UTV downplays film production sector's loss during strike

The company

says that the film production sector's only loss during the two-month-long stand off between Bollywood producers and multiplexes will be the carrying cost for a film that may have had an earlier release.

"Movie releases were simply deferred while the production of movies did not stop, or even slow down due to the stand off," Kapur said adding that in the worst case, the carrying cost for a movie that may have had an earlier scheduled release will be the 'loss' of the production sector.

Carrying cost is the expenditure incurred when a movie's release is stalled.
Kapoor believes that the new agreement ensures complete transparency in deductibles claimed by multiplexes from producers-distributors and it will result in better releases and better per screen averages for movies across the board, benefiting the small and medium budget 'new age' movies.

The slate of 17 films lined up for release till March 2010 include two co-productions 'Delhi Belly' and 'The Falling' with Aamir Khan productions, Prakash Jha's 'Rajniti' and Tamil and the Telugu remake of 'A Wednesday'.

UTV has also signed Nishikant Kamat, Prakash Jha, Anurag Kashyap, Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra, Anurag Basu for projects in 2010-11. It will also produce Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Anees Bazmi's film.