Now, Vishwaroopam plans DTH release in Hindi, Telugu
Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam’s Telugu and Hindi versions (Vishwaroop)
too are going to be premiered on the direct-to-home platform. Earlier
it was decided to premiere only the movie's Tamil version.
According to industry sources, while the charge for Tamil version is Indian Rs 1,000, for other languages it has been fixed at Indian Rs 500.
In addition to the four DTH players — Airtel Digital TV, Dish TV, Videocon d2h and
Reliance Digital TV – industry sources say Kamal Haasan has signed with Sun
Direct too. Sun Direct, part of the Sun TV group, has close to 60 per
cent of the total DTH connections in the State. According to industry
estimates, there are over 4.5 million DTH homes in the State.
Tata Sky too is pretty much interested in taking the film on board. “We
are in talks, and will surely bag the rights,” Harit Nagpal, Managing
Director of Tata Sky told. If this works out, the
initiative, the first of its kind in India will enable all DTH homes in
the State to watch the movie. If we count in its Telugu and Hindi
versions, and the resultant expanded reach, the number could be many
times higher than this.
The Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Federation and Distributors Association is
protesting this initiative saying it will affect theatre revenues.
Commenting on this development, Abirami Ramanathan, President of the
Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Federation, told Business Line that the
two bodies will meet in Coimbatore on December 26 to discuss these
developments, which will followed by another meeting in Chennai on
December 28 to take a final call on this.
Airtel Digital has announced that it has started accepting bookings for
the movie in all the three languages. Nationally, it has 7.5 million
subscribers. To book the movie, Airtel DTH subscribers can SMS VISHWA
from their Registered Telephone Number to 54325 and an Airtel DTH
customer care representative will call back to complete the advance
booking formalities.
It has also been announced that the DTH player will accept bookings for
the Tamil version for a charge of Indian Rs 1,200, and the Telugu and Hindi
versions for Indian Rs 500. However, pre-bookings of the Tamil version will be
available until January 8, for a charge of Inr Rs 1,000.
So, as its stands now, the movie would release in theatres on January
11, 2013, it will be premiered on DTH’s Pay Per View at 9:30 p.m. on
January 10 in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.