NBCUNIVERSAL FORMATS AND BANIJAY ASIA ANNOUNCE GLOBAL CO-PRODUCTION DEAL

NBCUniversal Formats, a Universal Studio Group division has signed a co-production deal with Banijay Asia to adapt a number of its iconic, world-class formats in India. "These stories, characters, and formats have proven to have universal appeal," Enrique Guillen, EVP, Commercial Strategy & International Development, Universal Studio Group said. "The broad reach and expertise of Banijay Asia across scripted and unscripted content makes them our ideal partner to develop and produce these titles for Indian audiences in the language and form that they prefer.”

Banijay Asia, will now represent and work with Universal Studio Group to create local versions of award-winning scripted and entertainment titles across the region. “These titles are proven hits and carry significant gravitas in the market, with many ingrained in the cultural zeitgeist worldwide” said Deepak Dhar, CEO, and Founder, Banijay Asia. “Entertaining, story-driven, and hugely adaptable, there is no doubt, with the right talent and partners, we can get India talking about these shows too.”

The titles include “Suits,” “House,” “Monk,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Titan Games” and “Top Chef.”  The catalog was modified to better fit its new audience across various languages, cultures and regions. The overall portfolio has perfomed well in the US and around the world. Most recently, Banijay Asia was credited for the nation’s ratings-winning-title, "Into the Wild with Bear Grylls."

The co-production agreement is the first of its kind to be signed for NBCUniversal Formats in India. The company hopes to continue expanding across Asia and the rest of the world. "Suits" has already been adapted successfully for audiences in Japan and Korea, "Saturday Night Live" has been a rating success in Japan, China, and Korea, and "Top Chef" continues to perform well in Thailand and Vietnam.