HBO original series Big Love comes to India

Media News

New Delhi, July 31, 2008

Following the splendid success of all original series launched in India till date, HBO announced the launch of a brand new original series, Big Love in India at a press briefing held in New Delhi today. The press briefing was addressed by Ms Shruti Bajpai, Country Manager, South Asia, HBO Asia who also shared with media the third quarter plans of the leading movie channel HBO. Season 1 and 2 of the HBO Original Series, Big Love will premiere on 4th August 2008 after the 9:00pm movie, post which HBO will air two episodes back to back every Monday after the 9:00pm movie. The Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominated television drama Big Love is an HBO television drama about a Mormon family in Utah that practices polygamy.

Big Love revolves around Bill Henrickson, his three wives Barb (legal wife/first wife), Nicki (second wife) and Margene (third wife), and their combined family of seven children. At first glance, Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton, Mighty Joe Young), seems to lead a typical suburban life. A religious and hard-working husband who only wants the best for his family, this Salt Lake City native tries to find enough time for them while overseeing the expansion of his successful home-improvement business. But, the surprise is that Bill is also a polygamist – and with three wives, seven children and three homes to maintain, his life is anything but ordinary!

The series highlights Bill Henrickson’s myriad challenges in balancing the emotional, romantic and financial needs of his wives, Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn, Mickey Blue Eyes), Nicki (Academy Award® nominee Chloë Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin, Walk the Line), while dealing with their kids, his business and an ever-mounting avalanche of bills. Bill’s whirlwind life gets even more complicated when disturbing news arrives about Bill’s father and he is forced to reconnect with his polygamist parents. Meanwhile, he also finds himself in a dispute over money that threatens to erupt into open warfare with Roman (Harry Dean Stanton, The Green Mile), one of his fathers-in-law, and the "Prophet" of the polygamist community in rural Utah where his parents live.

Addressing the press briefing in New Delhi today, Ms Shruti Bajpai, Country Manager, South Asia, HBO Asia expressed, “With top three English movies of 2008* - Spiderman 3, Superman Returns and Ghost Rider been showcased on HBO, the channel has done extremely well this year across all English entertainment channels. Encouraged with the overwhelming response that we have received so far, HBO now brings something different for the Indian audiences – the HBO Original series – Big Love. HBO Original productions are a strong differentiator for the channel to create extra value for its viewers. Big Love is a series which is contemporary and we are sure that the discerning Indian viewer will love this series for its top quality production and its unorthodox storyline.”

Produced by Playtone's Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, as well as series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, the offbeat contemporary drama series, Big Love also features other series popular actors such as Bruce Dern (Monster) and Grace Zabriskie (Twin Peaks) as Bill's parents, plus Daveigh Chase (Lilo and Stitch), Shawn Doyle (Don’t Say a Word), Joel McKinnon Miller (After the Sunset), Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls), Douglas Smith (Sleepover), Melora Walters (Cold Mountain) and Jolean Wejbe (Gilmore Girls). Also featured in Big Love are Tina Majorino (Napoleon Dynamite), Mary Kay Place (Sweet Home Alabama) and Matt Ross (Good Night, and Good Luck).

It’s offbeat, it’s contemporary, its drama, it’s interesting - it’s Big Love only on HBO. So tune into HBO Originals series, Big Love every Monday after the 9 pm movie starting 4th August 2008. Big Love’s Henrickson family will be on HBO till 20th October 2008.

For further information, please contact:

HBO Asia

Ruchika Chaudhry

E-mail: ruchika_chaudhry@hboasia.com.sg

Tel: 0124 4028888

IPAN

Geetanjali Lahiri

E-mail: geetanjali.lahiri@ipan.com

Tel: 011- 42492100