif Basra, Kavi Shastri and Kimberley Louisa Mcbeath. Music will be scored by Sachin-Jigar. The film has been written by Niren Bhatt, Karan Vyas and Mikhil Musale.

Says Mikhil: "I am extremely glad that my first film is a co-production between Cineman and Phantom. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity than this. Now the responsibility is even more and  I will try my best to live up to the expectations everyone has from me."

The second film will be directed by Abhishek Jain himself who says that the film is still in its writing stage and an official announcement of the same will be made very soon. The third film is going to be directed by a new talent who will be selected from a writing and direction workshop that will be held later this year by Cineman Productions Ltd. and Phantom Films.