Indian entertainment conglomerate UTV and filmmaker Rakeysh Mehra's company Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Productions (ROMP),which teamed up for last year's hit film Rang De Basanti, have reunited. Together they will invest $64.9m (Rs2.8bn)in four films to be produced over three years.

Among the films, to be directed by Mehra, are Dilli-6 based on Mehra's growing up years in Delhi (to be launched in summer 2008) and Paanch Kaurav also known as 5-K (working title), which is the first of a trilogy. Screenwriting guru Syd Field is said to be collaborating with Mehra on the trilogy.

Says UTV CEO Ronnie Screvwala: 'We worked great together as a team on Rang De Basanti and look forward to our next productions. We are sitting at a very exciting time in motion picture history in India, thanks largely to changing, maturing and demanding tastes of audiences for our films.

'Today the challenge is in making strong Indian themes but for a pan-Indian and global audience, and I think Rakeysh's sensibilities in this area, with help from a mature hand like Syd Field in structured screenplays, and our joint vision of taking Indian cinema to a new level of creativity and communication and to a growing diaspora for Indian content, will make this partnership very rewarding and challenging.'

The trilogy will have focus on ancillary revenues including retail, merchandising, console and mobile gaming using UTV's gaming and animation strengths.

According to reports, the aim of the co-productions is to tap foreign markets for about 50% of the revenue. Director Mehra said: 'The films will be made for movie audiences globally, not just for India or the West.'

While UTV will bring in investments, the creative aspects like scripting, direction and casting will be the responsibility of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Productions.

UTV and ROMP are also in talks with Hollywood studios like Disney, Fox and Sony for global partnerships on this slate.

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