Bollywood comes to the desert in entertainment deal

Robert Hamilton
For Al-Shorfa.com
2008-06-27

Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gestures at a press conference in New Delhi, Dec. 19. (Photo by Manpreet Romana AFP/Getty Images)

Developers in Dubai have unveiled plans to build a multi-million dollar ‘Bollywood in the desert’ entertainment district, catering to movie fans from the subcontinent and beyond. The area is designed to capture the imaginations of the Gulf’s huge Southeast Asian population, and will be the first such attraction in the region.

The deal has been unveiled by Dubai-based Infinity Holdings (DIH), which has signed a joint venture agreement with one of the biggest studios in Bollywood. Yash Raj Films (YRF), a prominent entertainment brand in India, is known for blockbusters such as Veer Zaara, Hum Tum, Bunty Aur Babli, Chak De India, and classics including Kabhi Kabhi and Silsila.

YRF will build theme parks, a movie palace, hotels and other Indian genre entertainment concepts. The first phase of the development is scheduled to be completed by 2012.

The project was announced in Mumbai by YRF Chairman Yash Chopra and his DIH counterpart Samira Abdulrazzak. They said their intention was to build a large-scale project dedicated to the prestigious film brand.

“When YRF decided to venture into the theme park business we found Dubai to be the most strategic location,” said Chopra. “Dubai has a booming tourism industry and aims to be the most visited destination in the world by 2015.

“Also the U.A.E. has a huge fan following of our Indian films that are watched and cherished not only by the Southeast Asian Diaspora, but also by the local population,” he continued. “We are happy to be partnering with DIH in making our foothold stronger in the region.”

Yash Raj Films was recently named the most powerful name in the Indian Film Industry at the Filmfare Awards for the third consecutive year. It has cemented a reputation as one of the largest and most respected studios on the subcontinent since the 1970’s. In addition to running a studio, the group distributes films, has its own music label, and has set up a successful home entertainment label to release movies on DVD.

Indian actors Ranbir Kapoor (L) and Deepika Padukone pose on arriving for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards 2008 ceremony in Bangkok on June 8. (Photo by Indranil Mukherjee AFP/Getty Images)

“Bringing such an honoured name into the U.A.E. is a strategic move as it attracts the core demographic of the country,” said Abdulrazzak at the launch. “Furthermore Indian cinema has an increased general following within the region, as cinema statistics highlight that Bollywood films gross higher than Western films. This will be a one-of-a-kind partnership here in the U.A.E.”

Last June, YRF made headlines around the world by becoming the first company to link up with U.S.-based Walt Disney Studios to produce a series of computer-animated feature films for Indian audiences. The first production under this alliance, Roadside Romeo, is slated for release in October.

YRF’s other releases this year include Tashan, and Bachna Ae Haseeno – starring Bollywood heartthrobs Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.

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