20th Century Fox to set up JV with Star

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, one of the leading Hollywood studios and a News Corporation subsidiary, is all set to enter the Indian film industry in a joint venture with Star India, Rupert Murdoch's television business in the country.

Though the nature of the JV is not clear, Vijay Singh, Star India's president, Strategy and Corporate Development, is expected to head the motion picture company's operations in the country.

When asked about 20th Century's proposed India debut, the Star spokesperson refused to comment on the offer. Media industry sources say that 20th Century Fox will operate as a full-fledged film production company and make Hindi films in collaboration with local talent.

It will follow the business model being adopted by other major foreign studios which are already here. Last year, Sony Pictures tied up with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make Saawariya. More recently, Walt Disney Studio announced its alliance with Yash Raj Films to make an animation feature film Roadside Romeo.

Warner Brothers', too, has been negotiating with local film companies and independent producers to launch its film business.

A media industry source said that action in the Hindi film industry will heat up with the entry of 20th Century Fox and the possible foray of Universal Studio from NBC Universal which picked up a stake in NDTV Networks recently.

To be sure, 20th Century Fox is not new to India since it operated a film distribution business in India for about a decade before shutting shop two years ago.

During the period, it released over 70 films in India including blockbusters such as Star Wars, Die Another Day, Titanic, Moulin Rouge and Day After Tomorrow, among others.