Adlabs-Reliance, a jointventure between India's largest film company Adlabs and Reliance Infocomm, has startedacquiring Hindi films for overseas distribution.

The company announcedthat it has acquired international rights to Rajesh Roshan's Krrish, starring Hritik Roshan, and RaviChopra's Babul, starring AmitabhBachchan.

It is reported to have paid$2.2m for the overseas and Indian home video rights to Krrish which will be released in early 2006. Murdoch's Star TV hasglobal television rights.

The company is also indiscussions to buy the rights to Farhan Akhtar's Don, Karan Johar's KabhiAlvida Na Kehna and Sajid Nadiadwala's Jaaneman.

Meanwhile, Adlabs also announcedthat it has signed a ten-picture, two -year deal with director Vipul Shah (Ankhen, Waqt) for $35m. The company has also signed a three-picture deal,including Bluffmaster, with RameshSippy and a two-picture deal with Prakash Jha.

Previously, Adlabs hadsigned a deal with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to direct a series of 12 Hindi filmsthat it plans to produce. The 12-film slate entails an investment of $25m andthe roll-out should be completed by mid-2007.

With its current film deals,Adlabs will have a library of 27 Hindi films over the next two years, inaddition to the films it acquires for international distribution.

Indian billionaire AnilAmbani bought an $80.2m controlling stake in Adlabs through subsidiary companyReliance Capital earlier this year.

The company also plans tohave at least 100 screens across India by 2007. It currently owns multiplex screens spreadacross western India and has a blueprint to develop 41 screens in northern India, including the cities of Moradabad, Amritsar,Jalandhar, Agra and Chandigarh.

The other major Indian companiesdistributing Indian features overseas are Eros Entertainment, UTV Movies, WEG,Zee Telefilms and Yashraj Films.