Ekta wants a share of distribution pie

Her production house will now set up an in-house distribution wing which will be headed up by her uncle Ramesh Sippy, who was recently inducted into the company
From being a television series production house (and eventually ruling the small screen with over 100 shows) to being one of the most prolific film producers, Balaji has come a long way. And now, the company's head honcho Ekta Kapoor has decided to expand further and get into the distribution space.Following the same module as Yash Raj Films and UTV Motion Pictures, Balaji Motion Pictures will now distribute their own ventures.
Ekta's maternal uncle Ramesh Sippy, who rejoined the company a couple of months back, will head the distribution department. While Sippy confirmed the development, Tanuj Garg, CEO of Balaji Motion Pictures added, "Setting up an in-house all-India distribution infrastructure is only logical for a company like ours that is at the forefront of content creation and marketing. This will give us greater control on the value chain, which is in line with deriving studio status."
A senior member from the Balaji office revealed the idea to get into distribution was in fact Ekta's brainchild. "She discussed it with her parents, Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor. They seconded it. She had a long meeting with the top officials of the company, who felt that the idea to get into distribution makes a lot of business sense. More often than not, selling one's film to a distributor fails to yield the expected profits. Also, there's a lack of transparency. Having an in-house distribution channel will ensure relatively higher returns on every venture," said the Balaji official.
Balaji’s distribution business is expected to take off in the next four months. For now, the new team will occupy one of the floors in the existing Balaji office in Andheri. And bureau offices will also be set up in major cities across the country. However, there is a possibility of an entirely new office being built for distribution. "A large team will soon be appointed for this new department in our company," the senior member added.