African, Indian firms buy Eccho’s Turkish drama

Broadcasters in Africa and an Indian entertainment firm have acquired Eccho Rights’ widely-travelled Turkish drama Ezel.

Viasat has acquired rights in Ghana and Tanzania, while India’s Wizcraft is planning a local version after scoring a deal with Scandinavia-based Eccho.

Eccho Rights, part of the Sparks Eccho Group, last year became the first distributor to sell rights to a Turkish drama into the US through a deal that saw Sander/Moses acquire The End. That series is now being piloted at Fox.

Turkish drama goes from strength to strength and continues to dominate global sales,” said Eccho Rights’ managing director Fredrik af Malmborg. “Following our success in being the first distributor to sell a Turkish drama product into the US, we continue to see new territories being added all the time with impressive results.

“As well as being the first Turkish drama sold to Africa it is also our first deal with the continent. We hope this is the start of an on-going relationship with the growing market there.”

Ezel has sold to more than 80 territories, with several local adaptations created. The drama follows a military man that seeks revenge on his former friends and fiancée after they set up him and put him in jail.