Bollywood Trade News Network

UTV launches ‘UTV Classics’ to promote new age cinema, beginning the New Year with Vishal Bhardwaj's THE BLUE UMBRELLA to be released on Jan 5.

UTV has been known to create new benchmarks with each of its new ventures and its latest one is no different. Presenting to you ‘UTV Classics’, a sub-brand of UTV Motion Pictures that would promote experimental and unconventional cinema, making it accessible to a broad audience.
 
Says Ronnie Screwvala, CEO of UTV "The entertainment tastes of a section of the audience are maturing with time and UTV Classics is an initiative to address the needs of this growing audience for different cinema. 2006 has been proof of this, with unconventional movies that have broken the mould and which have been applauded by audiences and critics alike.”

Based on a Ruskin Bond novel by the same name THE BLUE UMBRELLA aims at adding a new dimension to today's genre of kid’s films by combining entertainment with a morality tale. True to the works of Ruskin Bond, the film is set against the backdrop of an idyllic tranquil village in the scenic valleys of Himachal Pradesh. The film's heart and soul is the unsurpassed Pankaj Kapur, who plays NandKishore, a shrewd shopkeeper. Nandu, whose character is symbolic of the 'common man', gets enchanted by a beautiful, embellished mystical blue umbrella owned by Biniya, a small girl played by Shreya Sharma. The striking umbrella becomes the centre of attraction, disturbing the otherwise serene and peaceful ambience of the village.

The story takes an abrupt turn when the umbrella goes missing one fine day. And thus begins the quest for the umbrella, leading the two leading characters into an unanticipated world of wisdom and knowledge. The umbrella, which has deftly been kept in the foreground by the director, symbolizes every human emotion from love to longing, from desire to greed. 

The film has astounding performances by Pankaj Kapur and Shreya Sharma. Having being screened at some of the top-notch film festivals abroad, THE BLUE UMBRELLA is all set to captivate the minds and hearts of the young and the young at heart.

Presently UTV has a slate for 12 films, which are various stages of production, scripting, story formation. Its upcoming projects include Anurag Basu's METRO, Milan Luthria's HATTRICK, Mira Nair's masterpiece NAMESAKE, Ashutosh Gowariker's JODHA-AKBAR, Vivek Agnohotri's GOAL amongst others. RANG DE BASANTI from the UTV stable is India's official entry for the Oscars this year.