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Eros International and Vinod Chopra Films sign global distribution alliance for “Eklavya - The Royal Guard”
09/01/2007
London, Mumbai, New York – Bollywood’s leading media and entertainment company, Eros International announces that it has formed an alliance with leading Bollywood filmmaker, Vinod Chopra Films, for global distribution of Vinod Chopra’s much awaited star studded extravaganza, Eklavya – The Royal Guard.
Eros will showcase the worldwide release of Eklavya, which is directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, on February 16, 2007.
Set in the princely state of Rajasthan in India, Eklavya is a picturesque epic of action, drama and music with a line-up of Bollywood superstars including Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jackie Shroff, Boman Irani, Jimmy Sheirgill, Raima Sen and Sharmila Tagore.
Kishore Lulla, CEO & Chairman, Eros International, said:
"Eros is delighted to be marketing and distributing Eklavya globally. This is the next production from Vinod Chopra Films to be distributed by Eros, following the tremendous success of Lage Raho Munna Bhai released in 2006. Vinod Chopra is a credit to our film industry and Eklavya has all the ingredients to become Bollywood’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
Vinod Chopra, Founder of Vinod Chopra Films said:
"Eros is one of the few companies in the industry that truly has a global distribution network. Vinod Chopra Films has had a working relationship with Eros since the release of my film 1942 A Love Story in 1994."
Notes to Editors:
EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD
Film Synopsis
Contemporary India. A majestic fort. A royal dynasty that no longer rules. A king without a kingdom.
Yet Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), their royal guard, lives in a time warp. He lives only to protect the fort, the dynasty, and the king.
For nine generations Eklavya’s family has protected Devigarh, a centuries old citadel in Rajasthan. His marksmanship is stuff of legends. His unflinching loyalty inspires ballads. Eklavya has spent his entire life serving the royals and closely guarding their secrets but now he’s getting old and increasingly blind.
Unable to cope with the suffocating customs of his land, the heir, Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), has stayed away in London. But the sudden demise of the queen, Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), forces the Prince back to the kingdom he had left behind.
The Prince’s return brings a rush of joy into the moribund fort. His mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and his childhood love Rajjo (Vidya Balan) are delighted to see him. But the joy of reunion is short-lived.
There is unrest in the kingdom: Farmers are being stripped of their lands. The king, Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani), influenced by his brother, Rana Jyotiwardhan (Jackie Shroff), supports the atrocities being forced upon the helpless peasants. The king receives a death threat over the phone. An irreverent police officer, Pannalal Chohar (Sanjay Dutt), is called in to investigate. But he might be too late. The fragile peace of the land is suddenly shattered by a barrage of bullets. And amidst the mayhem, the safely guarded secrets of the fort are unveiled.
What follows is a contemporary, edge-of-the-seat dramatic action thriller with a stellar ensemble cast – Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Sheirgill, Raima Sen and Sharmila Tagore. The film marks the return of Vidhu Vinod Chopra who directs after a hiatus of seven years.
EROS INTERNATIONAL PLC
Eros International plc, an integrated media and entertainment Company, is an international player in the Bollywood arena. Being vertically integrated means that Eros is not only a production house making films but also distributes and exploits films across formats globally via cinemas, home entertainment, television formats and new media.
Established in 1977, Eros International has three decades of market leadership as an international owner and distributor of Indian films. The company operates in over 50 countries with worldwide offices in India, the UK, the USA, Dubai, Australia, Fiji and the Isle of Man. It has built a business model around the release of new films and the exploitation of a film library containing more than 1,300 titles, making it one of the largest content owners in the business.
Other business streams include high-definition DVDs, digital broadcasting, e-commerce models, mobile downloads, on-demand TV channels and Video On Demand.
Other recent high profile global releases from Eros include Shakespeare’s Othello inspired “Omkara”(July 2006), “Salaam-E-Ishq” by Nikhil Advani (January 2007), and Vipual Shah directed Adlabs production "Namaste London"(March 2007).
For more information visit www.erosintl.com
VIDHU VINOD CHOPRA
"Who would give up a chance to do a doctorate from Cambridge University for a course in a government run film school?" asked a professor on the admission committee at the Film and Television Institute of India.
Vinod wasn't fazed by the question; he answered calmly, "A mad-man".
Madness is another word for conviction. Vinod's conviction is founded on his love for cinema. He rejected lucrative offers to direct films because he was dissatisfied with the scripts. Instead he went on to make a film that he believed in - a documentary for which he was paid $100; the 'short' went on to be nominated for the Oscars - An Encounter with Faces (1978).
Parinda (1989) was the apogee of Vinod's art. Shot in a realistic style, uncommon for the time, the simple story of two brothers caught in the vicious web of urban gang violence was used as a springboard to explore urban reality's corrosive effects.
Parinda's syntax, sensibility, and open ending influenced a generation of filmmakers.
The harsh gunfire of the gangster epic was drowned out by the melodious music of Vinod's next film, 1942: A Love Story (1994). Through one powerful, moving film, Vinod was able to paint on celluloid a story with the sweep of a saga and the intimacy of a lyric, while restoring music's former glory to Hindi cinema.
Powerful music, realism, and social awareness come together in Mission Kashmir (2000). A critical and commercial success, Mission Kashmir's effects were felt across the globe. It is one of the biggest hits overseas.
In 2002, The New York Times reviewed the film, dwelling at length on the uniqueness of its genre and comparing it to Costa-Gavras' classic political thriller,Z(1969) under the title, 'Two Thrillers, Two Traditions'.
After the success of Mission Kashmir, Vinod shifted his focus on encouraging new talent and went on to co-write and produce Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003), Parineeta (2005) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006). All three films set a mark and have gone on to become blockbusters.
Vinod’s current venture, “Eklavya – The Royal Guard” a grand multi-star cast film with two hours of action, drama, thrills and music is set for release on February 16, 2007.
This sensibility will impact a global audience on an even bigger scale, as pre-production begins on Vinod Chopra's first Hollywood project, the psychological thriller, “64 Squares”. Also in the pipeline are two films to be directed by Rajkumar Hirani; the much awaited third venture in the Munna Bhai series, and a comedy about the education system of India. Vinod will also introduce yet another director in 2007. Ram Madhvani is one of India’s topmost ad filmmakers and a former associate of Vinod. Ram has won many national and international awards for his work in advertising, including a bronze at Cannes.
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