B4U seeks to zap global audiences

Media firm Bollywood For You (B4U) is seeking to win over global viewers for Indian films through high-tech digital programmes beamed over the television and the Internet.

The B4U group, which has already launched digital Bollywood television channels in Britain and the Middle East, is now looking at new audiences in Africa, south-east Asia, Central Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

'Bollywood' is the name given to India's Bombay-based film industry.

"Our research has indicated that south Asians overseas bond very closely with Bollywood and there was a void in the marketplace for a good Indian movie channel," said Ravi Gupta, head of B4U's Indian operations.

B4U is packing more Bollywood content into a music channel as well as an entertainment channel, which will feature Bollywood stars on a variety of television soap operas, as well as cookery, travel and game shows.

"What we are now trying to do is to get the stars in all our programmes on television," said B4U chairman Kishore Lulla.

The company also plans to launch an Internet portal bollywoodforyou.com to enable the group to diversify into interactive television.

"Satellite, cable, broadband and e-commerce will converge in due course and B4U is positioning itself to ride on the synergies of convenience," Gupta said.

B4U's strategy of high-tech Bollywood content has already paid rich dividends, with the company becoming the fastest growing Indian movie channel in the overseas market, he added.

B4U's chairman Lulla is the largest distributor of Bollywood films overseas, with a more than 70 per cent market share.

He launched B4U three years ago with two London-based metal magnates, L N Mittal and Gokul Binani, who also have interests in the Hindi movie production and distribution business.

They have also joined hands with Indian diamond exporter Bharat Shah -- a domestic film producer and financier.

Lulla said the company had managed to race ahead of rivals even in the Indian market where B4U's music channel had secured a 38 per cent market share within nine weeks of launching.

"B4U's packaging is different in the overseas and the Indian market. In the overseas market it is more film-oriented. In the Indian market, it is more general entertainment," said Gupta.

B4U's strategy seeks not only to attract the Indian diaspora, but people of all origins who love a good song and dance.

"Although the programmes are targetted at South Asians who love Bollywood, they are also meant to reach out to Arabs, Africans, south-east Asians, Indophiles ... anyone who loves music, colour, dance and beauty."

The B4U group will be involved in making 15 to 20 Bollywood films every year.

Lulla said the company had exclusive rights to more than 1,000 Bollywood films.

"Since we have exclusive rights, we are able to play full-length songs and not just a part of them like most other channels," he explained.

The group hopes to ensure a steady stream of high-quality Bollywood software through its integrated production and distribution strategy for the cinema, television and the Internet.

India, with 75 television channels and about 900 films produced annually is passionate about film and television entertainment, and Bollywood stars are rivalled only by cricketers in the celebrity stakes.

"What better unique selling point can you have than Bollywood stars in your programmes," asked Lulla.

The channel has roped in Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan among other top names.

The group is planning to launch a host of other Bollywood-based channels within six to eight months, as well as tie-ups and joint ventures with various companies in the entertainment business.

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