VCs conquer Bollywood

Filed in archive Global Economy on November 28, 2004

This news you shouldn't take too serious:

"In 2003, most of the overseas funds were from individual investors.

Money from Indians abroad and foreign production houses is now headed to all kinds of film production in Bollywood.

Mainstream Bollywood is where the real money is, not in crossover films.

Bollywood got the status of an industry two years ago; but it remains notorious for its financial mismanagement and its sources for funds, something corporatisation should change eventually.

What is now attracting big players like Hollywood to India is the cost-effectiveness of movie production.

Said Pritish Nandy, head of Pritish Nandy Communications, "For Hollywood it is a great opportunity zone because they suddenly realised that they could make their kind of movies in India at a fraction of the cost. I can make any Hollywood movie at 8 percent of the cost, 90 percent of the (same) way."

If you ever followed the production of a bollywood movie and seen the kind of film produced afterwards you will know this outsourcing might take some time to take off.