Content provider Nimbus Communications is making its moves - quietly but surely. The company says it will launch its long-talked about channel on the entertainment business, the Showbiz channel, on 23 December via Thaicom-3.

Modi Entertainment Network will be the distribution agent for the digital encrypted channel. The proposed 24 hour pay service will charge cable ops Rs 4 per subscriber per month. Nimbus also plans a woman's channel expected to launch at the end of the first quarter of 2001, reveals Nimbus chairman, Harish Thawani.

According to him, his company is amongst the front runners to bag the Sri Lanka cricket rights which are currently under review. Besides, Nimbus says it will produce and distribute a range of Hindi and regional movies. Directors Aziz Mirza and Sudheer Misra have been signed, as well as "some of the bigger stars," says Thawani.

Besides, Hindi, Nimbus plans to produce films in Marathi, Kannada and Oriya languages. Nimbus Communications, which decided against an IPO earlier this year, had received Rs 432 million as part of a private placement with Transatlantic Corp. The company is awaiting "a period of stability in the stockmarket" to launch its IPO seeking another Rs 1,800 million. Nimbus prospectus has been approved by SEBI.