Now it's India release before before the world

Jeffrey Archer’s latest book is releasing in India before anywhere else in the world. “The Sins of the Father”, the sequel to Archer’s 2011 novel, “Only Time Will Tell”, is set for a March 3 release at the World Book Fair in Delhi, while its worldwide release is only on March 15, two weeks later.
Bookworms in India might want to jump at the chance of laying their hands on an Archer novel before anybody else does, and while we in no way say that this development is anything less than huge, we also want to say, well, it ain’t that shocking! Traditionally, while us desis have always had to make do with asking cousins in America to send us books, movies or gadgets that only arrived on Indian shores months later, now, the tables have not just evened out, they’ve done a 180-degree turn.Not only does most stuff now reach here parallel to when it reaches those cousins, a lot of it gets here before it gets to them too!
On the decision to release Archer in India first, Daniel Watts, regional director (India and Asia), Pan Macmillan, says, “India is a major market for Jeffrey Archer, where he is hugely popular. Publishing in India first is a great way to generate word-of-mouth publicity, which can create further buzz for the overseas launch. Timing the release to coincide with the World Book Fair gives a great platform to let Jeffrey’s fans know how special he considers India to be. This will happen more frequently with major international releases, and has happened in past cases too.”
India has been growing as a big spender on entertainment, but it all started with a franchise like James Bond taking a quantum leap by releasing “Quantum Of Solace” in India on Nov 7, 2008, while it opened to US theatres only on Nov 14. “The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader” followed in 2010, opening in India on Dec 3, 2010, while it did in the US on Dec 10. Ever since, more and more Hollywood fare has come to give India a taste first.
Looking at all the benefits (read bucks) Hollywood is reaping, others want a bigger share of this big, fat Indian pie. Remember how annoying it was to always watch an older season of your favourite TV sitcom, while trying to catch the fresh season online, just didn’t feel the same? Now, you don’t even need to ask, err, again, that American cousin, ‘Yaar batana, are they still together?’ While most foreign shows premiere on Indian TV after at least one season is over, now, in what could soon become the trend for TV like it’s for films, Ashley Judd’s new series, “Missing”, will be launched in India on March 11, four days before it starts airing in the US – the first time an American soap will be on Indian telly before America.
That’s not all. Pretty soon, relying on relatives abroad to get you the latest version of a gadget may also be a thing of the past. If Nokia could launch its highly anticipated Lumia smartphone in India before it did in America – so in this case, it would have the American relatives asking you for feedback on the phone – it’s a matter of time before others follow suit. In fact, rumours have begun to suggest that Apple’s iPad 3 will be launched in India before the US. Even if it’s still just a rumour, it’s not an impossibility any more. And while the equation between you and your relatives in vilayat slowly begins to change as to who’s asking more questions/favours from whom, we’re waiting to watch who else will jump on to the Grand India Express!
Movies
Quantum of Solace – India release a week before US
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader – a week before US Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – six days before US
The Adventures Of Tintin – six weeks before US
The Three Musketeers – a week before US
Rio – a week before US
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – a week before US
The Lion King 3D: two months before US
Transformers: Dark of the Moon – 12 hours before US
The Avengers is slated to hit India on April 27 next year, while the US launch is a week later, on May 4 . It is also being suggested Skyfall, the latest James Bond flick, could
release in India a fortnight before its American release on November 9
Television
American drama “Missing”, starring Ashley Judd, will premiere in India four days before its US premiere, where traditionally, American TV shows have always come to Indian screens at least one season late
Books
Jeffrey Archer’s latest, “The Sins Of The Father”, is being released in India two weeks before its worldwide release
Music
Lady Gaga, when she performed in India last year, chose to debut her new single, “Marry The Night”, at her India performance, before she had given the rest of the world a dekko