Dubai Film Entrepreneurs' $10 billion project Indywood

Director of Dam 999 movie has big plans to uplift Indian film industry

Dubai-based Non-Resident Indian filmmaker and businessman, Sohan Roy, has unveiled a $10 billion project Indywood, to bring comprehensive and innovative changes in the production, screening and marketing strategies as well as the business model of Indian Cinema.
Sohan Roy, who has been a Dubai-based marine engineer turned film director and producer, has been working on bridging the language and regional barriers and to bring more international investment into Indian film industry in tune with Prime Minister Modi's Make in India project.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Roy, a familiar name to the NRI film fraternity said his grand plans will be channeled through a consortium of 2000 corporate and multi-millionaires to initiate 10,000 new 4K projection multiplex screens, 100,000 2K projection home cinemas, film studios, animation/ VFX studios and film schools conforming to international standards. 
Initially, he started developing high-tech cinema theaters in his home state of Kerala where two editions of his Indywood Film Carnival at Cochin and the Ramoji International Film City evoked a good response from the Indian and international film fraternity, he said. The next edition of the film carnival is planned for December 2017. Other features of the project include promoting film tourism by bringing in international film projects, industrial delegates, and tourists to India, launching international co-production projects from India using Indian talents.
The NRI who has directed Dam 999, an English movie produced for an international audience, also visualizes the formation of India based 'World Film Society' to operate as the integration hub of the world film industry and its associations, he said. Even though Dam 999 created some political ripples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu where the movie was banned due to the contentious issue of Mullapperiyar dam safety, the main theme of the movie, Roy continues to cherish his film project dreams back home.
"Even after achieving 40 per cent of market share on theater admissions and the total number of movies being produced, Indians never get a chance to make or experience 4K movies in its original quality due to the substandard condition of studios and theaters," he says. " This $10 bn project from a consortium of 2000 Indian Corporate Firms and multi-millionaires, is expected to elevate Indian film industry to be at par or above its peers in the world," the film enthusiast claims. "Innovative technology applications, world-class infrastructure, and new business. Innovative technology applications, world class infrastructure and new business models to rejuvenate the industry are envisaged.
He also intends to establish the world's largest film school, animation school and media school in India. His plans also include establishing copyright protection and antipiracy measures in India to protect film and music industries and to introduce the concept of CSR movies in India to support the debutante directors and producers and much more.
Sohan Roy announced the project details on January 18 at the Jaipur Rajasthan film Festival and invited everyone to come together and realize the dream of a unified film industry of India, with a mission to upgrade Indian film industry to the world's top level. For his contributions to the film industry and innovative concepts designed for uplifting India as the global film hub in the world, Rajasthan International Film Festival (RIFF 2017) along with the Rajasthan Film Industry honored him with an 'Honorary Award for Excellence'. The Rajasthan Film Industry has pledged all its support to the project and assured their strong participation at the upcoming Indywood Film Carnival.
Project Indywood took wings with the first edition of Indywood Film Carnival, (15 - 19 November 2015) at six different venues. With the presence of spectators, film directors, politicians, film personalities and cultural leaders, the first edition got a good response from all corners of the film fraternity. The first carnival saw participation from more than 50 countries, 40 exhibition booths, over 3000 film festival delegates, 1500 film market delegates and 135 film screenings in 16 categories. 

• India