UAE film firm eyes new Bollywood investments

Dubai: Abu Dhabi film company Image Nation is contemplating new investments in the lucrative Bollywood market after the success of Shah Rukh Khan starrer 2010 film ‘My Name Is Khan’ in UAE.

"One of our partnerships with Hyde Park also includes Hyde Park Asia and we are in talks with them to enter the Indian market," said Mohammed Al Mubarak, chairman of Image Nation. "We`ve already looked at a few scripts on that level and we see India as a huge market with massive potential. We hope we can tap into it." The Middle East is a growing market for the Indian film industry due to its large Asian expatriate population. The state-backed company, whose film credits include the Hollywood thriller `The Double`, was a key financier for the Shah Rukh Khan movie, which grossed USD 42.3 million at the box office, Arabian Business reported. Bollywood producers are increasingly looking to the region for funding and exposure, as the global financial crisis has tightened credit lines elsewhere. Abu Dhabi-based Image Nation struck a USD 250 million deal with UK production firm Hyde Park Entertainment in November 2008 to develop, produce and distribute feature films. PTI