South African cinema exhibitor Avalon Group has signed a deal at the Cannes Film Festival with one of India’s leading Bollywood studios, Yash Raj Films, to distribute their 2012 / 2013 slate. The deal was signed in the presence of South African Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile, by Avalon Group’s CEO AB Moosa and Avtar Panesar, VP International Operations, Yash Raj Films.
Now in its 73rd year, Avalon is one of the world’s oldest exhibitors. This deal marks the continuation of a long professional and personal relationship between the Moosa and Chopra families.
Said AB Moosa: “We are truly delighted to have secured this slate of potential blockbusters, not only because each one features Bollywood’s top stars but also because they are produced by the renowned, admired and respected Yash Raj Studios. This is another milestone in Avalon’s history of bringing the biggest and best that Bollywood has to offer to South African audiences and living up to our motto, “We bring you the stars’.”
“South Africa is a very special and an important market for us and we are delighted with the continued relationship with Avalon and the Moosa family,” commented Avtar Panesar.
Ek Tha Tiger (Tiger), which is set to release internationally and in South Africa on 15 August 2012, stars one of the most charismatic stars of Indian cinema, Salman Khan, who has two of his recent films featuring in the Top 3 highest grossing films of all time in India.
Renowned producer / director Yash Chopra, and founder of Yash Raj Films, joins forces with one of the biggest romantic stars, Shah Rukh Khan in a still to be titled film which also features the talents of Oscar winner and musical maestro A.R. Rahman. This film will likely be released in November 2012.
The third film of the first three titles is Dhoom 3 – the third installment in India’s biggest and most successful action franchises. One of Indian cinema’s most respected and commercially successful stars Aamir Khan has signed to star in this film set to release in 2013.
