`Paan Singh Tomar` set for Gulf release on popular demand

After doing successful business in India PST is set for screening in the Gulf region.

New Delhi: After doing successful business at the home box office, `Paan Singh Tomar` is set for screening in the Gulf region Thursday and that too on popular demand. In fact, the film was first premiered at the fourth edition of Abu Dhabi Film Festival and had got an overwhelming response.

"Demand for `Paan Singh Tomar` has now reached a peak and it is just the right time for us to do an extensive release in the Gulf," said Amrita Pandey, senior vice president, international distribution and syndication, UTV Motion Pictures. Director Tigmanshu Dhulia shot the film on location in Chambal Valley with Irrfan Khan in the lead role, and their hard work paid off rich dividends when it hit the screens March 2 after much dilly-dallying. Made at a mediocre budget of Rs.4.5 crore, the saga of the former national steeplechase champion-turned-bandit Paan Singh Tomar struck the right chord with the audiences and earned over Rs.10 crore in one week. Pandey says they rely on word of mouth when it comes to the promotion of movies without star cast. "For high concept movies that are not traditionally released overseas due to lack of a big star cast or content that is different from the mainstream, our strategy is to allow for word of mouth from India to spread and for audience demand to build up, so that it becomes impossible for distributors and exhibitors to ignore our content," Pandey said in a statement. "It helps us get better distribution and showcasing for these movies overseas, and we have followed the same strategy in the past for some of our other path-breaking content like `A Wednesday` and `Welcome to Sajjanpur`," she added. IANS