GV Films
{{Short description|Indian film company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = GV Films
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| type = Film production
Film distribution
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| foundation = 1989
| founder = G. Venkateswaran
| location_city = Chennai
| location_country = India
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| industry = Entertainment
| products = Motion pictures
(Tamil)
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GV Films is an Indian film production and distribution company headed by Ishari K. Ganesh. The firm had been a leading production studio in the Tamil film industry in the 1990s and had been founded by G. Venkateswaran as Sujatha Films in 1986.{{Cite web|url=https://epdf.pub/celluloid-deities-the-visual-culture-of-cinema-and-politics-in-south-india.html|title=Celluloid Deities: The Visual Culture of Cinema and Politics in South India – PDF Free Download|website=epdf.pub}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/19900531-glamour-of-arc-lights-and-lure-of-quick-money-draw-professionals-into-cinema-812644-1990-05-31|title=Glamour and quick money draw professionals from other fields to Tamil cinema|first1=Kavitha|last1=Shetty|date=31 May 1990 |website=India Today}}
History
=Film industry=
Sujatha Films was set up in 1986 by G. Venkateswaran, a chartered accountant, as a film production and distribution company. Operating as a family production house, Venkateswaran's brother Mani Ratnam also often assisted on the production work of films that he directed for the studio.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7_d9XHAUFB8C&q=mani+ratnam+%22sujatha+productions%22+conversations&pg=PT225|title=Conversations with Mani Ratnam|first=Baradwaj|last=Rangan|date=10 December 2013|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=9788184756906|via=Google Books}} Sujatha Films became GV Films as it became the first publicly listed company from the Indian media industry in 1989.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Corporate-film-producer-GV-commits-suicide/articleshow/45300347.cms|title=Corporate film producer GV commits suicide |website=The Times of India|date=4 May 2003 }}
The early films by the studio saw frequent collaborations with Mani Ratnam and Visu, as well as with composer A. R. Rahman. Films including Anjali and Thalapathi were among the studio's most notable films.{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationxpress.com/vfx/mayavi-a-stereoscopic-series-on-jaya-tv/|title=Mayavi, a stereoscopic series on Jaya TV|date=1 November 2006}}{{cite web |url=http://cscsarchive.org:80/MediaArchive/art.nsf/(docid)/3210182951D02B8765256940004B7B49?OpenDocument |title=Trendy heroes - the Economic Times |website=cscsarchive.org:80 |access-date=30 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014050914/http://cscsarchive.org:80/MediaArchive/art.nsf/(docid)/3210182951D02B8765256940004B7B49?OpenDocument |archive-date=14 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}
GV Films produced Suhasini Maniratnam's first film Indira (1995) featuring Anu Hasan and Arvind Swamy in the lead roles. The film did not perform well at the box office, prompting GV Films to stop production and prioritise distribution ventures.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/apr/22tamil.htm|title=Priyanka Chopra goes unnoticed|first=Shobha|last=Warrier|website=www.rediff.com|date=22 April 2002|accessdate=23 January 2023}} However, some distribution ventures including Aalavandhan (2001) and Baba (2002) were also expensive failures.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/may/03gv.htm|title=Film producer GV commits suicide|website=www.rediff.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2003/film/news/tamil-coin-crunch-leads-to-suicide-1117886347/|title=Tamil coin crunch leads to suicide|first1=Bryan|last1=Pearson|date=18 May 2003}}
GV Films made a return to production in the early 2000s, first working on the making of Thamizhan (2002) directed by debutant Majith. The film featured Vijay and Priyanka Chopra in her first acting role. Further films that the studio worked on included Vasanth's Yai! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke! (2002) and K. Bhagyaraj's Chokka Thangam (2003) with Vijayakanth. All three films did not perform well commercially.{{Cite web|url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/2002/oct/23bhag.htm|title=rediff.com: Movies: The K Bhagyaraj interview|website=m.rediff.com}} Subsequently, Venkateswaran came under pressure from film financiers. In April 2003, Venkateswaran committed suicide at his residence in Chennai.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/20030519-kollywood-producer-venkateswaran-suicide-raises-fears-of-box-office-losses-empty-theatres-792887-2003-05-19|title=Kollywood producer Venkateswaran suicide raises fears of box-office losses, empty theatres|first1=Arun |last1=Ram|date=19 May 2003|website=India Today}}{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/a-private-affair/articleshow/1929636.cms?from=mdr|title=A private affair|first=D.|last=Govardan|newspaper=The Economic Times}}
Following Venkateswaran's death, the studio continued to produce media content under the same name. Notably, actress Manisha Koirala was briefly a board member as the studio attempted to make a comeback through Hindi film content and 3D television serials.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k5/nov/nov165.htm|title=Manisha Koirala joins the board of GV Films|date=15 November 2005|website=Indian Television Dot Com}} The studio launched a big budget Hindi film directed by Mahesh Manjrekar starring Sanjay Dutt in late 2005, though it was later stalled.{{cite web |url=http://www.chennaionline.com/film/Newlaunches/2005/10gvfilms.asp |title=GV Films signs up Sanjay Dutt, Devgan, Manjrekar |date=12 October 2005 |website=Chennai Online |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217010019/http://www.chennaionline.com/film/Newlaunches/2005/10gvfilms.asp |archive-date=17 February 2007}} Kasthuri Shankar also worked with the studio and assisted on the oversight of the production of Urchagam (2007).{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/tamil/friday-flashback-kasthuri-shankar-shares-a-throwback-picture-with-sherin-shringar-says-she-was-the-latters-boss-once/articleshow/75202608.cms|title=Flashback friday: Kasthuri Shankar shares a throwback picture with Sherin Shringar; says she was the latter's 'boss' once|website=The Times of India}} The studio returned to prioritising distribution ventures and instead chose to make small budget films such as Kaivantha Kalai (2006) and Thirudi (2006).{{cite web |url=http://www.gvfilms.in/reports/Annual-Reports/Annual-Report-2007.pdf|title=Annual report |date=2007 |website= www.gvfilms.in|access-date=2020-08-24}} In 2015, GV Films held a ceremony in Mumbai to mark 25 years since its founding.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/mumbai/Mallika-Sherawat-attends-GV-Films-Limited-GVFLs-silver-anniversary-bash-in-Mumbai/articleshow/48316378.cms|title=Mallika Sherawat attends GV Films Limited (GVFL)'s silver anniversary bash in Mumbai|website=The Times of India}}
=Other ventures=
In 1993, GV Films worked on bringing Michael Jackson to India for two live concerts to be held in Bombay and Madras on 8 and 10 December in aid of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. The event was later cancelled prompting the studio to suffer heavy losses and begin litigation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/gv-films-sues-michael-jackson-196101901051_1.html|title=Gv Films Sues Michael Jackson|newspaper=Business Standard India|date=19 October 1996|via=Business Standard}}{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/senas-history-reversed/202474|title=Sena's HIStory Reversed | Outlook India Magazine|website=magazine.outlookindia.com/}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/with-mj-gone-will-his-event-managers-survive/50097|title=With MJ gone will his event managers survive?|date=1 July 2009|website=mid-day}}
In 2000, GV Films paid $43.6 million to acquire about 8,000 international titles from a seller's offshore investment company Pinewood Films. This included the masters for non-exclusive internet, DVD and theatrical rights. The deal was considered the biggest catalogue buyout by an Indian company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/indias-gv-films-pact-8000-135904|title=India's GV Films pact for 8,000 titles | Hollywood Reporter|website=www.hollywoodreporter.com|date=10 May 2007}} During the same period, GV Films entered into a joint venture with UK internet portal Asian Online.{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/indias-gv-asian-online-form-webcasting-venture/401467.article|title=India's GV, Asian Online form webcasting venture|first=Bhuvan|last=Lall|date=2000-02-21|website=Screen}}
As of 2020, the group of companies is headed by Ishari K. Ganesh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.zaubacorp.com/company/G-V-FILMS-LIMITED/L92490MH1989PLC238780|title=G.V. FILMS LIMITED – Company, directors and contact details | Zauba Corp|website=www.zaubacorp.com}}
Filmography
= Film production=
;as Sujatha Films
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="width: 82%; text-align: center;" |
| scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Language ! scope="col" | Director ! scope="col" | Cast ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Synopsis ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |Mouna Ragam
| 1986 | Tamil | | |
| scope="row" |Agni Natchathiram
| 1988 | Tamil | | |
;as GV Films
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="width: 82%; text-align: center;" |
| scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Language ! scope="col" | Director ! scope="col" | Cast ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Synopsis ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |Vedikkai En Vadikkai
| 1990 | Tamil | Visu | Visu, S. Ve. Sekhar, Ravi Raghavendra | | |
| scope="row" |Anjali
| 1990 | Tamil | Shamili, Raghuvaran, Revathi | | |
| scope="row" |Thalapathi
| 1991 | Tamil | Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Arvind Swamy | | |
| scope="row" |Neenga Nalla Irukkanum
| 1992 | Tamil | Visu | Nizhalgal Ravi, Bhanupriya, Visu | | |
| scope="row" |May Maadham
| 1994 | Tamil | Venus Balu | Vineeth, Sonali Kulkarni, Manorama | | |
| scope="row" |Indira
| 1995 | Tamil | Suhasini | Anu Hasan, Arvind Swamy, Nassar | | |
| scope="row" |Thamizhan
| 2002 | Tamil | Majith | Vijay, Priyanka Chopra, Ashish Vidyarthi | | |
| scope="row" |Yai! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke!
| 2002 | Tamil | Vasanth | Shaam, Sneha, Rajiv Krishna | | |
| scope="row" |Chokka Thangam
| 2003 | Tamil | Vijayakanth, Soundarya, Prakash Raj | | |
| scope="row" |Ullam Ketkumae
| 2005 | Tamil | Jeeva | Shaam, Arya, Laila, Asin, Pooja | | |
| scope="row" |Matichya Chuli
| 2006 | Marathi | Atul Kale-Sudesh Manjrekar | Sudhir Joshi, Vandana Gupte, Ankush Choudhary | | |
| scope="row" |Kaivantha Kalai
| 2006 | Tamil | Prithvi Rajan, Sruthi, Pandiarajan | | |
| scope="row" |Thirudi
| 2006 | Tamil | K. Shankar | Kathir, Dhanya Mary Varghese | | |
| scope="row" |Urchagam
| 2007 | Tamil | Nandha, Sherin, Dinesh Lamba | | |
| scope="row" |TN 07 AL 4777
| 2009 | Tamil | A. Lakshmikanthan | | |
=Film distribution=
In addition to the production of films since 2010, GV Films has also been involved in distributing films of other production houses across certain regions.
- Aalavandhan (2001)
- Baba (2002)
- Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006)
- Vallavan (2006)
- Thaamirabharani (2007)
- Sivaji (2007)
=Television=
- Mayavi (Jaya TV)