Eros and the next 25 yars

[Chris750]

That bloke with the posh voice on your Eros DVDs will have something else to say soon in addition to his usual 'for over 25 yars...'

Bollywood giant to float in London

Monday May 15, 2006
The Guardian

The brightly coloured world of Bollywood is to meet the pinstripes of the City after Eros International announced its intention to float on the London Stock Exchange yesterday in a move that could see the Indian film group valued at more than $400m (£210m).

The privately held Eros, which hopes to raise $100m from the flotation, is understood to be the world's leading distributor of Hindi films with an average of 35 movies a year over the past 14 years.

Founded in 1977, the company has been responsible for an estimated 40% of Bollywood films distributed in Britain over the past eight years.

In the last nine months of last year Eros made a profit before tax, interest and goodwill of $12.6m on turnover of about $32.2m. It predicts annual sales of about $44m, at the low end of expectations.

Although Bollywood producers are prolific, revenues are low when compared with Hollywood films. PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated that industry revenues were $1.25bn in 2004, enough to cover just a few blockbusters.

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1774953,00.html

[jemeznj]

I shall have to extend my share portfolio.

Where did they get that bloke who does the Eros voiceovers, his way of speaking sounds so odd to me, not at all like other posh Indian English accents I have heard.
But I wait to be corrected and told it is an entirely normal accent for a particular region that is entirely unfamiliar to me and not just someone straining pretentiously to sound superposh.

[Chris750]

I prefer his voice to that bass growling halfwit who does the voiceovers for every Hollywood movie.

Think of the deepest voice you ever heard and cue... "one group running out of time... she holds the key to their future... Coming soon: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

[corbie]

I am mad at Eros and have mixed feelings as they release a lot of movies but their customer service is horrible. I will not be ordering any more movies from them. I am on email numer 10 over three weeks and no response and their phone message box is "full". None of those profits are going to the customer service deptartment.

[tabula rasa]

I shall have to extend my share portfolio.

Where did they get that bloke who does the Eros voiceovers, his way of speaking sounds so odd to me, not at all like other posh Indian English accents I have heard.
But I wait to be corrected and told it is an entirely normal accent for a particular region that is entirely unfamiliar to me and not just someone straining pretentiously to sound superposh.

I think he actually used to compere the Filmfare awards, way before it became fashionable to have the celebrities do it. I remember his booming voice and placeless accent, and thought "this is a voice meant for radio". Can't remember his name, but he probably found his calling

[Dil Bert]

"The brightly coloured world of Bollywood is to meet the pinstripes of the City after Eros International announced its intention to float on the London Stock Exchange yesterday in a move that could see the Indian film group valued at more than $400m (£210m)."

While it makes sense for them to list in London for other reasons, a lot of companies are choosing London's stock exchange over US ones due to the (pointless, expensive) requirements of the new Sarbanes-Oxley law.

Maybe we can each buy a share of their stock and do some shareholder activism: put forth proposals to require better quality dvds, fewer ads, smaller watermarks, etc.

[Smra]

And get them to change their name.

Unfortunately, a resolution to change the name of a company requires approval by 75% of the shareholders - that's a lot of shares for us to buy.

[jemeznj]

And get them to change their name.

Unfortunately, a resolution to change the name of a company requires approval by 75% of the shareholders - that's a lot of shares for us to buy.

Yes, my husband was quite surprised to find me searching for a website called Eros entertainment  He got quite the wrong idea!

[Smra]

And was disappointed ?

[purplecowmoo]

Maybe we can each buy a share of their stock and do some shareholder activism: put forth proposals to require better quality dvds, fewer ads, smaller watermarks, etc.

Yeah. And ask if we can write the blurbs, because their ones suck so bad, it's funny. The other thing I don't like is the bit that's practically a half-hour long, with the funny strained-accent fella. And, like you mentioned, the watermarks and plastering of the logo everywhere. And I want to cut down the half-an-hour ad for the company itself, voices over by said weird guy.

[corbie]

I am sure our postman thinks my husband is into porn as the Eros packages came in his name as the site also makes you sign in and there was some glitch and it would not accept my name!

[Darshana]

Does anybody have an opinion about Eros as an actual investment?  The brief story gives them a huge profit margin. 

From what I've read in books, Bollywood accounting practices are absolutely totally not directly related to reality.  On the other hand, I've also read that equities markets in India are transparent and adequately monitored.  On the yet other hand (anybody seen Hritihik?),  I like the suggesiton above for us to become shareholders - you know if you are a shareholder of a thing, they have to invite you to an annual meeting, even if they try to mail the invite 15 minutes before it starts.

On another note, my favorite thing to hate that that guy says in his wack accent is "Top SEE-rials." 

They won't change the name, of course - of course because it's been around so long - and when they pronounce it EE-Raas, is it supposed to not mean eros?  I bet they are among the first who'd want itchanged if they now know what it now means/suggests.

[annkittenplan]

Does anybody have an opinion about Eros as an actual investment?  The brief story gives them a huge profit margin. 

From what I've read in books, Bollywood accounting practices are absolutely totally not directly related to reality.  On the other hand, I've also read that equities markets in India are transparent and adequately monitored.  On the yet other hand (anybody seen Hritihik?),  I like the suggesiton above for us to become shareholders - you know if you are a shareholder of a thing, they have to invite you to an annual meeting, even if they try to mail the invite 15 minutes before it starts.

On another note, my favorite thing to hate that that guy says in his wack accent is "Top SEE-rials." 

They won't change the name, of course - of course because it's been around so long - and when they pronounce it EE-Raas, is it supposed to not mean eros?  I bet they are among the first who'd want itchanged if they now know what it now means/suggests.

I like it when he says "Hey You Bollywood Freaks!"  He makes it sound so...kinky.

I suppose a prospectus will be available.  It would be good to know what they plan on doing with the cash -- more productions like Waqt, movie downloads, new hires in customer service?

[los angeles]

Yes, my husband was quite surprised to find me searching for a website called Eros entertainment   He got quite the wrong idea!

I am sure our postman thinks my husband is into porn as the Eros packages came in his name as the site also makes you sign in

Ahaha!!:-)
It's so funny when I read these Eros threads--everyone thinks BW fans are buying adult film DVDs Lol:p

I like it when he says "Hey You Bollywood Freaks!"  

^ Omg I don't like that at all!!
I remember trying to show a musical theater guy a random preview and before I could dive for the remote and lower the volume, that "Hey You BW Freaks" part started. It was quite embarrassing