UTV Motion Pictures
UTV Motion Pictures (also known as Disney UTV from 2012-13) was the feature film unit of UTV Software Communications founded by Ronnie Screwvala and Zarina Screwvala in 1996 as UTV Motion Pictures Plc., the film distribution division of UTV Software Communications. It was one of the leading film studios in India and one of the largest production studios in South Asia. The studio's activities spanned creative development, production, marketing, distribution, licensing, merchandising, and worldwide syndication of films in Indian territories. It was also a distribution label of Disney for feature films produced by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in India.
 | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production, film distribution |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Ronnie Screwvala Zarina Screwvala |
| Defunct | 2017 |
| Fate | Absorbed into Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Headquarters | Mumbai, India |
Key people |
|
| Products | Motion pictures |
| Services | Film production, marketing and distribution |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company India |
| Website | corporate |
UTV Motion Pictures had a library of domestic regional films and animation productions alongside select international productions with the studio moving into film production in Bollywood, and further expanding in Hollywood in partnership with studios such as 20th Century Studios, Walt Disney Pictures and Sony Pictures.[1] In July 2017, Disney shut down UTV Motion Pictures, shortly after the release of the Action film Jagga Jasoos, and planned to focus on its Hollywood films distribution and television and licensing and merchandising businesses through the banner, effectively pulling the plug on its Hindi film production.[2]
Film productions and distribution
Films produced by UTV Motion Pictures
UTV Spotboy
The following films were produced under the UTV Spotboy banner.
Films only distributed
| Year | Film | Production Company |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Parineeta | Vinod Chopra Films |
| Shaadi No. 1 | Puja Entertainment | |
| Deewane Huye Paagal | Base Industries Group | |
| Bluffmaster! | Entertainment One | |
| 2006 | Taxi No. 9211 | Entertainment One Ramesh Sippy Entertainment |
| 2007 | Welcome | Base Industries Group |
| 2008 | Race | Tips Industries |
| Kismat Konnection | ||
| 2009 | Wake Up Sid | Dharma Productions |
| Kurbaan | ||
| 2010 | Raajneeti | Prakash Jha Productions Walkwater Media Ltd |
| 2011 | Dhobi Ghat | Aamir Khan Productions |
| Zokkomon | Walt Disney Pictures | |
| Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told | Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures | |
| 2013 | Race 2 | Tips Industries |
| Ship of Theseus | Recyclewala Films | |
| Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani | Dharma Productions | |
| 2014 | Sholay 3D | Sippy Films Pen India Limited |
| Highway | Window Seat Films Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment | |
| 2 States | Dharma Productions Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment | |
| Heropanti | Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment | |
| Kick | ||
| PK | Vinod Chopra Films Rajkumar Hirani Films | |
| 2015 | Tamasha | Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment |
| 2016 | Baaghi | Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment |
Unreleased/shelved films
- Hook Ya Crook[24]
- Alibaba Aur 41 Chor
- Peter Gaya Kaam Se
- Shoebite
International films distribution in India
Walt Disney Studios films in India
UTV's distribution relations with Disney first began when in 2005, Miramax Films, then owned by The Walt Disney Company, sold distribution rights to several films of their catalog in a 10-year deal;[25] however it is currently unknown whether this deal continued even when Miramax was sold to Filmyard Holdings. In December 2008, following their purchase of a majority stake in UTV, The Walt Disney Company, which would later acquire the entirety of UTV Motion Pictures through UTV Software Communications in 2012,[26] handed over exclusive distribution rights to their films in the Indian subcontinent, starting with Walt Disney Pictures' Bedtime Stories.[27] UTV Motion Pictures became the exclusive distributor for all Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures releases for South Asian territories from 2013 onward. Distribution rights to 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) and Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures) films continued to be handled by Fox Star Studios (now Star Studios) until late 2019 with The Art of Racing in the Rain, when Buena Vista International began releasing the studios' films internationally and thus UTV acquired the distribution rights to their films in the Indian subcontinent, starting with Terminator: Dark Fate.
Non-Disney international films
| Year | Film | Country | Indian Release Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Unleashed | France United Kingdom |
Gulam Belagam | Released in both Original and Hindi Dubbed versions Indian distribution only |
| 2011 | Crayon Shin-chan: Jungle That Invites Storm | Japan | Shinchan in Bungle In The Jungle | Animated Film Originally released in 2000 in Japan Hindi Dubbed Version Indian distribution only |
| Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops—Winged Angels | Doraemon in Nobita and the Steel Troops-The New Age | Animated Film Hindi Dubbed Version Indian distribution only | ||
| 2013 | Doraemon: Nobita and the Island of Miracles—Animal Adventure | Doraemon The Movie Nobita Aur Jadooi Tapu | Animated Film Originally released in 2012 in Japan Hindi Dubbed Version Indian distribution only | |
References
- "UTV & Fox in Strategic Tie-up -To co-produce M Night Shyamalan's next movie". India PR Wire. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- "Disney India to exit from Hindi film production business". The Economic Times. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "52nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- "53rd National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- "Rang De Basanti gets BAFTA nomination". The Hindu. 12 January 2007. Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2008.
- "Rang De Basanti, India's official entry to Oscars". Webindia123.com. 26 September 2006. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
- "54th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- "'I'm Not There' feels the Spirit". Variety. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- "56th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- "57th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- "5th Asian Film Awards". 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- Bhushan, Nyay (24 September 2010). "'Peepli Live' is India's Oscar entry". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
- "'Harishchandrachi Factory' India's entry for Oscars," Indian Express, PTI 20 September 2009.
- "Arjun: The Warrior Prince Nominated for Annecy Cristal Award 2013". 26 April 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "'Barfi!' selected as India's entry at the Oscars in Foreign Language Film category". 22 September 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- "60th National Film Awards Announced" (PDF) (Press release). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- "Awards – Film | Film Not in the English Language in 2015". BAFTA 2015.
- "8th AFA Awards". 28 March 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- "62nd National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- "9th AFA Awards". 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- "64th National Film Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
- "59th National Film Awards for the Year 2011 Announced". Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- "61st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- Hungama, Bollywood (20 November 2009). "David Dhawan reveals reason behind Hook Ya Crook delay : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama.
- "Miramax sells India pic rights". Variety. 8 March 2005. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
Miramax has sold distrib rights for more than 135 films to Indian production and distribution company United Television (UTV) Motion Pictures for 10 years. Deal includes Robert Rodriguez's Bruce Willis starrer "Sin City" and "Danny the Dog"...
- "Disney Acquires Controlling Stake in India's UTV". The Hollywood Reporter. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- Frater, Patrick (8 December 2008). "UTV to handle Disney distribution". Variety. Retrieved 14 April 2022.