Prasad and World Sound & Vision Saudi Arabia Launch First-of-its-Kind Digitisation and Restoration Centre in Riyadh

Bengaluru: Prasad, a global leader in film preservation and post-production for over seven decades, together with World Sound and Vision (WSV) Saudi Arabia, announces a new milestone with the Prasad WSV Digitisation and Restoration Centre in Riyadh, strengthening its commitment to safeguarding cinematic heritage worldwide. This landmark facility, the first and largest of its kind in the GCC, is set to transform the way cultural heritage is preserved across Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region.

The initiative is the vision of WSV and its management, represented by Dr. Cotup Saleh, Director, supported by Prasad’s global technology expertise. It represents a powerful step forward in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, enriching the nation’s cultural landscape while building its reputation as a hub for media innovation and heritage preservation.

A State-of-the-Art Facility for the Middle East

The Riyadh Centre is designed to provide a single, integrated solution for digitising and restoring films, tapes, and archival materials. Equipped with the state-of-the-art Scanity film scanner, ultrasonic cleaner, tape digitisation equipment bank, and restoration personnel, the facility ensures that priceless local and regional media archives can now be restored and preserved within Saudi Arabia itself, eliminating the need to send valuable content abroad.

Highlights include:

Film preservation: High-resolution 2K/4K transfers using the industry-leading Scanity film scanner.

Tape digitisation: A comprehensive suite of machines covering formats from Umatic and Betacam to rare archival tapes.

Manual restoration: Expert cleaning and restoration services to ensure even the most delicate materials are recovered with precision.

Abhishek Prasad, Director & CTO at Prasad shared, “We are honoured to bring Prasad’s seven-decade legacy of film preservation and restoration to Saudi Arabia through this landmark partnership with World Sound & Vision. The new Digitisation and Restoration Centre in Riyadh is more than just a facility, it is a commitment to safeguarding priceless cultural heritage for generations to come. With the Kingdom’s bold Vision 2030 as our guiding light, we see this as the beginning of a long journey where Saudi Arabia emerges as a global leader in heritage preservation and media innovation. We are proud to play a role in transforming memories into masterpieces, right here in the region.”

Dr Cottup Saleh, Director WSV: “It is a matter of pride that we are partnering with a leading global name such as Prasad Corporation, which brings with it decades of legacy and leadership in content digitisation and restoration. This is a unique field, and we are confident it will benefit organisations and leading individuals in preserving and protecting their audiovisual heritage. We take pride that we are the first in the region to have such a unique initiative to service the needs of the GCC region.”

The Prasad WSV Digitisation and Restoration Centre is poised to serve archives, cultural ministries, broadcasters, and universities across the GCC. By combining cutting-edge technology with decades of expertise, the facility is expected to become a cornerstone for preserving heritage and enabling new cultural and economic opportunities in the region.