Prominent Indian leader in the Gulf and Hollywood director Sohan Roy has been elected as one of the prestigious members of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (IATAS). It is an organisation to promote excellence in international television and also honour the best television programmes with the Emmys.
A resident of UAE, Sohan Roy embarked on his Hollywood venture with Dam999 in 2011, a production which catapulted him to instant stardom as the movie won several national and international accolades alongside five Oscar nominations. The screenplay of the movie was also added to the permanent core collection in the coveted library of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Roy now joins the esteemed members of the IATAS board, another feather in his already glittering cap. Moreover, he has also been invited by the top IATAS officials to the upcoming Emmy awards.
Here are some thoughts from the man of the moment himself!
How do you feel on acquiring the prestigious IATAS membership? Did you ever anticipate such a thing?
It is something special and I hold this one close to my heart as my efforts to redefine media, marine and medical industries for the last ten years have been acknowledged by a globally renowned organisation. Owning a membership at IATAS is a lifetime dream of people who associate with media industry. I am really glad to be a member of prestigious television body. It was unexpected.
What will be your responsibility as an IATAS member?
There are only five members from India hence the responsibility is quite high and challenging one. India, the second most populous country in the world, already has around 800 satellite television channels. We represent this huge broadcast industry in the IATAS.
Indian broadcast industry is limited to the Indian audience only so far. It is high time to take this network to an international platform. To tap the global market, Indian media industry should select globally appealing topics, adopt international making style and develop organised distribution network globally.
As the Founder director of Project Indywood, I will surely hold brainstorming discussions with the top brass of Indian media industry and will come out with innovative ideas to explore new horizons. Meanwhile efforts will be made to create awareness about IATAS among the stake holders in Indian media industry to identify the core areas to associate and to frame the strategies to take it to international level.
Do you plan to celebrate the occasion?
It is a proud moment for not only Project Indywood but also for the Indian media industry. Our team will celebrate when our mission of integrating Indian media industry gets accomplished. We have more miles to go before we sleep.
Your Indywood consortium plans to invest Rs. 70,000 crore in the Indian film industry. When will this plan materialise? And in which cities?
Project Indywood, promoted by a consortium comprising 2,000 billionaires and Indian corporates, aims at initiating 10,000 new 4K projection multiplex screens, 1,00,000 2K projection home cinemas, 8K/4K film studios, animation/ VFX studios and film schools conforming to international standards. The project is expected to change the destiny of the Indian film industry by 2020 to make the entire industry integrated, structured and modernised for making it the best place in India for investment by ensuring more revenue than today.
Indywood means Unified Indian film industry and we are planning to expand our operations across the country by the end of 2018. Indywood’s vision is that big budget movies like Baahubali should generate Rs. 2000 crore from the Indian market alone in future and through Trivandrum-based Aries Plex we have proved that people will rush back to cinemas if we deliver quality products on high quality screens.
In India, movies are made in more than 20 languages. When we integrate a common platform that is inevitable for the promotion of movies in regional, national and international levels. Media will play a key role in integration as the Indian movies are mostly watched through the television than the cinemas.
Are you willing to collaborate with anyone in India?
As mentioned above, 2,000 billionaires and Indian corporates will be associating with Project Indywood to revamp Indian film industry. They will spend their branding budget for the promotion of Indian film industry.
Any investment in AVGC (Animation, VFX, Gaming and Comics) industry? Your take on India’s AVGC industry?
We have set hundred targets for Project Indywood. One of the target sectors is AVGC sector. We would like to transform India as the world hub of talent pool in AVGC sector. To achieve this we have to develop minimum 100 major studios in India. We have launched one studio titled Epica Studios which is equipped with advanced facilities at Trivandrum in Kerala. Epica Studios sprawled across 16,000 sq ft area produces quality 2D and 3D animation projects for Europe and Asia based broadcasters.
World-class studios will be established across the country so that the local talents can be identified, trained and hired. By 2020, India will have more than hundred thousand talents who will be working in the AVGC sector.
You are considered a pioneer of building dual 4K multiplexes and 4K Atmos home cinemas in less space. How did you achieve it?
One of the major targets of Project Indywood is screen development. The consortium will spend five million dollar to develop 10,000 new screens, almost 2,000 multiplexes at an average of five screens in 2,000 cities of India. Initially, we are targeting 4K screens. But we will set up 1,000 8K screens also by 2020.
Aries Plex, another initiative under Project Indywood, has proved that wonders can be created if we set up world-class cinemas. Aries Plex is the only dual 4K cinemas in the country which generated record revenue for the Baahubali series. The Baahubali team had acknowledged Aries Plex as the best screen in the country to watch the magnum-opus movie. Even people from other states have started coming to experience 4K Baahubali on wide screen at Aries Plex. Considering the huge demand we are planning to run at least one show throughout the year for promoting 4K and Film Tourism..
Any plans to direct movies in the coming days?
Yes, I plan to do so. Burning Wells, a 25 million USD project, based on Kuwait war is the next project. The movie will be shot in 3D using 8K technology and will be dubbed into 30 languages. The shooting is expected to start by second week of January 2018.
What is your big dream?
My top priority is to ensure the participation of Indian media industry at most prestigious International Emmy Awards. I will definitely lead from the front to identify and send the best Indian TV programs to the jury. I will take necessary steps to initiate discussions with the stakeholders in Indian media industry about this very soon. At least one person or media house from India should receive an award, it is my dream.