Uma Singh
How long have you been in screen production and how did you get started?
KURAN NZ is a family-owned company, established in 1992 by my late husband Kamal Singh. The aim was to attract the Bollywood film industry and to promote New Zealand as a tourist destination for Indians who lived and watched Hindi movies all over the world. Indian student numbers also increased at the same time, hence growth in the economy. KURAN has organised and managed more than 130 movies including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Karnataka, Kanada, and Malayalam ranging from feature movies to television series to TVCs to music albums to billboards. KURAN hires New Zealand technicians, actors, dancers etc. KURAN stands for: Kamal, Uma, Raajew, Atima and Nandini – being Kamal my late husband, myself and our three children.
What genre(s) does your work tend to come from?
About 65% of our business is repeat business, some is word of mouth and some is new.
How easy is it to make a living in this industry/how often do you work outside the screen production industry?
It is not as easy. About eight years ago we would get 10 to 15 shoots per year but we are now competing with other countries. Australia, Canada, United States and most European countries have become film friendly by offering package deals like cheaper airfares, discounted hotel rates, lower location charges etc. KURAN has lost out on a number of confirmed shoots and us New Zealand technicians (and others like talent/modelling agencies, dance schools, hoteliers, moteliers, transport providers, restaurants, local governments and the Department of Conservation, private property owners and so on), New Zealand as a whole country is losing out on the economy.
How does your department work as part of the ‘whole’ that other crew probably don’t realise?
KURAN has an excellent reputation in the industry locally, nationally and internationally. About nine years ago an inexperienced group, having no knowledge or ‘know how’ of filming in New Zealand tried getting in, but did not succeed. They even dumped a busload of Indian film crew (after taking their money) on the kerbside in Rotorua – KURAN was called to rescue them! A recent experience in Auckland was when film crew were driving vehicles all over the place and even left the country without paying the locals. As far as I know and to the best of my knowledge KURAN has never left footprints and we make a point that every service provider gets paid for carrying out their tasks.
How have your rates changed/improved over the years?
Yes, due to inflation, we have had no option, but to increase our daily charge out rate etc.
What sort of changes have you noticed? Have you noticed any trends?
We have noticed that every Bollywood film crew would have their own way of doing things, usually depending on the budget. The use of filming equipment and technology vary from crew to crew. We are fully focused on the demands and needs and with our wide range of contacts, we are able to fulfil the same. Some would prefer having their negatives processed at a lab in Auckland, while others might like to have them processed in India.
What strengths do you think the New Zealand industry has/what could contribute to a more sustainable industry?
New Zealand – the whole world in one country, as we all know. Filming is a lucrative business and our country has a lot of potential. With some help from our Government we could go a long way to bring back Bollywood! But please, be rest assured that Bollywood comes here to create jobs for Kiwis, not take them away!
