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In yet another testament to UTV's unique ability to pick winners from amongst scores of scripts and movies available for production and distribution, the Company has co-produced HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, which is now India's official entry for the 82nd Academy Awards. The film has been co-produced with Paprika Media and Mayasabha Production. UTV has recently kicked off its campaign for the Academy Awards, which will include a targeted and aggressive media burst and extensive screenings in Los Angeles in October and November.

No one in recent years has won more awards than UTV - from RANG DE BASANTi to JODHAA AKBAR, from FASHION to LIFE IN A METRO, from KHOSLA KA GHOSLA to A WEDNESDAY!, from MUMBAI MERI JAAN to OYE LUCKY! LUCKY OYE! and from WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR to DEV.D. In the last four years, films produced or distributed by UTV have been India's official selection for the Oscars twice before this, with both RANG DE BASANTI and TAARE ZAMEEN PAR getting the nod. No one has more in depth knowledge of how to go about an International Awards campaign than they do and this bore fruit when they won a nomination at the BAFTAs for RANG DE BASANTI!

Plans are now afoot to give HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY (HCF) the same platform and to ensure that it gets the opportunity it deserves to attain global recognition. Paprika Media, which has a range of custom-publishing platforms, has been keeping a close eye on the Indian film scene in the pages of its Time Out magazines in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY held out so much promise, Paprika Media decided to cross over from being an observer to an active participant. HCF, written and directed by Paresh Mokashi, is a delightful account of the incredible journey undertaken by Dadasaheb Phalke to make India's very first motion picture, RAJA HARISHCHANDRA.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, UTV Motion Pictures said "Over the years, movies that have received recognition by the Academy have been those with unusual themes and uplifting stories of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. With a tight running time of a little over 90 mins, HCF has the ability to reach out to international audiences in a grammar of film-making they are conversant with. We will go all out to ensure that it gets the best chance possible to do India proud."

Vikas Bahl, Chief Creative Officer, UTV Motion Pictures, said, "HCF has all the hallmarks of those very few special films that can cut across barriers to touch a chord amongst audiences, regardless of cultural background or language. We are proud to be bringing worldwide audiences a film that tells the story of the birth of film making in India - the world's most prolific film producing nation."

According to Paresh Mokashi, writer-director, HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, "What better than to have one's debut film about the making of India's debut film. My search for the subject of my film was over when I first read the adventures of Dadasaheb Phalke in trying to make his first film. It was a story that was full of hope, inspired awe and optimism, and I've tried to bring these elements alive in the film. Selection to Oscars is a very sweet surprise and now I'm hoping for the best. And I'm really glad to have the support of UTV and Paprika Media in this venture"

Smiti Kanodia, Founder & Chairperson, Paprika Media Pvt. Ltd. said, "After hearing Paresh's narration of the script, we were totally gung-ho about co-producing such a splendid portrayal of Dadasaheb Phalke in HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY. This movie effortlessly captures the essence of his character, showcasing some of the finest performances given by the actors, the music composer and those behind the camera, making it complete Oscar material!"

UTV will also be entering the film for the Golden Globes and BAFTA awards this year.
*Source glamsham