Bollywood goes the Internet way
By agencies   |   Thursday, 07 September 2006, 02:23 IST
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BANGALORE: Bollywood is no longer only “silver screen” as the country witnesses its slow but sure transaction to the more tech world. Credited for making more movies annually than any other country in the world, Bollywood is looking beyond TV and radio as it sets its sights on the Internet for movie promotions, according to a report by Business Line. Interactive sites, blogs, games, contest; the moviemakers are eyeing them as a sure shot way to get their audience in the loop. One would have to agree as India has approximately 30 million `digitally connected' people. With TV promotional ads only lasting for few seconds, movie promoters feel that the Internet allows them to stay connected with their audience for a longer run. Take for example, Lage Raho Munnabhai, the online promotion of which is being handled by MSN India’s website. While the desktops features usual clippings, songs, and a link for the movie site, the Windows Live Messenger has taken the next step by introducing a Munnabhai bot (that is computer generated), that can be added on to your contact list and he will talk as the character does in the movie, with jokes and riddles that will let you win movie merchandise. Rajnish, Head of Digital Marketing Revenue and Strategic Business, MSN India, said that “ people who use the Internet are twice likely to go watch movies in multiplexes. So it, the adoption of online media is attractive to new age producers.” According to Preeti Desai, COO-Digital Business Hungama, a digital entertainment marketing company, " Bollywood movie sites developed by us attract 1-12 million page views a month.” Therefore, companies are now committing budgets to Internet-related activity, and films and Bollywood are certainly an integral part of this trend. Such online promotions are good revenue generators for Web sites. And with net savvy crowd only increasing, it is a turnaround time for the Net.

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