India funds Demi Moore’s “The Joneses”

India has reportedly funded another Hollywood production “The Joneses” starring Golden Globe nominated Demi Moore (Ghost).

India based Vistaar Religare Film Fund has reportedly invested in this Derrick Borte (The End of the Bar) directed film which will premier at prestigious Toronto International Film Festival in September as a “special presentation”.

Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed says that it clearly exhibits that India is emerging as an important player in global cinema market and becoming increasingly influential in Hollywood.

“The Joneses”, a 93 minutes drama/comedy, is about an apparently “perfect” family which moves into a posh suburban neighborhood and which IMDB calls “a social commentary on our consumerist society”. Filmed in Georgia and Washington states, its cast besides Moore includes Golden Globe winner David Duchovny (The X Files), Amber Heard (Never Back Down), Gary Cole (Forever Strong), Emmy nominated Glenne Headly (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), etc.

Vistaar Religare is planning more premiers in London (UK) and India, including flying in Moore, Duchovny and other cast members. It has also funded South African film “Finding Lenny” (Neal Sundstrom) and intends to continue funding mainstream Hollywood film projects, besides Indian films. Sunil Godhwani is the CEO of Religare Enterprises Limited.

Meanwhile, on Monday, India’s Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group finalized $325 million in equity to Steven Spielberg’s new DreamWorks Studios to make up to 21 movies over next four years. The Reliance, among India’s top three business houses, also has development silos with other Hollywood production companies, including those run by actors George Clooney, Jim Carrey, Nicolas Cage, Julia Roberts, Jay Roach, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Chris Columbus, and Brett Ratner.

Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, argued that Indo-Americans would like to see more Bollywood-Hollywood joint ventures in the future where Bollywood would have command on the creative aspects also.

India reportedly produces much more films, which draw much larger audience globally, than Hollywood (which released only 610 movies in 2008). About four billion movie tickets are sold in India annually.

ENDS