China's first SMS novel to be made into movie

BEIJING: China's first novel delivered through SMS (short message service) is being made into a film that will also be delivered to cellphones and on the Internet, state media said Sunday.

The Taiwan-based company Bestis Technologies has bought the film rights to Outside the Fortress Besieged, a 4,200-character, 60-chapter novel that has been sent out to mobile subscribers in short instalments, Xinhua news agency said.

Earlier a Beijing-based wireless business operator bought the domestic rights to the novel for 180,000 yuan (RM82,500).

The novel, written by ethnic Mongolian businessman Qian Fuchang, is a steamy tale of illicit love among married people and is being short-messaged in instalments of 70 characters each.

The film will consist of 30 to 40 segments and should be able to be viewed on cellphones, company officials said.

China has about 260 million mobile phone users, the vast majority of whom use SMS, Xinhua said.

During the Spring Festival -- China's Lunar New Year -- mobile phone users sent nearly 10 billion short messages, generating one billion yuan (RM458mil) in revenue, it added. -- AFP