Filmi Desh Announces Distribution of Marathi Cinema Across North America, to soon Expand to other Countries

by Shrutee K/DNS

Culturally-rich Marathi entertainment is void of organized International presence currently. When it comes to distributing Marathi films overseas, many a times the reach is not as expected and a large chunk of the audience misses watching good work from the industry on a regular basis. To eliminate this problem and take Marathi cinema to the world on a huge basis, media veteran Nitin Keni and media professional Manish Vasisht have started 'Filmi Desh', which will ensure that Marathi films reach a wide audience base.

Nittin Keni is a well-known producer with films like Gadar, Rustom, The Lunchbox, Sairat, Duniyadari, Katyar Kaljat Ghusli, Lai Bhaari and Timepass to his name. He has also served as the CEO of Zee Studios and during his tenure, the company reached new heights. His reputation is sure to ensure that Filmi Desh gets its due and emerges on top of its game. The idea behind this initiative is to make Marathi films available for viewing for the Marathi viewers settled abroad. This won't just mean a commercial release for the film outside India but also a complete package of promotions and PR activities that happen closer home for each film. The initiative is being backed by Brihan Maharashtra Mandal through their chairman Ashish Chaughule. Filmi Desh is not just a boon for the viewers but also for producers who will stand to gain on their investment. Speaking about the initiative, Keni said, "Marathi films are at their peak right now and there is a rising demand for screenings abroad. There is a huge audience and among all regional films, Marathi films are the most sought after by viewers. To make sure the films reach their target audience, we have decided to implement this initiative that has been in works for over a year between me and Manish Vasisht, with some top level strategic alliances" He also informed that this will open new avenues for producers and filmmakers.

Ashish Chaughule, very upbeat on his part, said, "Marathi movies are knocking the Oscar doors with a variety of subjects and we have 1.5 lakh Marathi speaking families in USA and Canada under BMM umbrella. People are willing to get into the habit of watching these quality movies in theaters. This undertaking by Filmidesh, serves as the catalyst for increased adoption in viewership not only for Maharashtrians but for the entire Indian diaspora. This builds a perfect value chain for movie makers to movie goers" With strong alliances and a very experienced team, Filmi Desh looks to become a success story soon.