Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer My Name is Khan, directed by Karan Johar, is set to create a record ahead of its release early next year with Fox Star Studios reportedly buying its marketing and distribution rights for around Rs 100 crore.
This makes it the biggest distribution deal in Bollywood, outstripping Rs 90 crore for Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini (see table).
The film, co-produced by Johar and Khan, has a Rs 55 crore budget and is set against the 9/11 terror attacks and its impact on an Indian Muslim living in the US.
My Name is Khan is pegged as one of the biggest Bollywood releases with Shah Rukh and Kajol playing opposite each other after many years and is directed by Johar under his home production company Dharma Productions.
| WHO SELLS WINS (Bollywood production deals in recent times)* | |||
| Film | year | Global rights including | Rights holder |
| Ghajini | 2008 | 90 | IFC, Allu Arvind |
| Om Shanti Om | 2007 | 75 | Eros International |
| Singh Is Kinng | 2008 | 60 | IFC |
| Welcome | 2007 | 45 | Eros International |
| (In Rs crore) * Industry Sources | |||
According to industry watchers, Dharma Productions and Fox Star — the film marketing, distribution and production arm of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox and Star TV Network — have been in talks for a 50:50 co-production deal for Bollywood films. The distribution of My Name is Khan could be the starting point of their relationship.
Asked about the deal, Vivek Krishnani, head of distribution, Marketing and Syndication at Fox Star Studio, said: “We have been in talks with Karan Johar for movie rights. That is the stated position. I do not know if any deal has been struck on this matter nor do I know if something has been worked out in Los Angeles.”
Fox Star Studio came into prominence for distributing the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire in India earlier this year. So far, Fox has signed contracts with several film makers from both the Hindi and Tamil film industry.