By Hindustan Times
He is outfitted to make one of the awaited Bollywood debuts in 2012. But even before newbie Arjun Kapoor’s Ishaqzaade opens on May 11, the film has hit the bull’s eye in an absolutely different sector: satellite rights. Apparently, Ishaqzaade’s TV rights has been sold for a whopping Rs. 15 crore. Way to the princely sum, Habib Faisal’s film has achieved another feat: making the top amount among newcomers’ projects just from satellite rights.
“Yes, it’s true that Yash Raj Films (YRF) struck a care for the Sony channel a couple of days back,” says an industry insider. “And although people are tight-lipped over the fee tag, it’s definitely at the higher side seeing that the film is seeing an exquisite buzz.”
Insiders further explain the deal: “Actually, YRF has sold the rights of a clutch in their films, including Ishaqzaade, for a whopping amount to Sony. And after doing the calculations, it’s clear that Arjun-Parineeti’s film has gone for around R15 crore. Dependent on its box office response, the cost can still go up a bit,” he says.
For the uninitiated, Ishaqzaade marks the debut of Arjun, the son of producer Boney Kapoor and the late Mona Kapoor. Moreover, Parineeti Chopra, Priyanka Chopra’s cousin, also stars within the film. The Ambala girl was last seen in Maneesh Sharma’s Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl (2011).
“All Yash Raj ventures come at a premium on account that their success rate may be very high. To position things in perspective, a debutant’s film from another banner will fetch around Rs. 4-5 crore, but a YRF movie stands to get a far higher amount,” says trade analyst and editor of Koimoi.com, Komal Nahta.
Before Ishaqzaade, newcomers Ranbir Kapoor’s Saawariya (2007) had apparently made R7-8 crore from the satellite deal, while Imran Khan’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) makers pocketed around Rs. 8-9 crore. Another debutant film, the Prateik-starring Dhobi Ghat (2010), took about Rs. 10 crore. However it should be noted that Kiran Rao’s movie became a big-ticket project largely way to Aamir Khan’s presence within the film.
While Sony refused to comment, Ishaqzaade’s official spokesperson says, “YRF never discusses numbers. But seeing that the thrill across the two newcomers Arjun and Parineeti could be very strong, it (the satellite rights) has surely been sold for an excessively high amount considering it’s a debutant film.”
