ZEEL eyes upto $100 mn sales from digital media in 3-5 yrs
ZEEL eyes upto $100 mn sales from digital media in 3-5 yrs
New Delhi: Media firm Zee Entertainment Enterprises is expanding its online offerings as it targets global sales of up to $100 million in the next 3-5 years from its digital media business.
“In the next 3-5 years, we are expecting global sales between $70 million and $100 million from digital media business," Zee Network business head digital media Vishal Malhotra told PTI.
As a part of the plan, ZEEL has for the first time tied up with Bollywood producer Vashu Bhagnani’s production company Puja Entertainment for global release of the upcoming film ‘Faltu’ on the Internet.
“With this tie-up we plan to cater to global audience who do not have an easy access to Bollywood films. The film will be available online to viewers outside India for around three US dollars," Malhotra said.
The new initiative is driven by music channel ETC.
Besides, the company at present is in talks with several other film production houses for a similar tie up.
In the first phase, the film ‘Faltu’ will be released online in markets such as the US, South East Asia, Australia, Korea and Japan, to coincide with the theatrical release in India on 1 April.
In the second phase, the company has plans to release the film online in places like UK, UAE and India as well.
The viewers will get to watch the film on Zee network’s website and its partners such as Youtube and Netflix.
“We are in talks with Youtube and Netflix to release the film on other platforms also," he added.
According to Vashu Bhagwani, the tie up will make Bollywood more accessible globally and also help curb piracy.
“Internationally Hindi movie-goers spend around $10 on ticket, $15 on transport, parking, popcorn and eating out. Add all this up and an average Indian has to spend $25 to watch a Hindi movie.
Hence, apart from the top four or five stars, expat Indians usually give a miss to Hindi movies," Bhagwani said.
If such movies are available at a lower price, the global audience would love to watch them, he added.
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