• Ash Waxed by Madame Tussauds
• Corporates are back on Art-Buying Canvas

• Serial to Attract Chinese Tourists

FICCI is close to signing an agreement with government-backed Chinese broadcaster to produce a 13-part TV serial on India to woo tourists from China. This project has the backing of the Chinese government which has given a green signal allowing Chinese production team to film India's tourism sites and will be broadcasted in Mandarian to viewers in China. This is the first time a Chinese production company will capture Indian historical sites and buddhist sites for Chinese viewers. Chinese government is also showing keen interest as tourism traffic hasn't picked up from China even after recognising India as a preferred destination for Chinese travellers. Industry experts say that there is a huge tourist potential from China to India. China receives over 34 million overseas visitors and 10 million domestic Chinese visitors go abroad every year. India receives 3 m visitors and 6 m Indians go abroad. While India issued around 16,000 visas for visitors from China, over 2,000 are in tourist visa category and rest from business community. Industry experts say that visits from Indian businessmen to China are five times higher than those of Chinese visitors. 'Singapore marketed itself as tourist destination by tieing up with a Chinese broadcaster. There was significant improvement and people from China began to travel to Singapore,'' says Mitra. This is a major initiative by Ficci to promote India-China bilateral ties, especially people-people relations, says Mitra. The production of the India series is set to take off in a month's time and the broadcaster will utilise studio and back office production work in India.

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 25, 2004

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There may have been many occasions when Aishwarya Rai saw herself in the mirror and wanted her beauty to be framed. Come September end, Ash will come face to face with herself, at London's legendary waxwork museum, Madame Tussauds. Ms Rai's wax dummy will be exhibited alongside those of Hollywood icons Brad Pitt, Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna. This is no ordinary honour, with the only other Indian filmstar to find a place there being Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Aishwarya is elated. "It's difficult to put down what I'm feeling in words," she says. "But I am thankful to God and people who love me for what's happening to me. My journey to this position has been very enriching." Ash will be present at the installation ceremony, informs Juliet Reese, UK publicist of Ash's first international film Bride and Prejudice. That Ash is causing a stir beyond India is even more evident by the number of international magazine covers she's gracing. After Hello, she'll be on Harpers & Queen and Night & Day amongst others. Apart from Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, who figured on the favourite list, other names include Anil Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan.

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 06, 2004

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Corporate buying in the art world emerged in the late 1970s. And, after taking a relative dip in the mid-1980s with the entry of individual collectors, has climbed back to hog 50% of the business generated at art exhibits. In the same breath, Indian companies, based on feedback, are lapping up nearly half of the pieces at domestic auctions and 10-20% in the overseas sales by Christie's and Sotheby's. Interestingly, the arrival and growth of the infotech sector also seems to be buttressing investments in Indian contemporary art. By a rough estimate, the international auctions of Indian contemporary paintings by Christie's and Sotheby's are churning out sales of $6-7 million every year. In step, domestic auctions could be turning over around $4-5 million annually. While the NRI population is picking up 60-70% of the international sales, Indian corporate share in the buying by resident Indians is pegged at about 15-20%. "However, half of the art purchases at auctions back home come in from corporates. In tandem, they complement this activity at auctions with their art acquisitions at shows and exhibitions," art market sources told ET. Going by the current size of the overall Indian art market, placed at about $40 million (Rs 180 crore), exhibits and art shows could be fuelling business in the order of Rs 100 crore. According to the dealer sources, the corporate sector is sourcing in the region of Rs 40-50 crore of artworks in this retail segment.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 01, 2004

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