Ekta & I don't work for money

By Subhash K Jha

Ekta Kapoor's career as a film producer is about to take a belated upswing. Ever since she brought in her uncle Ramesh Sippy to supervise their film division, things have been moving at a super-brisk pace on the movie front.

The telly-friendly company-name Balajee Telefilms has now bi-furcated into a more film-friendly Balajee Motion Pictures Ltd to avoid confusions between Ekta's television and film- production branches.

After tying up with Sanjay Gupta, Ekta Kapoor is going into another major movie merger.

Suniel Shetty's Popcorn Entertainment has gone into partnership with Ekta Kapoor's Balajee Telefilms for a production that takes Apoorva through his toughest film after Shootout At Lokhandwala.

Confirming these developments Suniel Shetty says, "Ekta's Balajee and my Popcorn Entertainment have been in talks for a while. When I heard Apu's script I knew this was the right moment to concretize our collaboration.

Hopefully Ekta and I will be looking at many more collaborations. Both of us are dreamers who aren't in this business to make money but because we believe in it."

Suniel has three productions lined for the next one year. "The first will be a gritty realistic film directed by Joy Augustine. After that there's Vikram Singh's Raaste with Abhishek, John, Aishwarya and Sikandar, followed by Apoorva's film."

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=19174