Sony keeps movie acquisition cost high, pockets The Dirty Picture

MUMBAI: Broadcasters continue to pay steep for acquiring telecast rights of movies that they prize. Competition in the genre is also ensuring that they catch these movies ahead of their box-office release.

Multi Screen Media (formerly Sony Entertainment Television India), a traditional high spender, has recently acquired the rights of hit movie The Dirty Picture, which is still running on cinema theatres, and two yet-to-release films, Ek Tha Tiger and Talaash.

Industry sources said MSM paid Rs 140 million for The Dirty Picture but the price for the other movies could not be ascertained.

The company, which runs Hindi general entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television (Set), Sab and Hindi movie channel Max, has also acquired the rights of Ladies Vs Ricky Behl. 

MSM chief operating officer NP Singh said, "Yes, we will be airing The Dirty Picture in a couple of months. Apart from that, we also have Ladies v/s Ricky Behl. And you will see Aamir Khan?s next Talaash and Salman Khan?s Ek Tha Tiger, exclusively on Sony Network." He, however, refused to disclose the acquisition cost of these movies.

The movie genre is heating up with Star Gold, Star India?s flagship movie channel, acquiring movies aggressively. Additionally, its new programming strategy of more movies and less advertisements has pushed other players to pull up their socks. As a result, the prices of movie acquisitions have not lost steam.

A top executive in a rival network said on condition of anonymity, "The movie acquisition cost is now obscenely high and it is not making business sense to acquire movies at such prices. Moreover the "bold" strategy of Star Gold is spoiling the market. If other players follow suit, we will all be in trouble. Viacom18 has also put its plan on hold because it is not a viable business model any more."

Earlier this year, Viacom18 had syndicated over 500 of its movie titles to Star India for an estimated Rs 4.5 billion.

In 2011, MSM?s other big acquisitions include Murder 2, Aakarshan and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.