Enthused by the success of Bollywood movies overseas in recent years, Indian filmmakers are eyeing to rake in billions of dollars in exports earnings by offering quality products and employing sleek marketing tools.

A concerted move is afoot to prise open new markets for Indian films spread across Spain, France, Brazil, Germany, China and Japan, besides traditional markets like the US, Britain, Canada and South Africa.

Of the estimated Rs.45 billion ($1.02 billion) logged by the Indian film industry last year, earnings through exports accounted for Rs.10 billion ($228.6 million). Film export earnings are likely to rise rapidly over the next few years.

"We are still at a nascent stage when you compare us with other industrial sectors but the potential for exporting Indian films overseas is massive," said leading Bollywood film producer Mukesh Bhatt.

"An increasing number of filmmakers have discovered there's big money to be made outside India as Bollywood has now become a global brand name with the success of a few Indian films in the international arena," tells Bhatt.

"It's not just the Indian diaspora fuelling the overseas demand for Bollywood products. We are seeing more and more international audiences taking an interest in movies made here."

Bhuvan Lall, chief executive officer of film production and distribution firm Lall Entertainment, said exports of Indian movies could turn into a "multibillion-dollar industry" with a little bit of government support.

"It has the strengths to outstrip all other sectors in export earnings provided the government creates an enabling framework by extending tax benefits to filmmakers," said Lall.

According to him, film export revenues would continue to grow at an impressive rate of 50 percent in coming years.

Bhatt, producer of recent films like "Raaz", "Ghulam", "Murder", and "Kasoor", claimed some of his movies earned more revenue in the overseas markets than on the home turf.

Some of this veteran filmmaker's prominent overseas export destinations include the US, Britain, Singapore, the Middle East, Malaysia, Fiji, Switzerland, Mauritius and Indonesia.

Besides the 20 million-strong Indian diaspora, non-Indian audiences have acquired a taste for Bollywood, which produces over 800 movies a year -- more than twice the number made in Hollywood.

Industry sources said a film like "Veer Zaara" has the potential to earn as much as Rs.300 million ($6.85 million) from overseas markets in a total expected turnover of Rs.900 million ($20.6 million).

In the US, the romantic flick "Kal Ho Na Ho" opened at 52 cinemas and collected $272,000 on the opening day. It also drew full houses in New York, Fremont, Los Angeles and Houston.

"Earlier, all Bollywood films were targeted only at the domestic audience. Today filmmakers are taking extra care to ensure that films also appeal to the international audience," said leading filmmaker Yash Chopra.

"Though things are still very unorganised, the good thing is the film industry people here are increasingly becoming aware of the potential for exporting movies to different countries. They have to do it," he said.

Chopra, the maker of recent popular movies like "Veer Zara", "Hum Tum", and "Mujhse Dosti Karoge!" plans to launch major marketing initiatives for his products in new destinations like Germany and France.

"We need to have good marketing techniques in place to realise the full potential. It's not just about making a good product...it's about how to sell a good product. Few people paid attention to this till recently," he said.