Yash Raj launches company in Hollywood

Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood banner Yash Raj Films has forayed into the international market by launching a Hollywood-based production and financing company that will produce international content. The company named ‘YRF Entertainment’ will focus on developing and producing feature films for the US and the international market. YRF Entertainment is funded by Yash Raj Films, the 41-year-old studio that was founded by filmmaker Yash Chopra. His younger son, Uday Chopra will serve as the CEO of YRF Entertainment. “My family has a deep commitment to making and distributing quality films that entertain and enlighten audiences. I share that passion, as well as a love for American films that I have had since childhood. It is that enthusiasm and my love of the creative process of filmmaking that drove me to start this new venture,” Uday Chopra said in a statement. [caption id=“attachment_137973” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Uday Chopra with Priyanka Chopra. Uday Chopra will serve as the CEO of YRF Entertainment. Reuters”]  [/caption] Uday has hired Jonathan Reiman to head development and production under him. Currently, YRF Entertainment is producing and financing The Longest Week, a comedy film, with stars Jason Bateman, Olivia Wilde and Billy Crudup. Written and directed by Peter Glanz, the movie is being produced by Uday, along with Neda Armian. The executive producers are Jonathan Reiman, Chris Marsh, Stone Douglass and Taylor Materne. The film tells the story of a bratty man-child played by Jason Bateman, who still lives with his parents in a Manhattan hotel, but suddenly finds himself evicted, disinherited and hopelessly in love with his best friend’s heartthrob, played by Olivia Wilde. The shooting for the film began last week in New York. Uday tracked down the project after the original financier had to abandon the film and immediately fell in love with the material. YRF Entertainment is also building a slate of projects that it will develop and produce from the ground up. The first project the company will develop is an untitled action-comedy by Dan Ewen about two 20-somethings, who run away from their podunk towns to pursue big dreams and become an unlikely but seemingly unstoppable duo after meeting serendipitously. Back home, the parent banner Yash Raj Films continues to produce mainstream Bollywood films. Yash Chopra’s eldest son Aditya’s upcoming film, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, is a romantic comedy starring Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma. The film releases on 9 December. Veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra returns to direction after almost seven years. The new untitled project will feature superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. PTI