Mumbai: This is one Indian company which believes in doing things differently. The Mumbai-based Vivek Lath and Jimmy George-promoted format production and distribution house GoQuest Media has got into bed with the Miami-based VIP 2000 TV to coproduce and distribute the Turkish drama series Kuma (The Other Wife). The duo has roped in Turkish independent Inci Gulen Oarr promoted Stellar Yapim (productions) to helm the series, pre-production for which has already begun.
Slated to have a duration of 100 hours with filming set to begin in the next few months in Turkey, the series follows the fortunes of a young woman from eastern Turkey who is forced to become a kuma or a second wife to the brother of the man she has been accused of murdering.
Stellar Production is known for its prowess in co-productions with international partners on global projects as well as providing consultancy to international producers working in Turkey, including location scouting, line production and post-production services. Gulen Oarr is best known for the hit series Elif which ran for five seasons.
What is exciting most media observers is the fact that Kuma is one of those rare shows where two non-Turkish producers have got together to churn out a premium daily show.
“We are extremely pleased to be working with Inci Gulen Oarr on this project,” says VIP 2000 TV CEO Roxana Rotundo. “We have been waiting to get involved in our own Turkish project, but we needed it to be unique and different from the rest; in a market where there is so much competition, we needed an IP that would have a fascinating story, and we found that in Kuma.”
“We’re lucky to have viewers around the world,” points out Gulen Oarr. “An international collaboration like this only makes sense. These days, Turkish drama is truly global content.”
GoQuest managing director Vivek Lath highlighted the drift in the market towards a B2B licensing and production model and the partnership with VIP 2000 TV is a step in that direction for the Indian company. “Partnering with VIP 2000 TV and Stellar Yapim, leaders in their respective fields, ensures that we have the best allies as we navigate and capitalize on these market shifts,” he said in conclusion.
