Mumbai-based film production company Numero Uno and leading Indian film distribution company Shringar Films, have tied up with New York-based Rossellini Associates to distribute low-budget foreign films in India.

The company aims initially to attract a small, specialised audience. Numero Uno is owned by Indian film producer Sanjay Khan. Rossellini Associates is headed by Gil Rossellini son of Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini. Mumbai's Shringar films, owned by veteran distributor Shyam Shroff has been distributing similar films in various languages in the past and will be involved in marketing and advertising the films, while Rossellini Associates will take care of acquiring distribution rights. According to Rossellini, "In India, when itcomes to audiences, the sheer size is daunting. If even about two-three per cent of the populace comes to watch our films here, it still adds up to over 12 million people. This is a huge figure, which is almost as large, if not larger than, the entire US movie-going population". The first film the venture has released in India is Life Is Beautiful. Rossellini Associates are planning to release a roster of Miraxax films in India.