Future Group, Sony tie up for Saawariya

As Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya is expected to hit the screen on November 9, the promoter of Future Group Kishore Biyani has tied up with production house Sony Pictures for the film's merchandising. The Group expects to earn over Rs 25 crore for the limited merchandising it will introduce by mid October.

The growing retail manufacturer will house men apparel, beauty products for women and home furnishing in 300 plus stores across 42 cities. "The special range will be available in all our format stores (Pantaloon, Big Bazaar, Home Town, Star and Sitar, Ezone, Central and Depot). None of the merchandising has pictures of the actors. We have incorporated the movie's colour theme and motifs in the home furnishing products, while the men apparel will be based on what the hero (Ranbir Kapoor) wears in the film," said Himank Savla, business manager, Future Ideas.

The men apparel will be in the range of Rs 250 to Rs 3,000 and will be sold under the group's in-house brands such as Bare, Rig and U&M. The home category products, bed & bath products and linen, will be under the brand Mela and the price points will be in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. Women, on the other hand, can pamper themselves with a Saawariya makeover or beauty treatment at the company's salons in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Surat, Bangalore, Nagpur and Coimbatore. The service may be extended to Delhi later. "The idea was to give women a chance to look like the lead heroine (Sonam Kapoor). We have also developed and designed a special limited range of beauty products such as nail enamels, perfumes and hair accessories," said Rahul Balchandra, head of beauty division of Future Group. While the products could cost around Rs 100, the beauty treatment is priced between Rs 300 and Rs 3,000.

The Future Group has a turnover percentage sharing deal with Sony Pictures for the merchandising alliance, according to sources. Sony Pictures is likely to earn between 4 per cent and 10 per cent. Some of the products will roll out by October 16, while others may take a day or two longer. The range will be available till December 31.