BAG Films' IPO soon

Our Markets Bureau Bureau
30 August 2003

The company is promoted by a team of core media professionals, having more than 15 years experience in the Indian media industry. With successful on-air programming of more than 1,500 hours (more than 40 programmes) in diversified software categories and strong relations across all major channels including Star Network, Sahara Television, Doordarshan (DD) and a host of regional channels, BAG today stands out as a respected television software producer in the Indian entertainment industry.

At present BAG Films is mainly into production of TV software for various channels in India. Currently the following programmes, produced by BAG Films, are on air: Kumkum: Pyara Sa Bandhan and Hai Na Bolo Bolo on Star Plus; Haqeeqat on Sahara TV; Rozana and Khaberein Bollywood Ki on DD Metro; Poo Villangu on Vijay TV; Red Alert and Mera Goan Mera Desh on Star News; and Gramin Bharat for the Indian ministry of rural development (DD, on all regional channels). Haqeeqat, produced for Sahara TV, won two awards at the Indian Television Awards 2002 for best director and best screenplay.

The company also produces corporate and advertisement films, promotional capsules and other non-broadcast videos. The company has also started work on alternative sources of revenue through delivery of content on different media such as interactive voice response on mobile phones, automatic speech recognition and short messaging service platforms.

BAG Films has already embarked on the following projects:

Development of in-house production facilities, including a full-fledged convergence studio complex with state-of-the-art digital equipment and all necessary peripheral infrastructure. The studio complex is located at the Noida Film City. It will have one of the best studio floors for shooting television shows in the area.
Setting up of a media school under the banner of iSomes, having international collaboration with the School of Journalism, University of Missouri, and state-of-the-art facilities for creative and technical media professionals.
Production of low and medium budget feature films. The company has already acquired story rights for two feature films and the script and screenplay writing has been completed for one of the feature films. The company is negotiating with prospective directors and lead stars for both the feature films.

Anurradha Prasad, the company's managing director, is a leading media personality. She has conceptualised, designed and anchored various shows for DD and private television channels. She has also worked with Network East, department of BBC Network. Working with top professionals of the industry, both national and international, Prasad has produced, directed, conceived, scripted, reported and anchored many television programmes. And most of these have been under the banner of BAG Films.

Rajeev Shukla, 45, the director, is a senior journalist, a well-known personality in the media industry and a member of parliament (Rajya Sabha). During the tenure of his journalism career, Shukla has written several hundred articles in the newspaper. He is a well-known columnist, known for columns like 'Power Play' and 'Front Foot', which appear in various newspapers including The Indian Express and Dainik Jagran.