Eros Entertainment has taken a majority stake in startup Indian visual effects house Eyeqube Studios and is partnering with Emmy-winning designer Charles Darby to raise the quality of Bollywood f/x. Darby, whose credits include “The Matrix,” “Titanic,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” will be creative director.

The sector in India is plagued by clunky and obvious effects. Darby said Eyeqube will provide “something like Hollywood-in-a-box to the Indian filmmakers” against a backdrop “where there is still a large amount of confusion as to the difference between animation and visual effects.”

Mumbai-based Eyeqube will produce effects for Eros pictures and work for hire on third-party international productions. It has already begun work on Eros’ Amitabh Bachchan-Sanjay Dutt starrer “Aladdin” and “Drona,” with Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra. Both pics are set for delivery in 2008.

Unit, which is largely being built from scratch, will employ senior supervisors and artists hired from top international effects companies to run master classes in 3-D and animation, compositing and feature animation. Eros will provide Eyeqube with working capital of $5 million.

“India has talent, drive, passion and ambition. What it lacked was infrastructure and exposure to the right opportunity,” Darby said in a statement.