Fox Star Studios India Expands Slate With Remakes

GOA – Fox Star Studios India will remake U.K. production Metro Manila in Hindi co-produced with Bollywood banner Vishesh Films, the companies said Friday.

FSS extended its existing relationship with Vishesh Films – which saw releases like thriller Raaz 3 and Murder 3 – with a recently announced four-picture deal. That will include the Metro Manila Hindi remake entitled City Lights. The film will be directed by Hansal Mehta whose credits include the much-acclaimed Shahid.

Fox International Productions acquired worldwide remake rights for Metro Manila at Cannes this year, which will see the film unspooling in other languages, including an English-language remake.

The original Metro Manila, directed by Sean Ellis, is the U.K.’s official submission for best foreign-language film for the 2014 Oscars. It tells the story of Oscar Ramirez and his family’s search for a better life in the bustling Philippine capital of Manila. As events take an unexpected turn, he unwittingly endangers himself and his family.

City Lights was originally supposed to be directed by upcoming director Ajay Bahl who won acclaim with his 2012 debut, the noir thriller B.A. Pass.

FSS has also acquired Hindi remake rights for South Indian Kannada language crowd-funded film Lucia directed by Pawan Kumar.

“This is a very unique film by a very talented filmmaker who will also direct the Hindi remake,” FSS India managing director Vijay Singh told THR.
Lucia has become a case study of sorts on how upcoming filmmakers can realize their projects via crowd funding. The film premiered at this summer’s London Indian Film Festival and got a theatrical release via India’s biggest cinema chain PVR’s boutique distribution label PVR Director’s Cut.

Beyond remakes, FSS’ slate includes Finding Fanny, directed by Homi Adajania, best known for his 2012 hit Cocktail starring top star Saif Ali Khan who also starred in the director’s quirky 2005 debut Being Cyrus. FSS will co-produce with Khan’s banner Illuminati Films (which also produced Cocktail) and will star top actress Deepika Padukone and actor Arjun Kapoor.

Set in Goa, Finding Fanny is described as a hilarious and heartwarming bilingual film about a man’s search for his childhood love and how a group of dysfunctional characters go on a road trip with him to find her. “Finding Fanny is a very important addition to our exciting line-up for 2014… We are committed to releasing it across the globe,” said Singh.

As reported earlier, FSS’ upcoming slate also includes a Hindi remake of the Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz starrer Knight and Day. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film – currently shooting  and slated for release next year – stars top actor Hrithik Roshan and actress Katrina Kaif.