DQE.L Regulatory News (DQE)

30 Apr 2008 15:13

DQ Entertainment PLC30 April 2008 For immediate release 30 April 2008 DQ ENTERTAINMENT PLC ("DQ ENTERTAINMENT") SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT AND DQ ENTERTAINMENT TO PARTNER WITH PRITISH NANDY COMMUNICATIONS LTD: A GLOBAL ALLIANCE SPE Films India has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Pritish NandyCommunications' forthcoming comedy Meerabai Not Out, it was announced todayby Deborah Schindler, President of Sony Pictures International Motion PictureProduction Group. DQ Entertainment, the internationally acclaimed and AIM listed animation &Entertainment company, today announces it has acquired a 50 per cent stake inPritish Nandy Communications' forthcoming comedy Meerabai Not Out. The film, ofwhich Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired the worldwide distributionrights, is due for a summer release. This agreement represents DQEntertainment's first project in the live action Bollywood market given that theCompany has been working with some of the world's biggest animated projects. Meerabai Not Out will be directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni and is adopted fromthe screenplay written by Soumik Sen based on an idea by Raj Kaushal. The filmstars Mandira Bedi as a brilliant math teacher obsessed with cricket. AnilKumble, one of India's leading international cricketers, who will plays himselfin his first starring role. Television star Eijaz Khan makes his Bollywood debutin the film which also stars Anupam Kher and Mahesh Manjrekar in leading roles.Meerabai Not Out features a musical score by Sandesh Shandilya. "We could not be more excited to partner with Pritish Nandy Communications andDQ Entertainment on this enchanting romantic comedy," said Schindler. "Thisacquisition is precisely the kind of strong material that is the cornerstone ofour local language initiative. When we find motion pictures as wonderful andengaging as this, we will aggressively pursue it." "This is a breakthrough production", said Pritish Nandy, Chairman,PNC, "and we are delighted to take it global through SPE Films India andDQ Entertainment, our partners for this charming romantic comedy castagainst the backdrop of cricket, our national passion. Mandira herself isa die-hard cricket fan and Anil Kumble makes his debut in Bollywood with thisfilm. So does Eijaz Khan who migrates from TV to the big screen. Thisis also Chandrakant Kulkarni's first Hindi feature and we are proud tobring his talent before mainstream audiences." Tapaas Chakravarti, Chairman and CEO of DQ Entertainment, said "Meerabai Not Outis a film we are delighted to partner with PNC and feel so good that SPE willtake this beautiful romancing with cricket global. We plan to partner for moresuch well scripted and researched films as we go along, to explore the creativeopportunities that bridge animation and live action . Smart films like MeerabaiNot Out excite us because we believe that this is where the future of Bollywoodlies and PNC does cater to this need well. This is the kind of intelligent andsuccessful cinema we would like to be associated with and the very fact that aconglomerate of the stature of Sony Pictures has acquired the film for worldwiderelease through SPE Films India, shows the kind of credibility that Indiancinema has now acquired globally. DQE will add further value of bringing itsexpertise in Animation, Gaming and other spin-offs as and when the partnersdesire so." "This is the first of several movies that we hope to do with PNC", says UdaySingh, Chief of Sony Pictures in India, "and we are confident that Meerabai NotOut will be a hit with cricket lovers all over. Sony has several establishedplatforms in India - in television, theatrical distribution, music and homevideos - and our global reach is well known.We intend to put all these behind the film and make it one of this summer'sbiggest attractions." Pritish Nandy Communications and DQ Entertainment recently announcedthat the two companies would jointly pool their skill sets and creativeexpertise to make a slate of animation and live action movies for globalaudiences. For further information please contact: Evolution Securities Tel: 020 7071 4300Jeremy Ellis Buchanan Communications Tel: 020 7466 5000Mark Edwards / Jeremy Garcia This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange